Vincent Biruta

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. 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. 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.

Career 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 appointed Minister of Natural resources on July 24, 2014.

He served as the Minister for Environment from August 31, 2017 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. His term as minister of foreign affairs ended on June 12, 2024, when he was appointed minister of the interior, succeeding Alfred Gasana. In this capacity Biruta became chair of the council of ministers of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization in January 2025 for a one-year term.