This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the ambassadors of Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Chad and Guinea Bissau to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of their Credential Letters.
The following is the Pope’s address to the new ambassadors, and a brief biography of each one:
Address of the Holy Father
Your Excellencies,
I am pleased to receive you for the presentation of the Letters accrediting you as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of your countries to the Holy See: Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Chad and Guinea-Bissau. I kindly ask you to convey my sentiments of esteem to your respective Heads of State, together with the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will abundantly bless them and your fellow citizens with peace and prosperity.
When I gathered with your colleagues a little more than a year ago for the same ceremony, the world was still in the firm grip of the pandemic, yet signs of hope were emerging on the horizon as the initial vaccines were about to be administered. At the time, many believed that their arrival heralded a quick end to the pandemic. While great progress has been made since then, we see a year later how COVID-19 is still causing pain and suffering, not to mention the loss of life. It is important that the international community intensify its efforts of cooperation so that all people will have ready access to vaccines. This is not a matter of convenience or courtesy, but of justice.
The reality of the ongoing pandemic is yet another reminder that we are “a global community where one person’s problems are the problems of all” (Enc. Lett. Fratelli tutti, 32). Despite all of our medical and technological advances through the years, something microscopic – a seemingly insignificant object - has forever changed our world whether we fully realize it yet or not. As I had occasion to remark at the beginning of the pandemic, there is an urgent need to learn from this experience and open our eyes in order to see what is most important: one another (cf. Extraordinary Moment of Prayer, 27 March 2020). In particular, it is my sincere hope that through this experience the international community will come to a greater realization of the fact that we are one human family; each of us is responsible for our brothers and sisters, none excluded. This is a truth that should compel us to confront not only the current health crisis but all the problems plaguing humanity and our common home - poverty, migration, terrorism, climate change, to name a few – in a solidary way and not in isolation.
While the pandemic has brought out the best of humanity in terms of individual and collective acts of generosity, service and sacrifice, much more needs to be done on an institutional and intergovernmental level in furthering a ‘culture of encounter’ in service of the common good of our human family. In this regard, the Holy See values the important role that you play, as evidenced by its own diplomatic presence and involvement in the international community. Your work, dear Ambassadors, is often done in silence and without public recognition. Yet you already understand what the world needs to learn from the pandemic: the need to cultivate relationships and facilitate mutual understanding with people of diverse cultures and backgrounds in order to work together for building a more just world. The main instrument at your disposal for carrying out this task is dialogue. In contrast to any pejorative conceptions of this powerful form of communication, diplomats realize the “patient and unassuming power of dialogue” (Meeting with Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps, Nicosia – Cyprus, 2 December 2021).
Dear Ambassadors, as you now begin your new mission, I offer you my prayerful good wishes and I assure you that the offices of the Holy See are ready to engage with you in a fruitful dialogue in order to address matters of common concern, especially those affecting humanity and our common home. Upon you, your families, your diplomatic collaborators and staff, I cordially invoke abundant divine blessings. Thank you!
Curricula vitae of the new Ambassadors
His Excellency Mr. Elhadji Hamid Mamadi Kedella Younous Hamid
Ambassador of the Republic of Chad to the Holy See
Mr. Elhadji Hamid Mamadi Kedella Younous Hamid was born in 1958 in Moussoro, and is married with four children.
He graduated in Law from the University of Chad. He carried out his studies at the ENA in Chad and at the Institut International d’Administration Publique in Paris.
He has held the following roles, among others: vice prefect of Kanem; prefect of Kanem; prefect of Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET); consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; commercial director of the Air-Chad National Company; Minister of Public Health; Prefect of the Eastern Logon, Doba; governor of the Wadi-Fira Region, Biltine; governor of the Chari-Baguirmi Region; technical adviser to the Presidency, in charge of the Civil Service and Labour; governor of the Ouaddai (Abéché) region; Minister of Communication, government spokesperson; Minister of Territorial Administration; technical adviser to the Presidency, in charge of Territorial Administration and Traditional Chefferies; technical adviser to the Presidency, in charge of Communication; governor of the Lac region (Bol); governor of the Ennedi-Ouest province, Fada; governor of the Dar-Sila province, Goz-Beida.
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His Excellency Mr. Carlos Edmilson Marques Vieira
Ambassador of Guinea-Bissau to the Holy See
Mr. Carlos Edmilson Marques Vieira was born on 15 July 1960. He was awarded a DEUG in Law from the Université de Bretegne Occidentale, France (1988). He holds a Diplôme d’études supérieures, (1995), a Diplôme supérieur de recherches, (1996), in International Relations, a doctorate in Contemporary International Relations (1997) from the Institut de langues étrangères et des relations internationales (ILERI), Paris, and Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées (DESS) in Droit et Pratique des Affaires Internationales from the Sophia-Antipolis University of Nice (1997).
He has held the following offices, among others: advisor and deputy permanent delegate at the UNESCO Permanent Delegation of Guinea Bissau (1990 - 1993); agency director at IFA International (Société française de négoce international), IFA, and honorary consul in Angola (1993 - 1997); minister-advisor, permanent delegate at UNESCO in France (1997 - 2010); UNESCO Officier de Liaison at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union, UNESCO Bureau de Liaison in Ethiopia (2010 - 2012); chargé d'affaires at the embassy in Portugal (2012 - 2013); Ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (2017 - 2021).
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His Excellency Mr. Erlan Abdyldaev
Ambassador of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to the Holy See
Mr. Erlan Abdyldaev was born in Alma-Ata, on 21 July 1966. He is married with two children.
