Photo: President Herzog with Ambassador of Moldova, H.E. Mr. Alexandr Roitman
Monday, 31 October 2022 / 6 Cheshvan 5783
President Isaac Herzog received the credentials today of the new ambassadors of Moldova, Ghana, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Mongolia, and for the first time, Palau, in a series of official ceremonies at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. The incoming ambassadors were welcomed by the IDF Band playing their respective national anthems and they inspected an IDF honor guard in the Ceremonial Plaza, after which they presented their letters of credence to the President in the Great Hall. The President held an audience with each ambassador, after which each ambassador signed the guest book. At the end of each ceremony, the Israeli national anthem was played.
The first ambassador to present his letters of credence to the President was the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Mr. Alexandr Roitman. The President congratulated the Ambassador on his promotion from serving as Moldova’s chargé d’affaires in Israel and noted that Israel and Moldova are marking thirty years of diplomatic relations. Ambassador Roitman extended Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s personal regards to the President and an invitation to visit Moldova.
Photo: President Herzog with Ambassador of Ghana, H.E. Ms. Lydia Ofosua Amartey
The second ambassador to present her letters of credence to the President was the Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Ms. Lydia Ofosua Amartey, previously Ghana’s deputy ambassador to Egypt. Ambassador Amartey extended the greetings of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, whom the President met at Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London. The President and the Ambassador discussed the potential for Ghanaian tourism and pilgrimages in Israel.
Photo: President Herzog with Ambassador of Zimbabwe , H.E. Mr. Air Marshal (Rtd.) Shebba Shumbayawonda
The third ambassador to present his letters of credence to the President was the non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Mr. Air Marshal (Rtd.) Shebba Shumbayawonda, who has been serving as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Egypt since 2019. The President expressed his hopes for the expansion of relations in various fields.
Photo: President Herzog with Ambassador of New Zealand, H.E. Ms. Zoe Coulson-Sinclair
The fourth ambassador to present her letters of credence to the President was the non-resident Ambassador of New Zealand, H.E. Ms. Zoe Coulson-Sinclair, who is concurrently serving as New Zealand’s ambassador to Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Jordan. The President and the Ambassador discussed Māori history and culture, and the President noted that his late father, the Sixth President, Chaim Herzog, made the first state visit by an Israeli head of state to New Zealand. The President and the Ambassador discussed the importance of strengthening relations between Israel and New Zealand in a variety of fields, including the fight against the climate crisis and environmental conservation.
Photo: President Herzog with Ambassador of Mongolia, H.E. Mr. Munkhbayar Gombosuren
The fifth ambassador to present his letters of credence to the President was the non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Mongolia, H.E. Mr. Munkhbayar Gombosuren, a former Mayor of Ulaanbaatar and Mongolian minister of construction and urban development, who is concurrently serving as Mongolia’s ambassador to Türkiye and Azerbaijan. The President and the Ambassador discussed possibilities for Israeli-Mongolian cooperation on environmental issues, including forestation.
Photo: President Herzog with Ambassador of Palau , H.E. Ms. Ilana Seid
The sixth and final ambassador to present her letters of credence to the President was the non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Palau, H.E. Ms. Ilana Seid, Palau’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The President began by congratulating Ambassador Seid on making history as Palau’s first ambassador to the State of Israel. Ambassador Seid proudly told the President about her Jewish heritage as the granddaughter of a Jew from California who fought in the Canadian air force in the Second World War and later immigrated to Palau. The President thanked Palau for its international support for Israel, and they discussed ways for Israel to help Palau further in matters of agriculture, technology, and desalination. The President expressed concern about the impact of the climate crisis on Palau, including rising sea levels.
Photos: Kobi Gideon/GPO
