

Burundi: L’inspecteur général de la police nationale dit avoir des informations faisant état de probables attaques des convois des réfugiés qui rentrent de la Tanzanie par les groupes armés sur le sol burundais (01.10.2018)





There is a moral police going-on, as the Central Bank of Burundi or Banki Nkuru have banned dozens of different clothes that woman wear. Wonder, will the same bank put regulations on menswear as well? Or is the morality police only on the one gender? Because this seems foolish of a bank. Than, the bank should start with uniforms and designated dresses to woman and similar fashion for male employees. This is really going bonkers. A clear memo, of who rules and that the Patriarchy is alive and kicking it in Bujumbura.
“The wearing of the mini-skirt and pair of tights banned at Banki Nkuru (Central Bank of Burundi) as well as slippers, panties, singlet and dirty outfit: “These are unrespectable outfits in a noble and respectable institution that must keep up its image”(Ikiriho News, 01.10.2018).
There is not much more to say, but the patriarchy is really alive and sending signals of its overpowering the system. Not that this is new, as the Parliament of Tanzania put in ethical codes for woman and this has been done in Uganda too. However, this shouldn’t be said in defense of this acts of the bank.
They really got a job to do and prove their willingness to both cover money for buying clothes, picking out dresses and also provide with proper wear. As this is an insult to the intelligence of the woman working in the Banki Nkuru or Central Bank of Burundi. Peace.


“the spirit of tolerance, honesty and openness of the political space is growing stronger in Burundi” – Foreign Minister Ezekiel Nibigira at UNGA on the 28th September 2018
It is hard to take the words of Foreign Minister Nibirgira from the Republic of Burundi. As the regime under Pierre Nkurunziza are more and more hostile to the Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations in the Republic, as they have sanctioned all the suspended activity for three months for over a 100 organizations, plus seizing their accounts and challenging them to a meeting on the 1st October 2018. This is all being done, while the United Nations General Assembly is happening and the state wants to be taken of the UN Security Council program.
Well, when you are challenging the CSOs and NGOs, which brings in the foreign currency and also development projects, that the state doesn’t touch. At the same time, these acts as buffers and questions the regime. They report and monitor their operations in the climate that Nkurunziza and his party provides. By all means, these reports and their memo’s well be released abroad. That is something the Burundian government cannot control, just as they are putting in new laws, saying what ethnic group they can hire and what sort of activity they can do. This isn’t an open or transparent society, when the state are telling who can be hired and who cannot. That is a simple fact. When the ethnic backdrop of any sort of hire, you know that the state are going into a dangerous territory. That is a place where the football playing and so-called born-again dictator has gone too.
So, when the Foreign Minister is claiming this, that there is growing space, it is really shrinking. As the state is going into other alleys to control it. Making sure the society are following the guidelines of the President and his party CNDD-FDD. Therefore, the Burundian government if they would make the world believe in a growing tolerance. They shouldn’t order how the CSOs and NGOs are operating and hiring. Unless, they want to cease all their operations.
There have already been suspension of operation from organizations like Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), CARE and about another 100 CSOs/NGOs. Clearly, the government is not that open and want to cease control of all parts of the Republic. Not leaving anything to circumstance, as the new law was effective from the 1st January 2018.
That is why the Foreign Minister and the Nkurunziza administration knows what they are doing. Therefore, the speech at UNGA doesn’t overshadow the facts. That the window of free spaces are just closing in, at any way possible. There is no signs of anything else, as the laws and the actions of the government are really showing scaring activity. Where the suspension of the CSOs/NGOs is just another act of oppression from the President and his party. Peace.


