Andorra

Meritxell Marsa assumed the position of deputy permanent representative, counselor on Aug. 22, 2011 replacing Julia Stokes. Marsa previously served as counselor at the Andorran Embassy to Spain (2007-11) and first secretary at the Andorran Mission to the European Union and the Andorran Embassy to Belgium, both in Brussels (2003-07).

Dominican Republic

Aníbal de Castro became ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States on July 7, 2011.

Since 1968, Ambassador de Castro has held a variety of positions in the media, including editor and director of the Press Department in Radio Cristal; reporter and columnist for international affairs, editor-in-chief and editor of the newspaper Ultima Hora; producer of the television program “Triálogo”; director and host of the television program “Rumbo TV”; executive vice president of the company Omnimedia; producer of the television program “Diario Libre A.M.”; and founding editor of the Diario Libre newspaper. In 2004, he was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom, representing the Dominican Republic as nonresident ambassador to the Commonwealth of Australia (2007-11) and to the Republic of Ireland (2009-11). In 2009, he was distinguished as dean of the Group of Latin American Ambassadors to the Court of St. James.

Over the years, Ambassador de Castro has served as a member of the board of directors for the Dominican Electricity Corporation, the Economic and Development Foundation, the Dominican Foundation for Development, the Fund for the Finance of Small Enterprises Inc. (Fondomicro), the Bank for Small and Medium Enterprises, TRICOM International and Antena Latina, as well as a member of the Board of Regents for the Technological Institute of Eastern Cibao. In 1986, he was honored by the president of the Dominican Republic with the Order of Merit Duarte, Sánchez y Mella, the highest order awarded by the Dominican Republic. He is also the published author of “República Dominicana frente a su propia Realidad” (1984), “Antes De Comenzar” (2008) and “Decir Cosas” (2010).

Born in 1949, Ambassador de Castro studied journalism at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and received a first class degree in development studies in 1979 from the University of East Anglia in Great Britain.

Ghana

Ebenezer Padi Adjirackor assumed the position of commercial minister on July 28, 2011 replacing Francis Addo, who departed the post July 28. Adjirackor previously served as director in charge of domestic economic activities at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Ghana.

Rebecca Enyonam Kudekor assumed the position of third secretary on Aug. 16, having previously served as a stenographer secretary in the Middle East and Asia Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Genevieve N.L. Goode departed the post of first secretary on Aug. 29.

Guinea

Blaise Cherif became ambassador of Guinea to the United States on Sept. 9, 2011.

Ambassador Cherif previously served as a consultant on international humanitarian law (2005-11) and as special advisor to the Division of External Relations (2002-05) with the Geneva-based United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), where he’s held multiple posts since 1976, including: UNHCR representative in Côte d’Ivoire (1996-2002); principle legal adviser for the Division of International Protection (1994-96); chief of the Legal Division and UNHCR representative in Islamabad, Pakistan (1991-94); and deputy regional representative for West Africa, based in Dakar, Senegal (1986-91), among other UNHCR postings in Chad, Burundi and what was then Zaire.

Ambassador Cherif holds a law degree from the University of Grenoble in France and an advanced degree in international public law from the University of Geneva.

Born on Sept. 25, 1945, Ambassador Cherif is married and speaks English and French.

Luxembourg

Olivier Baldauff assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on Aug. 15, 2011 replacing Nicolas Mackel, who departed the post Aug. 14.

Nepal

Arjun Kant Mainali assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on June 18, 2011 replacing Kali P. Pokhrel, who departed the post July 24.

Sri Lanka

P.M. Bandula Somasiri assumed the position of commercial minister on July 19, 2011 replacing A.G. Nimal Karunatilake, who departed the post July 28.

K.D. Ranjith assumed the position of minister on Aug. 15, 2011.

Brig. Dudley Weeraman assumed the position of minister counselor (defense) on July 6, 2011 replacing Brig. G.V. Ravipriya, who departed the post Aug. 10.

Tanzania

Agnes Lusinde assumed the position of administrative attaché on July 1, 2011 replacing Catherine Kijuu.