Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye has reaffirmed his country’s appreciation of Qatar’s role in regional diplomacy, appearing to distance the government from controversial remarks made by his foreign minister regarding Doha’s mediation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In a statement shared on X, President Ndayishimiye said Burundi has “always appreciated the long-standing good bilateral relations with Qatar, as well as Qatar’s crucial role in mediation efforts in the DRC,” stressing the importance of clarifying “any misunderstanding or wrong statement” about Qatar’s contribution to development and peacebuilding.

The president’s intervention followed a now-deleted post by Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edouard Bizimana, who accused Qatar of playing a “negative role” by allegedly using its influence and financial advantage to dissuade the United States from taking action. In the same post, Bizimana claimed Rwanda was continuing to capture territory in eastern Congo in violation of the Washington agreements, while Washington remained inactive.

The remarks, published late Saturday, triggered sharp reactions online and were made amid intense international focus on unfolding events in Venezuela, where reports emerged of a US operation involving President Nicolás Maduro. Bizimana later deleted the post, but the debate it sparked appeared to prompt a response from the presidency.

Without naming his foreign minister directly, President Ndayishimiye’s message was widely interpreted as an attempt to contain diplomatic fallout and restate Burundi’s official position. Qatar has not publicly reacted to the comments attributed to Minister Bizimana.

Burundi maintains close military cooperation with Kinshasa and has deployed troops in eastern Congo to support government forces against armed groups, including the M23 movement. Several Western governments, the United Nations, and authorities in both Burundi and DR Congo have accused Rwanda of backing M23 allegations Kigali denies, saying it has only taken defensive measures.

Qatar has emerged as a key diplomatic actor in recent efforts to ease tensions in the Great Lakes region. In March last year, at a time of heightened hostility between Kigali and Kinshasa, Doha unexpectedly hosted talks bringing together Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Despite Kinshasa’s long-held position against direct dialogue with M23, Qatar later facilitated contacts between the Congolese government and the group. In April, the parties announced an intention to halt hostilities following what they described as frank and constructive exchanges. However, fighting has continued, with both sides accusing each other of violating commitments.

At present, the Doha-led process appears stalled, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that the Congolese government may have withdrawn from the talks claims that have not been officially addressed by authorities in Kinshasa.

Burundi President Ndayishimiye Corrects His Minister, Reaffirms Qatar’s Role in DR Congo Peace Efforts