During a brief interview with Diplomatic Watch at the Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) 35th Anniversary celebration held on June 7, 2024 at the Swiss Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC, H.E. Mathilde Mukantabana, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United States, shared her thoughts about the event. Her comments reflected Rwanda’s dedication to inclusivity, diversity, and global diaspora engagement.
“It was a wonderful event because we are looking at people connecting, and for me, it is double pleasing because this is what we would like our global diaspora to look like,” said Ambassador Mathilde. She praised the gathering for bringing together people to exchange ideas and learn from each other’s successes.
Continuing her reflection, the Ambassador commended the award recipients, describing them as “people who have done so much for the country, not for any small organization, but for the United States.” She linked this recognition to Rwanda’s own efforts to engage its diaspora. “In my country, we have a well-structured diaspora program that is trying to attract all the values that the diaspora can bring,” she explained.
To illustrate Rwanda’s successful diaspora engagement, Ambassador Mathilde noted a recent visit by Rwanda’s President to the United States, which drew 7,000 attendees. “This is something that could be duplicated elsewhere because we need to learn from each other,” she said, suggesting that other countries could adopt similar approaches.
In closing, the Ambassador appreciated the inclusive nature of the event, pointing out the involvement of Swiss Ambassador. “Ambassador Pitteloud is Swiss; he is not African. But he is able to organize and be a part of it. This is what the world needs,” she remarked.
Last Friday, June 7, Rwandan Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana attended the Black Professionals in Int'l Affairs event & shared briefly thoughts about the event and Rwanda's diaspora program with Diplomatic Watch. @BPIAtweets @RwandaInUSA @AmbMukantabana @RwandaMFA @BuchiMenkiti… pic.twitter.com/tKx9usmvAb
— DiplomaticWatch (@Diplo_Watch) June 10, 2024
