MFA Press Statement: Appointment Of Singapore’s Ambassador To France

The Government has appointed Mr Burhan Gafoor as Singapore's next Ambassador to France. He will assume post on 29 October 2007.

Mr Gafoor was until recently Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Singapore to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, a post he held from September 2004 to August 2007. During this period, he was also accredited to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. While in Geneva, Mr Gafoor served concurrently as Ambassador to Turkey, from September 2004 till January 2006.

Prior to his posting in Geneva, Mr Gafoor was Press Secretary to then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong from December 2002 to August 2004.

Mr Gafoor has held various positions since he joined the Ministry in 1988. He was Director of the Policy Planning and Analysis Directorate for Europe and North America from 2000 to 2001. He was Senior Deputy Director dealing with Europe and North America from 1997 to 2000. Prior to that, he was Senior Assistant Director for International Organisations from 1994 to 1996. From 1990 to 1994, he served as First Secretary at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

Mr Burhan Gafoor graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) degree in Political Science from the National University of Singapore. He has a Masters degree in Public Administration from the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He also obtained a degree in public administration from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris, France.

Mr Gafoor is married to Zarina Varukatty and they have two children.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
27 SEPTEMBER 2007

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Burhan Gafoor is Ambassador-designate to France.

Born in October 1965, Mr Gafoor graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) degree in Political Science from the National University of Singapore in 1988. He received a Masters degree in Public Administration from the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1997. He also obtained a degree in public administration from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA) in Paris in 2002.

Mr Gafoor was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Singapore to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva from 2004 to 2007. He was also accredited to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. From 2004 to 2006, Mr Gafoor was also concurrently accredited as Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey.

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN and, he served in various positions, as follows:

• December 2002- August 2004: Press Secretary to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Office of the Prime Minister of Singapore. He concurrently held the position of Director (Special Duties), Ministry of Communications, Information and the Arts and Director (Special Duties), Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 2000-2001 : Director, Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate for Europe and North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 1997-2000: Senior Deputy Director, Policy Planning and Analysis Directorate for Europe and North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 1996: Deputy Director, (UN Affairs and International Organisations), Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 1994-1995: Senior Assistant Director (UN Affairs and International Organisations), Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 1991-1994: First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations in New York

During his posting in Geneva, Mr Gafoor also held other positions, as follows:

• January to April 2007: Chairman of the Working Group on the recommendations of the Report of the Panel of Eminent Persons, UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

• February 2006 to August 2007: Chairman of the Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development, World Trade Organisation (WTO), dealing with negotiations on development issues related to the Doha Round

• March 2006: President of the Diplomatic Conference of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) which led to the Adoption of the Revised Trademark Law Treaty, also known as the "Singapore Treaty"

• September 2004 to September 2006: Governor for Singapore, Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna

Mr Gafoor received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2001.

Mr Gafoor is married to Mdm Zarina Varukatty and they have two sons.

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