Canada has named its next ambassador to Latvia. He is Scott Heatherington, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Emerson announced July 25.

Heatherington will replace Claire A. Poulin, who becomes Canada’s ambassador in El Salvador after a three-year stint in Latvia.

Heatherington joined the Department of Manpower and Immigration in 1971 and has served abroad in Hong Kong, Moscow, Bangkok, London and Bonn, the foreign affairs ministry said in a press release. He moved to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2000 to become director of foreign intelligence and currently is director and senior coordinator of the department’s Inquiries Office.

He also will be Canada’s ambassador to Estonia and Lithuania.

Canada opened its embassy in Rīga in 1993. Last year, Canada considered closing the embassy as a cost-saving measure.