France’s first black supermodel, a real-life princess from Burundi Esther Kamatari, who has lived in Paris for the last 30 years, revealed her ambitious plans to run for president of her native country and bring peace to the nation which for the past 11 years has been torn apart by civil war.

With her new party Abahuza (Rally) the 53-year-old princess wants to “reconcile Burundians with themselves” by electing her as president, thereby restoring the monarchy and the ethnic harmony, reports Independent Online.

After independence in 1962 and her father’s assassination in 1964 Kamatari kept her back turned on her motherland, but gradually overcoming her anger, she became president of the Association of People of Burundi in France, essentially a humanitarian organization, in 1990. “In a country where people are still armed to the teeth and where children don’t go to school, where the health system is non-existent, it is social deprivation that we must combat,” said the niece of the last king of Burundi.

On arriving in France in August 1970, Kamatari had made a successful career in fashion, becoming the first black model on the Paris runways. “I arrived at the right time, the designers were looking for new blood.” For many years, her slender 1,78 metre figure and dark complexion graced the catwalk shows of Paco Rabanne, Lanvin and Christian Dior.

She is fond of wearing dresses in white, the color of peace in Burundi.

This is not the only example of models turning to more serious things such as politics. Esther Kamatari may have served as a role model for top model Carmen Kass, originating from post-soviet Estonia, who decided to run for European Union earlier this year. “Estonians have maybe forgotten about me, because I have been abroad for a long time, but I haven't forgotten about Estonia. I remember where my roots are,” said the young patriot.