List of ambassadors of Australia to Iraq

Last updated

Ambassador of Australia to Iraq
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Incumbent
Paula Ganly
since 16 December 2020
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Style His/Her Excellency
Reports to Minister for Foreign Affairs
Residence Baghdad
Nominator Prime Minister of Australia
Appointer Governor General of Australia
Inaugural holder Pierre Hutton
(resident in Beirut)
Formation1974;49 years ago (1974)
Website Australian Embassy, Iraq

The ambassador of Australia to Iraq 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 Republic of Iraq in Baghdad. [1] The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Paula Ganly since December 2020.

Contents

Iraq and Australia have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since the Australian government of Gough Whitlam recognised the Iraqi Republic in 1973. Contacts between Australia and Iraq however were much earlier, dating back to British Mandatory Iraq and the British Protectorate Kingdom of Iraq from 1935. [2]

On 2 December 1973, Foreign Minister Don Willesee announced that Iraq and Australia would establish diplomatic relations with the Australian Ambassador in Beirut to be accredited to Iraq. [3] A resident Ambassador was not appointed until 1976, with Neil Truscott becoming the first resident Ambassador in early 1977. [4] With the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait starting the First Gulf War in August 1990, relations between the two countries became severely strained and diplomatic relations were severed in January 1991 with the withdrawal of Ambassador Peter Lloyd immediately prior to Operation Desert Storm. [5] Relations remained severed until the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein and the establishment of the Australian Mission in Baghdad on 3 May 2003, immediately following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. [6] This was upgraded to an embassy 29 June 2004 following the transfer of sovereign authority to the Iraqi Interim Government. [7]

Heads of mission

OrdinalOfficeholderTitleResidencyTerm start dateTerm end dateTime in officeNotes
1 Pierre Hutton Ambassador of Australia to Iraq Beirut, Lebanon197419750–1 years
2 Peter Curtis 1975October 19760–1 years
n/aJ. M. StareyChargé d'affaires Baghdad October 197619770–1 years
3 Neil Truscott Ambassador of Australia to Iraq197719791–2 years [8]
4J. M. Starey197919811–2 years
5A. L. Vincent198119831–2 years
6Miles Kupa198319862–3 years
7 Rory Steele 198619892–3 years
8Peter Lloyd1989January 19911–2 years [5]
Relations suspended
9Neil MulesHead of MissionBaghdad3 May 200329 June 20041 year, 5 months [6] [9]
Ambassador of Australia to Iraq29 June 2004October 2004
10Howard BrownOctober 2004August 20061 year, 10 months [7]
11 Marc Innes-Brown August 2006August 20082 years [10]
12Robert TysonAugust 2008August 20113 years [11]
13Lyndall SachsAugust 201120 July 20153 years, 11 months [12] [13]
14Christopher Langman20 July 201510 January 20182 years, 174 days [14] [15]
15 Dr Joanne Loundes 10 January 201816 December 20202 years, 341 days [16]
16Paula Ganly16 December 2020incumbent2 years, 235 days [17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ CA 6659: Australian Embassy, Iraq [Baghdad], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 30 June 2015
  2. ↑ "Bilateral relations". Australian Embassy, Iraq. Australian Government. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Diplomacy". The Canberra Times . ACT: National Library of Australia. 3 December 1973. p. 3. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "IN BRIEF". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 28 October 1976. p. 17. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 Colvin, Mark (19 February 2003). "Former ambassador discusses Iraq". ABC Radio National - PM. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 Moore, Matthew (3 May 2003). "Australia to open mission in Baghdad". The Age. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 12 September 2011.
  7. 1 2 Downer, Alexander (27 August 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "IN BRIEF Citizenship". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 28 October 1976. p. 17. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  9. ↑ Downer, Alexander (29 June 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  10. ↑ Downer, Alexander (15 August 2006). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Smith, Stephen (16 June 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Rudd, Kevin (30 July 2011). "Diplomatic appointment - Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015.
  13. ↑ Benson, Simon (28 June 2014). "Brave Aussie ambassador in Baghdad Lyndall Sachs has stayed on amid the escalating crisis". The Daily Telegraph. News Corp.
  14. ↑ Bishop, Julie (20 July 2015). "Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "Diplomat appointed new Iraq ambassador". SBS. AAP. 20 July 2015.
  16. ↑ Bishop, Julie (10 January 2018). "Ambassador to Iraq" (Press release). Australian Government.
  17. ↑ Payne, Marise. "Ambassador to Iraq". Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
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