JAKARTA, 24 September 2026 – Ambassador Alexander Rieger presented his Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today, officially assuming his role as Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to ASEAN.

Secretary-General Dr. Kao congratulated Ambassador Rieger on his appointment and reaffirmed the ASEAN Secretariat’s readiness to work closely with him and the Embassy of Austria in Jakarta to explore cooperation with ASEAN, both bilaterally and through the ASEAN-European Union (EU) Strategic Partnership framework, in areas of mutual interest. Both sides noted the significance of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations next year as an opportunity to further strengthen the partnership.

Ambassador Rieger reaffirmed Austria’s commitment to deepening its engagement with ASEAN and its support for ASEAN Centrality, including through Austria’s planned accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). He also highlighted the prospect of establishing an ASEAN-EU Centre in Vienna in 2027 as a platform to promote cooperation between the two regions in areas such as research and innovation.

Secretary-General Dr. Kao also encouraged Ambassador Rieger to engage with the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the wider diplomatic community in Jakarta, as well as to explore cooperation with relevant ASEAN centres of excellence.

Austria appointed its first Ambassador to ASEAN in 2012. Ambassador Rieger succeeds Ambassador Thomas Loidl, who completed his tenure on 9 February 2026.