On the 11th of April, 2017, Hon Julie Bishop announced the appointment of Ms Mary Ellen Miller as Australia's next Ambassador to Denmark with non-resident accreditation to Iceland and Norway.
Today I announce the appointment of Ms MaryEllen Miller as Australia's next Ambassador to Denmark with non-resident accreditation to Iceland and Norway.
Australia enjoys strong bilateral relations with Denmark, Iceland and Norway, and extensive people-to-people links, with over 78,000 Australians claiming ancestry from these three countries. We share an enduring commitment to global security and cooperate closely on human rights, gender equality, development cooperation, climate change, non-proliferation and disarmament, and trade liberalisation.
Australia, Denmark and Norway work together to counter violent extremism and terrorism including through our military contributions to the international Coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, to which Iceland also contributes.
Norway and Denmark are important investment partners for Australia, with two-way investment in 2015 worth $22.1 billion and $5.5 billion. Two-way goods and services trade with Denmark, Norway and Iceland in 2015-16 was worth $2.5 billion, $1.2 billion and $149 million, respectively.
Ms Miller is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently Assistant Secretary, Non-Government Organisations & Volunteers Branch. She has held a range of positions in DFAT, including Assistant Secretary, Scholarships & Alumni Branch. Ms Miller holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Canberra.
I thank outgoing Ambassador Damien Miller for his contributions to advancing Australia's interests in Denmark, Iceland and Norway since 2013.
Our members met with the newly appointed Ambassador, at a successful roundtable discussion hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on the 7th of April.
The Norwegian Chamber President, Sophia Demetriades Toftdahl, welcomes the announcement of the appointment and looks forward to a productive relationship between the Chamber and the Ambassador.
