So, Why Were the NGO's and the Transnational Orgs. Making Noise About Burundi A Couple Years Ago? (RBW: LON)

We have an early warning system that can sometimes point to where the (geographical) action might show up and in 2016 and 2017 Burundi came into focus.
The early warning system's technique can also be used to hint at mergers and acquisitions but had a rather significant flaw as noted in a 2014 post:

WARNING: Our proprietary "What's on TV" buyout model (backtested to February) has proven skill in identifying one of the parties to an acquisition however THE COMPANY WE IDENTIFY ALMOST ALWAYS TURNS OUT TO BE THE ACQUIRER, NOT THE ACQUIREE. 

As far as directional bets are concerned, this is not all that helpful.
And getting away from directional, it is our experience that truth-in-advertising for the pair trade risk arbitrage dark arts would put the emphasis on the risk part of the term rather than the arbitrage.

Anyway....where was I? Ah, early warning. Here are a couple of our Burundi posts:
January 2016
"Will the West Create its Next Failed State in Burundi?"

There's something big going on across the globe that I've been debating posting on for the last four years.

If you are interested, here is one loose thread in a small corner of the tapestry to pick at, that, if followed, might lead on to the rest.
Further, your affiant sayeth naught.

February 2017
"Burundi Tops List Of Potential Coup Targets"

We had them on the top 5 list for 2016 but something happened to redirect the action across the border to DR Congo.

If interested, here's some more detail in November's "Burundi Becomes the Frst Nation to Leave the International Criminal Court".

All this leads up to a short little note in the Financial Times:

December 5, 2017
Harry Sanderson
London-listed Rainbow Rare Earths said it has exported its first shipment of rare earths from its project in Burundi. The company said it shipped 25 tonnes of high grade rare earths from the east African country by road to Mombasa in Kenya. It will then be shipped to steel maker Thyssenkrupp.

The project is one of the few sources of rare earths outside of China. After a spectacular price bust in 2012 prices for rare earths have started to rise this year, as demand increases for magnets in electric car motors and wind turbines....

The stock is at 14.82. Here's the LSE press release welcoming the company to the exchange and the action since last year's listing:
London Stock Exchange welcomes Rainbow Rare Earths to the Main Market

And Burundi isn't in the news any more.