JAKARTA, 22 January 2026 - Ambassador Sharon Lennon today presented her Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, marking the assumption of her post as the Ambassador of Ireland to ASEAN.

Secretary-General Dr. Kao congratulated Ambassador Lennon on her new role and reaffirmed the ASEAN Secretariat's commitment to working closely with her and the Embassy of Ireland in Jakarta to further strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and Ireland. He encouraged Ireland to explore cooperation opportunities with ASEAN in areas of mutual interest, including in the digital economy, peace and reconciliation, trade, investment, tourism, as well as people-to-people and business-to-business linkages.

Ambassador Lennon reaffirmed Ireland's commitment to deepening its constructive engagement with ASEAN, including as the incoming President of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2026. Ireland also recognised ASEAN Centrality and its essential role in promoting peace, stability, and security in the region, as well as in the advancement of political, economic, cultural and academic cooperation.

Both sides also looked forward to the 50^th anniversary of the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Partnership in 2027 through initiatives aimed at enhancing visibility and further elevating cooperation.

Ireland appointed its first Ambassador to ASEAN in 2014. Ambassador Lennon is the fourth Ambassador to hold the position, succeeding Ambassador Padraig Francis, who concluded his tenure in July 2025.