Presentation of Letters of Credence

Her Excellency Marcela López Bravo Ambassador of the Republic of Peru was the first to present her letters of credence to the Governor General.

Letters of credence are the official documents by which new heads of diplomatic missions are presented by their head of State as their official representative. Currently, there are more than 170 heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Canada.

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, received the letters of credence of three new heads of mission during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on December 12, 2015.

Upon their arrival in Canada, and before they can carry out their duties as heads of mission, new ambassadors, as well as new high commissioners of countries for which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is not head of State, must be officially welcomed by the governor general of Canada. High commissioners representing countries for which The Queen is the head of State are formally introduced to the prime minister of Canada.

"Kuwait and Canada are marking 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2015. My very first international visit as governor general was a State visit to Kuwait in February 2011," said His Excellency.

His Excellency Abdulhamid Alfailakawi Ambassador of the State of Kuwait was the last one to present his letters of credence to the Governor General.

"Ukraine and Canada are close partners and friends, and we continue to offer development assistance on many different levels. We’re also looking at ways to increase our growing commercial relations. These are being strengthened through high-level visits between our countries and through the large Ukrainian-Canadian community in Canada," said His Excellency.

She was followed by His Excellency Andrii Shevchenko Ambassador of Ukraine.

"Ambassador López Bravo, you are no stranger to this country. You were here for many years in the early 1980s. And though some of what you encounter will certainly be familiar, there’s so much in the past 30 years that has changed. I invite you to rediscover Canada! And also to discover what hasn’t changed: our wish to further engage with Peru in trade, development and education, and many other spheres," said His Excellency.

"As you know, Canada is a diverse country, home to hundreds of languages, cultures and backgrounds.Canadians are also curious about the world, and we understand the importance of learning and of being global citizens," said His Excellency.