High Commissioner to Vanuatu

Today I announce the appointment of Ms Sarah de Zoeten as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Vanuatu.

Australia and Vanuatu enjoy a warm and close relationship, reflecting a shared interest in the security, stability and prosperity of the Pacific.

Australia looks forward to working with Vanuatu in its hosting of the 2020 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting and celebrating the 40th anniversary of Vanuatu’s independence as well as the 40th anniversary of our bilateral relations in 2020.

Our relationship reflects longstanding people-to-people links and strong and growing security, economic and development partnerships. More than 200,000 Australian tourists visit Vanuatu each year.

Vanuatu is the largest source country for seasonal workers to rural and regional Australia, with more than 14,400 Vanuatu workers providing significant benefits to both of our economies since 2012. Vanuatu is a key partner in Australia’s Pacific Step-Up.

Ms de Zoeten is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and is currently Assistant Secretary, Office of the Pacific. She has previously served overseas in Port Moresby and New York.

She has served as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and as Assistant Secretary, International Legal Branch.

Ms de Zoeten holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Newcastle.

I thank outgoing High Commissioner Jenny Da Rin for her contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Vanuatu since 2017.