His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to receive Letters of Credence from 18 foreign envoys to the country in a ceremony held at the Istana Nurul Iman.

The foreign envoys are Abdul Samad Samad, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; Georgios Veis, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic (Greece); Samori An'gwa Okwiya, Ambassador of Kenya; David Gregory Pine, High Commissioner of New Zealand; Bello Shehu Ringim, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Dr Amal Mussa Hussain, Ambassador of Iraq; Thomas Smetanka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic; Ruben Perez Valdes, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba; Dr Mohammad B Fofana, High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Lione; Ferial Ismail Ahsraff, High Commissioner of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; Thomas Kupfer, Ambassador of Switzerland; Berit Basse, Ambassador of Denmark; Dr Rodrigo Querubin Londono, Ambassador of Colombia; Christian Rehren, Ambassador of Chile; Ibrahim Katchallo Mohamed, Ambassador of the Republic of Niger; Banzragch Delgemaa, Ambassador of Mongolia; Matti Johannes Pullinen, Ambassador of Finland; and Mansa Ountana, Ambassador of Burkina Faso.

Following the ceremony, His Majesty granted audiences to all the newly-appointed High Commissioners and Ambassadors to Brunei Darussalam.

Also present was Dato Paduka Awg Hj Ali bin Hj Apong, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office. - Borneo Bulletin (5 October 2012)