Opportunities

Burundi’s unique climate and rich soil offer opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to grow and process higher value-added products to export to regional and global markets, if major constraints in both its general business environment and its agribusiness ecosystem can be addressed.

Burundi could take full advantage of its mining potential to foster growth, create jobs, and generate revenues for the state. Labor-intensive artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is already a leading source of foreign earnings. In parallel, Burundi is implementing the legal, regulatory, and policy reforms to promote the development of large-scale mining projects.

In the short-term, ensuring macro-financial stability and competitiveness and reviving business environment reforms can attract investment and boost growth.

Challenges

The economy of Burundi is characterized by a predominance of low-productivity activities, with 85 % of employment in subsistence agriculture. This reliance on subsistence farming means that a significant portion of the population is engaged in agricultural activities primarily for their own consumption, rather than for commercial purposes. As a result, the agricultural sector contributes minimally to the country's GDP and economic growth.