*Administration of Barack Obama, 2015 *

**Message to the Congress on Terminating the Designation of Burundi as a Beneficiary Sub-Saharan African Country Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act Program **

*October 30, 2015 *

*To the Congress of the United States: *

In accordance with section 506A(a)(3)(B) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, as amended (AGOA) (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(3)(B)), I am providing notification of my intent to terminate the designation of the Republic of Burundi (Burundi) as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country under AGOA.

I am taking this step because I have determined that the Government of Burundi has not established or is not making continual progress toward establishing the rule of law and political pluralism, as required by the AGOA eligibility requirements outlined in section 104 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3703). In particular, the continuing crackdown on opposition members, which has included assassinations, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture, have worsened significantly during the election campaign that returned President Nkurunziza to power earlier this year. In addition, the Government of Burundi has blocked opposing parties from holding organizational meetings and campaigning throughout the electoral process. Police and armed youth militias with links to the ruling party have intimidated the opposition, contributing to nearly 200,000 refugees fleeing the country since April 2015. Accordingly, I intend to terminate the designation of Burundi as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country under AGOA as of January 1, 2016.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House,

October 30, 2015.

*Categories:* Communications to Congress : Burundi, African Growth and Opportunity Act program, message on terminating designation as beneficiary country*.*

*Names:* Nkurunziza, Pierre*.*

*Subjects:* Africa : African Growth and Opportunity Act program; Burundi : African Growth and Opportunity Act program, U.S. termination of designation as beneficiary country; Burundi : Democracy efforts; Burundi : Human rights issues; Burundi : Political unrest and violence; Burundi : President.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201500774.