Presentation of Credentials, 31 August 2021

The following foreign Heads of Mission presented their credentials to President Halimah Yacob in separate ceremonies at the Istana today:

     a.   The Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia
            His Excellency Priit Turk

     b.   The High Commissioner of Malaysia
            His Excellency Dato' Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar

     c.  The Ambassador of the European Union
           Her Excellency Iwona Piórko Bermig

Their bio summaries are attached.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
31 AUGUST 2021

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PRIIT TURK
AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE
REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA

Ambassador Priit Turk is the first resident Estonian Ambassador to Singapore, following the opening of the Estonian Embassy in February 2021.

Prior to his accreditation to Singapore, Ambassador Turk served as Counsellor in the External Economic and Development Cooperation Department of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Turk has held several positions at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, including Deputy Director of International Cooperation and Counsellor for Policy Planning at the Ministry of Defence, as well as Ambassador to Georgia with concurrent accreditation to Armenia, Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Director of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Turk obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and International Relations) from the University of Tartu, Estonia. He has a Master of Science (International Development and Governance) from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, where he was also a Chevening scholar.

Ambassador Turk is married with two sons.

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

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DATO’ DR. AZFAR MOHAMAD MUSTAFAR

HIGH COMMISSIONER OF MALAYSIA TO SINGAPORE

Dato’ Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar served as the Ambassador of Malaysia to France prior to his appointment as High Commissioner of Malaysia to the Republic of Singapore. While serving in the Malaysian civil service, Dato’ Dr. Azfar obtained his Ph.D. in Maritime Law from the University of Wales Swansea, United Kingdom, and Master of Science in Maritime Affairs from the World Maritime University, Sweden. Dato’ Dr. Azfar also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, and a Diploma in Public Administration from the National Institute for Public Administration, Malaysia.

Dato’ Dr. Azfar started his civil service career in 1996.  He served in the Prime Minister’s Department and Public Service Department before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2001. Dato’ Dr. Azfar last served as Director General (Maritime Affairs), Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2015 to 2018, prior to his appointment as the Ambassador of Malaysia to France from 2018 to 2021.

Dato’ Dr. Azfar was conferred the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) award by the Sultan of Pahang in 2018. He is married to Datin Che Norhayati Soib and blessed with five children.

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

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IWONA PIÓRKO BERMIG

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

EUROPEAN UNION

Prior to her accreditation to Singapore, Ambassador Iwona Piórko Bermig was a Member of the Cabinet of European Commission Executive Vice-President for ‘Europe fit for the Digital Age’ Margrethe Vestager.

Ambassador Piórko Bermig has held numerous positions in the European Commission since 2005, including Head of International Affairs at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs; Member of the Cabinet of then-Vice-President/ High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini; and Member of the Cabinet of then-Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle. She holds a Doctorate in Contemporary European Studies from Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex, Brighton; and a Master of Arts degree in Advanced European Studies from College of Europe, Bruges.

Ambassador Piórko Bermig is married with one daughter.

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]

[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]