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List of high commissioners of Australia to Ghana

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The high commissioner of Australia to Ghana is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia in Accra, Ghana. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Berenice Owen-Jones since 6 July 2022. The ambassador also holds non-resident accreditation as high commissioner to Sierra Leone (1981–1985, since 2004), and Togo (since 2009), and as ambassador to Burkina Faso (since 2008), Côte d'Ivoire (1974–1985, since 2004), Mali (since 2004), Senegal (1974–1985, since 2004), Liberia (since 2008), and Guinea (since 2008). Non-resident accreditation as high commissioner to The Gambia was also held from 1982 to 1985, and from 2004 to 2008. Australia maintained a High Commission in Accra from 1957 to 1985, at which point accreditation was held by the high commissioner in Nigeria. The High Commission was re-established in 2004.[1]

High Commissioner of Australia to Ghana
since 6 July 2022 (2022-07-06)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHer Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
ResidenceAccra
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderStewart Wolfe Jamieson
Formation21 February 1958
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, Ghana

Posting history

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Australia was one of the first countries to recognise Ghana on its independence from 6 March 1957. The Australian Government sent Frederick Osborne, the Minister for Air, and Keith Brennan from the Department of External Affairs, as well as three RAAF Lockheed P-2 Neptune aircraft, to attend and participate in the independence celebrations from 2–10 March.[2] On 27 August 1957, the Minister for External Affairs, Richard Casey, announced the establishment of an Australian High Commission in Accra.[3] On 16 October 1957, Stewart Wolfe Jamieson was announced as the first high commissioner, who assumed duty on 21 February 1958 based in the Ambassador Hotel Accra.[4][5][6]

On 19 August 1974, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Don Willesee, announced the appointment of the high commissioner in Ghana, David Evans, as Australia's first ambassador to Senegal and Ivory Coast, marking the establishment of diplomatic relations with these countries.[7] In October 1981, the high commissioner received non-resident accreditation as the first high commissioner to Sierra Leone.[8] In February 1982, high commissioner Anthony Dingle, presented his commission as Australia's first high commissioner to The Gambia.[9] However, in March 1985 the Foreign Minister, Bill Hayden, announced that due to budgetary pressures and as part of a rearrangement of Australian diplomatic representation in Africa, the high commission in Accra would be closed, with accreditation transferred to High Commission in Nigeria.[10] On his decision, Hayden noted the following to the Australian Parliament's Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence: "The decision to close the High Commission in Accra was not easy. Australia values its good relationship with Ghana and has no wish to give the impression that it is not concerned with or interested in the issues of the area. I have assured the Ghanaian Government that Australia looks forward to maintaining close relations through the accreditation of a non-resident high commissioner."[11]

On 30 June 2004, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer announced the official reopening of the Australian High Commission in Accra, with non-resident accreditation for Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Senegal and Sierra Leone being transferred from the High Commission in Nigeria.[12] In September 2008 the governments of Australia and Liberia agreed to establish diplomatic relations at the ambassador level, with high commissioner Billy Williams becoming Australia's first Ambassador to Liberia from February 2009.[13][14]