He graduated in International Relations from the State Institute of International Relations in Moscow (1989).
He has held the following offices, among others: assistant attaché of the Department for Asian Socialist Countries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (1989); attaché and third secretary, Embassy of the USSR to the People's Republic of China (1989 - 1994); expert in the International Division of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan (1994 - 1997); deputy director of the First Political Division of the MFA (1997 - 1998); deputy Minister, first deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998 -2001); ambassador to the People's Republic of China and non-resident ambassador to Mongolia, Singapore and Thailand (2001 - 2005); expert at the Institute of Public Policy, Kyrgyzstan (since 2005); director of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting in Kyrgyzstan (2007 - 2012); Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic (2012 - 2018); ambassador to Germany (since 2020), Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland.
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Her Excellency Ms. Senate Barbara Masupha
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the Holy See
Ms. Senate Barbara Masupha was born on 9 March 1977, and is unmarried.
She graduated in Criminal Justice (University of Zululand, South Africa) in 1997 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from the University of Natal, South Africa, in 1998. She holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning (Housing) from the University of Natal, South Africa, in 2000, and a Master’s degree in International Politics and Crisis Management from the University of Rome in 2010.
She has held the following roles. Information assistant at the United Nations Information Centre in Maseru (2000); senior researcher at the University of Natal (2000-2002); principal planner at the Department of Local Government Affairs and Traditional Affairs (2002); deputy director of Housing Policy and Research in Johannesburg (2002-2005); deputy director of Consumer Education, Subsidy Administration, Housing, Waiting List and Allocations (2005-2007); advisor to the Permanent Mission in Italy (2007-2010); interim chargé d’affaires at the Permanent Mission in Italy and at the United Nations (2011-2013); and Research, Policy Development and International Relations Consultant (2014-2020).
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His Excellency Mr. Jean Claude Kugener
Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg to the Holy See
Mr. Jean Claude Kugener was born on 3 July 1973, and is married.
He holds a DEUG in Economic Sciences and Management from the Université de Droit Nancy II in France. He subsequently obtained a Diplom-Kaufmann and European Master’s in Management at the Ecole Européenne des Affaires.
He has held the following roles, among others: advisor in the Global Human Resources Solutions Department of PricewaterhouseCoopers in London (April - June 1999); mission attaché for the United Nations Economic and Social Council at the Permanent Mission in Geneva (July 1999); assistant in the Internal Audit Division, General Secretariat of the Banque Européenne d'Investissement, Luxembourg (June - October 2000); Institutional Client Services Officer at Fidelity Investments S.A., Luxembourg (October - December 2000); Ministry of Foreign Affairs: head of the Middle East/Gulf Political Affairs Directorate (December 2000 - September 2002), assistant to the head of Government Protocol (September 2002 - January 2003); head for Latin America and the Caribbean, Political Affairs Directorate (January 2003 - September 2005); deputy head of Mission, Embassy in Germany (2005 - 2010); deputy chief of mission, Consul, Embassy in the Russian Federation (2010 - 2014); deputy chief of Mission, deputy representative to the IMO, Embassy in the United Kingdom (2014 - 2018); Ambassador to India and Nepal (2018 - 2021) and Sri Lanka (2020 - 2021); director of Consular Affairs and International Cultural Relations in Luxembourg (2021).
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His Excellency Mr. Alexandru Codreanu
Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the Holy See
Mr. Alexandru Codreanu was born on 1 September 1965, and is married with a son.
He graduated in Biological Sciences from the State University of Moldova (1989) and in International Relations from the National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Bucharest (1994).
He has held the following offices, among others: second secretary in the Directorate for European Organisations (1994-1995); adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (1995-1997); deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the Council of Europe (1997-2000); head of the Council of Europe and Humanitarian Affairs Division (2001-2002); political officer (2002-2003) and deputy head of mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Tadjikistan (2003-2004); head of Division in the Directorate General for Europe and North America (2004-2005); deputy director (2005-2006) and director of the Division of Multilateral Cooperation, OSCE and International Security (2007); advisor (2007-2009) and interim chargé d'affaires in Hungary (2009-2010); Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Hungary (2010-2014); director of the Directorate General for Bilateral Cooperation, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2014-2018); head of Public Diplomacy, Strategic Communication and Press Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019-2020); Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic (2020).
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His Excellency Mr. Martin Andjaba
Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to the Holy See
Mr. Martin Andjaba was born on 17 December 1957, and is married with five children.
He was awarded a diploma in Management and Development (UN Institute for Namibia – UNIN) in 1980; a diploma in Diplomacy and International Relations (United Nations Institute for Training and Research – UNITAR) and a Professional Certificate in Diplomacy (Foreign Service Academy of Nigeria) in 1989. In 1990 he attended a Diplomatic Training Course at the University of Namibia.
He has held the following positions: member of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia, military branch of SWAPO Namibia (since 1977); general service officer at the UN Institute for Namibia - UNIN (1981 - 1984); senior coordinator, Department of International Relations of SWAPO, Angola (1984 - 1989); secretary of the African Group of Ambassadors in Angola (1986 - 1989); chief of protocol, Namibia (1990-1996); Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, New York (1996 -2006); President of the UN Security Council (1999; 2000); head of Department - Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006 -2010); Ambassador to the USA, also accredited to the Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama (2010 - 2018); Member of Parliament, Namibia (2018 - 2020); Minister in the Presidency, Namibia (2018 - 2020); Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Namibia (2019 - 2020).
