SINGAPORE - The Republic has appointed a new non-resident High Commissioner to Fiji.

Mrs Mary Seet-Cheng was appointed to the position by the Government, and will also be Singapore's non-resident Ambassador to the Pacific Islands Forum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Tuesday (Feb 25).

The role of non-resident High Commissioner to Fiji was previously held by Mr Verghese Mathews.

Prior to her new appointment, Mrs Seet-Cheng held various positions in MFA and in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

She served as a diplomat with MFA from 1973 to 1997 and served in Singapore's diplomatic missions in Canberra, London and Brussels.

As Ambassador in Brussels from Jan 1993 to June 1996, she was concurrently accredited to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the European Commission, and the Holy See.

Mrs Seet-Cheng also held several senior appointments in MFA, covering a wide range of portfolios, including Asean, Europe, international economics, management and personnel, North America and South-east Asia, the ministry said.

Since 2006, she has served as senior specialist adviser in MFA, where she advises the ministry on maritime matters.

In 2007, she was concurrently appointed as Singapore's non-resident Ambassador to Cuba and Panama, though she has ended both assignments since.

Mrs Seet-Cheng was seconded to MPA in November 1997 as director of policy where she oversaw policy and strategic planning, port industry development and regulation, economic research and international affairs until May 2006.

During this period, she regularly represented Singapore at International Maritime Organisation meetings in London.

She continues to serve at MPA as a special adviser.

Her contributions led to her being awarded the Public Service Star in 2016.