The 60th Anniversary of Burundi's Independence

Burundi was an independent kingdom until it became part of the German East Africa colony in 1884, and after the First World War, Belgium controlled the territory of Ruanda-Urundi. Burundi became under the Belgian mandate in 1924, and the monarchy rule continued despite the domination of European powers.
In 1959, the ruler of Burundi, Mwami Mwambutsa IV, demanded independence from Belgium and the dissolution of the Ruanda-Urundi union. On July 1st, 1962, Burundi was declared an independent kingdom, controlled by the Tutsi ethnic group. Burundi forms the southern half of the territory that was known as Ruanda-Urundi, while the current state of Rwanda forms the northern half of the territory.
Egypt was one of the first countries, and considered as the first Arab country, to establish diplomatic relations with Burundi after its independence in 1962, as Egypt established an embassy in Burundi in December 1964.