High Commissioner To o Solomon Islands

Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Solomon Islands

MEDIA
RELEASE

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ALEXANDER DOWNER

I have today announced the appointment of Dr Martin Sharp as Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands.

Dr Sharp will replace Mr James Batley, who has been High Commissioner since June 1997.

Australia's relations with Solomon Islands are close and long-standing, embracing development assistance, trade, investment, defence cooperation and people-to-people links. Australia and Solomon Islands work together closely as neighbours and as members of the South Pacific Forum, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. I am sure that this close cooperation will continue and strengthen as we address regional and international issues of shared concern and as Solomon Islands continues to pursue the many challenges of economic and institutional reform and development.

Dr Sharp is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. After joining the Department in 1985 he worked in Historical Documents Branch (1985-89), and International Organisations Branch (1989-92) before serving as First Secretary with the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (1992-95). From 1996-98 he worked in West Europe Branch, Corporate Management Division and Mainland South East Asia Branch. Until recently Dr Sharp was Counsellor, Political and Economic Section, at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Dr Sharp was born in 1959 and has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of New South Wales and PhD in Australian History from the Australian National University. He is married with two daughters.

He is expected to take up his appointment in July 1999.

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