Italy, New Zealand, San Marino, Finland, Switzerland, and the Kingdom of Sweden are the new ambassadorial representatives in the Dominican Republic
SANTO DOMINGO.– President Luis Abinader, along with Vice President Raquel Peña and Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, received the credentials of six new ambassadors accredited to the Dominican Republic this Wednesday. These ambassadors assume their duties with extensive experience in the foreign service and in various areas of international cooperation.
The president received the new diplomats who were formally accredited to the Dominican government in the Ambassadors' Hall of the National Palace and spoke with each one for several minutes.
The ambassadors are: from the Republic of Italy, Sergio Maffettone; from the Swiss Confederation, Pascal Bornoz; from New Zealand, Nicola Jane Stilwell; from the Republic of San Marino, Alessandro Mario Segnini Bocchia Di San Lorenzo; from the Republic of Finland, Eija Rotinen; and from the Kingdom of Sweden, Anna Kristina Craenen.
The first to present his credentials was Sergio Maffettone, Italy's representative, a career diplomat with a law degree from the University of Naples. He joined the diplomatic service in 2001 and has served in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as abroad, with experience in migration, Mediterranean policy, and Asian relations. He has held posts in Tirana, Herat (Afghanistan), Beijing, and Chongqing, where he was Consul General, in addition to serving as diplomatic advisor to the Minister of Economic Development. Since 2023, he has been Consul General in Munich and has been awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
Following this, Pascal Bornoz, from Switzerland, was accredited. A career diplomat with extensive experience at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), which he joined in 1994, he has served in consular and administrative roles in cities such as Barcelona, Santiago de Chile, Bangkok, and Riyadh. He has also held positions at the headquarters in Bern in the areas of consular selection and regional coordination for the Middle East and North Africa. In 2016, he was appointed Consul General in Vancouver, followed by Consul General in Lyon in 2019, and since 2023, Consul General in Chicago, USA, thus establishing a distinguished career in the Swiss foreign service.
Next, Nicola Jane Stiwell, from New Zealand, presented her credentials. A career diplomat and current ambassador to Colombia and Ecuador, she has also served as ambassador to the Dominican Republic since 2021. She has held positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in regional and multilateral areas, and was Deputy High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea. She holds a degree in Arts and History and a master's degree in Public Health, with experience in economics, trade, and international politics.
Subsequently, Alessandro Mario Segnini Bocchia di San Lorenzo, from the Republic of San Marino, formally presented his credentials. He is a businessman and diplomat with extensive experience in the financial and commercial sectors. He has also served as a commercial director for a firm, a member of its board of directors, and responsible for major institutional agreements. He has training in financial and business management and is fluent in several languages.
Later, the president received Eija Rotinen, Finland's representative, who holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Helsinki and has extensive experience in her country's foreign service since 1987. She has served in missions to the UN and the OSCE, as well as in embassies in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, where she was ambassador to Nicaragua and Chile. She also served as director for the Middle East and North Africa, special representative for Afghanistan, and has held positions related to the Americas, Asia, and developing markets within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Finally, Anna Kristina Craenen, Sweden's designated ambassador to Cuba and the Dominican Republic since 2025, presented her credentials. She holds a Master of Laws degree from Uppsala University and is a career diplomat. She has held senior positions in the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union and has extensive experience in foreign policy and international cooperation.
At the start of the ceremony, in front of the Government House, the band of the First Dominican Presidential Guard Regiment played the Dominican national anthem. Following the ceremony, the national anthems of each country represented by the ambassadors who presented their credentials were played.
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