Fødselaren søgte tidligt ud i verden fra fødebyen Aalborg; først med rygsæk i Europa, Mellemøsten og Asien, siden læste han statskundskab i Århus med studie- og praktikophold i bl.a. Uganda i Østafrika.
Som nyudklækket cand.scient.pol. i 1992 gik turen med FNs Udviklingsprogram (UNDP) til Papua Ny Guinea i Stillehavet i to år, før han blev ansat i udenrigsministeriet fra februar 1995.
Efter et par år med fokus på det sydlige Afrika og en periode i ministersekretariatet tog Ruge orlov for at følge sin hustru, som han havde mødt i ministeriet, til Vietnam.
Her arbejdede han i tre år for UNDP og Verdensbanken.
Tilbage på Asiatisk Plads i 2000 stod den på tre års pendufart mellem København, Verdenshandelsorganisationen (WTO) i Geneve i Schweiz og EU i Bruxelles, før han rykkede til Tanzania som 1. ambassadesekretær i Dar es Salaam.
Derpå vendte Nicolai Ruge tilbage til København med ansvar for kvalitetssikring af dansk udviklingsbistand og fra august 2012 ventede den første ambassadørpost.
Han blev vor mand i det fremadstræbende “Tigerland” Malaysia i Sydøstasien og indtil Danmark oprettede separat ambassde i Manila i 2014 var han tillige ansvarlig for Filippinerne.
NIcolai Ruge er gift med cand.jur. Astrid Ruge og parret har to børn.
Ambassadøren om Malaysia
I Malaysia har han lagt følgende velkomsthilsen på ambassadens website med beskrivelse af landets muligheder og potentiale:
Despite the formidable geographical distance between Denmark and South-East Asia, contact was made by merchant ships centuries ago to what is now Malaysia.
Later, adventurous Danes arrived in the 19th century to seek their fortune as traders, craftsmen and working in plantations.
Since then, contacts became much more frequent, and Denmark and Malaysia has enjoyed close and uninterrupted diplomatic relations since the establishment of a Danish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as far back as 1965.
The Embassy is responsible for the official bilateral relations between Denmark and Malaysia.
Besides supporting and promoting Danish interests in Malaysia – politically, commercially and culturally – it is an important task of the Embassy to help and assist Danes who are visiting, living in or otherwise interested in Malaysia, as well as assisting foreigners who wants to visit Denmark.
Lynhurtig modernisering
Few countries in the world have experienced such a rapid modernization of its economy as Malaysia has in recent decades.
Malaysia is conveniently positioned in the middle of the dynamic and increasingly prosperous South-East Asia, and continues to enjoy a robust economic growth.
The EU-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement holds a vast potential for increasing trade between Europe and the Malaysian market of 30 million people.
As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia stand to benefit from the closer regional integration of the ASEAN Economic Community.
Stigende eksport og mange danske firmaer
In 2014 Danish exports to Malaysia amounted to 1.244 billion DKR while imports from Malaysia to Denmark stood at 1.486 billion DKR.
Danish exports to Malaysia has traditionally been dominated by machinery, food products and medical and pharmaceutical products while sectors such as renewable energy and environment, oil & gas and ICT are being promoted.
More than 60 Danish companies have established subsidiaries in Malaysia. Many others are active on the market through local agents, importers and distributors.
The Embassy attaches great importance to promoting Danish business interests in Malaysia.
Through the instruments of the Trade Council, the Embassy is assisting Danish companies entering, establishing and expanding their position in the market. We strive to tailor our services to the needs of the individual company to ensure maximum value.
Konsulære serviceydelser
The number of Danes living in or visiting Malaysia is growing. Consular assistance to Danish residents and tourist is therefore an important part of the Embassy’s mission, for which it is supported by local honorary consuls.
The Embassy is responsible for issuing of visa for Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.
