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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

22nd October 2012

Australia wins seat on UN Security Council

Australia has just been elected to join the UN Security Council for two years from January. This is excellent news. William Hague called Foreign Minister Bob Carr to congratulate him. We look forward to having such a strong partner on the UNSC. This will keep my political team in Canberra busier than ever, coordinating on the very wide range of issues which come onto the UNSC’s agenda.

UN Security Council, New York

Australia was elected outright on the first ballot. This was a tribute to the excellent campaign run by our friends in DFAT. But it was also international recognition of the important contribution which Australia makes through its armed forces, its growing aid budget and its active participation in a range of international bodies from G20 to the Commonwealth.

I gave a speech on the Commonwealth at the annual national conference of the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship last weekend. I was invited by their national president, Nicky Downer, wife of Alexander the distinguished former Foreign minister. It was good to spend time with the Downers in Adelaide and benefit from Alexander’s wealth of knowledge of Australian Foreign Affairs. The Victoria League has declined in numbers over the years, and the current leaders acknowledge that they have they have not been  as successful as they would like in attracting younger members. But they continue to do very good work including supporting a hostel in London for Commonwealth students, as well as projects in Africa.

1 comment on “Australia wins seat on UN Security Council”

  1. It is very nice to hear that Australia has elected to join the UN Security Council. It is an inevitable element for the Nation. Finally Australia got this great position.

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About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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Tags

australia DFAT G20 New York Politics UN Security Council UNSC