President Luis Abinader received the credentials of seven new ambassadors from Peru, France, Nicaragua, Denmark, the Philippines, Finland, and Australia on Wednesday, 11 September 2024 at the Presidential Palace.
The new ambassadors are Gustavo Felipe José Lembcke from Peru; Sonia Barbry from France; Jessica Yaoska Padilla Leiva from Nicaragua; Kim Hojlund Christensen from Denmark; Lilybeth Rodríguez Deapera from the Philippines; Rachel Elizabeth Moseley from Australia; and Antti Petteri Kaski from Finland.
Vice President Raquel Peña and Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez were also in attendance.
The background of the new diplomats is:
Gustavo Felipe José Lembcke from Peru
The new Peruvian ambassador is a career diplomat with more than 41 years of service. He has a masters in international relations and affairs from Fletcher School, Tufts University, International Relations from the Institute of Political Studies of Paris (SciencesPo), and the Diplomatic Academy of Peru. He has served at embassies in Africa and the Middle East, and at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Peru.
Sonia Barbry from France
She was minister counsellor in Colombia at the time of her appointment. This is her first ambassador appointment. She served as consul general in Bombay, India. She worked as political counsellor at the French Embassy in Israel. She has worked at the Ministry of Foreign Relations of France for more than 20 years. She is a graduate of the L’Institu d’Etudes Politiques (SciencesPo) of France.
Jessica Yaoska Padilla Leiva from Nicaragua
Padilla Leiva was the Minister of Women (2020-2024) previous to her appointment to be ambassador to the Dominican Republic. She was minister counsellor at the Embassy of Nicaragua in Costa Rica in 2019. She is a graduate in international relations from the Universidad Iberoamericana de Ciencias y Tecnologías (Unicit) with a masters in political sciences from the Universidad de Chile.
Kim Hojlund Christensen from Denmark
He is the concurrent ambassador of Denmark to Mexico, Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadies and Trinidad & Tobago. Previously he had served as ambassador to Vietnam, Brazil, Guyana and Chile. He is a graduate of the Aarhus Business School in Denmark.
Lilybeth Rodríguez Deapera from the Philippines
She is concurrently the ambassador in Mexico where she resides. Previously she was consul general in Macao. She has a degree in foreign services and a masters in public administration and government. She has a doctorate in Philippine Studies from the University of the Philippines.
Rachel Elizabeth Moseley from Australia
Rachel Moseley is Australia’s ambassador also to Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama. She is a senior career officer with the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary, Latin America and Eastern Europe Branch. She has previously served overseas in Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. She is a graduate in European Studies from the National University of Australia/University of Bolonia. She has a masters in international Relations from the University of South Wales. She is adjunct secretary for the Subdivision of Latin America, Eastern Europe for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia.
Antti Petteri Kaski from Finland
He is also ambassador to Colombia. Previously he served as Finland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva. He has held diplomatic posts in India, Uzbekistan and the United States. He is known for his expertise in international development, humanitarian affairs and climate change issues.
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Presidency
12 September 2024