Burundi: Council Calls On Government, Rebels to Complete Peace Process By End of Year

The United Nations Security Council today called on the Government of Burundi and the last major rebel holdout to complete the final phase of their peace process by the end of this year and desist from any action that could lead to a resumption of hostilities in a country that has been torn by ethnic conflicts for over four decades.Stressing the need for the UN system and the international community to maintain their support for peace consolidation and long-term development in Burundi, the Council extended until 31 December 2009 the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) to help restore peace to the small Central African country where conflict between Hutus and Tutsis has killed hundreds of thousands.