The humanitarian impacts of economic sanctions on Burundi

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sons, mostly farmers, resulted in enormous reductions in areas planted. In addition, drought during 1996 decreased crop yields. FAO suggests that the main contributing factor to the post<strong>sanctions</strong> rise in food prices has been “the succession <strong>of</strong> reduced harvests.” 9 Sanctions themselves contributed to poor harvests by decreasing the availability <strong>of</strong> quality seeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural inputs. Sanctions also had a serious impact on the household. Many households, their incomes already reduced from unemployment and poor harvests, were unable to purchase sufficient quantities <strong>of</strong> food for their families. Even before <strong>sanctions</strong>, between 1994 and 1996, average per capita calorie intake in Burundi declined from 89 percent to 81 percent <strong>of</strong> recommended amounts, according to FAO estimates. Protein intake was estimated at only 83 percent <strong>of</strong> recommended amounts in 1995-1996. 10 Malnutrition rates were already high among displaced populations and returning refugees. <strong>The</strong> post-<strong>sanctions</strong> increase in food prices further reduced the food purchasing power <strong>of</strong> households. <strong>The</strong> result was expected to be a further decline in food intake, a shift in household consumption patterns away from nutritious foods and toward less expensive, less nutritious foodstuffs, and a subsequent rise in malnutrition. Thus at the micro level, the parallel <strong>impacts</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>sanctions</strong> and preexisting factors are dramatically evident. While war and drought had led to poor harvests and higher food prices, the embargo greatly aggravated an already perilous food security situation, further reducing the ability <strong>of</strong> families to cope. Sanctions-related inflation also affected the price <strong>of</strong> building and construction materials, medicines, household items, and spare parts. <strong>The</strong> sum total <strong>of</strong> these and other consumer items (food, lodging, utilities, furnishings, upkeep, health care, transport, education and leisure) make up Burundi’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). Figure 2.4 shows Burundi’s CPI from May 1995 until December 1996, some five months after the imposition <strong>of</strong> <strong>sanctions</strong>. <strong>The</strong> graph demonstrates an overall upward trend in cost <strong>of</strong> living during the entire 20-month period. Indeed, the trend had its origins in the period before the imposition <strong>of</strong> <strong>sanctions</strong>. 24
Figure 2.4: Increase in cost <strong>of</strong> living (Bujumbura) Consumer price index (1991=100) 240 230 220 210 200 Increase in Consumer Price Index From To % 1995 July December 3 1996 January June 9 1996 July December 13 Sanctions 190 180 170 160 150 140 130 120 May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 1995 1996 Food Basket Lodging and Utilities Cleaning and Maintenance Transport Consumer Price Index Source: Burundian Institute <strong>of</strong> Statistics and Economic Studies 25
Page 1 and 2: Occasional Paper #29 THE HUMANITARI
Page 3: CONTENTS Preface ..................
Page 6 and 7: ing about political change through
Page 8 and 9: political changes, on the other. As
Page 10 and 11: NOTES 1 Thomas G. Weiss, David Cort
Page 12 and 13: continues to export, through smuggl
Page 14 and 15: Recommendations • The</st
Page 16 and 17: a system can be successful only if
Page 18 and 19: NOTES 1 Statement of</stron
Page 20 and 21: imposed, Burundi was a country alre
Page 22 and 23: xxii
Page 24 and 25: UNHCR UNICEF UPRONA WFP WHO United
Page 26 and 27: xxvi
Page 28 and 29: Most exports transit through neighb
Page 30 and 31: whether distinctions between the tw
Page 32 and 33: The Military Coup
Page 34 and 35: indicating that negotiations should
Page 36 and 37: By this time, however, sanc
Page 39 and 40: CHAPTER 2 THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS
Page 41 and 42: Burundi also has found ways to smug
Page 43 and 44: eappeared, along with salt from Tan
Page 45 and 46: egan to slow. With the onset <stron
Page 47 and 48: 1100 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 3
Page 52 and 53: Rate of inflation
Page 54 and 55: However, CPI increases in the July-
Page 56 and 57: seeds, as well as the normal distri
Page 58 and 59: income. Coffee pro
Page 60 and 61: The embargo has pr
Page 62 and 63: Essential Drugs All human medicines
Page 64 and 65: target of vaccinat
Page 66 and 67: from chronic malnutrition. In the c
Page 68 and 69: Table 2.5: Populations and Observed
Page 70 and 71: and Food Supply Assessment Mission
Page 72 and 73: Table 3.1: Chronology of</s
Page 74 and 75: guidelines for exemptions. 2 <stron
Page 76 and 77: authorities and UN/NGO agencies gre
Page 78 and 79: fertilizers and to the potential lo
Page 80 and 81: items to be imported by the UN, sub
Page 82 and 83: Nairobi and Bujumbura, as well as t
Page 84 and 85: cratic problems associated with the
Page 86 and 87: Tanzania, so that only small quanti
Page 88 and 89: conflict-prone areas into regroupem
Page 90 and 91: 10 World Food Programme, An Analysi
Page 93 and 94: CHAPTER 4 THE POLITICAL IMPACTS OF
Page 95 and 96: the country was in danger and urgen
Page 97 and 98: genocide deeply affected regional p
Page 99 and 100:
if negotiations between opposing fa
Page 101 and 102:
egion as a whole appears to have co
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to which political parties could ex
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On November 16, Buyoya once again m
Page 107 and 108:
the Arusha IV Regional Summit on Ap
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“[T]he embargo set on Burundi mus
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International reported that “arme
Page 113 and 114:
14 UN Information Service, “Speci
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46 Matthew Bigg, “Burundi defiant
Page 118 and 119:
sustain the momentum of</st
Page 120 and 121:
usiness-like enforcement of
Page 122 and 123:
for prohibiting such items. UN sanc
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enforcement rather than allowed to
Page 126 and 127:
talks and the Arusha Summit. At the
Page 128 and 129:
Mid-August August 16 August 16 Augu
Page 130 and 131:
flights for emergency evacuation so
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December 6 Franco-African Summit, O
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“appeals to the countries <strong
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Rudi Veestraeten Second Secretary,
Page 138 and 139:
Alexandra Humme Arjun Katoch Freder
Page 140 and 141:
114
Page 142 and 143:
116
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elations. It seeks to be a multifac
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