OPR - Thursday, 28th September, 2006

The President of Malta, H.E. Dr. Edward Fenech Adami, was presented with the Letters of Credence by HE Mr Rodney Lopez Clemente, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba and by H.E. Mr Sean O’ hUiginn, Ambassador of Ireland.

The ceremonies took place in the Ambassadors’ Room at The Palace, Valletta.

This afternoon, the President and Mrs. Fenech Adami will host the newly accredited Ambassadors to an official luncheon at San Anton Palace.

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H.E. Mr. Rodney Lopez Clemente was born in 1946 in Holguin, Cuba.

He graduated in Psychology at the University of Havana and did other post graduate courses in International Relations, International Economy and Direction Techniques.

In 1970 he was a lecturer of General Psychology in Political Science school at the University of Havana and in 1974 he became Director of Central Studies on Youth. His diplomatic career started in 1975 when he was posted as First Secretary in the Embassy of Cuba in India.  He became counselor within the same embassy two years later. Between the period 1978 and 1979 he served as Minister Councellor and Charges d’Affairs for the Embassy of Cuba in Afghanistan. In 1983 he became Ambassador for Cuba in Romania and other high ranking positions followed in the coming years. These include, Ambassador for Cuba in Germany (1993), Ambassador for Cuba in Great Britain (1995) and Director of European Direction, in the ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000). His last post was that of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador, Representative of Cuba within the United Nations (2004 – 2005).

The Ambassador speaks Spanish, English and Romanian. He is married and has two children.

The President of Malta is presented with letters of Credence The Ambassador of Cuba

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H.E. Mr Sean O’ hUiginn was born in 1944.

The Ambassador graduated with a B.A. Honours in French and German at the University College Galway in 1966 and with an M.A. in French from the same University in 1967.

His diplomatic career started in 1969 when he entered the Department of Foreign Affairs as a Third Secretary.  In 1971 he was posted as Third Secretary in Berne within the Embassy of Ireland.  He worked as first Secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs at the Information Section in 1972 and also at the Political Division a year later.  In 1976 he became Counselor at the Anglo-Irish Division within the same Department.  He was posted in the Consulate General of Ireland in New York in 1980 as Consul General.  Mr. O’ hUiginn became Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in 1983. 

Other high ranking positions followed amongst which that of Ambassador to Denmark and Iceland in 1990, Assistant Secretary and Second Secretary at the Anglo-Irish Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to the USA in 1997 and Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany in 2002.

The President of Malta is presented with letters of Credence by the Ambassador of Irealnd