Singapore reactivated its diplomatic representation in Morocco after several years’ vacancy by appointing Chua Kee Lock as new non-resident ambassador to the Kingdom, marking significant diplomatic milestone in bilateral relations. The Foreign Affairs Ministry announced the January 6, 2026 appointment, ending representation vacancy at this strategic post.
This decision occurs as Singapore intends strengthening diplomatic presence in North Africa while inscribing itself within its traditional non-resident representation doctrine based on efficiency, flexibility, and complementarity between political diplomacy and economic cooperation. Morocco’s selection as diplomatic anchoring point illustrates growing recognition of the kingdom’s role as stable, credible, and influential African continent partner.
Chua Kee Lock will cumulate this function with Singapore’s non-resident ambassador position to Panama, a habitual scheme in Singaporean diplomatic practice. He serves as chairman and chief executive of Vertex Holdings Group, a major technological investment and innovation actor. The profile reflects Singapore’s orientation toward technology and economic partnerships.
An engineer by training, Chua earned his mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin in 1984, followed by engineering master’s from Stanford University in 1987. His career led to first-tier responsibilities in technology, investment, and innovation sectors while sitting on several strategic instances, including the Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science and Keppel Technology Advisory Panel, which he has chaired since 2024.
The designation of a technology sector senior executive signals Singaporean interest in opportunities offered by Morocco in domains including innovation, infrastructure, finance, renewable energies, and African connectivity.
For Morocco, this decision carries particular significance, inscribing itself within broader diplomatic and economic partnership diversification dynamics, notably with Asia’s most dynamic economies, strengthening bilateral engagement potential across multiple sectors, including innovation, infrastructures, finance, renewable energies and connectivity to Africa.
This appointment fills diplomatic vacancy since 2017, when George Goh, then Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Morocco, renounced functions anticipating 2023 presidential election prospects.
