President Rodrigo Roa Duterte welcomed new ambassadors from Tonga, Zambia, Botswana, and Uzbekistan in Malacañang on Wednesday.
First to present her credentials was Ambassador Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho from the Kingdom of Tonga. The new Tongan envoy extended the greeting of His Majesty King Tupou VI to President Duterte and to the Filipino people.
The President wished her a nice stay during her deployment to the country.
Before her appointment to Manila, the ambassador was Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia in August 2012 when his father became the king of Tonga.
Zambia’s Ambassador to the Philippines Walubita Imakando also presented his credentials to the President pledging to work with the Philippine government to develop meaningful economic ties for the benefit of the Filipino and Zambian people.
Prior to his designation to the Philippines, Ambassador Imakando was appointed as High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia in Malaysia.
In his remarks, President Duterte noted the similarities of the history of the Philippines and Zambia. He thanked the envoy for hosting Filipinos in his country.
Nkoloi Nkoloi, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Botswana, also presented his lettres de créance or letters of credence to the President Wednesday.
Ambassador Nkoloi conveyed to the Philippine leader the greetings of President Mokgweetsi Masisi and the government and people of Botswana.
Wishing for a prosperous tenure in the Philippines, Ambassador Nkoloi looks forward to promoting good relations between the people of the Philippines and Botswana.
According to the President, there are many things that can be improved in the bilateral ties between the two countries underscoring a growing two-way trade.
“We can, in due time, with a lot of cooperation within our two countries, I think that the future holds a better tomorrow for both of our countries,” President Duterte said.
Last to present his credentials was Ambassador Bakhtiyor Saidov of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Ambassador Saidov vowed to put all his efforts to expand the relationship between the two countries highlighting “a lot of various areas” where both the Philippines and Uzbekistan can work together.
“We have a lot of unrealized potential…both countries,” he told the President. “So we can…a lot of…a lot of chance and opportunity to work with each other.”
President Duterte expressed his best wishes to the new Uzbek envoy as he highlighted a growing number of agreements between the Philippines and Uzbekistan.
“I hope that we can further expand on it, and we hope that these negotiations going on will succeed. And we do not think for a doubt…we do not doubt for a moment that we are dealing with a great country, Uzbekistan,” the President said.
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