UN envoy resigns Burundi post amid ongoing political unrest

The UN Special Envoy for Great Lake Regions Said Djinnit tasked with facilitating peace negotiations in Burundi has left his post, a UN spokesman said here on Thursday.

"Said Djinnit has left his work as facilitator for the dialogue in Burundi, but will remain Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that Djinnit had made the decision to step aside for the benefit of the Burundian people and the negotiation process acknowledging that certain opposition groups had expressed reservations about his position.

"(Djinnit) decided for the benefit of the process, for the benefit of the Burundian people that it would be best that he step aside," the spokesman said.

The spokesman added that the UN expects to have more clarity on the situation in Burundi as well as the role of facilitator after discussions at the African Union Summit to be held in Johannesburg on June 14-15.

Djinnit and UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson will discuss Burundi mediation efforts with other members of the international community at the summit, the spokesman said. Their discussions would cover the facilitator's mandate and the most appropriate organization for the facilitator to come from, he added.

"I think what we as the United Nations want to do is find the best possible solution that the Burundian parties can agree on in order to continue the mediation efforts," he said.

The announcement came just one day after the Burundian government postponed presidential elections from June 26 to July 15, amid continued protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term, exceeding the constitutional limit of two terms. Endite