Argentina

Roberto Diez departed the post of minister in February.

Florencia Soledad Garcia assumed the position of third secretary in February.

Silvina Khatcherian departed the post of first secretary in February.

Juan F. Gutierrez Telleria assumed the position of third secretary in February.

Bahrain

Muneera Al Doseri assumed the position of third secretary in May.

Cabo Verde

José Luis Fialho Rocha became ambassador of Cabo Verde on July 14, having previously served as secretary of state (deputy minister) for foreign affairs since 2011. Ambassador Rocha also served as director of national political affairs and cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2010-11); MNECC director-general of foreign policy (2007-09); ambassador and representative of the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) in Brussels (1999-2006); and ambassador of Cabo Verde to Belgium and Luxembourg as well as head of mission to the EU and ACP Group (1995-99). In addition, he was director-general for international cooperation and deputy national authorizing officer of the European Development Fund, as well as a member of the General Council of PROMEX (Center for Promotion of Exports and Investment in Cabo Verde) from 1991 to 1995. Other postings include director of services of bilateral cooperation (DGCI), member of the installation committee and recruiting for PROMEX, and head of division of bilateral cooperation (DGCI) in the 1980s. Ambassador Rocha holds a bachelor’s in political science and international relations and a special post-graduate diploma in development studies from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. He was also trained in management and development finance at Pittsburgh University. Ambassador Rocha speaks Cabo Verdean, Portuguese, French, English and Spanish. He is married to Dr. Yamile Luque Tamayo Saco Rocha and has two sons and one daughter.

Georgia

Sopio Kupradze assumed the position of first secretary on July 13. Kupradze has 14 years of experience in the Georgian public sector and previously served as deputy director of the International Law Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for four years.

Laos

Khen Sombandith assumed the position of counselor, deputy chief of mission in April.

Timor-Leste

Domingos Sarmento Alves was appointed ambassador of Timor-Leste to the United States on May 1, having previously served as political advisor to the vice-minister of foreign affairs and cooperation. He was also Timor-Leste’s ambassador to Japan, advisor of international relations to the president, acting director of bilateral relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and acting chief of protocol of the president of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. In addition, Ambassador Alves is the founder of the Democratic Party (PD) and worked as a special representative of RENTIL (National Resistance of the Students of Timor-Leste) during the struggle for the independence of Timor-Leste. Ambassador Alves has a bachelor’s degree in labor and organizational psychology and did his post-graduate studies on ASEAN and European Union institutions from Portugal. He speaks fluent Tetum, Bahasa Indonesian, Portuguese and English as well as basic Spanish. Ambassador Alves is married and has one daughter.