January 22, 2026
Governor General Mary Simon welcomed six new heads of mission to Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.
During the ceremony, the following new heads of mission presented their credentials to the Governor General:
Her Excellency Cindy Mariella Portal De Acosta
Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador
His Excellency Amara Sheikh Mohammed Sowa
High Commissioner for the Republic of Sierra Leone
His Excellency Ricardo José Alemán Alfaro
Ambassador of the Republic of Panama
His Excellency Jackson T. Soram
Ambassador of the Federated States of Micronesia
His Excellency Phoukhong Sisoulath
Ambassador of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
His Excellency Tariq Ali F. H. Al-Ansari
Ambassador of the State of Qatar
As you begin your work in Canada, I would like to suggest a simple New Year’s resolution:
let us remain true to ourselves and to the values that unite us.
Upon their arrival in Canada, new heads of mission must present their letters of credence to the governor general before they can carry out their duties. Letters of credence are the official documents that accredit a diplomat as an ambassador of or high commissioner for another country.