Belgium says third term for Burundi president would impact aid

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium warned Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza on Thursday that it would cut off aid to his government if he went ahead with his bid for a third term in office. More than 20 people have been killed in almost a month of unrest in former Belgian colony Burundi, including a failed coup. The struggle to stop Nkurunziza seeking a third term risks re-opening old wounds between the country's Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. "A third term would deal a serious blow to the legitimacy of the Burundian government," the Belgian foreign ministry said, adding that in such a case it would review its aid to focus on strengthening democratic forces in the country. Belgium's development aid for Burundi in 2013 was just under 50 million euros ($55.7 million), most of it going directly to the state. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)