SINGAPORE, 17 November 2025 – In separate ceremonies held at the Istana, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam formally accepted the credentials of four new Heads of Mission, signifying the strengthening of diplomatic relations between Singapore and their respective nations. The envoys included His Excellency Paul Thoppil, the High Commissioner of Canada; His Excellency Artis Bertulis, the Ambassador of the European Union; His Excellency Innocent Bagamba Muhizi, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda; and His Excellency Dr. Anjani Kumar Sinha, the Ambassador of the United States of America.

His Excellency Paul Thoppil
The High Commissioner of Canada

Prior to his appointment to Singapore, High Commissioner Thoppil had been serving as Canada’s first Indo-Pacific Trade Representative, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, since 5 September 2023. This position, an outcome of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, is focused on the enhancement of trade, investment and supply chain resiliency between Canada and the Indo-Pacific region. High Commissioner Thoppil will continue in this role on a concurrent basis in Singapore.

Previously, High Commissioner Thoppil was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia-Pacific, at Global Affairs Canada, who led the development of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy launched in November 2022. He received a 2021 Public Sector Award of Excellence for his contribution towards the release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, two Canadian citizens arbitrarily detained in China. High Commissioner Thoppil has served abroad as Minister (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada to Japan in Tokyo, advancing Canada’s trade, investment, and innovation links with Japan. He has an extensive public sector and private sector career, including as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Finance, Results and Delivery Officer at Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and positions at the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance, the Canadian Commercial Corporation, and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

High Commissioner Thoppil is a Chartered Professional Accountant and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), with a specialisation in accounting, from the University of Ottawa. High Commissioner Thoppil is married to Naina Thoppil and has two sons studying at universities in Canada. Paul is an avid cross-country skier and runner. His family origins come from Kerala, India, where he spent his summers throughout his childhood years, and continues to return periodically to India to maintain his family and cultural ties.

His Excellency Artis Bertulis
The Ambassador of the European Union

Ambassador Bertulis is a career diplomat. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Singapore, Ambassador Bertulis was the EU Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau from 2022 to 2025.

Ambassador Bertulis has also served as Latvia’s Ambassador to Sweden (2001 to 2005); to Portugal and Brazil (2007 to 2011), Italy, Albania, Malta and San Marino (2013 to 2018), Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization (2013 to 2018) and as Latvia’s Ambassador to India and Sri Lanka (2018 to 2022).

Ambassador Bertulis holds a Master’s degree in Physics and completed postgraduate studies in international affairs at the University of Latvia and the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. Ambassador Bertulis is married with two children.

His Excellency Innocent Bagamba Muhizi
The High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda

High Commissioner Innocent Bagamba Muhizi was Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) from 2017 to 2025. At RISA, he spearheaded major initiatives to advance Rwanda’s digital transformation agenda focused on government service digitalisation, connectivity, digital literacy, and innovation ecosystem development.

High Commissioner Muhizi was Regional Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Access Holdings Bank from 2016 to 2017 and led digital transformation across their operations in Liberia, Rwanda, and Zambia. He was CIO and Head of Transactional Banking Services at I&M Bank Rwanda from 2008 to 2016 and helped launch Rwanda’s first e-tax services with the Rwanda Revenue Authority.

High Commissioner Muhizi holds a Master of Science in Information Technology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and Business Management from La Roche University, United States of America. High Commissioner Muhizi is married with four children.

His Excellency Dr. Anjani Kumar Sinha
The Ambassador of the United States of America

Ambassador Dr. Sinha is a distinguished medical professional with decades of experience in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. Over the course of his career, he built and led specialised practices across eight locations in New York and served as a senior surgical consultant in Florida. His career reflects a deep commitment to advancing healthcare through collaboration with public and private sectors, as well as with medical, legal, and business operators across the healthcare industry.

In addition to his professional achievements, Ambassador Dr. Sinha is a dedicated philanthropist with a lifelong commitment to supporting communities in both the United States and India. Together with his wife, Dr. Kuntala Sinha, he has supported numerous institutions of higher education in New Hampshire, New York, and their medical school alma maters in India, leaving a lasting impact on generations of students and professionals.

Ambassador Dr. Sinha earned his medical degree from MGM Medical School and Delhi University in India, where he also completed a master’s degree in Orthopaedic Surgery. He has been married to Dr. Kuntala Sinha, a retired anaesthesiologist and former New York University faculty member, for 48 years. Together, they have a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren.

Source: MFA

H.E. PRIIT TURK Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia

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.

H.E. DATO’ DR. AZFAR MOHAMAD MUSTAFAR High Commissioner of Malaysia

PRIOR to his appointment as High Commissioner of Malaysia to the Republic of Singapore Dato’ Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar served as the Ambassador of Malaysia to France. 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 University 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.

H.E. IWONA PIÓRKO BERMIG Ambassador of the 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 Neighborhood 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.