Today I announce the appointment of Mr Jonathan Muir as Australia's next Ambassador to Qatar.
Australia enjoys a friendly and fast-developing bilateral relationship with Qatar, underpinned by commercial ties in agricultural produce and investment. More than 3,000 Australians and a growing number of Australian companies are based in Qatar. Australia's goods and services trade with Qatar totalled AU$1.8 billion in 2018 and Qatar's sovereign wealth fund is a valued source of foreign direct investment in Australia.
People-to-people ties have expanded rapidly on the back of the strong growth in direct air links. Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup will provide opportunities to further build these links.
Mr Muir is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Director, People Smuggling and Human Trafficking Taskforce.
Mr Muir holds a Master of International Affairs from Australian National University; and a Bachelor of Arts from Queensland University of Technology.
I thank outgoing Ambassador Axel Wabenhorst for his contributions to advancing Australia's interests in Qatar since 2016.
