International Conference on the Evolution of Poverty and Well-Being in Burundi 1998-2007

Philip at the conference with his students from the National University of Burundi

Philip Verwimp at the conference with his students from the National University of Burundi

Bujumbura, February 26-27, 2009

Philip Verwimp and the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (ISTEEBU) in Burundi organised an international conference on the evolution of poverty during the past decade. The conference organisers had three main objectives:

  • To present the main results of the 2007 Household Priority Survey
  • To discuss the utilisation of poverty statistics for policy preparation
  • To invite scholars to present their recent empirical work on Burundi

At the conference, which was financed by the VLIR (Flemish Interuniversity Co-operation), scholars from the universities of Antwerp (Belgium), Wageningen (The Netherlands), Columbia (USA) and the National University of Burundi presented their work. Every presentation was followed by a lively debate with the 150-strong audience. The conference was opened by the Belgian Ambassador in Burundi and attended by members of the donor community, civil society, academia and the media.

Philip presented his analysis of the dynamics of poverty in Burundi with special attention to the different trajectories of split-off households and their original households. MICROCON researcher Eleonora Nillesen presented her analysis of Burundi’s coffee sector and its impact on recruitment during the civil war. Tom Bundervoet could not attend the conference, so his paper on the poverty-conflict trap was presented by Philip.

A report on the conference discussions as well as a report detailing the main results from the 2007 survey is under preparation.

During his stay in Burundi, Philip Verwimp also taught a course in Poverty Analysis at the National University of Burundi. Several of his students attended the conference. Philip also advised on a plan to organise a new agricultural survey in Burundi.