Her Excellency, Mrs. Magdalini Nicolaou, Ambassador of Greece, His Excellency, Mr. Mohammed Hmoud Hamad Rahma Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates and Her Excellency, Ms. Aisha Farooqui, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan presented their Letters of Credence to President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin today.
Her Excellency, Mrs. Magdalini Nicolaou, Ambassador of Greece, was accompanied by her spouse, Mr. Spyridon Dareiotis, and Mrs. Polina Chotzoglou, Deputy Head of Mission.
His Excellency, Mr. Mohammed Hmoud Hamad Rahma Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates was accompanied by his spouse, Mrs. Alia Mohammed Al Shamsi, his sons Mr. Hamad Mohammed Al Shamsi, Mr. Fadel Mohammed Al Shamsi, Mr. Hmoud Mohammed Al Shamsi, and Mr. Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, and Mr. Mohamed Ali Al Kindi, Second Secretary.
Her Excellency, Ms. Aisha Farooqui, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was accompanied by her daughter, Ms. Azmae Shahzad, and Mr. Shahid Iqbal, First Secretary.
Mr. Niall Collins TD, Minister of State for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with responsibility for Skills and Further Education, represented the Government at the ceremony.
The following were also present: Ms. Orla O’Hanrahan, Secretary General to the President; Ms. Síle Maguire, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Paul Kavanagh, Chief of Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs; Col. Stephen Howard, Comdt. Brian Walsh, Comdt. Deirdre Newel, Capt. Pól Ó Domhnaill, Aides-de-Camp to the President; Mr. Joe Brennan and Ms. Cathy Barnicle, Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Ambassadors were accompanied to and from Áras an Uachtaráin by an Escort of Honour consisting of a motorcycle detachment drawn from the 2 Brigade Cavalry Squadron, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin, under the command of Second Lieutenant Oisin O’Rourke.
A Guard of Honour was provided at Áras an Uachtaráin by the Air Corps, Baldonnel, Co Dublin under the command of Lieutenant Ronan O’Leary.
Lieutenant Kevin Redmond from the Air Corps was the flag officer.
Captain John Carpenter conducted the Number 1 Band which is based in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin.
