Burundi's Economy on the Brink as Borders Shut

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The Economic Crisis in Burundi: A Nation Isolated by Political Decisions

Since January 2024, Burundi has been grappling with a slow-moving yet profound economic crisis. This crisis stems from a series of political decisions that have isolated the landlocked Great Lakes nation. The closure of its borders with Rwanda in January 2024 and with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in December 2025 has severely impacted the Burundian economy, leading to what can be described as an economic asphyxiation.

The consequences of these border closures reveal the structural fragilities of a country that relies heavily on single trade corridors and is vulnerable to regional tensions. Inflation has averaged 39% in the first two months of 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Over half of the population lives in poverty, and border regions are on the brink of famine.

A Gradual March Toward Isolation

On January 11, 2024, the official rupture occurred when Bujumbura closed all its borders with Rwanda. This move came after accusations that Kigali was hosting RED-Tabara rebels responsible for a deadly attack in Gatumba at the end of 2023. Rwanda denied these allegations. The closure followed a period of improved relations between the two countries, which had reopened their borders in October 2022 after seven years of tension following the 2015 political crisis.

In December 2025, the other strategic gateway shut down as the AFC/M23 advance toward Uvira threatened to reach Bujumbura via Lake Tanganyika. Within days, 200,000 people were displaced, and over 25,000 Congolese fled into Burundi. Today, only the corridors to Tanzania remain operational, pushing Burundi into near-total dependence on the port of Dar es Salaam for 80% of its international trade, creating a commercial bottleneck of historic proportions.

Lives Shattered

Behind these geopolitical decisions lies a harsh social reality. For border communities, the closure is not just a diplomatic issue but a direct assault on livelihoods, aspirations, and everyday survival. Traders like Générose Nshimirimana in Rugombo can no longer sell tomatoes in Rwandan markets where she once tripled her income. Dévote in Ngozi has lost her primary market for red onions. Thousands like them have joined the ranks of the economically distressed in a nation where 62% of citizens already live below the extreme poverty line.

In Ruhwa, the economic devastation is unmistakable. Once vibrant tourist facilities are abandoned, and shops, currency-exchange offices, and cafés are overrun by weeds. Tourist guide Jérôme Bukuru has seen his income drop by two-thirds. In Gatumba, the last gateway to DRC, militarization has brought all commerce to a halt. For a country whose economy relies heavily on proximity trade, this is the equivalent of an oxygen cut-off.

Massive Macroeconomic Shock

The ripple effects on the national economy have been immediate and severe. Agriculture accounts for 32.9% of Burundi’s GDP and employs 70% of the labor force. Perishable goods, the backbone of cross-border trade, now have no quick outlet. Trucks carrying fish from Uvira or vegetables from Cibitoke race against time on longer, more expensive routes. Losses mount daily, and profit margins evaporate.

Already struggling with a five-year energy crisis, Burundi has now lost access to vital informal fuel supplies from DRC and Rwanda. This accelerates supply shortages that cripple hospitals, businesses, public transport, and even schools. The Kobero–Kabanga corridor to Tanzania, which handles 80% of Burundian trade, is under unprecedented pressure. Despite recent investments that reduced transit times, it cannot absorb the country’s entire commercial load.

Tanzania: Lifeline or New Dependency?

With its western and northern borders sealed, Tanzania has become Burundi’s sole viable partner. More than 80% of the country’s external trade now passes through Dar es Salaam, deepening an already structural dependency. The planned Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connection for 2028 promises relief, yet may further entrench reliance on this single corridor.

Cross-border markets like Muhange, modernized with UN support, are filling with Burundian traders seeking new opportunities. But these openings, while essential, cannot compensate for the losses from Rwanda or the catastrophic closure of the Congolese corridor. Lake Tanganyika offers an underused alternative, but lacking adequate port infrastructure, its potential remains theoretical, too slow, and too limited for the current crisis.

A Shock to Regional Integration

The Burundian crisis highlights a deeper issue: the fragility of the East African Community (EAC). The bloc advocates free movement, yet member states continue to close borders unilaterally without binding mechanisms to prevent economic damage. Following the Rwanda–Uganda standoff (2019–2022) and now Burundi’s rift with its neighbors, the credibility of regional integration is at stake.

African Lessons

The key lesson from Burundi is clear: landlocked economies cannot rely on a single trade corridor. Diversification is not optional; it is a pillar of national security. Burundi modernized several border posts and launched fiscal reforms, but it did not diversify its commercial routes, strengthen productive capacities, or reduce its dependence on external aid (62% of the national budget).

Mineral ambitions, such as the USD15 billion nickel deal with Russia, will not transform the economy in the short term. Agriculture remains dominated by subsistence farming, structurally exposed to shocks. The urgency of dialogue is clear. Border closures, intended to enhance security, have become a geo-economic trap that suffocates civilians without stopping armed groups, who easily use informal routes.

The Future of Burundi

The only sustainable outcome is diplomatic engagement. Burundi should open borders with all its neighbors. The EAC must develop binding mechanisms to prevent states from isolating each other overnight. The future of Burundi, and that of many landlocked African nations, hinges on building resilient commercial infrastructure, effective regional integration mechanisms, and diversified economies less vulnerable to geopolitical shocks.

Without such transformation, today’s border closures will merely foreshadow deeper crises. The Burundian case reveals a fundamental danger: when politics overrides economics and mistrust replaces cooperation, populations pay the price. Behind every closed border lie broken livelihoods and communities divided by barriers erected in their name, yet contrary to their interests.