Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues

Today we announce the appointment of Mr Andrew Goledzinowski AM as Australia's next Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues.

The Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues plays an important role in promoting effective and practical international cooperation to counter people smuggling in support of Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB). Mr Goledzinowski will work closely with the OSB Joint Agency Task Force to ensure that international elements of OSB are effectively coordinated across government.

The Ambassador will take forward key elements of the government's regional deterrence framework, including through the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, which Australia co-chairs with Indonesia.

Mr Goledzinowski is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is currently Assistant Secretary of the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia Branch. Overseas Mr Goledzinowski has served as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, with earlier postings in Wellington, Pretoria, Port Vila, Geneva UN and Baghdad. He has also held senior positions with the United Nations and World Bank. In Canberra Mr Goledzinowski has previously had responsibility for counter terrorism, United Nations, and Pacific regional issues.

Mr Goledzinowski will take up his appointment in December 2014.

The Government thanks outgoing Ambassador Craig Chittick OAM for his work on promoting Australian and regional efforts to combat people smuggling and trafficking since 2012. Mr Chittick has been an integral part of the Operation Sovereign Borders team who have worked hard to implement the government's policies to stop illegal boat arrivals. His dedication and efforts in this role was strongly appreciated by the Government and the personnel of the Operation Sovereign Borders Joint Agency Task Force.