Burundi
1.2 Burundi Regulatory Departments

Bureau Burundais de Normalisation et Contrôle de la Qualité (BBN) 

The Burundi Bureau of Standards and Quality Control (BBN) has introduced its own Pre-Shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) Program, bringing the country into line with other State Members of the East African Community. This scheme has been designed to protect consumer health and safety by ensuring that goods imported to Burundi conform to applicable local, regional and/or international standards.  

Depending on the certification route, they provide one or a combination of the following interventions:

  • Physical inspection prior to shipment
  • Sampling, testing and analysis in accredited laboratories
  • Audit of product manufacturing processes
  • Documentary check and assessment of conformity with the requirements of the applicable standards

Other information can be found here: SGS

Civil Aviation Authority (AACB)

The Civil Aviation Authority (AACB) is the entity which is responsible for controlling airport traffic and making rules relating to aircraft safety, in these two major categories:

  • Scheduled air transport, including all passenger and cargo flights operating on regularly scheduled routes
  • General aviation (GA), including all other civil flights, private or commercial.

Customs (OBR)

The OBR (Office Burundais des Recettes) link is the entity responsible for collecting taxes on goods coming into the country and preventing illegal goods from being brought in.

Telecommunications Authority (ARCT)

The ARCT (Agence de Régulation et de contrôle des télécommunications) is the entity promoting public access to electronic communications services throughout Burundi and contributes to the development of broadband services needed for the emergence of the digital economy link

Food and Drugs (ABREMA)

Burundi has not yet acquired this authority, although in 2019 a draft decree establishing and organizing the Drug and Food Regulatory Authority (ABREMA) was created.

East African Community

East African Community Website

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization of six (6) Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The EAC organs are the Summit, the Council of Ministers, the Co-ordinating Committee, the Sectoral Committees, the East African Court of Justice, the East African Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat.

The EAC is home to 177 million citizens, of which over 22% is urban population. With a land area of 2.5 million square kilometers and a combined Gross Domestic Product of US$ 193 billion (EAC Statistics for 2019), its realization bears great strategic and geopolitical significance and prospects for the renewed and reinvigorated EAC.

The work of the EAC is guided by its Treaty which established the Community. It was signed on 30 November 1999 and entered into force on 7 July 2000 following its ratification by the original three Partner States - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi acceded to the EAC Treaty on 18 June 2007 and became full Members of the Community with effect from 1 July 2007. The Republic of South Sudan acceded to the Treaty on 15 April 2016 and become a full Member on 15 August 2016.

As one of the fastest growing regional economic blocs in the world, the EAC is widening and deepening co-operation among the Partner States in various key spheres for their mutual benefit. These spheres include political, economic and social.

Currently, the regional integration process is in full swing as reflected by the encouraging progress of the East African Customs Union, the establishment of the Common Market in 2010 and the implementation of the East African Monetary Union Protocol.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

COMESA Website

Burundi is a member state of COMESA, The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa which is a preferential trading area with twenty-one member states (560 million people) stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe.  

World Trade Organization (WTO)

World Trade Organization 

Burundi is a member state of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

World Customs Organization (WCO)

World Customs Organization

Burundi is a member state of the World Customs Organization (WCO). link

 For information on Burundi Regulatory departments, please see the following links: 4.10 Burundi Regulatory Departments Contact List.

https://burundi.gov.bi/gouvernement/

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