Gitega, Jun 22 (IANS): The European Union (EU) had started the processes of lifting sanctions against Burundi that stops financial aid to the Burundian government, a top official said.

The announcement was made here on Monday by the EU Ambassador to Burundi Claude Bochu, Xinhua news agency reported.

In March 2016, the EU suspended its direct financial support to the Burundian government following the political crisis sparked by the controversial third term bid of then President Pierre Nkurunziza.

At the end of May this year, the EU working groups unanimously gave the direction to the bloc's judicial institutions to revoke the suspension of the financial aid to the Burundian government, Bochu told a press briefing after meeting President Evariste Ndayishimiye.

The move follows positive progress initiated by Ndayishimiye in terms of promoting governance, rule of law and human rights, he said, adding that the EU is expecting more positive results.

Bochu said that the EU together with other partners like the African Development Bank are going to finance the rehabilitation of the Port of Bujumbura and its surroundings before the end of this year, contribute funds to the farming sector.

The EU sanctions expire in October unless they are renewed for another year.

But a group of NGOs said in an open letter to EU Foreign Ministers on Monday that the bloc should not relax sanctions against Burundi until the regime there has stopped persecuting journalists and human rights activists.

Political opponents are being arrested and mistreated on a daily basis, the NGOs said in the letter, adding: "Dozens of new torture cases have been documented since the 2020 elections, and at least one detainee died in detention after being tortured by intelligence agents in 2021."