Senior Foreign Service Officer Zeina Hechme has been praised for her service and professionalism as she prepares to assume a new overseas role with Antigua and Barbuda’s diplomatic mission in Canada.

Hechme will take up duties as Vice Consul at the Antigua and Barbuda Consulate in Toronto, where she will serve alongside newly appointed Consul General Gail Christian. Her upcoming posting was marked on Friday with a brief but heartfelt farewell by colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene commended Hechme for her dedication and encouraged her to continue delivering excellence in the foreign service, noting that her advancement also creates opportunities for others within the ministry. He highlighted her strong work ethic as a standard for remaining staff to emulate.

Permanent Secretary Ambassador Dr. Clarence Pilgrim joined in offering best wishes, describing the new assignment as a positive step in Hechme’s diplomatic career.

Also addressing the gathering, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Karen-Mae Hill described overseas service as a defining opportunity for diplomats, urging Hechme to ensure that her work abroad consistently adds value to Antigua and Barbuda and its people.

Drawing from her own experience as a former Deputy Consul General in Toronto, Director General for Foreign Affairs Ann-Marie Layne encouraged Hechme to remain authentic, people-focused, and resilient in her new role, emphasizing that effective diplomacy is rooted in service to the diaspora.

Several other senior officials and colleagues also shared words of encouragement, congratulating Hechme and wishing her success as she begins the next chapter of her diplomatic service in Canada.