Burundi : Enabel country director ordered to leave the country after sharing a cartoon on LinkedIn

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, September 5, 2025 – David Leyssens, Country Director of the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) in Burundi, has been ordered to leave the country by Saturday by Burundian authorities. According to several concordant sources within the agency and the Belgian Embassy, ​​this decision follows a post published on LinkedIn, in which the manager shared a cartoon illustrating an analytical article on the fuel shortage in Burundi.

The cartoon, accompanying an article in The Continent newspaper, focused on the chronic fuel shortage that has plagued Burundi for nearly five years. The mere fact of sharing it on his personal LinkedIn account was perceived by the authorities in Gitega as an attack on the national sovereignty, leading to an immediate expulsion order.

“He is due to leave this Saturday. His expulsion is linked to the publication of this caricature,” an Enabel employee confirmed to SOS Médias Burundi.

The Belgian embassy in Bujumbura simply stated that it had “taken note” of the decision, without making any further comments. The Burundian authorities, for their part, had not yet officially communicated the decision as of Friday evening.

A key development partner

Mr. Leyssens’ expulsion comes at a time when Enabel plays a central role in bilateral cooperation between Belgium and Burundi. The agency is implementing a significant portion of the €75 million that Brussels has committed to disbursing between 2024 and 2028.

Nearly €40 million has already been allocated to projects spanning several strategic sectors :

Governance and citizen participation : €4.9 million

Sustainable food systems : €15.8 million

Professional integration in a green economy : €11 million

Study and expertise fund : €4.5 million

Local multi-sectoral office : €3.4 million

These actions are part of the National Development Plan 2018–2027 and Vision 2040–2060, which aims to make Burundi an emerging country by 2040 and a developed country by 2060.

A recurring climate of mistrust

This is not the first time Burundi expels a representative of an international organization. In 2020, the government had already expelled the WHO representative, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, along with three other experts, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new expulsion comes as the European Union recently resumed direct dialogue with Gitega, after years of suspension linked to the 2015 political crisis.

A deep crisis

The country has been facing a serious fuel shortage for more than 57 months, affecting daily life, the economy, and mobility. In this context, sharing content perceived as critical—even on a professional network like LinkedIn—was enough to trigger a reaction from the authorities, anxious to protect the country’s international image.

Uncertainties about the future of cooperation

The expulsion of David Leyssens could have a significant impact on the continuation of ongoing cooperation projects. It also raises the question of maintaining the Belgian commitment to the implementation of the presidential vision 2040–2060, in which Enabel is a key partner.