President Paul Kagame has received credentials from newly appointed ambassadors representing Oman and New Zealand to Rwanda.
On July 29, 2026, the Head of State received Oman’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Nasra Bint Salim Bin Mohammed Al-Hashmi, and New Zealand’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Olivia Charlotte Owen.
The Office of the President, Village Urugwiro, announced that the two ambassadors presented their letters of credence, officially authorizing them to represent their respective countries in Rwanda.
The statement read: “This afternoon at Village Urugwiro, President Kagame received letters of credence from newly appointed ambassadors accredited to Rwanda. They are Nasra Bint Salim Bin Mohammed Al-Hashmi of Oman and Olivia Charlotte Owen of New Zealand.”
Rwanda and Oman have enjoyed strong bilateral relations for many years, with a notable community of Omani nationals having lived in Rwanda.
Rwanda’s representative in Oman, Hamood Khalfan Al Busaidi, was born in Rwanda to an Omani father and a Rwandan mother. Although he has lived in Oman for many years, he remains fluent in Kinyarwanda.
There are also other Omani nationals who were either born in Rwanda or reside in the country, reflecting the close ties between the two nations.
Rwanda and Oman cooperate across several sectors. Most recently, Omani airline SalamAir launched direct flights between Muscat and Kigali.
The service, inaugurated on July 21, 2026, operates at least twice a week and is expected to boost tourism, trade, people-to-people relations, and broader cooperation between the two countries.
Ambassador Nasra Bint Salim Bin Mohammed Al-Hashmi will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, while Rwanda’s envoy to Oman is based in Egypt.
In January 2026, Rwanda and Oman signed cooperation agreements covering transport, civil aviation, infrastructure, technology, innovation, and other sectors.
Meanwhile, Rwanda and New Zealand also maintain cordial diplomatic relations, formally established on April 17, 2012.
The two countries share close ties through the Commonwealth and other international organizations.
They are seeking to further expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including agriculture, renewable energy, environmental conservation, tourism, and other sectors.
Ambassador Olivia Charlotte Owen will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while serving as New Zealand’s ambassador accredited to Rwanda.
