Mind the billboards: international aid conquering the public space in Burundi

This two-part blog series will examine the prominence of aid billboards in Burundi and analyse how these billboards produce colonial continuities, which in turn shape the public space and public authority in Burundi. In the first article, Astrid Jamar discusses how these billboards and their colonial nature dominate the public space. Along with symbols of the regime, their physical presence in Burundian streets illustrate how paternalism and authoritarianism simultaneously shape public authority.