Ambassador to Serbia

Media release

8 November 2013

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop today announced Ms Julia Feeney as Australia's next Ambassador to Serbia with non-resident accreditation to Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

She is expected to take up her appointment in December 2013, replacing Dr Helena Studdert.

Ms Feeney is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She has served as Counsellor at the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), Geneva and Second Secretary at the Australian High Commission, Nairobi.

Ms Feeney was until September 2013 Assistant Secretary of the Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe Branch. Prior to that, she was Director of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Campaign Task Force and Director of DFAT's Climate Change and Environment Section.

Ms Feeney holds a Bachelor of Economics from Flinders University, South Australia.

Australia's relations with Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are based on dynamic community ties and expanding bilateral engagement.

Australia supports the European aspirations of all three countries. In June, the European Council decided to begin EU membership talks with Serbia by January 2014. Montenegro started accession negotiations in June 2012. In March 2012, the European Commission launched a high-level accession dialogue with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Australia's pivotal location in the Indo-Pacific region offers opportunities to expand bilateral trade and investment with Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Australia's engagement with all three countries in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) contributes to security in the Balkan region and beyond.