Rwanda’s foreign minister sharply criticized Burundi’s president Saturday over efforts to endorse Macky Sall for UN chief.
Olivier Nduhungirehe called the move “flawed,” accusing Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye of pushing the candidacy through a questionable silence procedure.
The mechanism allows decisions to pass if no objections arise within a fixed deadline, often used in African Union processes.
Burundi defended the move, insisting the silence procedure is an established tool regularly applied across the African Union’s institutional framework.
However, the African Union Commission said 20 member states broke the silence by March 27, effectively blocking the draft decision backing Sall.
Nduhungirehe accused Ndayishimiye of attempting to coerce African counterparts into endorsing what he described as a gross breach of procedure.
“It’s unbelievable a continental organization can be tarnished or driven into crisis by a chairperson in office less than two months,” he said.
Senegal’s permanent mission to the African Union clarified that Dakar had not endorsed Sall and was not associated with the initiative.
Burundi’s permanent representative, Willy Nyamitwe, rejected Rwanda’s criticism as “regrettable” and accused Kigali of misrepresenting procedures while personalizing a routine institutional process.
The diplomatic row reflects broader tensions between Rwanda and Burundi, persisting since Burundi closed its border in early 2024 amid rebel accusations.
Rwanda denies backing Burundian rebels and previously accused Ndayishimiye of inciting divisions, following his call for Rwandans to pressure their leaders.
Nduhungirehe said member state opposition aimed to reject a flawed process violating African candidacy rules in international institutions.
Sall remains in the race to succeed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose second term ends in 2026, even without African Union backing.
Other candidates include Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, and Costa Rica’s former vice president Rebeca Grynspan.