Vatican City, 21 May 2026 — Ambassador Urujeni Bakuramutsa presented her Letters of Credence to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, marking the start of her diplomatic mission as Rwanda’s Envoy to the Holy See. The Ceremony was held at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Bakuramutsa conveyed the greetings of H.E. President Paul Kagame, the Government and the people of Rwanda to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, and reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to further strengthening its longstanding relations with the Holy See, grounded in shared values, dialogue and cooperation.

Ambassadors from Bangladesh, Chad, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Yemen also presented their Letters of Credence during the ceremony. In his address, Pope Leo XIV called for diplomacy rooted in dialogue, mutual respect, shared responsibility and the pursuit of peace.

Ahead of the ceremony, Ambassador Bakuramutsa held meetings with His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and H.E. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, following the presentation of copies of her Credentials. She also met with H.E. Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, and Monsignor Javier Fernández, Head of Protocol.

The engagements provided an opportunity to exchange on the longstanding partnership between Rwanda and the Holy See, as well as practical ways to further strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Rwanda and the Holy See share a longstanding relationship, supported by the continued contribution of the Catholic Church to Rwanda’s development in key areas such as education, healthcare, social welfare and community development.