Ambassador to Jordan

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Miles Armitage as Australia's next Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Australia and Jordan enjoy a history of friendship and cooperation dating back to the First World War, where Australians served in the region as part of the Allied forces. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1975, Australia's relationship with Jordan has grown to include education, defence and cultural cooperation.

As a neighbour to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, Jordan hosts a large refugee population. Since 2011, Australia has provided $258 million in response to these humanitarian crises, with around $126 million of this supporting refugees and their host communities in neighbouring countries, including Jordan. This year, Australia has provided $25 million in humanitarian assistance and we are developing a multi-year assistance package to strengthen Jordan's capacity to continue hosting large numbers of refugees.

The crises in Syria and Iraq have brought Australia and Jordan closer together. We have increased our counter-terrorism cooperation to address the rise of Daesh, and in the United Nations Security Council we have co-authored resolutions to address the humanitarian crisis.

Mr Armitage is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is currently Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, a position he has held since May 2014. He has previously served as Ambassador to Timor-Leste, with earlier postings to Manila, New York and Islamabad.

In Canberra, Mr Armitage has served as Assistant Secretary of the Parliamentary and Media Branch, and the Maritime South East Asia Branch. He has also been seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet where he served as Assistant Secretary of the Americas, Asia and Trade Branch.

Mr Armitage has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree and a Diploma of Museum Studies from the University of Sydney, and a Graduate Diploma of Foreign Affairs and Trade from the Australian National University.

Mr Armitage is expected to take up his appointment in July. I thank outgoing Ambassador Heidi Venamore PSM for her significant contribution to advancing Australia's interests in Jordan since 2012.