AGP Executive Report

World Bank/IFC Leadership: Mary-Jean Moyo appointed IFC Division Director for Tanzania, Burundi, DRC, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, based in Dar es Salaam, with a mandate to mobilise private investment and back job-creating businesses. EAC Trade: East African Community trade jumped 37% in Q2 2026 to about $52.3bn (Shs204tn), flipping to a surplus on faster mineral and agricultural exports. Burundi–Vietnam Business Links: Vietnam’s PM Le Minh Hung met Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye, backing deeper cooperation in trade, agriculture, defence trade and digital transformation, with Lumitel highlighted as a success story. Agriculture & Health: A global study flags 402–433 million annual cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning among farmers and farmworkers, with women in Africa at higher risk due to heavier exposure and limited protection. Logistics & Trade Facilitation: Traders welcomed Kenya’s plan to open the Regional Electronic Cargo Monitoring System (RECTS) to private vendors to cut delays on the Northern Corridor. Energy/Industry Context: Power cuts in Bujumbura are reported to be worsening, tightening pressure on a capital already hit by fuel shortages. Regional Diplomacy: Burundi’s FM Edouard Bizimana said China’s self-reliance development path should inspire developing countries, citing ongoing cooperation in infrastructure and agriculture.

Burundi–China Ties: Burundi’s FM Edouard Bizimana said China’s “self-reliance” development model should inspire developing countries, praising long-standing cooperation since 1963 and support across infrastructure, agriculture and health. EAC Trade Momentum: The East African Community reported Q2 2026 trade rising 37% to about Shs204 trillion, swinging to a surplus on stronger mineral and agricultural exports—good news for regional supply chains that Burundi firms rely on. Health & Preparedness: PAHO will join global efforts to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response ahead of a UNGA high-level meeting, underlining the need for sustained health-system investment. Logistics & Cargo Tracking: Traders welcomed Kenya’s move to open the Regional Electronic Cargo Monitoring System to private vendors, aiming to cut delays on the Northern Corridor—relevant for Burundi-bound transit goods. Agriculture Safety: A global study estimates 402–433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning yearly, with women in Africa facing higher risks due to heavier exposure and limited protection. Industry Finance: World Bank Group appointed Mary-Jean Moyo as IFC Division Director for Tanzania, Burundi, DRC, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with a focus on mobilising private investment and jobs. Vietnam–Burundi Cooperation: Vietnam’s PM Le Minh Hung met Burundi’s President Ndayishimiye, proposing deeper trade, investment and industry cooperation and highlighting Lumitel’s role in digital transformation.

BRICS and Africa’s industrial push: At the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, leaders backed African industrialization, infrastructure links to the continental free trade area, Ethiopia’s WTO bid, and stronger African representation—while the real test is turning commitments into projects and financing. India–Burundi business and digital ties: On BRICS sidelines, India’s PM Modi met Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye, reaffirming India–AU partnership and discussing early IAFS-IV; Vietnam also urged Burundi to keep supporting Lumitel’s role in e-government and digital transformation. Agriculture health warning: A global study estimates 402–433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning among farmers and farmworkers each year, with AGENDA calling for urgent action—especially to protect women farmers. Logistics and trade facilitation: Kenya’s Revenue Authority opened its RECTS cargo tracking system to private vendors to cut delays on the Northern Corridor, where transit cargo is a major share of port throughput. Finance leadership for the region: The World Bank Group appointed Mary-Jean Moyo as IFC Division Director for Tanzania, Burundi, DRC, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with a focus on mobilising private investment and jobs.

India-Africa diplomacy: PM Modi met Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye on BRICS sidelines, reaffirming India–AU partnership and reviewing India–Burundi cooperation in agriculture modernisation and healthcare, with plans for the early 4th India-Africa Forum Summit. Vietnam–Burundi cooperation: Vietnam’s PM Le Minh Hưng urged Burundi to keep supporting Lumitel’s role in e-government and digital transformation, and expand ties into industry, defence trade and agriculture. Logistics & trade facilitation: Kenya’s KRA opened the Regional Electronic Cargo Monitoring System (RECTS) to private vendors to cut delays on the Northern Corridor, where transit cargo forms over 30% of port throughput. Cold-chain storage investment: Southern Shipping in Mombasa started building a 10,000-pallet multi-temperature warehouse near the Port of Mombasa to serve food, pharma and FMCG supply chains across the region. Critical minerals supply: A US miner partnership with Rwanda targets tungsten sourcing and processing to reduce reliance on China, with shipments planned to US, Europe, Japan and South Korea. Public health & food systems: A global report flags rising measles cases and highlights how school feeding can improve nutrition while supporting local agriculture and economies.

