President Paul Kagame on Monday, September 8, received letters of credence from four newly accredited envoys. The new Ambassadors Irene Vida Gala of Brazil, Casper Stenger Jensen of Denmark, Aurélie Royet-Gounin of France and Hanan AbdelAziz Elsaid Shahin of Egypt. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Brazil sign visa waiver deal Speaking to the media, the envoys said they were honoured to represent their countries in Rwanda and pledged to strengthen existing partnerships while exploring new areas of cooperation. Irene Vida Gala of Brazil said she was impressed by Rwanda’s work and looks forward to strengthening the partnership between her country and Rwanda. “We have a very big agenda that we can build together. This includes agriculture, where Brazil has considerable expertise, as well as social policies,” Vida Gala said. She noted that both countries face challenges in combating poverty and providing access to quality health and education services, and Brazil is ready to share its expertise with Rwanda. “We also look forward to exchanging students, sending Rwandan students to study in Brazil’s universities. Brazil is proud to be a country in the Global South that shares experiences and promotes learning, science, and new perspectives,” she added. Vida Gala said she was looking forward to seeing the Visit Rwanda brand promoted by Brazil’s soccer teams. “Brazil has bigger soccer teams, and maybe we can share a jersey with Rwanda. I would be proud just to have Rwanda associated with one of our soccer teams. Using soccer as soft power, we can bring our peoples closer together,” she said. Aurélie Royet-Gounin said that Rwanda and France have a close, dynamic relationship and pledged to further strengthen ties and cooperation in multilateral areas. ALSO READ: France, Rwanda sign €400M partnership agreement “We also have a strong attachment to peace and security in the region, and we will work with our Rwandan counterparts to ensure security is restored to all countries,” she said. She noted that France and Rwanda cooperate in justice and aim to further strengthen partnerships in health, vocational training, and defence. Rwanda and France in May 2024 signed a new roadmap to guide their defence cooperation until 2025 at the second Joint Military Commission meeting in Paris. “We are fully committed, and we even have a dedicated office in France to address impunity for perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi. A new trial will open in a few weeks, and we will keep the pace. We will not relent until justice has been fully served,” she said. Denmark’s Casper Stenger Jensen said his country's relations with Rwanda have evolved over the years and are now entering a new phase. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Denmark sign climate deal, strengthen ties Denmark opened its embassy in Rwanda on August 1, which makes Jensen the country’s first ambassador with residence in Kigali. In January 2024, Rwanda and Denmark signed an agreement to cooperate in climate change mitigation and environmental conservation, signaling a shared commitment to addressing global challenges through collaborative efforts. “We will explore new areas of cooperation, including ways to harness investments and expand mutual trade,” he said. “The new embassy will take time to establish our presence here, but I am very much looking forward to it.”
