JAKARTA, 1 October 2024 — Ambassador Miguel de Mascarenhas de Calheiros Velozo presented his letter of credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today, and officially assumed his post as the Ambassador of Portugal to ASEAN.

Secretary-General Dr. Kao congratulated Ambassador Velozo on his assumption of duty. He reiterated the ASEAN Secretariat’s commitment to working closely with Ambassador Velozo and the Embassy of Portugal in Jakarta.

Ambassador Velozo reiterated Portugal’s commitment to building stronger relations with ASEAN, both bilaterally and through the ASEAN-EU framework of cooperation.

SG Dr. Kao encouraged Ambassador Velozo to explore collaboration with ASEAN in areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, digitalisation, agriculture and fisheries, mining industry, science and technology, and sports, as well as practical cooperation in other areas of mutual interest, including those under the ambit of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn said, “ASEAN looks forward to collaborating with Portugal in areas of mutual interest where it possesses expertise and strength, bilaterally as well as through the ASEAN-EU partnership.”

Ambassador Velozo said, “I will strive to increase Portugal’s cooperation with ASEAN and its Member States, especially to strengthen our shared commitment towards a prosperous and peaceful future for our nations and regions.”

Ambassador Velozo is the fifth Ambassador of Portugal accredited to ASEAN. He succeeded Ambassador Maria João Falcão Poppe Lopes Cardoso, who completed her tenure on 1 November 2023.