Court extends Order to prohibit interference with DP World’s right to manage Doraleh Container Terminal S.A. (“DCT”).
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, September 23, 2018 – The High Court of England and Wales in London has continued the injunction first made on 31 August 2018, prohibiting the Government of Djibouti’s port company, Port de Djibouti S.A. (“PDSA”) from interfering with the management of the joint venture company, Doraleh Container Terminal S.A. (“DCT”).
On 31 August, the Court issued a without notice injunction against PDSA, as shareholder in DCT, prohibiting the following actions:
Following a hearing on 14 September 2018, at which PDSA failed to appear despite being notified, the Court ordered that the injunction will continue until it makes a further order or an award of the arbitration tribunal at the London Court of International Arbitration (“LCIA”) that will be formed imminently to consider the shareholding dispute with DP World.
On DP World’s application, the Court also extended the injunction to include any ‘affiliate’ of PDSA. Under the JV Agreement, PDSA’s affiliates include the Government. The decision follows the enactment of an “emergency” ordinance by the President of Djibouti on 9 September. This ordinance purported to transfer PDSA’s shares in DCT to the Government of Djibouti.
PDSA is 23.5% owned by China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd of Hong Kong (“China Merchants”).
The Court further ordered that PDSA must ensure that any transferee of DCT shares is legally bound by the Joint Venture Agreement and Articles of Association in the same way as PDSA. The ruling means neither the Government nor PDSA can control DCT or give valid instructions to third parties on behalf of DCT without DP World’s consent.
DP World confirmed last week it will continue to pursue all legal means to defend its rights as shareholder and concessionaire in the Doraleh Container Terminal in the face of the Government’s blatant disregard for the rule of law and respect for binding commercial contracts.
A DP World spokesperson, said: “This is yet another in a series of rulings – all in favour of DP World – that demonstrate Djibouti’s continuing disregard for the rule of law. We underline our belief that companies intending to operate in such a country or already operating there need to seriously consider their dealings with this Government in the face of such behaviour.”
The 2006 Concession Agreement that the Government awarded to DP World is governed by English law. It provides that all disputes relating to the Agreement are to be resolved through binding arbitration at the LCIA with two such LCIA proceedings already completed.
In the first proceeding, the Government filed an arbitration against DP World seeking to rescind the Concession Agreement, claiming its terms were unfair to the Government and were procured through bribery. The LCIA tribunal (comprising Sir Richard Aikens, Lord Hoffmann, Peter Leaver QC) ruled against the Government, finding the terms were fair and there was no bribery. Certain counterclaims raised by DCT and DP World in relation to DP World’s exclusive right to container handling facilities in Djibouti remain to be decided by the Tribunal.
In a separate proceeding, another LCIA Tribunal (comprising Professor Zachary Douglas QC) held that the 2006 Concession Agreement was valid notwithstanding the Government’s attempts to terminate it through special legislation and decrees. DP World’s claims for damages against the Government will now be determined in these proceedings.
To date, the Government has not made any offer to compensate DP World.




Investors across the world must think twice about investing in Djibouti.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, September 12, 2018 – DP World (http://web.dpworld.com) said today that it will continue to pursue all legal means to defend its rights as a shareholder and concessionaire in Doraleh Container Terminal SA (DCT) in the face of Djibouti’s blatant disregard for the rule of law and respect for commercial contracts.
On 9 September the President of Djibouti enacted a decree which purportedly transferred the shareholding of Port de Djibouti SA (PDSA) in Doraleh Container Terminal SA (DCT) to the Government of Djibouti. PDSA is 23.5% owned by China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd of Hong Kong (“China Merchants”).
DP World said the transfer appears to have been made in an attempt to flout an injunction of the English High Court which restrains PDSA from using its shareholding to take control of DCT. This is the latest step in the Government of Djibouti’s five-year campaign to take the 2006 Concession Agreement away from DCT, through which DP World operated, and part owns the Doraleh Container Terminal.
“Investors across the world must think twice about investing in Djibouti and reassess any agreements they may have with a government that has no respect for legal agreements and changes them at will without agreement or consent,” a DP World spokesperson said.
On 31 August, the High Court of England & Wales issued an injunction against PDSA, as shareholder in DCT, ordering that it:
In an apparent attempt to circumvent the injunction, on 9 September 2018, the Government of Djibouti transferred PDSA’s shares in DCT to itself. The new decree was accompanied by a press release replete with untrue statements. It also refers to DP World being paid fair compensation in accordance with international law.
The 2006 Concession Agreement, which is governed by English law, provides that disputes relating to the Agreement are to be resolved through binding arbitration in the London Court of International Arbitration. Such arbitration proceedings are ongoing. To date the Government has not made any offer to compensate DP World.








