Rwanda’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Urujeni Bakuramutsa, on Thursday, May 21, presented her Letters of Credence to Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, formally beginning her diplomatic mission to the Holy See. ALSO READ: Rwandan Catholics to hold requiem mass for Pope Francis During the event, Bakuramutsa conveyed greetings from President Paul Kagame, the government, and the people of Rwanda, while reaffirming Kigali’s commitment to strengthening longstanding relations with the Holy See through dialogue, cooperation, and shared values. Pope Leo XIV, addressing newly accredited diplomats, called for diplomacy rooted in mutual respect, shared responsibility, dialogue, and the pursuit of peace. ALSO READ: Rwandan church welcomes Pope Leo XIV with joy, surprise Diplomats from Bangladesh, Chad, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Yemen also presented their credentials on the same occasion. Prior to presenting her credentials, Bakuramutsa held meetings with senior Vatican officials, including Pietro Parolin and Paul Richard Gallagher. Today at the Vatican, ahead of presenting her Letters of Credence to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Rwanda’s Ambassador-designate to the Holy See, @urujeniB, met with His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State, following the presentation of copies of her credentials to... pic.twitter.com/Y2eICOD0L5 — Rwanda in Geneva (@RwandaInGeneva) May 20, 2026 She also met Paolo Rudelli and Monsignor Javier Fernández, the Vatican’s Head of Protocol, with discussions focusing on ways to further strengthen cooperation between Rwanda and the Holy See in areas of mutual interest. Bakuramutsa currently serves as Rwanda’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva. In recent months, she has also presented Letters of Credence to authorities in Switzerland and Austria as part of her expanding diplomatic responsibilities in Europe. ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Amb. Bakuramutsa presents credentials to Austrian president Rwanda and the Holy See have maintained longstanding relations over the years, with the Catholic Church continuing to contribute to Rwanda’s development, particularly in education, healthcare, social welfare, and community development.
