This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the Ambassadors of Bangladesh, Chad, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Yemen to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of their credential letters.
The following are the Pope’s address to the new Ambassadors, and a brief biography of each one:
Address of the Holy Father
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome all of you cordially on the occasion of the presentation of the Letters accrediting you as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Holy See on behalf of your respective countries: Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Yemen, Rwanda, Namibia, Mauritius, Chad and Sri Lanka. I ask you kindly to convey my respectful greetings to your Heads of State, together with the assurance of my prayers for them and for your fellow citizens.
I am particularly pleased to receive you as the Church approaches the Solemnity of Pentecost, recalling how the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, transforming fear into courage and division into unity by enabling them to speak in the languages of all peoples. It is my hope that a similar vision of unity may inspire the world of diplomacy, where constructive relations among nations flourish through genuine openness, the fostering of mutual respect and a shared sense of responsibility.
In this regard, I wish to renew the appeal I made in my Address to the Members of the Diplomatic Corps this past January. In a time when “peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion,” there is an urgent need for a return to “a diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus” on all levels — bilateral, regional, and multilateral. Such dialogue, “motivated by a sincere search for ways leading to peace,” demands that words once again express clear realities without distortion or hostility. Only then can misunderstandings be overcome and trust be rebuilt in the context of international relations.
Yet courteous and clear dialogue, essential though it is, must be accompanied by a deeper conversion of heart: the willingness to set aside particular interests for the sake of the common good. No nation, no society and no international order can call itself just and humane if it measures its success solely by power or prosperity while neglecting those who live at the margins. Indeed, Christ’s love for the least and the forgotten compels us to reject every form of selfishness that leaves the poor and the vulnerable invisible (cf. Apostolic ExhortationDilexi Te, 4 October 2025, 9).
It is precisely this spirit of self-giving solidarity that must animate the service of diplomats and strengthen the international organizations, in order to create spaces for encounter and mediation. These institutions remain indispensable instruments for resolving disputes and fostering cooperation. At a moment when geopolitical tensions continue to fragment our world further, it is necessary to make them more representative, effective and oriented toward the unity of the human family.
Your service as Ambassadors constitutes a valuable bridge of trust and cooperation between your countries and the Holy See. I pray that our shared efforts will contribute to a revitalized commitment to bilateral and multilateral engagement and help draw attention to those often forgotten at the margins of our societies. In this way, we can work together to lay firmer foundations for a more just, fraternal and peaceful world.
As you undertake your new responsibilities, I assure you of theSecretariat of State’s readiness to assist, together with the Dicasteries of theRoman Curia. May your mission strengthen dialogue, deepen mutual understanding and contribute to the peace so greatly needed in our world. Upon you, your loved ones and the Nations you represent, I invoke God’s abundant blessings, trusting that he will guide and sustain you in your noble service. Thank you!
Curriculum vitae of the new Ambassadors
Her Excellency Ms. Nahida Sobhan
Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Holy See
Her Excellency Ms. Nahida Sobhan was born on 20 February 1968 in Chittagong. She is married with two children. She graduated in 1992 and obtained a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Dhaka (1994).
She has held the following offices: Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1995–1999); Second Secretary and subsequently First Secretary, Embassy in Rome (1999–2004); Counsellor, Deputy High Commission, Kolkata, India (2004–2007); Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2007–2010); Counsellor, Permanent Mission in Geneva (2010–2013); Minister, Permanent Mission in Geneva (2013–2017); Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2017–2020); Ambassador to Jordan (2020–2024); High Commissioner to Canada (2024–2025); and Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission in Geneva (from 2025).
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Her Excellency Ms. Amina Priscille Longoh
Ambassador of the Republic of Chad to the Holy See
Her Excellency Ms. Amina Priscille Longoh was born on 6 June 1991 in Sarh, Chad.
She obtained a licentiate in Business Management and Administration from the Institut Supérieur Polytechnique de Référence (ISPR) in 2015, a Master’s degree in Institutional Communications from the Sup’Management School of Business (2016), Chad, as well as a specialization in diplomaties innovantes (innovative diplomacy) at the Centre d’études diplomatiques et stratégiques (CEDS), France, and an MPA in études diplomatiques et relations internationales (diplomatic studies and international relations) at the Centre d’études diplomatiques et stratégiques (CEDS), Paris (2024).
She has held the following positions, among others: Front Office Agent, Millicom, Chad (2013); General Services Supervisor, Glencare, Chad (2013–2019); Director General of the Maison Nationale de la Femme (2019–2020); Commissaire éducation & compétences, at the Union panafricaine de la jeunesse (2019–2020); President, Fondation Tchad Helping Hands, Chad (since 2016); Chairperson, Plateforme régionale des femmes du G5 Sahel, Chad (2020–2024); Minister of State, Minister for Women and Early Childhood Protection, Ministry of Women (2020–2025); President, Réseau des Femmes Africaines Ministres et Parlementaires (REFMAP), Chad (2020–2025); Special Adviser and Personal Representative of the Head of State to the Permanent Council of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) (since 2025); and Ambassador to France (since 2026).
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His Excellency Mr. Rajeshwar Jeetah
Ambassador of the Republic of Mauritius to the Holy See
His Excellency Mr. Rajeshwar Jeetah was born on 5 July 1962, and is married.
From the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) he obtained a BSc (Hons) in Textile Technology, a PhD in Textile Technology, and held the role of Post-Doctoral Research Associate (1984-1993). At the University of Cambridge, he held the role of ACU Research Fellow (2002-2003), and went on to obtain a Master of Laws CPE from the University of Wolverhampton (2015-2016).
