H.E. Lionel Rouwen Aingimea M.P., President of the Republic of Nauru, receives the Letter of Credence of H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega as Philippine Ambassador to Nauru and Letter of Recall of her predecessor on 26 November 2019 at Government House in Nauru.

NAURU (29 November 2019) – H.E Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Non-Resident Ambassador to Nauru presented her credentials to H.E. Lionel Rouwen Aingimea M.P., President of the Republic of Nauru on 26 November 2019 at Government House in Nauru.

In her statement, Ambassador De La Vega extended the warm greetings of Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Filipino people. She said, “The Philippines and Nauru have long enjoyed warm and friendly relations since the establishment of our relations in 1968 and our peoples are linked also by our common faith and values. We recall the time when Filipino workers first arrived in Nauru to help the country with its development plans. Today, there is still a significant number of Filipinos here who continue to support the social and economic development of Nauru and have integrated well with the community.”

In response, President Aingimea extended his best wishes of happiness, good health and continued progress and prosperity to Philippine President Duterte and the Filipino people. He said the Filipino people have long been a part of Nauru’s development as a nation and expressed warm appreciation for their contributions to Nauru and its people. He said his government would support participation in the Pacific Business Mission initiated by the Philippines for the year 2020.

Ambassador De La Vega noted that the Philippines and Nauru have enjoyed more than 50 years of diplomatic relations which was established on the same year as Nauru’s birth as a republic. She said she looked forward to stronger bilateral relations in the next 50 years.

President Aingimea honoured the Ambassadors who presented their credentials with a dinner on 26 November 2019. Many members of the Filipino community attended the dinner and President Aingimea described the community as an integral part of Nauru’s continued development. END

Philippine Ambassador Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega inspects the Nauru Guard of Honour during the presentation of credentials ceremony at the Government House in Nauru on 26 November 2019.

Philippine Ambassador Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega and H.E. Lionel Rouwen Aingimea M.P., President of the Republic of Nauru, exchange gifts and discuss opportunities for bilateral cooperation following the presentation of credentials of Ambassador De La Vega on 26 November 2019.