HE Andrew Ford takes up new post in Kolkata [1]
Friday, January 11, 2019 - 18:19
Australia’s High Commissioner to Tonga HE Andrew Ford, will be leaving to take up a post as Consul-General in Kolkata.
In a twitter post, Mr Ford said “Sadly I finish up in Tonga in four weeks time”.
As Australia’s fourth diplomat to be posted in India, Mr Ford will establish and lead its new diplomatic presence in Kolkata, West Bengal, according to a statement from Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Marise Payne.
India is one of the leaders of Australia's international partnerships. In 2017-18, it was Australia's fifth largest trading partner with a total two-way trade in goods and services of $29.1 billion, and two-way investment in 2017 of AU$29.5 billion.
Mr Ford’s key role is to further Australia's trade, commercial and investment interests in the eastern and north east Indian states of West Bengal, Arunachal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland Odisha, Pradesh, Sikkim and Tripura.
Australia has substantial and expanding economic links with West Bengal and neighbouring states including the Australia-India Mining Partnership.
Mr Ford has served overseas previously in Kuala Lumpur and Seoul prior to his post in Tonga. In Canberra he held a range of positions, most recently as Director of the Free Trade Agreement Policy and New Issues Section.
Mr Ford holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from Monash University.
His successor in the Tonga post has yet to be announced.