Bujumbura — Talks between the Government of Burundi and civil servants have started. Leaders of two confederations grouping civil servants met the Second Vice-President of the Republic, Gabriel Ntisezerana. The talks were promising. If the talks continue in the same mood, civil servants might return to work on next Monday.

The government of Burundi delayed to engage in talks with representatives of civil servants. Civil servants regrouped in two confederations, COSYBU and CSB started a three-day strike on 3 December 2007. This strike was extended following failure of the government to meet representatives of these confederations. The trade union of nurses, SYNAPA, which although it is a free union, supported CSB and COSYBU, pressured the government as the consequences of their strike, was noticeable at all public hospitals.

Civil servants demanded the implementation of the Head of state's promise to increase the salaries of civil servants by 34 percent. These promises would have gone into effect starting July, but now the government has indicated that it will be effective on January in 2008. Civil servants are unhappy about the way this increase was computed. Civil servants deplore that the computation did not take account the length of service.