Pope Francis Appoints Colombian-born Cleric as Apostolic Nuncio to Ivory Coast

Abidjan, 16 June, 2023 / 9:00 PM

Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Mauricio Rueda Beltza, a native of Colombia, as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Ivory Coast, and assigned him the Titular See of Cingoli in Italy with the dignity of Archbishop.

The latest appointment of Mons. Rueda who has been serving as Under Secretary of the Holy See’s Secretariat of State was made public on Friday, June 16 by the Holy See Press Office and confirmed by the Episcopal Conference of Ivory Coast (CECCI) on the same day.

“This Friday, June 16, 2023, on the feast of the Sacred Heart, His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Ivory Coast, with residence in Abidjan”, CECCI members say in the one-page press release obtained by ACI Africa.

The Apostolic Nunciature in Ivory Coast has been vacant since September 2022 following the transfer to Lebanon of Archbishop Paolo Borgia who had served as the Pope’s representative in the West African nation since October 2019.

Born in Colombia’s Catholic Archdiocese of Bogotá in January 1970, the newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio was ordained a Priest in December 1996 after completing his Priestly formation.

The graduate in Canon Law who speaks Italian, French, Portuguese, and English entered the Holy See's Diplomatic Service in July 2014 and has served in the Pontifical Representations in Guinea, Chile, the U.S., and Jordan.

The Archbishop-elect has also served in the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State, and the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, as Head of the Organization of Apostolic Travel.