James Larsen Explained

Office:Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
Predecessor:Mitch Fifield
Termstart:26 July 2023
Birth Name:James Martin Larsen
Occupation:Diplomat, lawyer
Children:3
Image Name:James Larsen (2).jpg
Caption:Larsen, pictured in 2006.
Honorific Prefix:His Excellency
Nominator:Anthony Albanese
Appointer:David Hurley
Birth Place:Geelong, Victoria

James Larsen (born March 1965) is an Australian diplomat and bureaucrat currently serving as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations. He has previously worked as the Ambassador to Turkey and the Ambassador to Israel.

Larsen was born in Geelong, and later studied at the University of Melbourne, attaining a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws. Before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Larsen worked as a commercial solicitor for MinterEllison from 1988 to 1991.[1] He joined DFAT in 1992, and worked as second secretary at the Australian embassy in Thailand from 1994 to 1997.[2] Larsen was then appointed as director of the Administrative and Domestic Law Group from 1998 to 2000, before joining the Australian embassy in Belgium as counsellor. From 2004 to 2006 he was legal adviser and assistant secretary in the legal branch of DFAT. In 2006 he was appointed Ambassador to Israel. In this post, he oversaw the relocation of the Australian embassy from Europe House to South Tel Aviv.[3] His next appointment was as Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues.[4] He then became principal advisor to Foreign Minister Bob Carr.[5] He served as the Ambassador to Turkey from 2014 to 2017.[6] Larsen was only 20m (70feet) from the blast in the March 2016 Ankara bombing.[7] [8] [9]

In 2020, he was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and managed the industrial relations working group of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission. In 2021, Larsen was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and climate coordinator to manage the work undertaken by DFAT and the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. Larsen's appointment as permanent representative to the UN was announced on 11 July 2023.[10] [11] He presented his credentials to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 26 July 2023.[12]

In 2023, amidst the Israel–Hamas war, Australia abstained from voting on Resolution ES-10/L.25. Larsen explained that Australia believed the resolution to be incomplete, as it did not recognise Hamas as the perpetrators of the 7 October attacks on Israel, although Australia did "agree with the central proposition, that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and human suffering is widespread and unacceptable."[13] [14]

Larsen is married to Antoinette Merrillees, daughter of Robert Merrillees, who are also both career diplomats. They have three children.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: James Larsen Biography . 2023-08-05 . Australian Embassy Türkiye . 5 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210405173757/https://turkey.embassy.gov.au/anka/HOMbiographyLarsen.html . live .
  2. Australia replaces envoy to Israel . 2006-08-08 . . en-AU . 2023-08-05 . Canberra . 30 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231030025037/https://www.proquest.com/docview/452582016 . live .
  3. Web site: Cashman . Greer Fay . 2023-07-16 . Grapevine July 16, 2023: A lucky day . 2023-08-05 . . en-US . 0792-822X . 15700704 . 31 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230731143234/https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-750176 . live .
  4. News: 2010-02-28 . New ambassador for people smuggling announced . . Sydney . 2023-08-05 . . 5 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805105542/https://www.proquest.com/docview/448534322 . live .
  5. News: 2012-05-27 . Carr appoints new people-smuggling envoy . . . . 2023-08-05 . 5 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805103443/https://www.9news.com.au/national/carr-appoints-new-people-smuggling-envoy/039240a9-c699-43f7-a32e-74f36a34e004 . live .
  6. News: Brown . Greg . Williams . Perry . 2021-04-13 . Scott Morrison getting warmer on net-zero target with new climate tsar James Larsen . . . live . subscription . 2023-08-05 . https://archive.today/20230805080102/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/scott-morrison-getting-warmer-on-netzero-target-with-new-climate-tsar-james-larsen/news-story/55dca99acc9649765aedd949e0ca0920?amp&nk=a8c11ec94a362c48480f69328ed75821-1691222476 . 2023-08-05.
  7. News: Sherden . Amy . 2016-03-14 . Ankara bombing: Australian ambassador to Turkey recounts chaotic blast scene . en-AU . . . 2023-08-05 . 3 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161103113825/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-14/australian-ambassador-to-turkey-recounts-ankara-blast/7245966 . live .
  8. Web site: Koziol . Michael . 2016-03-14 . Australia's ambassador to Turkey James Larsen just '20 metres' from Ankara bomb blast: Julie Bishop . limited . live . https://archive.today/20230805062259/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australias-ambassador-to-turkey-james-larsen-just-20-metres-from-ankara-bomb-blast-julie-bishop-20160314-gni24w.html . 2023-08-05 . 2023-08-05 . . . en-AU.
  9. Web site: Aubusson . Kate . 2016-03-14 . Australia's Ambassador to Turkey James Larsen was with his young daughter when car bomb exploded metres away in Ankara, killing 37 . limited . live . https://archive.today/20230805061516/https://www.smh.com.au/world/australias-ambassador-to-turkey-james-larsen-was-with-his-young-daughter-when-car-bomb-exploded-metres-away-in-ankara-killing-37-20160314-gnitxd.html . 2023-08-05 . 2023-08-05 . . . en-AU.
  10. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations . 2023-07-11 . . en-AU . 2023-08-05 . 5 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805055237/https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/ambassador-and-permanent-representative-united-nations . live .
  11. Web site: Barlow . Karen . 2023-07-11 . Penny Wong announces diplomatic posts for UN, Maldives, Mexico, and Ambassador for Arms Control . subscription . 2023-08-05 . . . en-AU . 11 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230711094123/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8266372/wong-appoints-new-ambassador-to-un-first-to-maldives/ . live .
  12. Web site: 2023-07-26 . New Permanent Representative of Australia Presents Credentials . 2023-08-05 . UN Press . . en.
  13. Web site: Visentin . Lisa . 2023-10-28 . Australia abstains on ‘incomplete’ UN resolution for Gaza truce . limited . 2023-10-28 . . . en-AU . 0312-6315 . 226369741 . 28 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231028145938/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-abstains-on-incomplete-un-resolution-for-gaza-truce-20231028-p5efqv.html . live .
  14. News: Manfield . Evelyn . 2023-10-28 . Australia abstains 'with disappointment' from UN resolution on Israel-Hamas truce . en-AU . . . 2023-10-28 . 28 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231028145936/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-28/australia-abstains-from-un-vote-on-israel-and-hamas-truce/103035664 . live .

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