Worldwide Movers Africa's professionally trained packers provide Burundi with the highest quality moving products and services, bar none. With six years of international household relocation experience, a supporting network of ten branches in Africa and merited membership in the leading overseas moving associations, Worldwide Movers Africa (Burundi) is a household name for quality and reliability.

Worldwide Movers Africa (Burundi) was established in January 2003. The employees are recruited for their experience, honesty and competence with an administration is made up of young enthusiastic professionals with skills in removals, export /import, freight and customs. Workshop programs, and attendance at overseas conferences with agency network partners, help to keep them abreast of up-to-date procedures and new approaches.

Only packing materials of the highest quality are used, some being imported from overseas. The packing materials used range from imported bubble and cushion wrap, special Kraft Paper, special kraft wrapping, and biwall and triwall cartons cartons, barrels, dish packs, and wardrobe cartons, tissue paper virgin print paper and polythene covers.

Valuable and fragile items are crated or ply cased, to ISPM 15 specification, as necessary. Polished Surface furniture is protected with a pre wrap prior to over-wrap additions. Clearly marked Fragile tape warnings are used on all fragile items.

Training and re-training is focused on packing, crating of precious belongings, accurate and comprehensive inventories of goods, on-time arrivals and making you and your family feel at ease during the move. Three crews, each comprised a team leader, an assistant supervisor and three packers, operate on a full time basis.

Our stock is continuously inventoried and stored, on pallets, at our secure facility at our Quartier Industriel offices, Fire prevention and Control Plans, along with the necessary fire extinguishers and approved fire fighting apparatus are in place.

Worldwide Movers Burundi has electronic mail services for rapid communication and a web site on the Internet, advising potential agents on local customs requirements, latest regulations and clearing procedures, plus providing our customers with informative hints about their future home. The web site is available to anyone with a connection and is constantly updated.

Congratulations and KAZE I BURUNDI!!!

The aim of this information is to make those moving to Burundi more aware of typical problems that can be encountered and overcome in day to day life and is perhaps more useful to those who will be residing in the urban centers of Bujumbura, Gitega and Ngozi. Let us presume that your company has already found you accommodation in an expatriate-type area and that it is ready for your occupation....

Geography

Burundi is often called the "heart of Africa" as well as the "Switzerland of Africa" with the mountains, hills and valleys to make this a truly spectacular country to visit. As well Burundi is called the Land of the Thousand Hills.

Bujumbura

At the northeast corner of Lake Tanganyika, Bujumbura is a cute little town with about 500,000 residents. The town was founded by the Germans in 1896 and flying over it you can see the impact of the lake on the make up of the city with a greenness that has not yet capitulated to the invasion of concrete. The most interesting spots to visit are the Musé Vivant, the beaches, the Mausolée de Vugizo, the Monument de l'Unité and the Campus Kiriri.

Gitega

Second only to Bujumbura, Gitega is situated in the middle of the country at nearly 6,000 feet where the climate is soft and temperate. Gitega is worth visiting for its National Museum where you can admire the Spectacle des Tambourinaires.

Source of the Nile

As enigmatic as ever, searched for by discoverers and adventurers, the source of the Nile did not reveal itself until recently. To find the real source of the Nile one only has to go to the commune of Rutovu in the province of Bururi to find it. Not as many think, in Uganda. We must remember that Lake Tanganiyka is a veritable sea of fresh water that laps the shores of four countries, Burundi, Tanzania, DRC and Zambia. Lake Tanganiyka is 800 kilometers long and is up to 1,435 meters deep, the deepest lake in the world after Lake Baikal.

Curfew

The Government of Burundi maintains a curfew for roads leading out and in Bujumbura town, which is currently from 6:00 P.m. to 5:00 a.m. Note that the curfew changes from time to time due to changing security conditions. Please contact your embassy for the most up-to-date curfew information.

Visitors and expatriates should establish and maintain contact with their Embassy and consider their own personal safety in determining whether to remain in the country.

It's always a good idea to register with your Embassy or Consulate as soon as you arrive in Burundi. Not only is it appreciated by the mission, but also a good way to meet other nationals. Most of the diplomatic missions are in Bujumbura and are much more helpful for the recent security measures

Country Description

Burundi is beautiful and green, the climate very good, the people friendly, but very poor as the war is not so far behind yet.

Burundi, once known as Urundi, was controlled by Germany from 1884, and by Belgium from 1919, until gaining its independence in 1962.

Burundi's currency is the Burundi franc (BIF); as of October 2008, 1,130 Burundian francs were equivalent to one United States dollar.

An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 480,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.

Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighbouring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defence force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges

Bujumbura is a small city, there is not much traffic. People are eager to reconstruct the country and to start business. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors
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Language spoken: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area), very little knowledge of English.

Entry and Exit Requirements

A passport, visa, and evidence of immunization against yellow fever are required. Only those travelers resident in countries where there is no Burundian embassy are eligible for entry stamps, without a visa, at the airport upon arrival. These entry stamps are not a substitute for a visa, which must be obtained from the Burundi Immigration Service within twenty-four hours of arrival. Travellers without a visa are not permitted to leave the country.

Crime

Street crime in Burundi's capital Bujumbura includes muggings, purse-snatching, pick-pocketing, burglary, auto break-ins, and auto-hijackings, including during daylight hours. Criminals operate individually or in small groups. There have been reports of muggings of persons jogging or walking alone in all sections of Bujumbura, and especially on public roads bordering Lake Tanganyika.

