High Commissioner Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye has presented his letters of credence to the Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, accrediting him as Rwanda's representative to the country.
The ceremony took place at the royal palace, Istana Nurul Iman, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Amb. Uwihanganye, who is based in Singapore, also represents Rwanda in Australia and New Zealand. He becomes the first High Commissioner to represent Rwanda in Brunei since the two countries established diplomatic relations nearly five years ago.
During his visit to Brunei, Amb. Uwihanganye also met with Dato Seri Paduka Abdul Manaf, the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT). Their discussions focused on fostering bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector.
The High Commissioner is also scheduled to meet with other high-ranking officials in Brunei to discuss cooperation in various sectors, including construction, agriculture, and finance.
Rwanda and Brunei are both members of the Commonwealth. The two countries initiated diplomatic relations in December 2020.
In June 2022, President Paul Kagame met with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah during the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Rwanda. The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest.
During that visit, the Sultan of Brunei was accompanied by Prince Abdul Mateen.
Brunei is a small but wealthy country located in Southeast Asia, with a population of just over 455,000 people.
For many years, Brunei's economy has been largely dependent on the export of petroleum and natural gas, with over half of its GDP coming from oil and gas revenues.
Additionally, Brunei's domestic economy is supported by significant income from foreign investments, mainly managed through the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), which operates under the Ministry of Finance.
Analysts consider Rwanda an attractive destination for Brunei's investments, largely due to Rwanda's investor-friendly legal framework that facilitates foreign direct investment.
This aligns with Brunei's long-term strategy to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas.
Currently, the two countries are in discussions about cooperation agreements in the education sector and the potential for a visa waiver arrangement for their citizens.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/amb-uwihanganye-presents-credentials-to-represent-rwanda-in-brunei