Heads of mission

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# Officeholder Other offices Residency Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
1 Stewart Wolfe Jamieson n/a Accra 21 February 1958 (1958-02-21) 19 February 1960 (1960-02-19) 1 year, 363 days [4][5]
− Murray Bourchier (Acting) 19 February 1960 (1960-02-19) 5 May 1960 (1960-05-05) 2 months [15]
2 Bertram Ballard 9 May 1960 (1960-05-09) 17 April 1962 (1962-04-17) 1 year, 343 days [16][17][18]
− Nick Evers (Acting) 17 April 1962 (1962-04-17) 3 March 1963 (1963-03-03) 320 days [19]
− Barrie Dexter (Acting) 3 March 1963 (1963-03-03) July 1965 (1965-07) 2 years, 3 months [20][21]
3 John Ryan July 1965 (1965-07) October 1967 (1967-10) 2 years, 3 months [22][23][24]
4 Richard Woolcott 31 October 1967 (1967-10-31) 3 October 1970 (1970-10-03) 2 years, 337 days [25][26][27]
5 John McMillan 3 October 1970 (1970-10-03) June 1973 (1973-06) 2 years, 7 months [28][29][30]
6 R. J. Percival June 1973 (1973-06) June 1974 (1974-06) 1 year [31][32]
7 David Evans AB June 1974 (1974-06) August 1977 (1977-08) 3 years, 2 months [33][34][7][35]
8 John McCredie AB August 1977 (1977-08) July 1980 (1980-07) 2 years, 11 months [36][37]
9 Anthony Dingle ABCD July 1980 (1980-07) July 1983 (1983-07) 3 years [38][8][9]
10 Geoffrey Allen ABCD July 1983 (1983-07) 20 March 1985 (1985-03-20) 1 year, 8 months [39][40]
11 Allan Taylor n/a Abuja, Nigeria 20 March 1985 (1985-03-20) June 1986 (1986-06) 1 year, 2 months [41]
12 Hugh Wyndham 11 June 1986 (1986-06-11) June 1989 (1989-06) 2 years, 11 months [42][43]
13 Oliver Cordell 20 June 1989 (1989-06-20) April 1993 (1993-04) 3 years, 9 months [44][45]
14 Howard Brown April 1993 (1993-04) September 1997 (1997-09) 4 years, 5 months [46][47]
15 Matthew Neuhaus October 1997 (1997-10) January 2001 (2001-01) 3 years, 3 months [48]
16 Bob Whitty January 2001 (2001-01) February 2004 (2004-02) 3 years, 1 month [49]
17 Iain Dicke February 2004 (2004-02) 30 June 2004 (2004-06-30) 4 months [50]
18 Jon Richardson ABCDEF Accra 30 June 2004 (2004-06-30) February 2008 (2008-02) 3 years, 7 months [51][12][52]
19 Billy Williams ABCEFGHI February 2008 (2008-02) December 2012 (2012-12) 4 years, 10 months [53][54]
20 Joanna Adamson ABCEFGHI January 2013 (2013-01) June 2016 (2016-06) 3 years, 5 months [55][56][57]
21 Andrew Barnes ABCEFGHI June 2016 (2016-06) June 2020 (2020-06) 4 years [58][59]
22 Gregory Andrews ABCEFGHI July 2020 (2020-07) 20 December 2021 (2021-12-20) 1 year, 5 months [60][61][62][63][64]
23 Berenice Owen-Jones ABCEFGHI 6 July 2022 (2022-07-06) Incumbent 2 years, 166 days [65]

Notes

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^A : Also non-resident Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, 1974–1985 and 2004–present.
^B : Also non-resident Ambassador to Senegal, 1974–1985 and 2004–present.
^C : Also non-resident High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, 1981–1985 and 2004–present.
^D : Also non-resident High Commissioner to The Gambia, 1982–1985, 2004–2008.
^E : Also non-resident Ambassador to Mali, 2004–present.
^F : Also non-resident Ambassador (2009–2022) and High Commissioner (2022–present) to Togo.
^G : Also non-resident Ambassador to Burkina Faso, 2008–present.
^H : Also non-resident Ambassador to Liberia, 2008–present.
^I : Also non-resident Ambassador to Guinea, 2008–present.

