Presentation of Credentials, 27 August 2024

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

1. The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Her Excellency Bettina Fanghänel

2. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway His Excellency Leif Trana

3. The High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam Her Excellency Hajah Noor Qamar binti Haji Sulaiman

4. The Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea His Excellency Ri Kil Song

Their bio summaries are attached.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

27 AUGUST 2024

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HER EXCELLENCY BETTINA FANGHÄNEL

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

Ambassador Bettina Fanghänel is a career diplomat with almost two decades of experience. Prior to her arrival in Singapore, Ambassador Fanghänel was Head of the State Secretaries’ Office at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin since 2021. Before that, she served in various capacities in the Federal Foreign Office, among others in the Foreign Minister’s Office from 2018 to 2021, and at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin. She was posted to Germany’s Embassy in Beijing, China from 2011 to 2014. 

Ambassador Fanghänel has a PhD in Law from the University of Leipzig. Prior to joining the Diplomatic Service, she was a judge at the Regional Court in Halle, Germany.

  She is married with two children.

Photo Credits: Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Singapore

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HIS EXCELLENCY LEIF TRANA

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

KINGDOM OF NORWAY

Ambassador Leif Trana is a career foreign service officer who has held various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, including as Director in the Section for Trade Policy and Economic Analysis and Director in the Section for Organizational Development. He has been posted to Riyadh, and twice to Washington. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to Singapore, Ambassador Trana was the Deputy Director General in the Department of European Affairs and International Trade at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. 

  Ambassador Trana has a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Oslo. He is married with three children.

Photo Credits: Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Singapore

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HER EXCELLENCY HAJAH NOOR QAMAR BINTI HAJI SULAIMAN

HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SINGAPORE

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

High Commissioner Hajah Noor Qamar was appointed as the Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the United Nations in New York from 2019 to 2024, during which she also served as the Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to Cuba and Costa Rica. 

High Commissioner Hajah Noor Qamar began her diplomatic career as a Research Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam in 1989 after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Policy and Public Administration from Universiti Brunei Darussalam. 

Between 1992 and 1994, High Commissioner Hajah Noor Qamar was assigned to the Department of ASEAN at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was concurrently the Second Secretary at the Non-Resident High Commission of Brunei Darussalam in New Zealand. 

From 1994 to 1998, she served as Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Brunei Darussalam in New York. Upon completion of her tour in New York, High Commissioner Hajah Noor Qamar was assigned to the International Organisations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was also appointed as Personal Assistant to HRH Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large, until her appointment as Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the United Nations.

Photo Credits: Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Singapore

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HIS EXCELLENCY RI KIL SONG

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Singapore, Ambassador Ri served as Vice Minister (Asian and Oceanian Affairs) at the DPRK’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2024. Ambassador Ri was also Ambassador-at-Large from 2012 to 2014, and Director-General of the Policy Research and Translation Department from 2000 to 2004 and from 2009 to 2012. Ambassador Ri joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988, and was an officer, researcher and section chief in the Policy Research and Translation Department until 1999. Ambassador Ri also served in the Embassy of the DPRK in Cambodia.

Ambassador Ri holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of International Relations in Pyongyang. He speaks French.  

  Ambassador Ri is married and has a son and a daughter.

Photo Credits: Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Singapore

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