General Campbell has been appointed as the European Ambassador.
Australia has announced new representatives for Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, as well as Papua New Guinea.
Former Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, has been appointed as Australia’s Ambassador to Belgium, the European Union (EU), NATO, and Luxembourg.
Campbell’s tenure as Chief of the Defence Force from 2018 to 2024 was considered invaluable for working with NATO and the EU, particularly in areas of security, human rights, climate change, and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong highlighted Campbell’s appointment as a reflection of Australia’s commitment to international norms and rules.
“The EU remains a vital partner in promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific, and efforts continue toward finalizing a free trade agreement that aligns with Australia’s national interests,” said Wong.
Campbell is expected to promote Australia’s interests in both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
“Australia’s representatives overseas prosecute our national interests and, through their diplomatic engagement, help uphold the norms and rules that have underpinned decades of peace and prosperity,” Wong said.
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The foreign minister said Campbell’s role will also honor Australia’s historical ties with Belgium, rooted in the sacrifices by soldiers at Flanders fields during World War I.
Additional Key Diplomatic Roles Announced
In addition to Campbell’s appointment, Peter Truswell has been named Australia’s Ambassador to Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
“Australia enjoys positive bilateral relationships with all three countries, underpinned by strong community and cultural ties. Over 210,000 Australians claim ancestry from this region. We look forward to expanding our trade and investment relationships, including in the mining, mining services, and IT sectors,” said Wong.
Truswell is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently director of the India Economic Roadmap Taskforce.
He has previously served overseas as Consul-General in Mumbai, and the deputy head of mission for the Australian Embassy in Kabul, and had postings in Seoul, and the United Nations, Geneva.
Meanwhile, Brenton Kanowski has been appointed Consul-General in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Lae, the nation’s northern commercial hub, is central to Australian investment and trade.
Kanowski will prioritize advancing Australia’s trade in the region.
Kanowski is a career public servant most recently serving at the Australian High Commission, Tarawa.
He has previously held positions in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Commonwealth Treasury, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Office of the Pacific.
