Envoys from Cuba, Qatar, Kuwait and Austria present credentials

Ambassadors from Cuba, Qatar, Kuwait and Austria present credentials to the Governor- General, Hon Anand Satyanand, at Government House tomorrow (Thursday 1 November) at 11.00 am.

Jos Luis Robaina Garcia is the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba.  Mr Garcias' last posting was as Minister Counsellor in the Cuban Embassy in the Peoples' Republic of China.  From 2004 until now Mr Garcia was the Director of the Centre of Asia and Oceania Studies within the Department of International relations of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party.  He will be Cubas' first Ambassador resident in New Zealand.

The new Ambassador of Qatar is Yousef Khalifa Abdullah Al-Sada.  Mr Al-Sada has enjoyed a lengthy career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  He served in Geneva, Cairo, Tunisia, and Abu Dhabi before taking up the role of General Secretary of the Gulf Cooperation Council.  In 2000 he served as Ambassador to Senegal and in 2005 he was appointed Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia.  He is cross accredited to New Zealand from Jakarta.

Kuwaits' new Ambassador is Jamal M E Al-Ghunaim.  Mr Al-Ghunaim spent a number of years at the Kuwaiti mission in Jordan and the United Kingdom before taking up the position of Ambassador to the Republic of Poland.  He was appointed Ambassador to Australia in 2006 and he is cross accredited to New Zealand from Canberra.

Dr Hannes Porias is the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Austria.  Dr Porias has been posted to Ankara and Bonn. Before his current appointment, he served as Ambassador to Hungary and Serbia & Montenegro. He is cross accredited from Canberra.

The Royal New Zealand Navy will provide the Guard of Honour and the Maori Ceremonial Challenge.

Media wishing to attend this event should contact: Antony Paltridge; Public Affairs Officer, Government House. (04) 382 0827 or (021) 470 583,