WILMER JOEL
Australia’s first resident Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Brek Anthony Batley and his wife Mary Palmer arrived in Majuro last Thursday, after two weeks of quarantine at the US Army Garrison — Kwajalein Atoll.
Straight from their airport arrival, they were both escorted to the International Conference Center where President David Kabua accepted the Letter of Credence of the newly appointed Australian Ambassador to the RMI during a presentation of credentials ceremony held at Cabinet.
President Kabua was joined by Ministers Casten Nemra, Bruce Bilimon, Kessai Note, and Kitlang Kabua, Australian diplomat Charge d’Affaires Wade Carruthers, Lieutenant Commander Andrew Nicholls, Acting Foreign Secretary Junior Aini, and other guests.
After the ambassador gave his credentials to President Kabua, the president then gifted the Ambassador with Marshallese handicrafts. In exchange for the president’s generosity the ambassador gave him a compelling Australian boomerang.
After the end of this important function, a luncheon was held in the Marshall Islands Resort’s Lomalo Room in honor of Ambassador Batley hosted by Minister Nemra. Glansay Enos, the chief of protocol for the president, officiated the program as master of ceremony.
During Nemra’s remarks he highlighted the contribution of the government of Australia to the people of the Marshall Islands through the aid of facility construction, medical supplies, and other supportive aid. The ambassador then delivered his address saying that the relationship between the Marshall Islands and Australia is strong, and he looks forward to deepening it.
A Marshallese style painting was then presented as a gift to the ambassador by Nemra, followed by the Batley handing Minister Nemra a bottle of Lyndoch wine.