Thursday, 16 December 2021 / 12 Tevet 5782
President Isaac Herzog today received the credentials of the new ambassadors of El Salvador, Malta, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Nauru upon the assumption of their diplomatic duties in Israel. The incoming ambassadors were welcomed by the IDF Band playing their respective national anthems and inspected an IDF honor guard, after which they presented their letters of credence to the President in the Great Hall of the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. The ambassadors held a working meeting with the President and then signed the guest book. At the end of each credentials ceremony, the Israeli national anthem was played.
The first ambassador to present her letter of credence was the Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador, H.E. Susana Edith Gun de Hasenson, who is returning for her second posting as El Salvador’s ambassador in Israel. President Herzog and the Salvadoran ambassador discussed President Nayib Bukele’s plan to establish a “Bitcoin City” powered by volcanic energy and talked about El Salvador’s growing economy.
The second ambassador to present her letter of credence was the Ambassador of the Republic of Malta, H.E. Cecilia Attard Pirotta, who is also returning for her second posting as Malta’s ambassador in Israel. President Herzog and the Maltese ambassador discussed Mediterranean regional affairs and opportunities to enhance diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people ties between Israel and Malta in order to improve relations at both bilateral and multilateral levels. They also discussed opportunities to enhance reciprocal tourism, and the President noted that thanks to direct Tel Aviv-Valletta flights, Israelis have fallen in love with Malta.
The third ambassador to present her letter of credence was the Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica, H.E. Rita María Hernández Bolaños. President Herzog: “Costa Rica is especially beloved by us. It has been a friend of Israel since its establishment, and we will always remember its support. It is a country that Israelis who visit love intensely.” The President and the Costa Rican ambassador also discussed opportunities to collaborate on environmental issues, with a focus on sustainability and environmental technologies.
The fourth ambassador to present her letter of credence was the Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador, H.E. Helen Sophie Deller Klein. The President and the Ecuadorian ambassador discussed their nations’ shared desire to build a closer relationship, with a focus on technology and agriculture. The ambassador noted with pride that she is Ecuador’s first Jewish ambassador in Israel and told the President about her family’s remarkable escape from Nazi-occupied Europe to Latin America. President Herzog and Ambassador Deller Klein discussed Ecuador’s remarkable biodiversity, and the President noted that Israeli tourists will greatly enjoy traveling around Ecuador.
The last ambassador to present her letter of credence was the Non-Resident Ambassador of the Republic of Nauru, Margo Deiye, who is also accredited as Nauru’s permanent representative to the United Nations. The President expressed his concerns about the effects of climate change on the Pacific island nations and discussed with the ambassador Nauru’s efforts to confront rising sea levels. The President thanked Nauru for its prompt recognition of Jerusalem as the State of Israel’s capital after the United States. They also discussed Israel and Nauru’s collaboration through the MASHAV international development agency.
Photos: Kobi Gideon/GPO.
