Ambassador to Argentina

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Noel Campbell as Australia's Ambassador to Argentina with non-resident accreditation to Paraguay and Uruguay.

Australia and Argentina share a history of bilateral cooperation in areas such as agriculture, science and technology. We work closely together in multilateral fora such as the Cairns Group within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as members of the G20, and as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Trade and investment links between our nations are strong. In 2013 bilateral trade in goods and services with Argentina was worth around $1.2 billion, while Australian investment in Argentina totalled $667 million following new mining projects announced this year.

Sporting ties too continue to grow between Australia and Argentina and Uruguay. The Wallabies now play the Pumas twice a year in the Rugby Championship and in 2015 the Wallabies will play Uruguay's Teros at the Rugby Union World Cup.

Australia presently works closely with Uruguay and Paraguay in areas such as liberalisation of international agricultural trade, and our relationship with Paraguay has strong potential for growth in sectors such as agribusiness, education and mining.

Currently Assistant Secretary of the International Organisations Branch, Mr Campbell has also been Chief of Protocol and Deputy Legal Adviser at DFAT, Official Secretary to the Governor of New South Wales and Chef de Cabinet to the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. He has served as Ambassador in Madrid, Abu Dhabi and Belgrade.

Mr Campbell is expected to take up his appointment in December 2014. I thank outgoing Ambassador Patricia Holmes for her work in strengthening Australia's relations with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay since 2011.