List of ambassadors of France to Australia

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
Christophe Penot
since 27 June 2017
StyleHis Excellency
AppointerEmmanuel Macron
Inaugural holderPierre Augé
Formation1944
WebsiteLa 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
IncumbentStart of termEnd of term
Pierre Augé[3]10 March 19451949
Gabriel Padovani19491952
Louis Roché19521955
Renaud Sivan19551960
Philippe Monod19601963
François Brière19631967
André Favereau19671971
Gabriel Van Laethem19711975
Albert Tréca19751978
Pierre Carraud19781981
Jean-Bernard MériméeFebruary 1982May 1985
Bernard Follin19851988
Roger Duzer19881991
Philippe Baude19911995
Dominique Girard19952000
Pierre Viaux20002003
Patrick Hénault20032005
François Descoueyte20052008
Michel Filhol20082011
Stéphane Romatet20112014
Christophe Lecourtier27 June 2014June 2017
Christophe Penot27 June 2017November 2020
Jean-Pierre Thébault 27 November 2020

See also

References
  1. "L'Ambassadeur - La France en Australie". au.ambafrance.org. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  2. "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.
  3. 1945 'FRENCH MINISTER TO AUSTRALIA NAMED.', Sunday Mail (Brisbane), 11 March, p. 6, viewed 14 November 2015
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