Logistics & Trade Facilitation: Kenya Revenue Authority opened its Regional Electronic Cargo Monitoring System (RECTS) to private vendors, aiming to cut delays on the Northern Corridor by easing electronic seal shortages as transit cargo keeps rising. Energy & Business Continuity in Burundi: Reports from Bujumbura say prolonged power cuts are disrupting offices, shops and services, with fuel shortages weakening the usual generator backup. Regional Policy Pressure on Burundians: Burundi-linked refugees in Kakuma say Kenya’s tightening stance on foreigners could threaten small businesses and informal jobs, raising fears of harassment and tensions. India–Burundi–AU Industrial Push: On BRICS sidelines in New Delhi, Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye met PM Modi to reaffirm India–AU partnership and discuss early IAFS-IV, with cooperation flagged across economic ties, agricultural modernisation, healthcare and capacity building. Services & Investment Deals: China’s CIFTIS in Beijing closed with over 1,200 outcomes and major services-sector deals, reinforcing momentum for cross-border partnerships. Public Health Watch: WHO estimates measles cases are up 8% globally versus pre-pandemic levels, with most new cases expected in Africa and Asia.

BRICS & Africa Industrial Push: At the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, leaders backed African industrialization, infrastructure links to the AfCFTA, Ethiopia’s WTO bid, and a stronger African voice in global institutions—while the real test is turning pledges into ports, plants and financing. Burundi-India-AU Talks: Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye (AU chair) met PM Modi on sidelines, reaffirming India–AU partnership and discussing early IAFS-IV, with both sides also reviewing Burundi–India cooperation in agriculture, health and capacity building. Energy/Power Disruption at Home: In Bujumbura, power cuts are paralyzing shops and services, worsened by the fuel crisis that limits generator backup. Telecom & Digital Cooperation: Vietnam’s PM Le Minh Hưng told Burundi’s president Vietnam wants deeper cooperation, highlighting Lumitel’s role in e-government and digital transformation, and proposing expansion into industry, agriculture and defence trade. Services Trade Deals: China’s CIFTIS in Beijing closed with 1,200+ outcomes and major services-sector deals, signaling momentum for cross-border partnerships. Regional Trade Friction: Kenya’s crackdown on foreign small traders is spilling into East Africa, with Uganda pushing documentation for Ugandans in Kenya to protect access to permits and financial services.

Services Trade Push: China’s CIFTIS in Beijing wrapped with 1,200+ outcomes and 1,800+ exhibitors, including Norway’s six cooperation deals—another signal that services, digital and business matchmaking are driving cross-border growth. BRICS Diplomacy for Industry: On BRICS sidelines in New Delhi, PM Modi held 15 bilateral meetings, including with Burundi’s Évariste Ndayishimiye, focusing on trade, investment, defence, critical minerals, and resilience—aiming to turn Global South weight into practical cooperation. India–Burundi AU Link: Modi and Burundi’s president reaffirmed India-AU partnership and discussed early IAFS-IV, plus Burundi cooperation in agriculture modernisation and healthcare. Energy & Power Reliability: Burundi’s capital is still hit by power cuts tied to the fuel crisis, disrupting shops, offices and services—an immediate drag on business continuity. Ebola Response Pressure: The Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC keeps expanding, stretching health teams and logistics—raising risks for regional health and supply chains. Refugee Livelihoods Under Strain: Burundian refugees in Kakuma fear Kenya’s shifting policies on foreigners will threaten small trade and safety, with knock-on effects for local economic stability.

BRICS Diplomacy for Trade and Industry: PM Narendra Modi wrapped up the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi with 15 bilateral meetings, including with Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye (also AU chair), as talks focused on trade, investment, defence, energy, critical minerals and digital public infrastructure. Burundi–India–AU Link: Modi and Ndayishimiye reaffirmed the India–AU partnership and discussed early convening of IAFS-IV, while also reviewing Burundi–India cooperation in agriculture modernisation, healthcare and capacity building. Burundi in the Global South Agenda: Ndayishimiye urged BRICS to strengthen ties with Africa, prioritising water, transport and energy for regional transformation, and thanked India for supporting AU access to major global forums. Power and Fuel Stress in Burundi: A new report highlights Bujumbura’s business slowdown from power cuts, made worse by the ongoing fuel crisis that weakens generator backups. Regional Trade Fair Momentum: China’s CIFTIS closed with 1,200+ outcomes and major services deals, underscoring growing interest in digital, fintech and health services partnerships. Critical Minerals Supply Push: A US-Rwanda tungsten deal aims to build a Western-aligned supply chain, using existing Rwandan producers and moving toward local processing. Telecom and Digital Cooperation Mentioned for Burundi: Vietnam’s PM Le Minh Hưng met Ndayishimiye and backed Lumitel’s role in e-government and digital transformation, with plans to expand into industry, defence trade and agriculture.

