On May 02, 2024, a working visit was organized at the level of the Gatumba entry and exit post between Burundi and the DRC to strengthen the capacities of the agents of the Burudian Revenue Office and the agents of the General Migration Commission on the Nagoya Protocol and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This activity, entitled “Monitoring and quarantining plant species at the level of entry and exit routes”, was initiated by the OBPE in order to implement the protocol and the convention mentioned above. Note that in Burundi, the Nagoya Protocol was ratified on 23 June 2014 and CITES was ratified in 1988.

This session consisted of the presentation of these two global instruments useful for the sustainable management of biodiversity, stressing that Burundi has ratified them and that it is essential to carry out actions aimed at their implementation. Then, he said that OPE intends to set up a checkpoint to be able to control the entries and exits of biodiversity elements.

Direct discussions were carried out to first understand the level of knowledge on the 2 instruments and their perceptions on the above-mentioned wish of the OBPE. At the end of these interviews, it was found that these agents are aware that species of fauna and flora cannot be introduced or left the country without an import or export permit. However, they have shown that they have less knowledge about the Conventions and Protocols to which they must refer to in order to know the status of the species. Also, they perceive positively the fact of setting up OBPE control posts and guarantee good collaboration.