UN shuts human rights office in Burundi

Burundi has forced the United Nations to shut its local human rights office after 23 years.

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet disclosed that the Central African state’s government had declared it made significant progress in human rights and the existence of the UN office was  no longer justified.

In Burundi many advancements in human rights had been jeopardized since 2015 when president Pierre Nkunenziza announced he would seek a third term.

Sometimes in 2016, the country suspended all cooperation with the UN office in Burundi, following publication of a report by a UN independent investigation that said the government and its supporters were responsible for crimes against humanity.