Dr. Diane Gashumba, the new Rwandan Ambassador to Sweden and other Nordic countries, presented her Letters of Credence to King Harald V of Norway in a function held on February 10. Gashumba was appointed resident ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden in June 2021. In her conversation with the Norwegian monarch at the Royal Palace in Oslo, she highlighted the good bilateral and multilateral relations between Rwanda and Norway. They exchanged views on key issues of cooperation within the framework of international organizations, including the point where Norway was elected to hold a UN Security Council seat in 2021 and 2022 by the United Nations. Gashumba informed King Harald V that since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda remained committed to promoting peace and security at home and across the world while ensuring the inclusion of women in political and peace processes. Rwanda is among the leading troop contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. Gashumba also mentioned Rwanda’s progress to achieve its climate goals by engaging with national and international partners to attract sustainable green investment. “Rwanda is a good destination for green investment, and we are inviting all our Partners including Norway to support Rwanda to achieve our ambitious goals of protecting the environment and addressing climate change and a carbon neutral economy by 2050,” she said. The two pledged their commitment to further developing bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation between the two countries. On the margin of her visit, Gashumba held several meetings with senior officials at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs including State Secretary of International Development, Bjørg Sandkjær to exchange on ways to further strengthen political, trade, economic and cultural relations as well as knowledge exchange between the two countries following the agreement on political consultations signed in November 2020. She is also expected to meet the Norwegian-African Business Association (NABA), Norwegian Investment Fund (Norfund), Forum for Women and Development (FOKUS), and the University of Southeast Norway. She will also meet partners supporting an ongoing project to digitalize Rwandan music heritage including professors from University of Agder. On her agenda is also a meeting with the Rwandan community in Oslo to discuss ways of improving trade, culture, and skills exchange between the two countries. The Rwandan Embassy to the Nordic Countries is accredited to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. She has already presented her credentials to Sweden and Denmark. Prior to her posting in Stockholm, Ambassador Dr. Diane Gashumba served as Rwanda’s Minister of Health and Minister of Gender and Family Promotion.
