Business
A 2015 Companies Code in a Belgian-derived civil-law system, outside OHADA
Burundi is the only Great Lakes state in this batch that is neither OHADA nor common law. Company law is governed by the 2015 Code of Private and Public Participation Companies, and commercial courts sit in Bujumbura. Accession to OHADA has been discussed but not effected.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Tribunal de Commerce de Bujumbura hears commercial disputes; the Cour d'appel and Cour suprême sit above.
- Deadline — Company registration: through the API one-stop shop
- Deadline — Annual filings: lodged with the commercial registry
Governing law
- Loi n° 1/09 du 30 mai 2011 portant Code des sociétés privées et à participation publiqueas amended
- Loi portant code des investissements
- Loi on the Agence de Promotion des Investissements
In practice
Burundi's position outside OHADA matters practically: a Burundian company and a Rwandan or Congolese counterparty do not share a harmonised commercial law, and enforcement across the border cannot use the OHADA Uniform Act machinery. This makes Burundi the odd jurisdiction out in a region otherwise covered either by OHADA or by EAC common-law convergence.