State House : Seven More Diplomats Accredited

The number of High Commissioners and Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary representing countries and organisations with which Cameroon shares bilateral and multilateral ties has increased by seven. This follows their accreditation by the Head of State, President Paul Biya, during a solemn but highly revered diplomatic ceremony at the State House Wednesday June 7, 2023. 
In effect, Philippe  Van Damme, Ambassador-designate, head  of the European Union delegation, Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, High Commissioner-designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Dalia Fayez Farag Ghubrial, Ambassador-designate of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Christopher John Lamora, Ambassador-designate of the United States of America (USA); Daniel Ngassiki, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Congo; Patricia Maria Oliveira de Lima, Ambassador-designate of the Federative Republic of Brazil and Jeannette Marcelle Gotchanga, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Central Africa were at Unity Palace yesterday June 7, 2023 to get official blessings in their assigned missions. 
Like the eleven others who preceded them since Friday last week, the seven envoys followed the same tactful tradition to have the official recognition of Cameroon’s diplomatic head. By solemnly presenting the letters calling back their predecessors and assigning them as their countries’ diplomatic representatives in Cameroon, the seven diplomats changed their status. On arrival, they were High Commissioners-designate or Ambassadors-designate and the ceremony conferred on them full powers of High Commissioners and Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries. Quite weighty in diplomatic circles as they now have full powers to ensure the security of their citizens living in Cameroon, to build and maintain strong diplomatic and economic ties with the country and administer all affairs of the embassy in Yaounde and elsewhere where they have consular services within the national territory.
The solemn ceremony that conferred full powers on the diplomats took place in three phases and in three different venues: Arrival at the entry end of the Unity Palace, presentation proper of the Letters of Credence to the Head of State at the main building and departure at the exit end. Philippe Van Damme, Ambassador-designate, head of the European Union delegation gave the kicker of the arrivals at 2 pm. He was welcome by the State Protocol, inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Presidential Guard, commanded by Navy Commander, Essome Ghislain Eric, and the execution of the national anthem of Cameroon under the music band of the Presidential Guard before moving up to the main building of the Unity Palace. He waited for others at the adjacent room at the third floor of the main building of the State House. The European Union diplomat was progressively joined by his pee...