Ambassador to Chile

  • Media release

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Robert Fergusson as Australia's next Ambassador to Chile. Mr Fergusson is also accredited to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Australia and Chile enjoy a strong relationship based on our shared values and interests and our long standing political and people-to-people links. We also have strong trade and investment links with over 100 Australian companies currently operating in Chile across sectors including mining, education and agriculture. The second Australia-Chile Economic Leadership Forum, being held in Melbourne over the course of today and tomorrow will identify further opportunities.

We cooperate closely in APEC, the United Nations, the Pacific Alliance and the WTO, including on regional security, agricultural trade liberalisation, Antarctic issues and the environment

Colombia is an increasingly important source of investment for Australia. Key areas for economic engagement include mining, energy, education and agribusiness. More than 10,000 Colombians studied at Australian educational institutions in 2015. Australia's commercial links with Ecuador are growing, especially in the mining and education sectors, as well as in engineering, logistics and ICT. Australia and Venezuela relations continue to develop in areas of mutual interest with prospects for future growth.

Mr Fergusson is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has served overseas as Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, with earlier postings to Timor-Leste, Hong Kong and Indonesia. In Canberra Mr Fergusson served as Director of the Papua New Guinea Section and the Counter-Terrorism Section. He has also worked as Senior Adviser in the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Mr Fergusson holds a Master of International Law from the ANU and a Bachelor of Arts and Law from the University of Sydney. He is expected to take up his appointment in January 2017.

I thank outgoing the Ambassador, Mr Tim Kane, for his significant contribution to advancing Australia's interests in the region since 2012.

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