Australia’s new High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Mr Ewen McDonald, arrived in Port Moresby on 7 May 2025 to formally commence his diplomatic posting, reinforcing the continuity of one of Australia’s most significant regional partnerships.
Mr McDonald presented his letter of introduction to Prime Minister James Marape the following day. A seasoned senior official in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), McDonald brings with him extensive experience in Pacific diplomacy and development cooperation.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, and earlier, as High Commissioner to New Zealand with concurrent accreditation to the Cook Islands and Niue. His domestic leadership roles have included Deputy Secretary of DFAT, Head of the Office of the Pacific, and senior executive positions in both the former AusAID and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Notably, McDonald will retain his role as Australia’s Special Envoy for the Pacific and Regional Affairs, underlining the strategic weight Canberra places on its relationship with Papua New Guinea and the broader Pacific Islands region.
In a brief statement upon arrival, Mr McDonald said, “I’m honoured to be back in Papua New Guinea as Australia’s High Commissioner. By any measure, Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea is one of our most important, enduring and rich. I look forward to working in partnership with Papua New Guinea to further strengthen our economic, security and people-to-people ties.”
The appointment comes at a time of heightened engagement between the two countries. Australia remains PNG’s largest trade and development partner, and the bilateral relationship is increasingly focused on infrastructure investment, regional security, digital transformation, and support for private sector growth.
Mr McDonald’s concurrent envoy role positions him to play a key part in Australia’s evolving economic and strategic presence in the Pacific –a priority reflected in recent initiatives such as the “Yumi Stap Wantaim” campaign (see accompanying story) and expanded defence, energy, and connectivity projects in PNG.
Business leaders and development partners will be watching closely as the High Commissioner’s term gets under way, with expectations of continued collaboration in areas critical to Papua New Guinea’s economic resilience and regional integration.
