Ambassador Alex G. Chua shaking the hands of President Uhuru Kenyatta

Nairobi, Kenya, 12 June 2019– Ambassador Alex G. Chua presented his credentials to His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya on 12 June 2019, at the State House in Nairobi.

Ambassador Chua stated that even if the Philippines and Kenya are two geographically distant countries on different continents, they share identical commitment to democracy, social justice, development and progress.

Ambassador Chua likewise conveyed the warm felicitations of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the people of the Republic of the Philippines to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the people of Kenya in the national language Kenyan Swahili, which won the admiration of the Kenyan officials present, especially President Kenyatta.

Charmed by the Philippine Ambassador’s efforts, President Kenyatta replied “I would be happy to cooperate with you and your country.”

Further, President Kenyatta expressed his regard for President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, stating that they have a shared vision for the futures of their respective countries and that the Philippines and Kenya have “common threats and common aspirations.”

Ambassador Chua conveyed that 12 June is an auspicious day for the Philippines which is celebrating the 121^st Anniversary of Philippine Independence to which President Kenyatta replied that “it is fortunate that we could celebrate your national day together today.”

Ambassador Alex G. Chua (fourth from left) stands beside President Kenyatta, with other Ambassadors after the Presentation of Credentials Ceremony

Ambassador Chua presented his Credentials with seven other Ambassadors. The resident Ambassadors of the Holy See, Ireland, and Venezuela, as well as the Non-Resident Ambassadors of Georgia, Jamaica, Lebanon and Uruguay.

Ambassador Chua was accompanied by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Maria Rosanna O. Josue and Cultural Officer Hossana P. Dela Cruz while President Kenyatta was attended by Foreign Minister Monica Juma, Director for Asia and the Pacific Christopher C. Chika and the other relevant regional directors of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Chua is the 12^th Philippine Ambassador to Kenya and also the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), which have their seats in the United Nations Office in Nairobi, and recently hosted the 4^th UN Environment Assembly and the 1^st UN-Habitat Assembly. This matter was proudly underscored by President Kenyatta, as he said that he “looks forward to enhanced bilateral and multilateral relations between Kenya and the Philippines.”

President Uhuru Kenyatta is the 4^th President of the Republic of Kenya and the son of the Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first President and recognized Father of the Nation.

Nairobi – In keeping with the Philippine chairmanship of the ASEAN-Nairobi Committee, H. E. Ambassador Alex G. Chua chaired the third ASEAN-Nairobi Committee Meeting on 16 May 2019 at the Embassy of the Philippines in Nairobi.

In his opening remarks during his first chairing of the ANC, Ambassador Chua expressed his hope for productive discussions that would result in better exposure of ASEAN in Kenya.

He also congratulated Indonesian Ambassador H.E. Soehardjono Sastromihardjo on the presidency of Indonesia in the UN Security Council and re-election of President Joko Widodo, as well as to Thai Ambassador H.E. Cherdikiat Atthakor on the coronation of H.M. Vajiralongkorn.

During the two-hour long discussions, the ANC refined ASEAN projects for 2019, including activities for the Kenyan public and international community in Nairobi to boost their awareness of ASEAN. The highlight of which is the much-awaited 4^th ASEAN Festival that is projected to take place in September 2019, an annual event that aims to promote ASEAN culture through dance, music and gastronomy.

The ASEAN-Nairobi Committee is composed of the Heads of Missions of the ASEAN countries present in Nairobi, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

From left: Indonesian Ambassador Soehardjono Sastromihardjo, Malaysian High Commissioner Loh Seck Tiong, Philippine Ambassador Alex G. Chua, and Thai Ambassador Cherdkiat Atthakor at the lobby of the Philippine Chancery

Ambassador Alex G. Chua chairs the 3^rd ASEAN-Nairobi Committee Meeting on 16 May 2019

Ambassador Alex G. Chua with Ambassador Remy Barampama of Burundi

Nairobi, 22 May 2019- Ambassador Alex G. Chua received H.E. Remy Barampama, Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi at the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, 001 Mzima Springs Road, Lavington, Nairobi, Kenya on 22 May 2019.

Ambassador Chua expressed his hope that with Ambassador Barampama at the helm of the Embassy of Burundi in Kenya, “we could work towards closer relations between our two countries, particularly as the Embassy in Nairobi has jurisdiction over the Republic of Burundi.”

Ambassador Barampama, underscoring Burundi’s commitment to the principles of independence, sovereignty and dignity, stated that he would do his part and work towards enhancing the bilateral relations between our two countries.

Ambassador Chua is the Philippine Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Burundi. He has concurrent jurisdiction over Kenya, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Malawi, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Burundi is a small but beautiful mountainous country in East Africa, land locked between Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(L-R) Ms. Hossana Dela Cruz (Country Coordinator for Burundi), Ambassador Alex Chua, Ambassador Remy Barampama and Councellor Jeanne Paula Rufuruguta (Burundi)