Burundi, currently grappling with a severe socio-economic crisis marked by fuel, sugar, and medicine shortages, has found a beacon of hope in the recent discovery of a cassiterite mine.

President Évariste Ndayishimiye visited the Bumeco (Burundi Metal Company) mine in Kirundo province on July 17, where the company's general manager, Gaspard Ngendakumana, revealed a massive find: a cassiterite and coltan mine with an estimated 12.7 million tons of cassiterite, valued at over $50 billion.

The discovery, which reportedly dates back to Belgian colonial times, had been concealed post-independence, with the mine sealed and disguised as a nature reserve.

President Ndayishimiye expressed outrage at this historical concealment, accusing former colonists of mocking Burundi's poverty. He proclaimed the mine's potential to uplift Burundi from its economic struggles, reaffirming his belief in the country's wealth and potential.

Despite skepticism from some locals due to the lack of preliminary exploration studies, Ndayishimiye remains confident, reiterating his vision of Burundi as the "true Garden of Eden.