US - Gov Burundi Travel Alert

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travel.state.gov: Travel

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The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the risks of traveling to Burundi and urges caution during its election season which could extend from May through September 2015.
Political protests and demonstrations related to these elections have resulted in several incidents of violence. Tensions and incidents are likely to increase further in the run-up to, during, or immediately after the May 26 legislative and the June 26 presidential elections. Though previous national elections also witnessed episodes of political violence, this election period is likely to generate violence in excess of 2010 elections. U.S. citizens are, therefore, urged to exercise caution and remain abreast of the security situation throughout the electoral period. This Travel Alert expires on September 30, 2015.


U.S. citizens should maintain a high level of security awareness during the electoral period and avoid political rallies, demonstrations, polling stations, and crowds of any kind in the weeks before and after the elections. Even peaceful gatherings and demonstrations can suddenly turn violent or confrontational. There is presently no reason to believe U.S. citizens would be specifically targeted in the event of election-related violence. We urge U.S. citizens to monitor local news stations for updates. Instances of civic unrest through the election period are possible.

U.S. citizens should maintain adequate supplies of food, water, essential medicines, and other supplies to shelter in place for at least 72 hours should this become necessary. Additional recommendations on emergency preparedness are available on the Travel.State.gov web page “Emergencies Abroad.”

For further information:

  • See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Burundi.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Contact the U.S. Embassy in Bujumbura, located on the corner of Avenue des Etats-Unis and Avenue du Cinquantenaire, at +257-22-20-7000, 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +257-22-20-7318, or +257-79-93-88-41.
  • Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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