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UN chief slams killing of former Burundian minister

Xinhua, July 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned the assassination of Hafsa Mossi, former Burundian minister for East African community affairs, in the capital Bujumbura early in the day.

The secretary-general extended "his deepest condolences" to Mossi's family, said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman. "This despicable act of violence only serves to promote divisions, entrench mistrust, and destabilize the country."

Mossi was ambushed by gunmen when she was driving along Nyankoni Avenue in Bujumbura.

Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said that Mossi died later when she was evacuated to hospital.

The UN chief "reiterates the need to intensify efforts to find a negotiated settlement to the crisis in Burundi and calls on all parties concerned to engage fully and in good faith in the peace process led by the East African Community (EAC)," the statement said.

The United Nations will continue to provide assistance to the EAC-led dialogue process and its Facilitator, former President of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa, it added.

Mossi was Burundi's information minister and government spokeswoman between 2005-2007, and was, at the time of her death, a member of the East African Legislative Assembly, a regional parliament. Endit