List of ambassadors of Australia to Belgium

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Ambassador of Australia to Belgium
Ambassador to the European Union
Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
StyleHis Excellency
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderEdwin McCarthy (resident in the Hague)
James Cumes (Chargé d'affaires)
Formation1 May 1959[1]
WebsiteAustralian Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg and Mission to the European Union and NATO

The Ambassador of Australia to Belgium is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Kingdom of Belgium in Brussels. The position has the rank and status of an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Luxembourg. The Ambassador also acts as Australia's Ambassador to the European Union (EU), since 1962,[2] and Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).[3]

Belgium and Australia have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since 1 May 1959 when Australia appointed Edwin McCarthy, Ambassador to the Netherlands in The Hague, as the non-resident Ambassador to Belgium.[1] McCarthy also served as Australia's first Ambassador to the European Communities, when he was appointed in March 1962, just before he left his post in the Netherlands and Belgium, until he retired in 1964.[4][5] When McCarthy retired, Ralph Harry succeeded him as both ambassador to Belgium and the European Communities (became the EU in 1993).[6] Australia has been involved on an official level (as a 'global partner') with NATO since 2005 and the first Australian Ambassador to NATO was Brendan Nelson, appointed on 20 January 2012.[7] Trudy Witbreuk (chargé d'affaires) is the acting head of mission.[8]

Office-holders[]

Ambassadors resident in The Hague[]

Name Start of term End of term References
Edwin McCarthy 1 May 1959 June 1962 [1][9]
Walter Crocker 13 June 1962 1964 [10]

Ambassador to the European Communities[]

Name Start of term End of term References
Edwin McCarthy March 1962 17 March 1964
Ambassador to Belgium

Ambassadors to Belgium[]

Name Start of term End of term References
James Cumes (Chargé d'affaires) 1962 1964
Ralph Harry 1965 1969
1970 1971
Allan Eastman 1972 1974
James Cumes 1975 1977 [11]
James Plimsoll 1977 1980 [12]
Roy Fernandez 1981 1982
Harold David Anderson 1983 1986
Peter Curtis 1987 1991 [13]
David Sadleir 1991 1992 [14]
Ted Pocock 1992 1997
Donald Kenyon 1997 2000 [15]
Joanna Hewitt 2000 2003 [16]
2003 2007 [17]
Alan Thomas 2007 2010 [18]
Brendan Nelson 2010 2012 [19][20]
Duncan Lewis 2012 2014 [21]
Mark Higgie September 2014 6 February 2018 [22]
Justin Brown PSM 6 February 2018 11 January 2021 [23][24]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Diplomatic Status To Be Increased". The Canberra Times. 2 May 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ Delegation of the European Union to Australia (29 July 2013), "Diplomatic relations", Celebrating 50 years: EU-Australia (PDF), p. 25, archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016
  3. ^ CA 2093: Australian Embassy, Brussels [Belgium], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 2 May 2015
  4. ^ "MCCARTHY GIVEN NEW POST". The Canberra Times. 25 October 1962. p. 3. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Sir Edwin McCarthy Retires Today". The Canberra Times. 17 March 1964. p. 2. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Celebrating 50 years: EU–Australia – Australian Ambassadors to the EU" (PDF). Australia-EU Diplomatic Relations. European Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Appointment of Australian Ambassador to NATO" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs – The Hon Kevin Rudd MP. DFAT. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Australian Embassy in Belgium". belgium.embassy.gov.au. Retrieved 11 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Ambassador to the European Communities from 1962 to 1964.
  10. ^ "NEW ENVOY TO BELGIUM". The Canberra Times. 14 June 1962. p. 20. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Four new envoys". The Canberra Times. 9 November 1974. p. 8.
  12. ^ "Ambassadors appointed". The Canberra Times. 27 August 1977. p. 7.
  13. ^ "Hayden names 7 envoys". The Canberra Times. 25 August 1987. p. 3.
  14. ^ "Sadleir to head ASIO". The Canberra Times. 7 March 1992. p. 3.
  15. ^ Downer, Alexander (26 November 1996). "Diplomatic Appointment: Brussels" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  16. ^ Downer, Alexander (26 April 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the Belgium" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  17. ^ Downer, Alexander (9 October 2003). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the European Communities, Belgium and Luxembourg" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  18. ^ Downer, Alexander (18 December 2006). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the European Communities and Belgium" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  19. ^ Smith, Stephen (17 September 2009). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the European Communities, Belgium and Luxembourg, Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and Special Representative to the World Health Organization" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  20. ^ "Beazley, Nelson appointed to key diplomatic posts". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015.
  21. ^ Gillard, Julia (17 September 2012). "Diplomatic Appointment and Appointment of Secretaries of the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014.
  22. ^ Bishop, Julie; Brandis, George (15 May 2014). "Appointment of new Director-General of Security and nomination of new Australian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015.
  23. ^ Bishop, Julie (6 February 2018). "Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the EU and NATO" (Press release). Australian Government.
  24. ^ Workman, Alice (16 February 2021). "DPS departures". The Australian. Retrieved 11 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[]

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