BRICS Diplomacy for Trade & Security: PM Narendra Modi wrapped a fast 3-day run of 15 bilateral meetings on BRICS sidelines in New Delhi, including talks with Russia, China and Iran, with defence, energy, critical minerals and trade targets high on the agenda. India–Burundi/Global South Link: Modi met Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye (also AU chair) to reaffirm India–AU partnership and review India–Burundi cooperation, including agricultural modernisation, healthcare and capacity-building, while discussing the early convening of IAFS-IV. Power & Fuel Hit Business in Bujumbura: Prolonged outages are cutting service hours and forcing some firms to suspend operations, while the fuel crisis weakens the usual generator backup. Ebola Response Pressure in DRC: The Ebola outbreak keeps expanding across DRC provinces, with Africa CDC and WHO warning that staffing, funding and logistics are stretched. Refugee Livelihoods Under Strain in Kakuma: Burundian refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma camp fear new foreign-trader policies will threaten small businesses and raise safety risks. Services Trade Push: China’s CIFTIS in Beijing reported nearly 100 conferences and 1,200+ outcomes, signaling momentum for global services cooperation.

India-Africa Diplomacy: On the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi met Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye (also AU Chair) and reaffirmed India-AU partnership, discussed early convening of IAFS-IV, and reviewed cooperation in agriculture modernisation, healthcare and capacity-building. Trade & Mining Focus: Modi also met South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, highlighting mining and critical minerals, infrastructure, food security and digital public infrastructure—signalling renewed push for investment links with Africa. Resilience Agenda: In the summit’s open session, Modi warned against weaponisation of technology and critical minerals and urged early warning systems and stronger resilience as crises spread across borders. Burundi’s Energy Strain: Back home, Bujumbura’s power cuts are paralyzing shops and services, with fuel shortages undermining generators and deepening the commercial slowdown. Regional Health Pressure: The Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC is expanding across provinces, with Africa CDC and WHO warning that staffing, funding and logistics are still under strain. Refugee Livelihoods: In Kakuma, Burundian refugees fear Kenya’s tightening on foreign small businesses will hit informal work and raise safety risks. Services Trade Momentum: China’s CIFTIS reported over 1,200 outcomes and growing interest in services cooperation—relevant for regional firms seeking new partnerships.

BRICS Summit—Trade & Industry: India’s BRICS chairmanship is pushing a “New Delhi Declaration” focused on trade, currency, energy security, trade finance, climate finance and disaster relief, with PM Modi warning against weaponising technology and critical minerals while also promoting BRICS digital agriculture and logistics supply-chain cooperation. BRICS Summit—Burundi in the room: Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye is among leaders attending in New Delhi, and Modi’s bilateral schedule reportedly includes meetings with Burundi alongside other Asia and Africa partners. Regional Integration—Kenya foreign-trader crackdown fallout: Kenya’s Sept. 2 directive restricting foreigners in small-scale businesses has triggered anxiety among Burundian traders in Nairobi, with embassy queues and calls for regularisation rather than expulsion; Kenya’s government says there is no blanket ban, but enforcement fears are straining East African solidarity. Burundi-Linked Development—Agriculture cooperation: Sri Lanka’s new female UNECA envoy says it is exploring a rice knowledge-exchange programme with Burundi, aiming to strengthen economic diplomacy and practical private-sector partnerships. Burundi-Adjacent Infrastructure—Aquatics support: World Aquatics’ Pools for All programme is delivering swimming-pool projects in Burundi and other countries, highlighting growing investment in sports facilities and water safety capacity.

BRICS Summit in India: Leaders from the expanded BRICS bloc (11 members) began the 18th summit in New Delhi, with discussions shaped by the US-Iran war’s energy shock and the Russia-Ukraine conflict’s trade fallout. Global South agenda: India is pushing “food, energy and supply chain security” and a focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, with a New Delhi Declaration expected. Burundi in the spotlight: Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye is among the heads of state attending, underlining Burundi’s growing diplomatic and economic outreach. Kenya trader crackdown ripple: Kenya’s Sept. 2 directive restricting foreign small-scale businesses has triggered anxiety among Burundian traders in Nairobi, embassy queues for travel documents, and reports of harassment fears—while officials insist there is no blanket ban and call for regularization and compliance with law. Local economy pressure: Burundian tuk-tuk and petty traders describe a sudden hostile climate, and Kenyans report disruptions as familiar foreign service providers disappear. Burundi-Africa economic link: Sri Lanka’s UNECA envoy highlights a rice knowledge-exchange programme with Burundi, pointing to practical cross-border agricultural cooperation.

