President Pierre Nkurunziza of.....>

EMERGING MARKETS: President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi has died of a heart

attack aged 56 according to the country's gov't. 

- Nkurunziza held power in Burundi for 15 years from 2005, and had been due to

step down in August, handing over power to Evariste Ndayishimiye, also of the

CNDD-FDD party.

- Burundi is one of sub-Saharan Africa's poorest nations and is seen as a

potential hotbed of civil unrest and ethnic violence. The country experienced a

devastating civil war fought along ethnic lines from 1993 to 2005. 

- Violence erupted again in 2015 when Nkurunziza ran for and won a third term,

against the country's constitutional term limits. 

- Any political instability emanating from Burundi could have major impacts on

precious and industrial metals producers in neighbouring Democratic Republic of

the Congo. Gold, cobalt, diamonds, tantalum, coltan, and copper are all produced

in the region surrounding Burundi.