BUJUMBURA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) on Monday afternoon officially closed the Office of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burundi, saying the east African nation has made big progress in reconciliation.

The ceremony attended by the Burundian authorities, UN officials and diplomats accredited to Burundi took place at the UN office located in Ngagara zone in the commercial capital Bujumbura. It was characterized by descending the UN flag and handing it over to the coordinator of the UN system in the central African nation.

"With the support of the UN and other partners, particularly the East African Community and the African Union, the government of Burundi and its people recorded an undeniable and major progress on peace consolidation and national reconciliation since 2015," said Xia Huang, special envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, during the ceremony.

"Peace, security, democracy and good governance have been consolidated (in Burundi). After the closure of the office, we will now cooperate with the UN in terms of socio-economic development," said Isidore Ntirampeba, permanent secretary at the Burundian Foreign Ministry, during the ceremony.

The Burundian government expects the UN to support Burundi's 2018-2027 National Development Plan, he said.

The UN set up the office in July 2016 following the then Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza's controversial bid for his third term, which resulted in a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup in May 2015.

The office collaborates with stakeholders including the government, the opposition, political parties, the civil society and religious leaders with the aim of improving human rights and security in Burundi, and creating an environment that is conducive to political dialogue.

Burundi last year told the UN to close the office on Dec. 31, 2020 as the country regained peace, but later the two sides reached an agreement to close it on May 31, 2021. Enditem

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