The ceremony took place on September 8, 2025, with Denmark and Brazil establishing a resident presence in Kigali for the first time.
Denmark's first resident ambassador to Rwanda, Casper Stenger Jensen, formally assumed his role after Denmark opened its embassy in Kigali in August 2025. Prior to this, Denmark maintained only 11 embassies across the African continent.
Amb. Jensen said Rwanda and Denmark already enjoy strong relations and stressed his commitment to advancing investment and trade ties.
'The partnership between Denmark and Rwanda has steadily evolved over the past few years and is now entering an exciting new phase. We will explore new areas of cooperation, with particular focus on harnessing investment opportunities and expanding mutual trade,' he said.
The two countries have signed several agreements over the years, including a landmark agreement on climate change and environmental protection in January 2024.
Denmark has also cooperated with Rwanda on refugee issues and, in recent years, extradited genocide fugitives, including Emmanuel Dushimiyimana in 2014 and Wenceslas Twagirayezu in 2018.
Promoting partnerships and 'Visit Rwanda' in Brazil
Brazil's new ambassador to Rwanda, Irene Vida Gala, also presented her credentials. Until now, Brazil's representation in Rwanda was handled from its embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
She said she has already been impressed by her time in Rwanda, calling the country 'a valuable partner.'
Ambassador Gala highlighted agriculture, livestock development, poverty reduction, and education as key areas of future cooperation. She added that Brazil is keen to learn from Rwanda's experience in peacebuilding and reconciliation.
Notably, she expressed a personal ambition to promote Rwanda's brand in Brazilian football.
'My dream is to see 'Visit Rwanda' featured on the jersey of one of Brazil's major football teams. We have some of the biggest clubs, and why not bring 'Visit Rwanda' to one of them, especially now as Brazilian football looks to recover its strength,' she noted.
Relations between Rwanda and Brazil date back to 1981. In recent years, ties have expanded, with Rwanda opening its first embassy in Brasília in December 2023.
In May 2025, during an official visit to Brazil, Rwanda's Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, highlighted cooperation with local livestock institutions where Rwanda is expected to introduce Girolando cattle breed developed in Brazil.
In July 2025, the two countries signed agreements on climate-resilient agriculture and food security.
Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee, soybeans, sugarcane, and oranges. Rwanda already imports wheat and sugar from Brazil, a trend that grew after the war in Ukraine disrupted traditional supply chains.
Justice and reconciliation at the center of ties with France
France's new ambassador, Aurélie Royet-Gounin, succeeds Antoine Anfré, who concluded his term in July 2025. She said her priority is to build on the renewed partnership forged after President Emmanuel Macron's landmark visit to Rwanda in 2021.
Ambassador Royet-Gounin emphasized justice and accountability as key pillars of Franceâ€"Rwanda relations.
'Military cooperation is important, but so is justice. We will intensify efforts to fight impunity and denial of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In France, we have already set up a special unit to pursue accountability for genocide suspects,' she said.
Relations between Rwanda and France have gone through difficult periods, particularly after France's role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Ties began to normalize following President Macron's 2021 visit, during which he acknowledged France's responsibility and paid hommage to victims laid to rest at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Ambassador Anfré, her predecessor, was the first French envoy to Rwanda in six years when he took office in June 2021.
Another ambassador who presented credentials to President Kagame was Hanan AbdelAziz Elsaid Shahin of Egypt, with residence in Kigali.
Rwanda and Egypt signed a series of agreements covering sectors such as health, transport, and trade.
The agreements also include a land exchange for commercial use, under which Rwanda was allocated land in Egypt, while Egypt received 10 hectares in Rwanda's Kirehe District, near the border with Tanzania.
The two countries already enjoy a broad framework of cooperation in areas including technical exchange, industrial development, agriculture, education, youth, health, and defense.
In 2017, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi visited Rwanda to strengthen bilateral ties. Both nations are also members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which facilitates duty-free trade among member states.
Rwanda and Egypt share a long history of diplomatic relations. Egypt has maintained an embassy in Kigali since 1976, while Rwanda reopened its embassy in Cairo in March 2015.
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