He has held the following positions, among others: Director, Professor Basdeo Bissoondoyal College (1994 – 2005); Senior Lecturer, University of Mauritius (1994 – 1998); Head of Textile Technology Unit, University of Mauritius (1996 – 1997); Director of various companies: Capital Cleaning, Capital Foods, JMR&Co Ltd., Consulting Partner StraConsult, Eastern Training Center, Ross Advertising, Crown Properties, Capital Security Ltd.,Trustee, R. Jeetah Trust, PBBC IT Faculty, Cybercity, Ebene (1990 – 2005); Minister of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Cooperatives (2006 – 2008); and Member of Parliament of the Republic (2003 – 2014).
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His Excellency Mr. Jerobeam Shaanika
Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to the Holy See
His Excellency Mr. Jerobeam Shaanika is married with four children.
He specialized in international relations and diplomacy, foreign policy analysis, and international and strategic studies.
He has held the following offices: Special Assistant to H.E. Dr Sam Nujoma, First President of the Republic (1990–1995); Counsellor, Embassy in the United Kingdom, with accreditation to Ireland (1995–1999); Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy in France, with accreditation to Spain, Italy and Portugal; Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO (1999–2003); Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy in Cuba, accredited to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic (2003–2007); Deputy Director for the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2007–2010); Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2010–2013); Ambassador to Cuba with accreditation to Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, the Dominican Republic and Panama (2013–2018); Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (2019–2020); Deputy Executive Director for Multilateral Relations and Cooperation, Ministry of International Relations and Trade (2022–2025); and Ambassador to Germany (from 2025).
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Her Excellency Ms. Urujeni Bakuramutsa
Ambassador of Rwanda to the Holy See
Her Excellency Ms. Urujeni Bakuramutsa was born in 1979 in Burkina Faso, and is married with four children.
She graduated in biology from Sacramento State University, California, United States of America.
She has held the following offices: Chief Executive Officer, Imanzi Solutions IT Company, California, USA (2006–2011); Chief Executive Officer, Premier Business Consultancy, Kigali, Rwanda (2012–2014); Director General, Imbuto Foundation, Kigali (2014–2016); Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York (2016–2018); Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (2018–2020); Chief of Staff, Office of the President of the Republic (2020–2023); and Ambassador to Jordan (2023–2025)
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His Excellency Mr. Philip Bob Jusu
Ambassador of Sierra Leone to the Holy See
His Excellency Mr. Philip Bob Jusu was born on 19 April 1977.
He holds a diploma in Management and Administration, as well as a diploma in Project Management, from Cambridge International College; a Bachelor’s degree in History from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone; a postgraduate diploma in Public Policy and a Master’s degree in Social Sciences – Public Policy from the University of Waikato; a Master’s degree in Social Sciences – International Relations from University College Dublin; and a postgraduate diploma in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.
He has held the following positions: Associate Projects Officer, United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (2007–2008); Political Affairs Officer, United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (2008–2010); Migration Officer, African Union Commission (AUC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2011–2013); Migration Programme Manager, African Union Commission (AUC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2013–2016); Socio-Economic Officer, Permanent Mission of the African Union to the EU and OACPS, Brussels, Belgium (2016–2022); Manager, Africa Strategic Partnerships, Google, Nairobi, Kenya (2022–2025); and Ambassador to Belgium (from 2025).
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His Excellency Mr. Dassanayake Mudiyanselage Sumith Priyantha Dassanayake
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Holy See
His Excellency Mr. Dassanayake Mudiyanselage Sumith Priyantha Dassanayake is married and has a daughter.
Academic Qualifications: BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (1995); MA in Conflict & Peace Studies, University of Colombo; postgraduate diploma in International Relations, Bandaranaika Centre for International Studies, Colombo (2009); and Advanced Security Cooperation Course, Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies, Hawaii (2009).
He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1998 and has held the following posts: Deputy Director, Consular Affairs Division; Deputy Director, Foreign Administration Division; Deputy Director, East Asia and Pacific Division; Deputy Head of Protocol; Director, South Asia and SAARC Division; Director-General, (Political Affairs) Middle East and Africa Division; Director-General, Human Resources and Mission Management Division; Second Secretary, Deputy High Commission, Chennai, India (2000–2003); First Secretary, Counsellor, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy in Norway (2005–2008); Minister, Deputy Head of Mission, Canada (2010–2014); Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union Commission (2016–2019); Ambassador to Brazil (2021–2024); and Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Specialized Agencies in Geneva (present).
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His Excellency Mr. Loai Yahya Al-Eryani
Ambassador of Yemen to the Holy See
His Excellency Mr. Loai Yahya Al-Eryani was born in Sana’a on 12 October 1979, and is married with two children.
He graduated in Political Science from Jordan University, Jordan, in 2003. He subsequently attended postgraduate courses and obtained certificates in Diplomacy and International Relations in Malaysia, Hungary, Germany, Canada and the USA.
Among other roles, he has held the following positions: Attaché at the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2004); Head of the Code Section at the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005–2006); Minister-Counsellor for Spain, Department for Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006–2009); Chargé d’Affaires for Political and Economic Relations, Embassy in Canada (2009–2013); Head of the Union of Yemeni Diplomats (2014–2015); Chargé d’Affaires for Relations with Arab and African Countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016–2017); Counsellor, Embassy in Germany (2017); Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy in Germany (2019); Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy in Germany (2022); and Ambassador to Germany (2025).