References

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  1. ^ CA 4408: Australian High Commission, Ghana [Accra], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 9 January 2016
  2. ^ "Ghana". Current Notes on International Affairs. 28 (3). Department of External Affairs: 206. March 1957. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Ghana". Current Notes on International Affairs. 28 (8). Department of External Affairs: 646. August 1957. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Ghana". Current Notes on International Affairs. 28 (10). Department of External Affairs: 808–809. October 1957. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 29 (2). Department of External Affairs: 128. February 1958. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Australian Overseas Representation". Current Notes on International Affairs. 29 (1). Department of External Affairs: 61. January 1958. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Appointment of Ambassador to Senegal and the Ivroy [Sic] Coast". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 45 (8). Department of Foreign Affairs: 559. August 1974. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Diplomatic appointments". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 52 (10). Department of Foreign Affairs: 520. October 1981. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 53 (2). Department of Foreign Affairs: 92. February 1982. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  10. ^ Mannix, Teresa (19 March 1985). "Mission in Ghana to close down". The Canberra Times. p. 3.
  11. ^ "Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence: Australia's diplomatic representation in Africa and adjacent island States". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 56 (4). Department of Foreign Affairs: 353. April 1985. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  12. ^ a b Downer, Alexander (30 June 2004). "New Australian High Commission in Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Liberia and Australia to Establish Ties" (Media Release). Liberia Executive Mansion. 25 September 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  14. ^ "New Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Australia to Liberia presents Letters of Credence" (Media Release). Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Liberia. 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 31 (2). Department of External Affairs: 98. February 1960. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Diplomatic postings announced". The Canberra Times. ACT. 3 March 1960. p. 2. Mr. S. W. Jamieson, formerly High Commissioner in Accra, Ghana, since the post was opened in February 1958
  17. ^ "Mr. B. C. Ballard, who has been appointed High Commissioner to Ceylon". The Canberra Times. ACT. 19 July 1962. p. 2.
  18. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 31 (5). Department of External Affairs: 244. May 1960. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 33 (5). Department of External Affairs: 65. May 1963. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 34 (3). Department of External Affairs: 54. March 1963. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Appointment for Laos". The Canberra Times. 20 June 1964. p. 7.
  22. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 36 (3). Department of External Affairs: 161. March 1965. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  23. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 36 (7). Department of External Affairs: 447. July 1965. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  24. ^ "Envoy to Laos named". The Canberra Times. 6 January 1968. p. 7.
  25. ^ "Appointed Envoy to Ghana". The Canberra Times. 14 September 1967. p. 3.
  26. ^ "Australian High Commissioner in Ghana". Current Notes on International Affairs. 38 (9). Department of Foreign Affairs: 388. September 1967. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  27. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 38 (11). Department of Foreign Affairs: 528. November 1967. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  28. ^ "Diplomatic appointments". Current Notes on International Affairs. 41 (8). Department of Foreign Affairs: 442. August 1970. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  29. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 41 (12). Department of Foreign Affairs: 650. December 1970. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  30. ^ "Envoys named". The Canberra Times. 22 February 1973. p. 3.
  31. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 44 (3). Department of Foreign Affairs: 222. March 1973. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  32. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 44 (6). Department of Foreign Affairs: 436. June 1973. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  33. ^ "Appointed to Ghana post". The Canberra Times. 26 March 1974. p. 7.
  34. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 45 (6). Department of Foreign Affairs: 409. June 1974. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  35. ^ "First Ambassador to Ivory Coast". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 46 (8). Department of Foreign Affairs: 452. August 1975. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  36. ^ "Diplomatic appointments". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 48 (5). Department of Foreign Affairs: 274. May 1977. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  37. ^ "Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 48 (8). Department of Foreign Affairs: 436. August 1977. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  38. ^ "New envoy named". The Canberra Times. 27 June 1980. p. 3.
  39. ^ "Appointment of High Commissioner to Ghana". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 54 (7). Department of Foreign Affairs: 365. July 1983. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  40. ^ "Envoy to Ghana". The Canberra Times. 16 July 1983. p. 3.
  41. ^ "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 54 (1). Department of Foreign Affairs: 51. January 1983. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  42. ^ "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 57 (6). Department of Foreign Affairs: 553. June 1986. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  43. ^ "New envoy appointed to Nigeria". The Canberra Times. 12 June 1986. p. 12.
  44. ^ Evans, Gareth (19 May 1989). "Diplomatic appointment: Nigeria" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  45. ^ "Cordell appointed". The Canberra Times. 25 May 1989. p. 13.
  46. ^ Evans, Gareth (2 March 1993). "Diplomatic appointment: Nigeria" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  47. ^ Evans, Gareth (12 November 1995). "Nigeria: Recall of the Australian High Commissioner" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  48. ^ Downer, Alexander (22 September 1997). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  49. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 September 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  50. ^ Downer, Alexander (12 February 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  51. ^ Downer, Alexander (18 May 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  52. ^ "Mr J Richardson - High Commissioner to Ghana". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  53. ^ Smith, Stephen (10 January 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment - High Commissioner to Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015.
  54. ^ "Mr W Williams - High Commissioner to Ghana". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  55. ^ Carr, Bob (26 September 2012). "High Commissioner to Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  56. ^ "New high commissioner appointed for Ghana". The Australian. News Corp. AAP. 28 September 2012.
  57. ^ "Ms Joanna Adamson - High Commissioner to Ghana". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  58. ^ Bishop, Julie (5 May 2016). "High Commissioner to Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019.
  59. ^ "High Commissioner to Ghana - Mr Andrew Barnes". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  60. ^ Payne, Marise (26 June 2020). "High Commissioner to Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020.
  61. ^ "High Commissioner to Ghana". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  62. ^ Watson, Graeme (14 December 2021). "Australia's man in Ghana reportedly recalled over support for LGBTI people". OutinPerth. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  63. ^ Andrews, Gregory (12 February 2022). "Freedom of faith can't be an excuse for freedom to hate". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  64. ^ "Australian diplomat who helped commission LGBTQ+ office to leave Ghana". GhanaWeb. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  65. ^ Wong, Penny (6 July 2022). "High Commissioner to Ghana" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022.
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