Singapore Government Press Release

Media Relations Division, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts,

MITA Building, 140 Hill Street, 2nd Storey, Singapore 179369

Tel: 6837-9666

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS STATEMENT

APPOINTMENT OF SINGAPORE'S PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK AND SINGAPORE'S PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA

The Government has appointed Mr Vanu Gopala Menon as Singapore’s next Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and Mr Burhan Gafoor as Singapore’s next Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Mr Vanu Gopala Menon was Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva from December 2001 to August 2004. He joined the Ministry in 1985 and has served in the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters, he served as the Director overseeing Southeast Asia. Mr Menon will assume post on 28 August 2004.

Mr Burhan Gafoor was Press Secretary to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong from 18 December 2002 to 12 August 2004. He served as Press Secretary to Senior Minister Goh until 25 August 2004. He was concurrently Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Information and the Arts and Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988 and has served in the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. Mr Gafoor will assume post on 15 September 2004.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

25 AUGUST 2004

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Vanu Gopala Menon is the Permanent Representative-designate to the United Nations in New York.

Born in Singapore on 8 September 1960, Mr Menon graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration Honours (Class II Upper) Degree from the National University of Singapore in 1985. He obtained a Master of Science in International Relations (Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1994 on a Raffles Scholarship.

Mr Menon joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 1985. He served as First Secretary in the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from March 1988 to April 1991 and as Counsellor and then Minister-Counsellor in the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur from November 1994 to November 1997. On his return to Ministry HQ, he was appointed Senior Deputy Director at the Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate I overseeing Southeast Asia in December 1997. He became its Director in December 1998. He was Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva from December 2001 to August 2004 and was concurrently Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey.

Mr Menon was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2001.

Mr Menon is married to Mrs Jayanthi Menon. They have a son.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Burhan Gafoor is the Permanent Representative-designate to the United Nations in Geneva.

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 obtained a Masters degree in Public Administration from the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1997. He also received a degree in Public Administration from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris, France in 2002.

Mr Gafoor joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1988. He served as First Secretary in the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1991 - 1994. On his return to Singapore, he served in various capacities in the different Policy Planning Directorates of the Ministry. He was Senior Assistant Director (UN Affairs, International Organisations) from 1994 to 1995 and later became Deputy Director in 1996. In 1997, he was appointed Senior Deputy Director for Europe. In 2000, he was appointed Director of the Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate II.

Mr Gafoor was Press Secretary to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong from 18 December 2002 to 12 August 2004. He served as Press Secretary to Senior Minister Goh until 25 August 2004. He was concurrently Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Information and the Arts and Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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

Mr Gafoor is married to Mdm Zarina Varukatty. They have a son.

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