Ajit Singh (Malaysian diplomat)
Dato ( Datuk ) Ajit Singh ( born September 25, 1938 in Muar, Johor, Malaysia ) is a former Malaysian diplomat who was from 1993 to 1998 Secretary General of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN ).
Biography
After school he studied history at the University of Malaya and acquired there in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA History).
He then joined in August 1963 in the Diplomatic Service of Malaysia and found to careers in the Foreign Ministry in the first years of the uses of foreign missions in Australia, Ethiopia as well as in New York City. In 1980 he was first ambassador to Vietnam before he was 1982-1985 Ambassador to Austria. Subsequently, he was accredited between 1985 and 1989 Ambassador to Brazil and as such also in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
In July 1989 he was appointed Director General of Malaysia at the headquarters of ASEAN and took in that position until July 1992 a significant number of meetings of the organization part. Subsequently, he was from July to November 1992 Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Due to his many years of diplomatic experience, he represented Malaysia also at several international meetings like the UN General Assembly, the Special Committee of the United Nations ( UN) against apartheid, the Development Programme (UNDP ), in the organization of the United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO ), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA ) as well as the Commission on Narcotic Drugs ( UNCND ). He was also Head of Delegation Malaysia at numerous meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement States, the Commonwealth of Nations and APEC.
After his election by the leaders of the ASEAN states he was from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997, Secretary-General of ASEAN to succeed Rusli Noor. In this role he was responsible for the numerous activities of the organization, provided for an intensification of the cooperation between the Member States. Successor as ASEAN Secretary-General Rodolfo C. Severino was, he was defeated by the in candidacy for a second five -year term.