Medical Facilities

Medical facilities are very limited in Burundi. Medicines and prescription drugs are in short supply, if not completely unavailable in the country. Sterility of equipment is questionable, and treatment is unreliable in most of the public medical facilities but last ten years Burundi have seen the establishment of some well equipped and organised private clinics most of them in Bujumbura city.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

Drivers without drivers' licenses, and the ease with which a driver's license can be acquired without training, make Burundi drivers less than careful, considerate, or predictable. There are no traffic signals or signs in most parts of Bujumbura roads, and virtually nothing of the kind elsewhere in the country. Roadways are not marked, and the lack of streetlights and shoulders make driving in the countryside at night especially dangerous. Additionally, drivers may encounter cyclists, pedestrians, and livestock in the roadway, including in and around the capital, Bujumbura. Mini-vans used as buses for 18 persons, which stop and start abruptly, and often without pulling to the side of the road, should be given a wide berth.

Big holes or damaged portions of roadway may be encountered anywhere in the country, including in and around the capital; when driving in the countryside, it is recommended that travelers carry multiple spare tires. Service stations are rare outside of major cities. During the rainy season, many roads are passable only with four-wheel drive vehicles.

Travelers may be stopped at police roadblocks throughout the country, or shot at and stopped by bandits. Third-party insurance is required, and it will cover any damages (material, injury, or death).
If you are found to have caused an accident, you automatically will be fined 10,000 Burundian francs (approximately $10 U.S.) and your driver's license will be confiscated until the police investigation is completed. Although the law provides for the arrest of drunk drivers, in practice, the police do not consider drunk driving a crime. In the city of Bujumbura, the number for Traffic police assistance is 117; there is no comparable number outside the capital.

If you are involved in an accident causing death, it is advised that you leave the scene of the accident and proceed to the nearest police station. In most cases, other drivers will assist.

Penalties and The Law

Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than at home for similar offences. Persons violating Burundian law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Burundi are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

Hotels

There's not much good quality hotels of the international-chain variety hotels in Burundi but here are some that may be up and running for your visit:

• Ubuntu Residence Tel 257 22 244065 Fax 257 22 244066

• Botanika Tel 257 22 226792 Fax 257 22 250146

• Novotel Tel 257 22 222600 Fax 22 222692

• Source of the Nile Tel 257 22 225222 Fax 257 22 225205

• Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika Tel 257 22 25 0220 Fax 257 2225 0219
  

Telephones

Telephone services, furnished by Onatel Burundi are difficult and you may be subjected to many frustrations. To put it bluntly, it is a real challenge to have a land phone installed if you don't know the ropes. Your colleagues will give you the latest low-down on the best way to arrange a quick (= slow) installation of a land phone that works; be patient, these things take time and perseverance.

International telephone charges are still high. Burundi International code is +257.

There are Five Cell Phone operators offering services within Burundi and cover within major urban centers is reliable and progressively improving within rural areas as well.

Email services are available through a number of independent ISP's. Until 2002, all email and internet traffic was routed through the CBINET spine operated by CENI and the link was tenuous to say the least! Several private operators have now been licensed and updated technology is being incorporated. True Broad Band is still to be introduced and fiber optic cabling is being placed in which will enable faster links to be obtained. Postal services to Europe or America takes around five days and the Regie National des Postes offices are open 24 hours for mail box access. Private international courier services companies are available.

Rent and Accomodations

As a rule of thumb, suitable houses range from US$ 1,000 - 2,000 per month. Remember that these prices do not generally include furniture, a working telephone, appliances, electricity costs and most-times, security guards. If the premise boasts a working telephone, it is a major advantage. It is essential to have security guards as pilferage and theft is endemic. Security alarm companies enjoy great success in Burundi but they should only be an addition to your own guards in most cases. Landlords frequently demand three and sometimes six months rent in advance. It is important to try to pay as little in advance as possible which might encourage the owner to undertake repairs should anything go wrong during the term of the lease.

Schools

There is a Belgian school and Ecole Française and some francophone expatriate's children are attending. There are schools in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya that offer good primary and secondary education in English Please refer to " Country Information" in the Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya section of this site for details..

Climate

Equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January.

Topography

Hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in the east, some plains in the Imbo region. Rich in Nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium(but most of them not yet exploited), arable land, hydropower. Is landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Akagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile.

Population

About 8 millions in 2008. Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000.

Economy

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore rests largely on the vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market.

Corruption

Whatever your personal view of corruption, it is common in Burundi. It is certainly possible to live outside the ugliness of corruption, but it surely makes life almost impossible. Burundian and long time expatriates ignore the ethics of the issue and merely play the game. Attempts are being made to bring about a change in attitude and salaries of government employees to overcome the problem.

And finally some contacts that can be useful:

Corps diplomatique et consulaire

• BELGIQUE Tél. (257) 22 22 61 76 / 22 2264 13

• CHINE Tél. (257) 22 22 43 07

• EGYPTE Tél. (257) 22 22 31 61

• ETATS-UNIS D'AMERIQUE Tél. (257) 22 22 34 54

• ETAT DE VATICAN Tél. (257) 22 22 23 26

• FRANCE Tél. (257) 22 22 28 54/ 22 22 64 64

• LIBYE Tél. (257) 22 24 39 67

• REP. DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO Tél. (257) 22 22 69 16

• RUSSIE Tél. (257) 22 22 60 98

• RWANDA Tél. (257) 22 22 68 65

• COMORES Tél. (257) 22 22 88 79

• COREE Tél. (257) 22 21 31 41 / 22 22 88 59

• DANEMARK Tél. (257) 22 22 60 99

• ESPAGNE Tél. (257) 22 21 17 90

• GRECE Tél. (257) 22 22 46 17

• ITALIE Tél. (257) 22 22 60 54 / 22 29 78

• PAYS-BAS Tél. (257) 22 22 23 58

• ROUMANIE Tél. (257) 22 22 52 41

• SENEGAL Tél. (257) 22 22 96 83

• SUISSE Tél. (257) 22 22 57 45