Hungary, Spain, Azerbaijan and Somalia envoys formally begin their diplomatic duties in Singapore.
Four foreign Heads of Mission presented their credentials to Tharman Shanmugaratnam in separate ceremonies at the Istana on 24 February 2026.
The ceremony marked the official start of their diplomatic roles in Singapore.
Her Excellency Anna Kondor, Ambassador of Hungary, joined Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2025 after more than 20 years of senior executive experience in strategic advisory and financial services. She previously founded a leading Hungarian strategic and business communications advisory firm and co-founded a fintech comparison and advisory platform.
Ambassador Kondor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a specialisation in Finance, a Master of Business Administration, and completed her doctoral coursework at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. She is married and has four children.
His Excellency Álvaro De La Riva Guzmán De Frutos, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, has a diplomatic career spanning 36 years. He previously served as Spain’s Ambassador to Estonia from 2011 to 2014 and as Consul-General in Istanbul from 2019 to 2023. He has also held postings in Algeria, Tunisia, Colombia, Mexico, Vietnam, Greece and Russia, as well as various appointments in Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.
Before joining the diplomatic service, Ambassador de la Riva worked in the media, including for The Washington Post, Paris-Match and The Sunday Times. He holds a degree in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics.
His Excellency Ramil Abil oglu Rzayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, previously served as Director of the Asia and Pacific Department in Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also concurrently Ambassador of Azerbaijan to ASEAN and Indonesia.
Ambassador Rzayev joined Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2000 and has served in diplomatic missions in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia and the United States. He was also Head of the State Protocol Department. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in International Law from Baku State University. He completed an advanced diplomatic course at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. He is married and has two children.
His Excellency Dr Faysal Ahmed Salad, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia, holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology Medical School and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Before entering diplomatic service, Ambassador Faysal held senior executive roles in both the public and private sectors. He served as Chairman of Baraarug Corporation and as Chief Operations Officer of Hodan Global Money Services, overseeing international operations across several regions. He also worked as a Medical Director and practicing physician and has been involved in humanitarian and community development initiatives.
Ambassador Faysal is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Somalia to Indonesia and Non-Resident Ambassador to Australia and Singapore. He is also Ambassador-designate to the Republic of Korea and Brunei Darussalam. His professional interests include geoeconomic development, international trade and investment, and strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the presentation of credentials formalises the ambassadors’ appointments and allows them to officially represent their countries in Singapore.
Source: MFA
