Vincent Biruta
{{short description|Rwandan physician and politician (born 1958)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Vincent Biruta
|image = Vincent Biruta cropped.png
|caption = Biruta in March 2022
|office = Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
|term_start = November 4, 2019
|president = Paul Kagame
|term_end = June 12, 2024
|predecessor = Richard Sezibera
|successor = Olivier Nduhungirehe
|office1 = Minister for Environment
|president1 = Paul Kagame
|term_start1 = August 31, 2017
|term_end1 = November 4, 2019
|predecessor1 =
|successor1 =
|office2 = Minister of Natural Resources
|president2 = Paul Kagame
|term_start2 = July 24, 2014
|term_end2 = August 31, 2017
|predecessor2 =
|successor2 =
|office3 = Minister of Education
|president3 = Paul Kagame
|term_start3 = December 2011
|term_end3 = July 24, 2014
|predecessor3 =
|successor3 =
|office4 = 1st President of the Rwandan Senate
|term_start4 = August 23, 2003
|term_end4 = October 10, 2011
|predecessor4 = Office established
|successor4 = Jean-Damascène Ntawukuriryayo
|office5 = 3rd President of the Transitional National Assembly
|term_start5 = January 19, 2000
|term_end5 = August 23, 2003
|predecessor5 = Joseph Sebarenzi
|successor5 = Office abolished
|office6 = Minister of Public Services, Transport and Communications
|president6 = Pasteur Bizimungu
|term_start6 = 1999
|term_end6 = January 19, 2000
|predecessor6 =
|successor6 =
|office7 = Minister of Health
|president7 = Pasteur Bizimungu
|term_start7 = 1997
|term_end7 = 1999
|predecessor7 =
|successor7 =
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|7|19}}
|birth_place = Rwanda
|death_date =
|death_place =
|education = {{Ubl
|Undisclosed University (MD)
| Université libre de Bruxelles (Masters in Planning and Management)
}}
|occupation = {{Hlist | Physician | politician}}
|party = PSD
}}
Vincent Biruta (born July 19, 1958) is a Rwandan physician and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from November 2019 to June 2024.{{cite web |first=Collins |last=Mwai | date=November 5, 2019|url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/kagame-names-new-cabinet-ministers |website=New Times of Rwanda | title = Kagame names new cabinet ministers |access-date=November 5, 2019}}{{cite web |first=James |last=Karuhanga | date=14 June 2024 |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/17643/news/politics/the-rise-of-new-foreign-affairs-minister-olivier-nduhungirehe |website=New Times of Rwanda | title = The rise of new foreign affairs minister Olivier Nduhungirehe |access-date=14 June 2024}} He previously served in various other positions in the Rwandan cabinet under Presidents Paul Kagame and Pasteur Bizimungu.
Background and education
He was born on July 19, 1958.{{cite web| date=December 12, 2011 | url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/37647/ |title=The hard work that awaits Dr. Vincent Biruta |access-date=September 17, 2017 |last=Munyaneza |
newspaper=New Times (Rwanda) |location=Kigali |first=James}} He is a trained physician. He also holds post-graduate qualifications in planning and management of health services in developing countries, obtained from Université libre de Bruxelles, in Belgium.{{cite web| url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/authors/vincent-biruta |date=2016 | access-date=September 18, 2017 |title=Vincent Biruta: Minister of Natural resources, Government of Rwanda |publisher=World Economic Forum (WEF)|
author=WEF|location=Geneva}}
Career
Dr. Biruta has a long civil services record in Rwanda, post the 1994 genocide. From 1997 until 1999, he served as the Minister of Health. From 1999 until 2000, he served as the Minister of Public Services, Transport and Communications.
He was the President of the Transitional National Assembly from January 2000 until 2003. From August 2003, until October 2011, he was the first President of the Rwandan Senate, the upper chamber of the bicameral Parliament of Rwanda created in 2003.
In December 2011, he was named the Minister of Education, serving in that capacity until July 2014, when he was named Minister of Natural Resources.{{cite web| date=July 31, 2014 | url=http://www.rema.gov.rw/index.php?id=10&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=140&cHash=f1c23e7ddf09fe4a9a06cb59bc9090dc | title=Dr. Vincent Biruta, new Minister of Natural Resources kicks off his duties | access-date=September 18, 2017 | author=REMA |location=Kigali |
publisher=Rwanda Environmental Management Agency (REMA)}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chimpreports.com/25920-kagame-sacks-ministers-in-new-cabinet-reshuffle/ |title=Kagame Sacks Ministers in New Cabinet Reshuffle | date=July 24, 2014 | access-date=September 18, 2017 | author=Administrator |
publisher=Chimp Reports Uganda |location=Kampala}} He was appointed Minister of Natural resources on July 24, 2014.{{cite web| url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/77087/ | title=Full list of new Cabinet, As at 24 July 2014 | author=Times Reporter | location=Kigali | date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=September 18, 2017 | newspaper=New Times (Rwanda)}}
He served as the Minister for Environment from August 31, 2017{{cite web|date=August 31, 2017 |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/219033/ | title=Rwanda gets new Cabinet, who is in?|access-date=September 18, 2017 |first=Felly |last=Kimenyi |newspaper=New Times (Rwanda) | location=Kigali}} until his appointment as Foreign Minister in 2019.
As foreign minister, Biruta agreed to implement the Rwanda asylum plan with British Home Secretary Priti Patel.{{Cite news |last=Easton |first=Mark |date=2022-04-14 |title=Rwanda asylum seekers: What does the UK's deal mean? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61114542 |access-date=2022-04-16}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/rwanda-in-crisis-as-president-resigns-284939.html Rwanda in crisis as President resigns] AP Thursday March 23, 2000.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biruta, Vincent}}
Category:Presidents of the Senate (Rwanda)
Category:Communication ministers of Rwanda
Category:Education ministers of Rwanda
Category:Environment ministers of Rwanda
Category:Foreign ministers of Rwanda
Category:Health ministers of Rwanda
Category:Natural resources ministers of Rwanda
Category:Public works ministers of Rwanda
Category:Transport ministers of Rwanda