The latest diplomatic appointments include a resident high commissioner to The Maldives for the first time. Photo: National Press Club.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced a number of new ambassador and high commissioner appointments to the Maldives, Malta, Mexico and a number of other Central American countries, Qatar, Tuvalu, for arms control and counter-proliferation, and to the United Nations.
Mr David Jessup has been appointed as Australia’s first resident High Commissioner to the Republic of Maldives.
The Maldives was previously covered by the high commissioner to Sri Lanka, and an 11 July ministerial statement says the appointment of a resident high commissioner reflects “Australia’s increased engagement in the Indian Ocean, including through the Indian Ocean Rim Association”.
Mr Jessup is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and has previously served overseas in Sweden, Thailand, and the US.
Ms Wong also announced that Mr Matt Kelly has been appointed as the next High Commissioner to Malta which also covers Tunisia, replacing Ms Jenny Cartmill who has served in the role since 2020.
Mr Kelly has served as DFAT’s director of the Eastern Europe and Western Balkans Section, in Iraq and South Africa, and as deputy head of mission in Spain.
Ms Rachel Moseley has been appointed as Australia’s next Ambassador to Mexico, a role which is also accredited to Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
She replaces outgoing Charge d’Affaires, Ms Patricia Holmes.
Ms Moseley is a senior career officer with DFAT, serving as Assistant Secretary Latin America and Eastern Europe Branch, and with postings to Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
Ms Wong also announced Mr Shane Flanagan as the next Ambassador to Qatar, replacing Mr Jonathan Muir who has been in the role since 2019.
Mr Flanagan has served as director of the Southern, Central and West Africa Section, as well as deputy head of mission in Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, and postings to Indonesia and Japan.
Mr Brenton Garlick has been appointed as the High Commissioner to the Pacific nation of Tuvalu, replacing Mr Robin McKenzie in the role.
Mr Garlick has served as assistant director of DFAT’s Solomon Islands Economic and Development Section and has worked at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands Studies (AIATSIS) and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.
The Foreign Minister also announced that Ms Vanessa Wood as Australia’s Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation, replacing Mr Ian Biggs in the role.
The ministerial release says, “the Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation plays a key role in Australia’s efforts to help maintain the conditions for global peace and our work towards a world free of weapons of mass destruction”.
Ms Wood has previously served as assistant secretary, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch, and has also served overseas in the Philippines, Vietnam, and in Switzerland as Australia’s counsellor to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
Mr James Larsen was appointed as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York, replacing Mr Mitch Fifield in the role.
Mr Larsen has previously served as ambassador to Turkiye and ambassador to Israel, has had previous postings in Belgium and Thailand, and has served as a deputy secretary in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Original Article published by Andrew McLaughlin on Riotact.
