President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with Ethiopian Ambassador to the Philippines Dessie Dalkie Dukamo on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Photo from Presidential Communications Office.
President Marcos on Tuesday welcomed the new ambassadors of Ethiopia and Peru, expressing openness to improve trade, investment and agribusiness cooperation between the Philippines and the two countries. Ethiopian ambassador Dalkie Dukamo and Peruvian ambassador Cecilia Galarreta Bazan presented their credentials to the President during simple rites in Malacañang. Dukamo, concurrent agriculture advisor to the Ethiopian prime minister, also served as regional governor in southwest Ethiopia from 2013 to 2018. Galarreta, on the other hand, is a career diplomat who has served in Guatemala, Germany and the United States. She is also concurrent ambassador to Thailand and Myanmar. Peru will be hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next year.—JEROME ANING