The Estonian ambassador to the United States, Jonatan Vseviov, opened an Estonian honorary consulate in Phoenix, Arizona, to give a boost to the development of Estonian-US business relations in the region.
The opening ceremony took place on 10 June, and in addition to the ambassador, the ceremony was attended by the Estonian consul-general in New York, Kairi Künka.
The Estonian honorary consul in Phoenix is Stephen Daniel Chucri, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The honorary consulate in Phoenix is the third of its kind to be opened in the US this year,” Vseviov said in a statement. “It was only in January that a representation opened its doors in San Diego, California, and in February, a representation was opened in St Petersburg, Florida.”
An important link for presenting Estonian business
“Our honorary consuls are doing important work not only in the field of consular services; instead, they also provide an important link for presenting Estonian business and culture in the world,” Vseviov added.
Stephen Daniel Chucri is a US businessman and the president of the Arizona Restaurant Association, and also a representative of the Maricopa County. He has been serving as honorary consul from February 2019, taking over from his predecessor, Michael Chan (the Estonian honorary consul in Phoenix from 2011 to 2018).
Chucri will service the entire state of Arizona. The representation is located at 3333 E Camelback Road, 85018, Phoenix AZ.
The Republic of Estonia has 15 honorary consuls in the US and they play an important role in advancing Estonian interests in the country. Honorary consuls are respected and prominent locals, and one of their tasks is to provide consular services and consular assistance to Estonian citizens abroad. They also help advance economic and cultural relations.
Cover: The Estonian ambassador to the United States, Jonatan Vseviov, and the Estonian honorary consul in Phoenix, Stephen Daniel Chucri, at the opening ceremony. Images courtesy of the Estonian foreign ministry.
