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The ambassador of France to Australia is an officer of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and the head of the Embassy of the French Republic to the Commonwealth of Australia. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The ambassador is based with the embassy in Perth Avenue, Yarralumla in Canberra.
| Ambassador of France to Australia | |
|---|---|
 | |
Incumbent Pierre-André Imbert | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Appointer | Emmanuel Macron |
| Inaugural holder | Pierre Augé |
| Formation | 1944 |
| Website | La France en Australie |
The ambassador is currently Jean-Pierre Thébault,[1] and France and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1944, although consular representation has existed in Australia and its previous colonies. In 1836, King Louis-Philippe created the first Australian Consulate in Sydney. Opened in 1842, the Sydney consulate was followed by one in Melbourne in 1854. During the Second World War, there existed two French delegations to Australia: one on behalf of the Vichy government, the other for the Free French. These delegations combined in July 1944 following Australia's formal recognition of the Free French forces as the legitimate government of France and Pierre Augé was appointed Minister by the provisional government of Charles de Gaulle in December 1944.[2]
Ambassadors, 1945–present
edit| Incumbent | Start of term | End of term |
|---|---|---|
| Pierre Augé[3] | 10 March 1945 | 1949 |
| Gabriel Padovani | 1949 | 1952 |
| Louis Roché | 1952 | 1955 |
| Renaud Sivan | 1955 | 1960 |
| Philippe Monod | 1960 | 1963 |
| François Brière | 1963 | 1967 |
| André Favereau | 1967 | 1971 |
| Gabriel Van Laethem | 1971 | 1975 |
| Albert Tréca | 1975 | 1978 |
| Pierre Carraud | 1978 | 1981 |
| Jean-Bernard Mérimée | February 1982 | May 1985 |
| Bernard Follin | 1985 | 1988 |
| Roger Duzer | 1988 | 1991 |
| Philippe Baude | 1991 | 1995 |
| Dominique Girard | 1995 | 2000 |
| Pierre Viaux | 2000 | 2003 |
| Patrick Hénault | 2003 | 2005 |
| François Descoueyte | 2005 | 2008 |
| Michel Filhol | 2008 | 2011 |
| Stéphane Romatet | 2011 | 2014 |
| Christophe Lecourtier | 27 June 2014 | June 2017 |
| Christophe Penot | 27 June 2017 | November 2020 |
| Jean-Pierre Thébault | 27 November 2020 | 2023 |
| Pierre-André Imbert[4] | 2023[5] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "L'Ambassadeur - La France en Australie". au.ambafrance.org. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "French Minister Appointed to Australia". The Advocate (DAILY ed.). Burnie, Tas. 25 October 1944. p. 5. Retrieved 14 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ 1945 'FRENCH MINISTER TO AUSTRALIA NAMED.', Sunday Mail (Brisbane), 11 March, p. 6, viewed 14 November 2015
- ^ "Mr. Pierre-André IMBERT, Ambassador of France to Australia". La France en Australie. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Réception en l'honneur de M. Imbert, nouvel Ambassadeur de France en Australie". La France en Australie (in French). Retrieved 25 October 2024.