Ambassador of Australia to the Association of South East Asian Nations

Ambassador of Australia to the Association of South East Asian Nations
Incumbent
Will Nankervis
since October 2020 (2020-10)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHis Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
ResidenceJakarta, Indonesia
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderGillian Bird
Formation5 September 2008
WebsiteAustralian Mission to ASEAN

The ambassador of Australia to the Association of South East Asian Nations is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the delegation of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Australia has been in involved with ASEAN since 1974, when it became the first Dialogue Partner to ASEAN, with involvement in the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.[1]

The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and the present representative is the third resident ambassador to ASEAN based in the Embassy of Australia, Jakarta. However the position has existed since September 2008 when an ambassador resident in Canberra was appointed by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith: "The decision to appoint an Ambassador to ASEAN underscores the importance Australia attaches to ASEAN and our desire to extend Australia's engagement and cooperation with ASEAN and its member nations."[2] The ability for Dialogue partners to appoint Ambassadors to ASEAN only became possible after the completion of the new ASEAN Charter, which was signed in November 2007 and became effective in December 2008.[2]

List of ambassadors

Ordinal Officeholder Residency Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
1 Gillian Bird Canberra, Australia 5 September 2008 (2008-09-05) 1 October 2013 (2013-10-01) 5 years, 26 days [3]
2 Simon Merrifield Jakarta, Indonesia 1 October 2013 (2013-10-01) 2 August 2016 (2016-08-02) 2 years, 306 days [4][5]
3 Jane Duke 2 August 2016 (2016-08-02) October 2020 (2020-10) 4 years, 60 days [6]
4 Will Nankervis October 2020 (2020-10) incumbent 4 years, 23 days [7][8]

References

  1. ^ Wood, Sally Percival (12 September 2014). "The Australia-ASEAN partnership at 40: past dilemmas and future prospects". The Conversation. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b Smith, Stephen (24 July 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to ASEAN". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  3. ^ Smith, Stephen (5 September 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador to ASEAN". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Australia to forge closer relationship with ASEAN". Jakarta: ASEAN. 2 October 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  5. ^ Bishop, Julie (18 September 2013). "First resident ASEAN Ambassador". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  6. ^ Bishop, Julie (2 August 2016). "Ambassador to ASEAN". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Ambassador to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australian Government. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  8. ^ Payne, Marise (4 October 2020). "Ambassador to ASEAN". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 4 March 2021.