Kigali — In a busy diplomatic afternoon at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister Vincent Biruta received copies of letters of credence from sixteen newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners-designate.
The event signals the formal start of their missions to represent their countries in Rwanda, with most accredited on a non-resident basis from regional hubs such as Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Dar es Salaam.
The number of presentations reflect Rwanda’s expanding network of international partnerships across Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Copies of letters of credence are a standard preliminary step before the envoys formally present their credentials to Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda. The sixteen envoys are:
Mr. Mokiemo Jean Félix — Ambassador-designate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, resident in Kigali (the only resident posting among the group).
Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Peter Kakowou Lavahun — High Commissioner-designate of Sierra Leone, resident in Nairobi.
Mr. Barlybay Sadykov — Ambassador-designate of Kazakhstan, resident in Nairobi.
Ms. Ntsiuoa Castalia Sekete — High Commissioner-designate of Lesotho, resident in Addis Ababa.
Ms. Salimatata E. T. Touray — High Commissioner-designate of The Gambia, resident in Addis Ababa.
Mr. Gia Matcharadze — Ambassador-designate of Georgia, resident in Addis Ababa.
Mr. Maroš Mitrík — Ambassador-designate of the Slovakia, resident in Nairobi.
Mr. George Psiachas — Ambassador-designate of the Greece, resident in Nairobi.
Amb. Gabriel Pandureni Sinimbo — High Commissioner-designate of Namibia, resident in Dar es Salaam.
Dr. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando — High Commissioner-designate of Malta, resident in Valletta.
Ms. Margaret Gaynor — Ambassador-designate of Ireland, resident in Kampala.
Mr. Anouar Ben Youssef — Ambassador-designate of Tunisia, resident in Nairobi.
Mr. Pedro León Cortés Ruiz — Ambassador-designate of Colombia, resident in Nairobi.
Ms. Erika Ylonca Álvarez Rodríguez — Ambassador-designate of the Dominican Republic, resident in South Africa.
Ms. Katalin Nyirati — Ambassador-designate of Hungary, resident in Nairobi.
Ms. Paloma Serra Robles — Ambassador-designate of Spain, resident in Dar es Salaam.
The high volume of presentations in a single day highlights Rwanda’s active diplomatic outreach and the country’s strategic position in fostering ties with both neighboring states and distant partners.
Many of these non-resident accreditations align with common diplomatic practices in East Africa, where ambassadors often cover multiple countries from bases such as Nairobi, Addis Ababa, or Dar es Salaam.
