Governor General to welcome six new heads of mission to Canada

OTTAWA, Ontario—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, will receive the credentials of six new heads of mission during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.

The following heads of mission will present their credentials to the Governor General to officially begin their diplomatic missions:

Her Excellency Cindy Mariella Portal De Acosta
Ambassador-designate of the Republic of El Salvador

His Excellency Amara Sheikh Mohammed Sowa
High Commissioner-designate for the Republic of Sierra Leone

His Excellency Ricardo José Alemán Alfaro
Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Panama

His Excellency Jackson T. Soram
Ambassador-designate of the Federated States of Micronesia

His Excellency Phoukhong Sisoulath
Ambassador-designate of the Lao People's Democratic Republic

His Excellency Tariq Ali F. H. Al-Ansari
Ambassador-designate of the State of Qatar

Date: January 22, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. 
Location: Rideau Hall Ballroom

Notes for media:

  • To guarantee your access to the ceremony, we ask that you please confirm your attendance with the Rideau Hall Press Office at media@gg.ca.
  • Media are asked to arrive at the Princess Anne Entrance no later than 1 p.m. on the day of the ceremony.
  • Photos taken by the Governor General’s official photographer can be made available upon request.

Media information:
Rideau Hall Press Office
media@gg.ca

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