Fraser's blog

From http://www.sundayobserver.lk - Sri lanka:

Known as the Switzerland of Africa, Burundi is the highest geographical location in the continent. The land locked former Belgian colony has ended a 10-year civil war with several rebel groups following a peace agreement.

The tribal war took more than 300 000 lives and made over a million people, internally displaced or living abroad as refugees, according to the UN. In a recent election, a new government has been formed in alliance with the rebels who are the majority in parliament.

Reports reveal that the war has reduced the country into becoming the world's third-poorest country. Even more startling, the government depends on the taxes it gets from beer consumption for more than half of its annual revenue. The peace agreement termed the "Arusha Accord" signed in August 2000 transferred the Presidency from the Tutsi minority to the Hutu majority.

In a country that has about 7-million people baHutu makes up 85 percent of the population and the baTutsi the balance 15 percent.

Burundi produces the best coffee in the world. Its major natural resources are nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium and hydropower. It produces cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava, beef, milk, hides light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap and light industrial products.

Hiding blankets and shoes is an economic activity? Well I never!

I’m back from my second break - two thirds of the way though this mission.... less than three months to go. In fact, due to the LogCo days in Holland at the beginning of October, I might even be back in the UK sooner than my normal end of mission date (18th October). I meant to update people and the blog last weekend, but due to a huge influx of expats and a very busy week (meetings, colleagues going off on holiday, and the usual need to catch up with the week I was away) I’m only getting round to it today.

This time I flew to Mombassa and headed straight down to Diani beach. Unfortunately the combination of being low season, the weather being poor and the beach resorts being really geared for all-inclusive European package holidays meant that it was less successful than my previous break in Zanzibar. I did get one day of diving in, but the visibility was not great and the next two days of diving were canceled due to the weather. In the end I headed up to Mombassa itself and spent the remaining 3 days walking aound the streets of Mombassa, shopping, and watching the Tour de France on satellite TV.