Presentation of Credentials, 16 September 2021

The following foreign Heads of Mission presented their credentials to President Halimah Yacob in separate ceremonies via videoconference, conducted at the Istana and the respective offices of the foreign Heads of Mission:

(a)       The Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria

  His Excellency Petar Andonov

(b)      The High Commissioner of the Republic of Mozambique

  His Excellency Belmiro José Malate

(c)       The Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala

  His Excellency Maynor Jacobo Cuyún Salguero

Their bio summaries are attached.       

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE 

16 September 2021

PETAR ANDONOV
AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

Mr Petar Andonov, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Singapore, is a diplomat with over 20 years of experience in the Bulgarian civil service.

Mr Andonov began his career as a freelance reporter in 1986, before taking on the role of Editor and subsequently Editor-in-Chief with Bulgarian National TV. He also served as the Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria from 1991 to 1992, before being appointed as Deputy Director at U.S. Radio Free Europe in 1993. In 1997, he took on the role of Chief Coordinator of the Council for Economic Development to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria. Mr Andonov held this position until 1998, when he was appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Japan and the Philippines (resident in Tokyo). Mr Andonov was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, First Degree, H.M. the Emperor of Japan for Mr Andonov’s contribution to the development of bilateral relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and Japan. Thereafter, Mr Andonov took on the role of Moderator of current affairs programs and Foreign Policy and Economy Analyst at U.S. Radio Free Europe in 2003. In 2006, he was appointed to a similar role with TV Europe (News and Current Affairs Bulgarian TV Network). Mr Andonov also served as the Program Director with the Confederation of the Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria from 2010 to 2012, before being appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Korea. He held this role from 2012 to 2019 and was awarded the Order for Diplomatic Service Merit 1^st Degree of the President of the Republic of Korea in June 2019, for his contribution to the development of bilateral relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Korea. Mr Andonov has also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Indonesia since 2019.

Mr Andonov holds a Master of Economics and Organization of Labor, University for National and World Economy, Bulgaria, and a Master of Business Administration from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

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BELMIRO JOSÉ MALATE
HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE

His Excellency Belmiro José Malate has been the Republic of Mozambique’s Ambassador to Indonesia since August 2019, with residence in Jakarta. High Commissioner Malate is concurrently accredited to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and East Timor. 

High Commissioner Malate is a career diplomat, having joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Mozambique in 1980. Prior to his current appointment, High Commissioner Malate served as Director for Asia and Oceania at the Ministry’s headquarters from 2015 to 2019. His other appointments at headquarters include Director for Multilateral Economic Relations (1999 – 2001) and Head of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Desk (1997 – 1999). High Commissioner Malate’s previous overseas postings were to Japan (2009 – 2015), Botswana (2004 – 2009), Dubai (2001 – 2004), and Malawi (1984 – 1987). 

High Commissioner Malate holds a master’s degree in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick, UK. He is married and has two children.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

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MAYNOR JACOBO CUYÚN SALGUERO 
AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA

Ambassador Jacobo Cuyún is a career diplomat. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala in 1980 and has served as the Consul-General of Guatemala in Los Angeles, California, USA; and as Ambassador of Guatemala to the Republic of Korea, Norway (concurrently accredited to Denmark), and Morocco. He was also the Director-General of Protocol and Diplomatic Ceremony from 2012 to 2014.

He has been the Ambassador of Guatemala to the Republic of Indonesia since November 2019 and the Ambassador of Guatemala to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since March 2021.

He has received many decorations for his diplomatic service including: The Order of "WISSAM AL ALAOUI" with the rank of commander issued by the Kingdom of Morocco (2020); and the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit "GWANGHWA" medal issued by the government of the Republic of Korea (1996).

He is married and has two children.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

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