Valentine Rugwabiza

Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza (born 25, July 1963) is a Rwandan businesswoman and politician who has served as the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2016 to 2018. She now is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of MINUSCA, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.[1][2]

Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations
Ambassador
Assumed office
23 February 2022
Appointed byAntónio Guterres
Preceded byMankeur Ndiaye
Permanent Representative of Rwanda to United Nations
In office
November 2016 – February 2022
Appointed byPaul Kagame
Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization
In office
2005–2013
Personal details
Born1963 (age 59–60)
Rwanda
SpouseJohn Paulin Sendanyoye
Alma materNational University of Zaire
OccupationEconomist, Businesswoman

Early life and education

Rugwabiza was born on 25 July 1963.[3] She has a bachelor's and a master's degree in economics from the National University of Zaire.[3][4]

Career

For eight years, Rugwabiza worked for Swiss multinational company Hoffmann-La Roche, first as the head of commercial development and marketing for Central Africa in Yaoundé, and then as regional director in Ivory Coast.[5] She returned to Kigali in 1997 to run her own company, Synergy Group.[5][4]

In 2002, Rugwabiza was appointed Rwanda's ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, serving for three years.[6][5]

From 2005 until 2013, Rugwabiza was Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization,[3] the first woman to hold the position.[4] She is a founding member of the Rwanda Private Sector Federation, the Rwanda Women Entrepreneurs’ Organization and the Rwandese Women Leaders’ Caucus.[7][6]

Rugwabiza was CEO of the Rwanda Development Board from 2013 to 2014.[8] She served as Minister for East African Community from 2014 to 2016.[3] In 2015, she was named as one of Jeune Afrique's "50 powerful women in Africa."[9]

Rugwabiza was appointed Rwanda's Permanent Representative to the United Nations by President Paul Kagame in November 2016.[3][10] She remains a member of the Cabinet of Rwanda[3] and was a member of the East African Legislative Assembly for a five-year term from 2012 until June 2017.[11]

In February 2022, the UN announced that Valentine Rugwabiza would replace the Senegalese Mankeur Ndiaye at the head of Minusca, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.[12]

Personal life

Rugwabiza is married to John Paulin Sendanyoye.[3][6]

See also

Publications
  • Rugwabiza, Valentine (2008). "Urgency of Completing the Doha Round more Acute than Ever". In United Nations Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination (ed.). Achieving Sustainable Development and Promoting Development Cooperation: Dialogues at the Economic and Social Council. United Nations Publications. pp. 43–45. ISBN 9789211045871.
  • Rugwabiza, Valentine; González, Arancha (11 May 2016). "Economic integration is helping boost trade and investment in Africa". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  • Rugwabiza, Valentine (18 July 2016). "Africa: Amidst Brexit Woes, Africa Forges Ahead With Integration". The New Times. All Africa. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  • Rugwabiza, Valentine (17 July 2016). "Britain may have given up on the EU dream, but Africa still wants integration". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2017.

References
  1. Valade, Carol. "Centrafrique: la rwandaise Valentine Rugwabiza prend la tête de la mission de l'ONU". RFI. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  2. "Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic | United Nations Secretary-General". www.un.org. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  3. "New Permanent Representative of Rwanda Presents Credentials". United Nations. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  4. Machado, Audace (29 May 2008). "Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza". Reines d'Afrique (in French). Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  5. "The Senate approves Amb. Rugwabiza Valentine as RDB CEO". Republic of Rwanda Parliament. 17 October 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  6. "Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza". World Trade Organization. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  7. "Hon. Valentine Rugwabiza". Yale Young African Scholars. Yale University. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  8. Banda, Honoré (1 July 2014). "Rwanda's bet: Middle-income or bust". The Africa Report. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  9. Ballong, Stéphane (12 January 2015). "Rwanda: Valentine Rugwabiza, de l'OMC à l'intégration est-africaine". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  10. "Amb. Valentine Rugwabiza has handed over office to Hon. Minister François Kanimba". Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Trade and Industry. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  11. "Amb. Rugwabiza, Valentine". East African Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  12. "Centrafrique: la rwandaise Valentine Rugwabiza prend la tête de la mission de l'ONU". RFI (in French). 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
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