This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Avatar photo

Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

12th March 2014

“A new era in Australia-UK relations”

William Hague, Julie Bishop, Philip Hammond and David Johnston

That’s how Foreign Minister Julie Bishop described this week’s Australia UK Ministerial (AUKMIN) meeting in London, between Foreign and Defence Ministers from the two countries. William Hague responded by describing a “unique relationship that makes Australia one of our most important partners.”

William Hague, Julie Bishop, Philip Hammond and David Johnston
William Hague, Julie Bishop, Philip Hammond and David Johnston

Ms Bishop opened the London Stock Exchange on Monday morning, then together with Defence Minister David Johnston we flew down to GCHQ Cheltenham. There were great views of the Thames Valley and Cotswolds from the helicopter, and we were able to see vestigial traces of the recent flooding.

Yesterday the four ministers took part in the formal AUKMIN meeting, discussing issues like Ukraine, Syria, Asia Pacific, and Defence engagement and interoperability. There was a very broad measure of agreement on the analysis and on how we can work even more closely together. Mr Hague and Ms Bishop signed an agreement on Diplomatic network cooperation which will enable us to work together to achieve greater efficiencies, for example by sharing embassy facilities in Baghdad. They also launched a new think tank dialogue on Asia led by Ditchley Park and the Lowy Institute.

The Australian ministers also took part in a meeting of our National Security Council and met Prime Minister Cameron at 10 Downing Street. The PM said he was looking forward to visiting Australian in November for G20. Senator Johnston is now heading to Scotland and the North West to look at ship and submarine construction. Foreign Minister Bishop will be delivering a major speech at Chatham House, meeting DFID Minister Justine Greening to launch a new Development Partnership and meeting business leaders and others.

This was the fourth AUKMIN I’ve attended. The annual event is going from strength to strength. The very warm personal relationship between the ministers reflects the close ties between Britain and Australia.

Watch the High Commissioner’s video blog from AUKMIN.

Paul Madden with William Hague
Paul Madden with William Hague

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.

Follow Paul

Tags

Asia Pacific AUKMIN Defence Diplomacy Foreign Policy GCHQ syria ukraine