Qatar Delegation Visits Burundi, Signalling Major Investment Plans

A high-level Qatari delegation led by Sheikh Mansour Bin Jabor Bin Jassim Al Thani has arrived in Burundi, pledging to strengthen ties and explore investments worth billions of dollars across key sectors.

The delegation, which landed at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport in Bujumbura on 15 August 2025, included about twenty investors and experts from Qatar’s royal family. They were received by Burundi’s Minister of Mines, Energy, Industry, Trade, and Tourism, Dr Hassan Kibeya.

According to Reda Jaber, director of private-public relations for Qatar with African governments, the visit aims to “strengthen bilateral relations between Qatar and African countries, with Burundi serving as a pilot country.”

Focus on Strategic Sectors

Qatari representatives highlighted priority areas of cooperation, including industry, agriculture, and job creation. Officials say the delegation’s presence reflects Doha’s growing interest in Burundi’s economic transformation agenda.

The visitors also toured the Great Mosque of Bujumbura, a modern complex with conference halls, a cultural centre, a health facility, and schools, as well as the office of the Mufti of the Islamic Community of Burundi (COMIBU). The site was described as a symbol of longstanding ties between Qatar and Burundi’s Muslim community.

Meeting with President Ndayishimiye

President Évariste Ndayishimiye hosted the Qatari delegation at the presidential palace in Kiriri, where Sheikh Mansour delivered a personal message of goodwill from the Emir of Qatar.

Talks focused on aligning Qatari investment plans with Burundi’s Vision 2040–2060 development strategy. Sheikh Mansour reaffirmed his country’s readiness to support Burundi’s emergence, describing it as “a land of opportunities.”

Quick Facts – Burundi Vision 2040–2060

Goal: Transform Burundi into a stable, emerging economy by 2040, and a developed nation by 2060.

Pillars:

• Infrastructure & Energy

• Agriculture & Food Security

• Industrialisation & Trade

• Human Capital & Education

• Governance & Rule of Law

• Regional Focus: Integration with EAC & SADC markets.

Target Outcome: Rising GDP per capita, reduced poverty, and stronger national sovereignty.

• READ: Burundi’s Vision 2040–2060: Nation on the Move Under Ndayishimiye

The delegation represented Al Mansour Holding Group, a powerful Qatari conglomerate active across infrastructure, mining, banking, tourism, agriculture, and cybersecurity.

During the audience, Sheikh Mansour confirmed that Qatar was prepared to invest up to US$180 billion in Burundi’s economy over the long term.

Regional observers note that Doha’s pivot toward Burundi comes as Qatari investments in Rwanda face uncertainty amid mounting international scrutiny and sanctions against Kigali’s government. By contrast, Burundi is positioning itself as a stable partner, offering access to East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) markets.

Officials from both countries stressed that the visit represents the start of a broader partnership, with further agreements expected in infrastructure, financial services, and agricultural development.

Burundi’s leadership has welcomed Qatar’s interest as a sign of growing international confidence in the country’s economic future.