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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

23rd September 2014

All eyes on New York this week

UN HQ

British and Australian leaders will no doubt be seeing each other around New York this week, amidst the frenzied activity which comprises the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) Ministerial Week. Tony Abbott, David Cameron, Julie Bishop and Philip Hammond will be there, together with ministerial colleagues and around 130 Heads of State or Government.

Inevitably countering extremism and the threat of ISIL will be a big priority for all of us, with President Obama hosting an important UN Security Council meeting on Foreign Fighters. Britain will be hosting events on Iraq and Syria, where the focus will include the political and humanitarian aspects of the situation.

Today the UN Secretary General holds a key Summit on Climate Change, with very high level attendance including PM Cameron, to help build momentum for a successful global climate deal in Paris next year.

The UK will also be co-hosting a high level event in support of the Post 2015 Development Agenda, with a particular focus on issues like transparency and accountability. Development issues will also be discussed at the usual Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting which always takes place at this time.

The UN Secretary General has called a meeting to launch a global coalition to tackle the dreadful Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Both Britain and Australia have recently announced new funds for combating Ebola.

This is just a snapshot of some of the many meetings and events which will be taking place around this very important annual gathering of world leaders. This video clip sets out the UK’s priorities for UNGA. As a current member of the UN Security Council, Australian representatives will have a particularly busy time there. Australia’s time on the Council is drawing to a close at the end of this year. As a permanent UNSC member and close ally, we have been working very closely together. Australian ministers and officials can feel proud of the contribution they have made.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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