Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade RGOB
AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE OF THE KINGDOM OF BHUTAN
TO CANADA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
Ambassador-Designate of the Kingdom of Bhutan to Canada, Kunzang C. Namgyel presented her credentials to The Governor General of Canada, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston on the morning of Monday, 1st June 2015 in Ottawa.
The credentials ceremony was held at the Rideau Hall, the official residence of The Governor General of Canada.
Ambassador Kunzang C. Namgyel presented her credentials along with five Ambassador-Designates of Republic of Korea, Angola, Venezuela, Paraguay and Senegal.
While presenting the Letter of Credentials, accrediting her as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bhutan to Canada, Ambassador Kunzang conveyed the greetings of His Majesty the King of Bhutan to The Governor General.
In accepting Ambassador Kunzang’s Letter of Credentials, The Governor General of Canada stated:
“I’m honoured that Canada will host the first female Bhutanese ambassador in your country’s history. What a wonderful way to promote the important role of women in Bhutan, in Canada and in diplomacy! Bhutan and Canada have the potential to do so much more. Though our relations are modest, I hope that you will be able to increase our commercial opportunities within your country. In areas such as aviation, power and transport, we are ready to collaborate, exchange and do business. Indeed, we have a history of co-operation, dating back to Father Mackey, a Canadian Jesuit priest, who was invited to contribute in the 1960s to the modernization of Bhutan’s education system. I know that with your historic appointment, we have a chance to build on our existing history to the benefit of both our peoples”.
Following the credentials ceremony, Ambassador Kunzang paid a courtesy call on The Governor General of Canada. During the meeting, Ambassador Kunzang conveyed the greetings of Their Majesties the King and Queen, the Royal Government and People of Bhutan. She highlighted the importance that Bhutan attaches to its long standing relations with Canada with particular emphasis in the education sector. She expressed her commitment to work towards further strengthening the ties of cooperation between the two countries.
In the afternoon, Ambassador Kunzang also met with senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Government of Canada and discussed ways to further strengthen relations between the two countries in the bilateral and multilateral fields.
In the evening, the Honorary Consul of Bhutan to Canada, Mr. Sam Blyth hosted a reception in Ottawa to celebrate the presentation of credentials by Ambassador Kunzang. Mr. Sam Blyth will also host a reception in Toronto on the evening of 3rd June for Ambassador Kunzang during which she will meet the members of the Bhutan-Canada Foundation, friends of Bhutan and the Bhutanese community living in Toronto.
Diplomatic relations between Bhutan and Canada was established in 2003. Ambassador Kunzang C. Namgyel is the Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations in New York with concurrent accreditation to Canada and Brazil. Ambassador Kunzang is the third Ambassador of Bhutan to Canada.