Bujumbura — The Interior Ministry started the pilot phase of the general census that is due to start in August 2008 on this 16 August 2007.

Twelve provinces have been selected to be covered by this pilot phase. For this first phase only houses will counted in some selected areas.

A general census was expected in 2005 before the elections, but the lack of financial means hampered the process which was already hijacked by the race to power. Up to now all programs take into account the census that was conducted before 1993 elections.

If the coming census is well conducted it will help the planners to evaluate the country's position with regard to the millenary goals for development that Burundi, as member of the United Nations' organization, is committed to achieve by 2015.