Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced the appointment of Matthew Duckworth as Australia's next High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

In a statement, she noted that Duckworth is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, previously serving as Assistant Secretary, United States Trade Taskforce and Deputy Chief Negotiator for the Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement. 

 

He has also had overseas postings in Indonesia and Cambodia. 

 

He replaces Paul Stephens, who has served as High Commissioner since 2022.

Foreign Minister Wong wrote, "Sri Lanka is a key partner for Australia in the Northeast Indian Ocean. Our relationship is based on strong community links, our longstanding development partnership, growing trade and investment ties, and our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean Region.

"Australia and Sri Lanka work closely together to find practical solutions to shared regional and global challenges, including transnational crime, regional maritime security and people smuggling.

"Our countries also share strong people-to-people ties, and Australia's Sri Lankan community of more than 160,000 people makes an important and valued contribution to Australia’s multicultural society."