Gwen van Boven
Technical secretary
From 2011-2013, the NCEA worked with the Ministry of the Environment (MEEATU) in Burundi to strengthen its capacity for EIA. Focus was on training staff of the Direction of Environment, responsible for scoping and review of EIA, strengthening their skills, streamlining work processes and developing tools to apply EIA.
Significant details
Started: 2011
Process and activities
In as early as January 2009, the Ministry of Environment of Burundi (MEEATU) asked the NCEA to help prepare it for its new, EIA related tasks that would become mandatory once the new EIA Decree was signed. When this was finally the case, by the end of 2010, MEEATU and the NCEA agreed on a 3-year capacity building programme on EIA.
Activities and results
The NCEA activities have contributed to EIA becoming more visible as an important governance tool within Burundi's environmental management framework. Activities that were implemented as part of this programme were, among others:
- A review of the legal framework for EIA and recommendations for improvement;
- Development of EIA guidelines (together with the national EIA association ABEIE)
- Training on scoping
- Integration of scoping as a formal step in the EIA procedure
- Development of standard ToR for EIA, ready for adaptation by the investor to make them project specific
- Training on review
- general coaching and advice
Follow-up
An extensive, joint evaluation of the programme, combined with a new mapping of the EIA system in 2013 (the former one being conducted in 2006 in the context of the PAANEEAC programme) revealed additional opportunities for improving Burundi's EIA system. The legal framework requires revision, practice needs to be improved, and transparency, compliance and enforcement need attention. The Minister of Environment expressed his interest to renew the partnership with the NCEA in order to use these opportunities. This has resulted in a new programme, currently on-going: EIA Strengthening MEEATU-II (2014-2016).
Other relevant NCEA activities in Burundi
Burundi was also part of the PAANEEAC programme in Central Africa (2008-2013), aimed at strengthening the capacity of national associations for impact assessment professionals. When this ended, a bilateral MoU was signed between the NCEA and Burundi's national association for EIA, the ABEIE (2014-2018).
Moreover, the NCEA assisted Burundi with advice on specific projects, considered for financing by Dutch infrastructure fund ORIO:
- scoping (2013) and review (2014) for the project Clean and Waste Free Bujumbura (NCEA Working Group advice)
- review of EIA for Drink water supply water Bujumbura (2014, quick scan by secretariat)
- review of EIA for two hospitals in Kirundo, Burundi (2014, quick scan by secretariat)