Burundi inflation rises to 11.9 pct in Sept

BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Burundi's annual inflation rate rose to 11.9 percent in September from 5.6 percent the month before mostly due to rising costs for housing, water and energy, the country's statistics board said on Tuesday.

Annual inflation in the landlocked central African nation jumped to 24.5 percent in 2008 compared with 8.3 percent in 2007 on record high oil and commodity prices.

The Institute of Economic Studies and Statistics (ISTEEBU) said the housing, water and energy index rose to 30.6 percent over the 12 months to September, from 5.5 percent in August.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that inflation will fall to 9 percent this year in the coffee growing country of 8 million people. About half the government's budget is currently financed by international aid donors.