President Paul Kagame has received letters of credence from the newly appointed ambassadors of Oman and New Zealand to Rwanda, as the two countries seek to further strengthen bilateral relations with Kigali.
The ambassadors presented their credentials on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, during a ceremony held at Village Urugwiro.
Ambassador Nasra bint Salim bin Mohammed Al Hashmi presented her credentials as Oman’s Ambassador to Rwanda, while Olivia Charlotte Owen presented hers as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Rwanda.
Al Hashmi will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, while Owen will operate from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Rwanda has maintained diplomatic relations with both Oman and New Zealand, with cooperation covering areas including trade, investment, technology, transport and political engagement.
Relations between Rwanda and Oman have continued to grow, particularly through increased economic cooperation and improved connectivity. Recently, Oman’s airline SalamAir launched direct flights between Muscat and Kigali, operating twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The new route is expected to enhance travel links between the two countries while providing passengers with connections to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Rwanda and New Zealand have also moved to deepen economic and diplomatic cooperation. Earlier this year, representatives from both countries met during the first Future Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P) forum in New Zealand, focusing on opportunities to expand trade and investment ties.
The engagement led to the signing of an agreement establishing regular political consultations between the two countries, aimed at strengthening dialogue and cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment and capacity development.
The two countries also share historical links dating back to Rwanda’s most difficult period. In 1994, New Zealand served on the United Nations Security Council and called for urgent international action to stop the Genocide against the Tutsi.
In 2019, New Zealand became the first country to provide Rwanda with historical documents related to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, supporting efforts to preserve memory and counter genocide denial.
