White House to drop Burundi from trade benefits over violent crisis

Gbenga Bada 11:32 - 31 October 2015

Representatives from various African nations gather at the opening session at the AGOA Forum during the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington August 4, 2014.

Burundi might be dropped from trade benefits program over violent crisis in the country

President Barack Obama notified the U.S. Congress on Friday that he plans to drop Burundi from the African Growth and Opportunity Act trade benefits program as of Jan. 1 because of violence related to a political crisis in the country.

"In particular, the continuing crackdown on opposition members, which has included assassinations, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture, have worsened significantly during the election campaign that returned President (Pierre) Nkurunziza to power earlier this year," Obama said in a letter to Congress.