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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Burundi is counting on technical assistance from Russia for the construction of small nuclear power plants. Speaking at a news conference in Bujumbura on July 10 following talks with Burundi’s Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana, Lavrov highlighted hydropower and nuclear energy as key areas of cooperation.

Coverage comparison

The reports from TASS — the sole outlet covering the talks — describe two complementary sets of discussions. One article quotes Lavrov on nuclear and hydropower cooperation, while another focuses on investment in chemical plants, the impact of Western sanctions on goods transit to Burundi, and efforts to find alternative financing mechanisms. Both reports draw directly on the ministers’ public statements after their meeting.

Key claims

  • Burundi is interested in technical assistance from Russia for building small nuclear power plants, Lavrov said. He noted that Burundi has signed a memorandum with Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, and that training for Burundian nationals is already underway at Russian universities to prepare personnel for Burundi’s future peaceful nuclear energy sector.
  • Lavrov also proposed Russian hydropower projects for Burundi, calling RusHydro’s expertise “the best in the world.”
  • Burundian Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana said talks covered potential investments in chemical plants and cooperation in the energy sector. He linked these discussions to the situation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which he said is affecting the African continent, including Burundi. He said the parties discussed investments that would help avoid transportation issues arising from the challenging international situation.
  • Bizimana said Western sanctions on Russia are creating obstacles for the shipment of goods to Burundi. “There are certain Western countries that are imposing sanctions on Russia, thereby blocking the transit of goods to Burundi. In this situation, we are discussing alternative options to avoid this problem,” he said.
  • The ministers also discussed alternative financing mechanisms for joint projects. “We agreed on the need to seek new ways to improve the situation,” Bizimana added.