Relationship dossier
Burundi
United States
Relationship assessment
Development and security engagement resumed after a period of sanctions and political tension
Burundi toward United States
+15Burundi has engaged in bilateral development and security cooperation with the United States and entered a bilateral investment treaty. The scope of current government-led cooperation is unclear.
United States toward Burundi
+5The United States has provided development assistance to Burundi, imposed sanctions and restricted assistance following the 2015 political crisis, then lifted its sanctions in 2021 and renewed engagement.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship combines bilateral development and investment arrangements with a period of substantial political friction. U.S. sanctions and aid restrictions after Burundi’s 2015 crisis were followed by their removal and renewed engagement in 2021; the depth and durability of subsequent cooperation are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Burundi and the United States have maintained development and security engagement, including U.S. assistance and a bilateral investment treaty. Relations deteriorated sharply after Burundi’s 2015 political crisis, when the United States imposed sanctions and restricted assistance. The United States lifted its Burundi sanctions in 2021 and renewed engagement, though the scope and implementation of cooperation remain unclear.
Areas of tension
- Burundi’s 2015 political crisis and U.S. sanctions and assistance restrictions that followed
Key developments
The United States imposed sanctions and restricted assistance to Burundi amid the political crisis.
The United States lifted its Burundi sanctions and renewed engagement.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of current bilateral development and security cooperation is unclear.
- The implementation and practical significance of the bilateral investment treaty are unclear.