A two-day visit to the coast to present two important awards to the Honorary Consuls of Mombasa and Malindi and to meet the local authorities.
Italian Ambassador to Kenya Alberto Pieri presented the honours of Cavaliere della Stella d'Italia to Fiorenzo Castellano, Consul in Mombasa, and to his colleague in Malindi (which refers to Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu Counties) Ivan Del Prete.
During the ceremony in Mombasa, Pieri underlined Castellano's commitment to guaranteeing at the same time assistance to compatriots in difficulty or in situations requiring repatriation and other emergencies, and the good relations with the local authorities linked to the coastal city with the country's most important commercial port, a key hub for imports and exports, as well as with the international airport.
Pieri also stressed the continuity of services offered by the Consul in Mombasa, who has been in office for 13 years, taking over from his father Tommaso, who had been a point of reference for our compatriots in Mombasa and the south Kenyan coast in previous years.
At the meeting in Malindi, the awarding of the same honour to Consul Ivan Del Prete, specifically, focused on the professionalism and reliability demonstrated over the last two years.
"Del Prete, in addition to his usual daily activities with our compatriots and solving issues that are not always easy," explained the Ambassador in the motivations for the award signed by President of the Republic Mattarella, "has also recently found himself having to deal with extraordinary situations, He has also recently had to deal with extraordinary situations, such as the kidnapping of volunteer Silvia Romano and the repatriation of over 700 Italians stranded in Kenya during the country's lockdown, which required a considerable logistical effort, demonstrating the ability to interface in the best way with the representatives of local institutions at various levels.
The Honorary Consul of Malindi, visibly moved, wanted to thank the local authorities, his staff (first of all the consular assistant of Watamu Marco Cavalli), for having formed a close-knit team that is essential to operate at its best even in situations of undoubted difficulty.
It is essential for the Italian presence on the coast to have reference points that are fully recognised by the Italian Government and at the same time cohesive and cooperative with local institutions, for the good of Italy and its citizens stationed or on holiday on the shores of the Indian Ocean.