Key Developments
Australia named new senior diplomats on 5 July 2026, appointing ambassadors to Thailand, Kuwait and Croatia, an Ambassador for APEC, and a Consul-General in Makassar, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Key Statistics
- 73% share of Australia's total trade linked to APEC economies
- 3 billion people represented by APEC member economies
- AUD 32.9 billion in two-way trade with Thailand
- AUD 328 million in two-way trade with Croatia
- AUD 67 million in Australian investment in Croatia
- 34 million people served by the Makassar Consulate district
Main Body
On 5 July 2026, the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced multiple senior postings: Jeremy Green as Ambassador for APEC, Pablo Kang as Ambassador to Thailand, Amanda Riethmuller as Ambassador to Kuwait, and Glenn Morrison as Ambassador to Croatia with accreditation to Kosovo, alongside Sanchi Davis as Consul-General in Makassar. The Kuwait notice also acknowledged outgoing ambassador Melissa Kelly, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The APEC posting will prioritise services, digital trade and women’s economic empowerment, consistent with a forum that spans about 3 billion people and over 73 percent of Australia’s total trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said. The Thailand appointment highlighted two-way trade worth AUD 32.9 billion and cooperation on regional stability, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Croatia posting noted roughly AUD 328 million in two-way trade and AUD 67 million in Australian investment, and flagged a forthcoming Double Taxation Agreement to deepen ties, the Minister for Foreign Affairs stated. In Indonesia, the Makassar consular district covers about 34 million people and bilateral trade has nearly tripled since IA-CEPA took effect in 2020, the Minister for Foreign Affairs outlined. The Kuwait announcement emphasised agricultural exports and education links, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
For context, on 30 June 2026 a DFAT address reported Australia’s total trade reached a record AUD 1.3 trillion last year, including AUD 51.6 billion with the UK, a 68 percent increase in trade with India, and 19 percent growth in services exports, according to Ministers and Assistant Ministers (DFAT). On 29 June 2026, the foreign minister confirmed engagement with Thai officials on an Australian consular case and noted assistance to seven people in Venezuela, in an interview published by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
These postings consolidated Australia’s diplomatic footprint where trade and regional rule-making are central, particularly in APEC and Southeast Asia. The moves came amid Ground News reporting that Syria’s presidency said it awaited a visit by France’s president, underscoring an active period in regional diplomacy.
