President Luis Abinader, accompanied by Vice President Raquel Peña and Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, formally received the credentials of six new ambassadors to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, 22 April 2026. The ceremony, held in the Ambassadors’ Room of the Presidential Palace, marked the official accreditation of diplomats representing Italy, Finland, New Zealand, San Marino, Sweden and Switzerland. Of the six, only Italy, Switzerland and San Marino are based in Santo Domingo.
Following the formal presentations, the President held brief private audiences with each envoy to discuss shared regional and economic interests.
The newly accredited diplomats bring extensive experience in migration, trade, and multilateral relations:
Italy: Sergio Maffettone. A career diplomat and law graduate from the University of Naples, Maffettone entered the service in 2001. His portfolio includes high-level roles in Tirana, Afghanistan, and Beijing. Notably, he served as Consul General in Chongqing and Munich, and as a diplomatic advisor to Italy’s Minister of Economic Development. He is a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. Maffettone is based in Santo Domingo.
Finland: Eija Rotinen. With a career dating back to 1987, Rotinen is a veteran diplomat specializing in Middle Eastern and North African affairs. She has previously served as Ambassador to Nicaragua and Chile and held special envoy roles for Afghanistan and the OSCE. This ambassador is based in Bogota, Colombia.
New Zealand: Nicola Jane Stilwell. Concurrently serving as ambassador to Colombia and Ecuador, Stilwell has been New Zealand’s representative for the Dominican Republic since 2021. She has a background in public health and international trade, having previously served as Deputy High Commissioner in Papua New Guinea. This ambassador is based in Bogota, Colombia.
Sweden: Anna Kristina Craenen. Designated as Ambassador to both Cuba and the Dominican Republic for the 2025-2026 term, Craenen holds a Master of Laws from Uppsala University. Her expertise lies in European Union policy and international cooperation, having held senior positions within the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This ambassador is based in Havana, Cuba.
Switzerland: Pascal Bornoz. Bornoz joined the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in 1994. His career spans consular leadership in Barcelona, Santiago de Chile, Bangkok, and Riyadh. Before his appointment to Santo Domingo, he served as Consul General in Vancouver, Lyon, and most recently, Chicago. Bornoz is based in Santo Domingo.
San Marino: Alessandro Mario Segnini Bocchia di San Lorenzo. An entrepreneur with a strong background in tobacco products, finance and institutional agreements, Segnini Bocchia di San Lorenzo transitions from a career in international business management and board-level consulting to represent the European microstate. The today San Marino ambassador previously was honorary consul of San Marino and has been based in Santo Domingo since February 2017.
Read more in Spanish:
Noticias SIN
22 April 2026