Aquino receives new envoys of Brazil, India, and Nigeria

MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III received Wednesday incoming ambassadors from Brazil, India, and Nigeria in Malacañang Palace.

First to submit his credentials to the President at the Music Room of the Palace was Ambassador-designate of Brazil George Ney de Souza Fernandes.

Fernandes expressed his country's commitment to further develop trade and investments between Brazil and the Philippines.

He underscored technical cooperation in agriculture, agrarian reform, bio-fuels and management of natural resources as well as implementation of existing cooperation agreements on bio-fuels and agriculture.

Next to present his credentials was Ambassador-designate of India Amit Dasgupta.

Prior to his tour of duty to the Philippines, Ambassador Dasgupta was the Consul General of India in Sydney, Australia. The diplomatic ties between the Philippines and India was established in 1949.

India has an embassy in Manila while the Philippines has an embassy in New Delhi. The two countries has forged a Treaty of Friendship in July 1952.

The third envoy was Nigerian Ambassador-designate to the Philippines Akinyemi Farounbi.

Farounbi was a broadcasting guru and an astute politician who was a recipient of National Merit Awards.

The Philippines has been sending workforces to Nigeria primarily in the oil, gas and construction industry, while Nigerians come to the country to pursue their higher education studies.

Records show that as of end of the year 2011, there are 7,240 Filipinos in Nigeria, mostly professionals and spouses of Nigerian nationals. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)