Ambassador to Qatar

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Shane Flanagan as Australia's next Ambassador to Qatar.

The Australia-Qatar relationship is underpinned by strong commercial ties in agriculture, investment and aviation, and technical cooperation in security-related fields. More than 3,000 Australians and a growing number of Australian companies are based in Qatar.

Qatar is a valued source of foreign direct investment in Australia, with an estimated AUD 4 billion in property, infrastructure, and renewable energy.

Mr Flanagan is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Director of the Southern, Central and West Africa Section.

He has previously served overseas as Deputy Head of Mission in Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, with earlier postings to Indonesia and Japan.

I thank outgoing Ambassador Jonathan Muir for his contributions to advancing Australia's interests in Qatar since 2019.