List of ambassadors of France to Australia

Ambassador of France to Australia
Incumbent
Pierre-André Imbert
StyleHis Excellency
AppointerEmmanuel Macron
Inaugural holderPierre Augé
Formation1944
WebsiteLa France en Australie

The ambassador of France to Australia is an officer of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and the head of the Embassy of the French Republic to the Commonwealth of Australia. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The ambassador is based with the embassy in Perth Avenue, Yarralumla in Canberra.

The ambassador is currently Jean-Pierre Thébault,[1] and France and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1944, although consular representation has existed in Australia and its previous colonies. In 1836, King Louis-Philippe created the first Australian Consulate in Sydney. Opened in 1842, the Sydney consulate was followed by one in Melbourne in 1854. During the Second World War, there existed two French delegations to Australia: one on behalf of the Vichy government, the other for the Free French. These delegations combined in July 1944 following Australia's formal recognition of the Free French forces as the legitimate government of France and Pierre Augé was appointed Minister by the provisional government of Charles de Gaulle in December 1944.[2]

Ambassadors, 1945–present

Incumbent Start of term End of term
Pierre Augé[3] 10 March 1945 1949
Gabriel Padovani 1949 1952
Louis Roché 1952 1955
Renaud Sivan 1955 1960
Philippe Monod 1960 1963
François Brière 1963 1967
André Favereau 1967 1971
Gabriel Van Laethem 1971 1975
Albert Tréca 1975 1978
Pierre Carraud 1978 1981
Jean-Bernard Mérimée February 1982 May 1985
Bernard Follin 1985 1988
Roger Duzer 1988 1991
Philippe Baude 1991 1995
Dominique Girard 1995 2000
Pierre Viaux 2000 2003
Patrick Hénault 2003 2005
François Descoueyte 2005 2008
Michel Filhol 2008 2011
Stéphane Romatet 2011 2014
Christophe Lecourtier 27 June 2014 June 2017
Christophe Penot 27 June 2017 November 2020
Jean-Pierre Thébault 27 November 2020 2023
Pierre-André Imbert[4] 2023[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "L'Ambassadeur - La France en Australie". au.ambafrance.org. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  2. ^ "French Minister Appointed to Australia". The Advocate (DAILY ed.). Burnie, Tas. 25 October 1944. p. 5. Retrieved 14 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ 1945 'FRENCH MINISTER TO AUSTRALIA NAMED.', Sunday Mail (Brisbane), 11 March, p. 6, viewed 14 November 2015
  4. ^ "Mr. Pierre-André IMBERT, Ambassador of France to Australia". La France en Australie. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Réception en l'honneur de M. Imbert, nouvel Ambassadeur de France en Australie". La France en Australie (in French). Retrieved 25 October 2024.