The majority of Burundian parties early Friday signed a power sharing deal brokered by South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma to pave the way for elections in the central African nation which has been ravaged by war.
Twenty parties inked the deal in Pretoria but 10 did not sign - a fact which did not faze either Zuma or Carolyn McAskie, the head of the UN mission in Burundi.
"This is a decision taken by the majority of parties and therefore a decision taken for the Burundian people," Zuma said after the parties signed the deal in front of him and South African President Thabo Mbeki.
The agreement committed to "including minority ethnic parties in the system of governance" as well as the "protection and inclusion of ethnic, cultural and religious minorities."
Zuma said Friday's pact "allows the parties in Burundi to begin the process of drawing up a constitution, electoral law, communal law and establishing an independent electoral commission.