Africa / New ambassadors of Switzerland

BERN, Switzerland, September 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- A number of staff changes have been announced for several Swiss representations abroad and at the head office of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The changes will take place in 2015 as part of the usual transfer rotation and on the basis of appointments made by the Federal Council. The appointment of heads of mission becomes effective following approval by the respective host state. The Federal Council thanks those ambassadors entering retirement for their services.

Ralf Heckner, currently ambassador and head of the Crisis Management Centre in the State Secretariat of the FDFA in Bern, will become the new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Burundi, the Republic of Uganda, the Republic of Rwanda and permanent representative to the United Nations Environment Programme, based in Nairobi.

Helene Budliger Artieda, currently ambassador and director-general of the Directorate for Resources in Bern, will become the new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Mauritius, the Republic of Namibia and the Kingdom of Swaziland, based in Pretoria.

Eric Mayoraz, currently head of mission in Antananarivo, will also be accredited to the Republic of Seychelles, in addition to his existing accreditations to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros.