President Lionel Aingimea virtually received the credentials of Germany’s Dr Thomas Fitschen accrediting him as Ambassador of Germany to Nauru, 16 September.
President Aingimea offered Nauru’s congratulations and looks forward to engaging in positive dialogue and cooperation in areas of mutual interest and concern.
The histories of both countries are interwoven since Nauru became a German protectorate from 1888 to 1914. German words such as the days of the week are incorporated in the Nauruan vernacular.
“Stretching over many years, this relationship has prospered and strengthened through mutual cooperation and shared values and goals within international foras,” President Aingimea said.
The President expressed the government’s appreciation for the many initiatives and support Germany offers to Nauru in climate change and resilience as well as the many programs in capacity building.
Nauru and Germany officially established the Group of Friends on Climate Change and Security in the United Nations in 2018, realising the detrimental impacts of climate change to livelihoods and society and as the biggest security risk to small island states such as Nauru.
Ambassador Fitschen is confident that Germany and Nauru’s cooperation against climate change “can contribute to preventing people from being deprived of their livelihoods and to strengthen security particularly in the Pacific.”
“But ultimately, it is diplomacy that is key to success in order to tackle our challenges.”
The Ambassador says, over a hundred years after Germany ended its protectorate status over Nauru, “our countries still have special ties. Our countries are connected via diplomacy, international relations and development.”
“Our friendship has an outstanding basis to further strengthen our ties and to build upon existing cooperation.
“This I will keep supporting until the remainder of my term,” the Ambassador said.
Ambassador Fitschen joined Germany’s foreign service in 1990 and since 2019 is currently the ambassador of Germany to the Commonwealth of Australia in Canberra.
Prior to arriving in Australia, the ambassador was the Federal Foreign Office’s Special Representative for Cyber Foreign Policy and Cybersecurity.
Photo Twitter/Germany Embassy Australia Caption: Germany’s Ambassador of Germany to Nauru Dr Thomas Fitschen