Rwanda’s ambassador to the United States, Mathilde Mukantabana, and her Spanish counterpart, Ángeles Moreno Bau, hosted a dinner for former US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Washington on November 9, in an event attended by Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Usta Kaitesi.
The gathering brought together officials to recognise women’s contributions to political leadership and highlight relations between Rwanda, Spain and the United States, according to the Rwandan Embassy in Washington.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday morning, November 10, the embassy said the dinner provided an opportunity to celebrate women’s leadership and strengthen ties among the three countries.
Kaitesi’s participation added a Rwandan government presence to the gathering, which also recognised Pelosi’s contribution to American public life.
Pelosi made history in January 2007 when she became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the US House of Representatives. She held the position until 2011 before returning to the speakership in January 2019, serving until January 2023.
A Democrat representing California, Pelosi entered Congress in 1987 and went on to lead House Democrats for 20 years. Her political career included a central role in legislative debates and the passage of major legislation during the administrations of Democratic presidents.
In 2024, former President Joe Biden awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honour, in recognition of her public service.
The dinner brought together representatives of three countries around the theme of women’s participation in leadership, while recognising a political figure whose career broke a longstanding barrier in the US Congress.