BRICS Summit in Delhi: Leaders including Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian and Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye are arriving for the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, with India pushing a Global South agenda on food, energy and supply-chain security amid wars and energy-market shocks. Burundi in the spotlight: Burundi’s president and the spouse of the Burundi leader are among the dignitaries in the tight security and high-profile programme around the summit. Services trade push (China): China’s CIFTIS in Beijing is drawing more multinational firms, signaling fresh opportunities for services partnerships. Sri Lanka-Africa economic ties: Sri Lanka’s new female UNECA envoy highlights practical cooperation with Africa, including a rice knowledge exchange with Burundi. Kenya foreign-trader crackdown fallout: Kenya says there is no blanket ban on foreigners in small business, but the Sept. 2 directive has triggered anxiety among Burundian traders, embassy visits, and calls for protection from harassment. Regional integration tension: The Kenya policy debate is raising fears of xenophobia and strain on EAC Common Market commitments. Burundi-linked development angle: World Aquatics’ Pools for All programme is expanding aquatic infrastructure across Africa, including Burundi.

BRICS Summit, New Delhi: Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye arrived in India for the 18th BRICS Summit, alongside leaders from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Cuba, with WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also on the ground. The agenda spotlights Global South priorities like food, energy and supply-chain security, as India positions BRICS as a growth platform amid trade tensions. Cross-border trade & jobs: Kenya moved to calm fears after President Ruto’s Sept. 2 directive targeting foreign small-scale businesses. Officials say there is No blanket ban—foreign traders can operate if they regularize status, register businesses and meet tax rules—yet reports of harassment and panic continue, including Burundians seeking documents at the embassy. Burundi business climate: In Burundi, the Tea sector is under pressure: production is down 30% over ten years, with abandoned plantations, fertilizer shortages and farmer demotivation driving the decline. Digital public infrastructure: A new push is emerging where countries package and export digital identity know-how, with Ethiopia’s Faydaverse highlighted as a model for DPI exports beyond vendor-led projects. Climate risk for industry & agriculture: El Niño is strengthening, with Flood risk expected across parts of East Africa including Burundi, raising concerns for farming, water systems and livelihoods.

Cross-Border Trade Shock in Kenya: Burundi nationals in Nairobi are scrambling after President William Ruto ordered the closure of small businesses and street vending run by foreigners, with a 90-day grace period later granted to regularize status; Burundian rights groups warn of discrimination and call for dialogue as reports of harassment, intimidation and violence surface. Policy Back-and-Forth: Kenya’s government says the crackdown targets foreigners without proper work permits, not all foreigners, while lawmakers and civil society push for clearer rules to protect regional integration and the rule of law. Burundi’s Administrative Bottlenecks: In Burundi, citizens at the Makamba One-Stop Shop report months-long waits for passports and travel documents, blamed on poorly maintained machines and power outages despite the center generating over a billion francs monthly. Tea Industry Pressure: Burundi’s tea sector is down 30% over the past decade, with abandoned plantations linked to low leaf prices, fertilizer shortages and weak farmer incentives; the Burundi Tea Board is considering higher purchase prices and more fertilizer supply. Regional Logistics Upgrade: Tanzania Railways is weighing more trains and wagons for Isaka Dry Port to boost inland cargo capacity for Burundi and other landlocked neighbors. BRICS in the Spotlight: As BRICS Summit 2026 opens in New Delhi on Sept 12-13, coverage highlights the agenda on food, energy and supply-chain security and lists leaders attending, including Burundi’s president.

Cross-Border Trade Tensions: Kenya’s crackdown on foreign small traders has spilled into Burundi’s business community, with Burundians in Nairobi rushing to the embassy for documents and reporting harassment and looting fears after President William Ruto’s directive; authorities now insist it’s not a blanket ban and that documented foreigners and those registering will be protected, while courts charge a man over alleged hate speech targeting Burundians. Human Rights Watch: Kenya’s KNCHR and regional legal groups warn enforcement must be lawful and non-discriminatory, as civil society says the policy could fuel xenophobia across the EAC. Burundi Admin Bottlenecks: In Makamba, a one-stop shop is generating over 1bn francs monthly but citizens still face months-long waits due to broken passport machines and power outages. Tea Industry Strain: Burundi’s tea output is down 30% over a decade, with over 1,000 hectares abandoned and farmers demanding higher leaf purchase prices and more fertilizer support. Regional Logistics Boost: Tanzania Railways Corporation plans to expand freight capacity at Isaka Dry Port to route more cargo from Rwanda, Burundi, DRC and Uganda without detouring to Dar es Salaam. Climate Risk for Agriculture: El Niño is strengthening, with forecasts of heavier rains and flood risk across East Africa including Burundi, raising concerns for crops, water and livelihoods.