Diplomacy: accreditation of new ambassadors from Malawi – Ireland – Mozambique – New Zealand

Ambassadeurs Malawi, Irlande, Mozambique et Nouvelle-Zélande © Michaël Alesi - Direction de la Communication

On Thursday 20 October, at a lunch held at the Hotel Hermitage, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, received H.E. Ms Naomi Aretha Ngwira, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malawi; H.E. Mr Niall Burgess, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland; H.E. Mr Alberto Maverengue Augusto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Mozambique; and H.E. Ms Caroline Bilkey, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of New Zealand.

H.E. Ms Naomi Aretha Ngwira, who holds a PhD in agricultural economy and a master’s degree in economic development, began her career in research and agriculture before joining the Malawian Government in 2005 as the Director of Debt and Aid at the Ministry of Finance. In 2021, she was appointed as Malawi’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.

After being educated at University College Dublin, H.E. Mr Niall Burgess joined the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984, as Third Secretary in the Department of Development Cooperation. During his career, he has held multiple posts within the Ministry and abroad (including in Chicago, Geneva and Brussels). He was appointed as Ireland’s Consul-General in New York in 2007, and later as Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

H.E. Mr Alberto Maverengue Augusto joined the Republic of Mozambique Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1981. He was subsequently appointed as Consular Attaché at the Embassy of Mozambique in Portugal and then as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Mozambique to the United States and Canada, and National Director of Protocol. In 2018, he was appointed as Mozambique’s Ambassador to France.

H.E. Ms Caroline Bilkey, who holds a bachelor’s degree in arts and law and a master’s degree in management, began her diplomatic career in 1985. Appointed as Chief of Staff to the Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1996, she subsequently held a number of international posts: Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of New Zealand in Bangkok, then Ambassador of New Zealand to Brazil and Suriname.