Sir Arthur Foulkes, Governor General, left, accepts Letters of Credence from Josef Beck, accrediting him Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, during a ceremony in Government House March 8, 2012. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)

Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes welcomed the new Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas Josef Beck on the Occasion of the Presentation of Letters of Credence.

The ceremony was held in the Drawing Room of Government House March 8, 2012.

Ambassador Beck also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Tommy Turnquest and other officials.

The Bahamas and Germany established ties in 1973. Since 2009, Bahamians have been able to travel to Germany without a visa.

In December 2011, The Bahamas and Germany signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA).

Based on these achievements and other bilateral relations between the countries, Sir Arthur said he was confident that Ambassador Beck’s tenure would prove productive and fruitful in furthering relations.

“The Bahamas appreciates the efforts of both Germany and the European Union to highlight the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States such as The Bahamas in important areas relating to climate change and sustainable development,” Sir Arthur said.

He also commented on the strength of Germany’s economy in the face of challenging economic times in the European Union.

“In the current economic crisis in the European Union, Germany has distinguished itself as a country of commendable fiscal responsibility and stability,” he said.

“The Bahamas welcomes your pledge to improve ties between our two countries, inter alia, by stimulating further German investment in The Bahamas,” Sir Arthur told the ambassador.

“The Bahamas also wishes to acknowledge the accreditation of a German Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This speaks volumes about the commitment of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany to this significant institution for our region.”

Josef Beck, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, presents a copy of his credentials to Tommy Turnquest, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Security during a courtesy call at the Ministry of National Security on March 8, 2012. (BIS photo/Patrick Hanna)