Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith on Thursday announced the appointments of new Jamaican heads of mission in Mexico, India and Belgium.

Ambassador-designate Sharon Saunders, who will head the country’s mission in Mexico, is a career diplomat and has been a member of the Jamaican Foreign Service for more than 38 years. She is at present the under-secretary with responsibility for the Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division in the ministry.

In welcoming the ambassador-designate’s appointment, Minister Johnson Smith said, “As a highly experienced diplomat, Ambassador Saunders has acquired expertise in bilateral and multilateral affairs, as well as extensive strategic engagement with the Jamaican Diaspora and the deepening of bilateral and regional relationship.

“I am confident that she will use the opportunity of this new diplomatic assignment to continue to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Jamaica and Mexico, as well as the rest of Central America, including in the areas of trade and investment.”

Saunders is expected to assume duties in Mexico City later this month.

High commissioner-designate to India Jason Hall recently completed his tour of duty as Jamaica’s ambassador to Mexico. Prior to that assignment, he served in both the public and private sectors for more than 26 years and has significant managerial experience in marketing, tourism, business development and public relations. His previous roles included that of deputy director of the Jamaica Tourist Board.

“Ambassador Hall’s appointment to head then new mission in New Delhi is historic as he will be our first resident high commissioner to India. I am confident that he will bring with him a wealth of experience which will be useful in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in the areas of trade, investment and technical cooperation,” the foreign minister said.

Hall will also assume his duties later this month.

Ambassador-designate to Belgium, Symone Betton-Nayo, is a career diplomat with more than 25 years of service. She is currently director of the Trade Agreement Implementation and Coordination Unit in the Foreign Trade Division. She previously served as minister-counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations and its specialised agencies in Geneva, and the Embassy of Jamaica and Mission to the EU in Brussels, respectively.

“Mrs Betton-Nayo has extensive experience in the areas of foreign trade; bilateral and multilateral affairs. Mindful that she was a strong advocate for the strengthening of development cooperation between Jamaica and the EU, I expect her to continue that process, as we look to the implementation the new post Cotonou Agreement between the EU and the Organization of African Caribbean and Pacific States,” said Minister Johnson Smith.

Betton-Nayo is expected to assume duties in Brussels on February 1.