Burundi–Tanzania relations

Burundi has been very politically alienated and unstable since its independence. There has been various ethnic clashes between the two major ethnic groups and the violence has forced many Burundians to take refugee in neighboring countries, mainly Tanzania. The Burundian civil war that lasted from 1993 to 2005 brought many refugees flooding into Tanzania and various accusations stained the relationship between the Tanzanian and the current Burundian government.[3] The civil war was ended by mediation between the rivaling parties and the then Tanzanian foreign minister Jakaya Kikwete.

In 2015 the political crisis in Burundi with the election for the third term of Pierre Nkurunziza brought further civil unrest in the country. This again brought more refugees into Tanzania. Former president of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa was assigned to be the mediator by the East African Community. In September, 2019, 600 refugees returned to Burundi from Tanzania. This was the first batch of mass repatriation.[4] Several weeks later, President John Magufuli said "refugees in Tanzania must go home" and warned that refugees in Tanzania cannot stay indefinitely and will not be granted citizenship.[5]

There are various companies that operate cross border, mainly transport companies however there are two notable Tanzanian companies that operate in Burundi. Air Tanzania operated flights out of Bujumbura Airport to Kigoma and Dar es Salaam; however, suspended flights a number of times due to various reasons.[8] CRDB Bank, one of Tanzania's largest bank began operations in Burundi in 2012 and has been operating since.[9]

Various state visits are made between the leaders of the respective countries due to the membership in the East African Community.

• 20 March 2015: Jakaya Kikwete makes a state visit to Bujumbura before the Burundian presidential election, 2015, and hopes that the country has peaceful elections.[10]