His Excellency The Governor-General Sir S W Tapley Seaton GCMG, CVO,QC,JP this morning (Tuesday 17th September, 2019) received several diplomatic representatives at Government House, St Kitts.
The first call was by His Excellency Gustavo Martinez Pandiani, Ambassador Designate of the
Republic of Argentina to Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Ambassador presented his Letters of Credence to The Governor-General accrediting him as his Country’s Ambassador to Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Ambassador is a career diplomat with thirty (30) years of professional experience.
The Governor-General and the Ambassador discussed areas of cooperation including a Bilateral
Cooperation Agreement in the field of Sports which relates to the provision of a renowned Argentine Football Coach to improve the tactical capacities of our Senior National Team. Several other areas of cooperation were discussed.
The second diplomat received by the Governor-General was His Excellency Mr Pertti Ikonen,Ambassador Designate of the Republic of Finland who also presented his credentials in his capacity as Ambassador-Designate of the Republic if Finland to the OECS. Accompanying Ambassador Ikonen was Dr Kathleen Ferdinand, Honorary Consul of Finland in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Finland, located in Northern Europe with the country’s capital being Helsinki has a documented population of 5.52 million people and a total area of 338,424 square kilometers, gaining its Independence in December 1917.
Finland has been active in the areas of energy and environmental issues and issues of the sustainable use of natural resources. Finland’s relations with Saint Kitts and Nevis were first established in October, 2009.
The third diplomat to call on His ExcellencyThe Governor-General was His Excellency
Anthony Mwaniki Muchiri, Ambassador designate of the Republic of Kenya who presented his Letters of
Credence to His Excellency. Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of Kenya formally established Diplomatic Relations in September 2016 and is regarded as a matter of strategic interest as Kenya has signaled its intentions to deepening relations with the Caribbean. President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya recently paid a State Visit to Jamaica and Barbados. President Kenyatta is the son of the acclaimed Jomo Kenyatta, First President of Kenya. Its private sector has been recognized by The World Bank as one of the most vibrant and dynamic in Africa. A leader in the field of renewable energy, 47 percent (47%) of the country’s need are needs are from geothermal.
The final call on His Excellency The Governor-General was by Mr Magdy Matinez-Soliman, Resident Representative and Mr Vigo Blanco, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The UNDP has been highly supportive of many undertakings in Saint Kitts and Nevis including Citizens Security involving collaboration with the Police and Prison Service, Director of Public Prosecutions Department of Statistics and Department of Youth. In the area of biodiversity, the UNDP interacts with the
Ministry of Sustainable Development, Department of Physical Planning and Environment, Saint Christopher National Trust and the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society. In addition, the UNDP will seek to promote the Small Grants Programme with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).
The Representatives engaged in wide ranging discussions with the Governor-General who was familiar with the several activities from his earlier role as President of the Saint Christopher National Trust and his present role as Patron. Discussions also centred on areas of further cooperation and the enhancement of presentactivities.
