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Read the latest headlines about diplomatic missions and international organizations in Vienna and Austria

IAEA Nuclear Watchdog Chief Yukiya Amano Died at 72

The boss of the Vienna-based IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano is dead. The Japanese was 72 years old. The longtime Japanese diplomat held the IAEA's top job since December 2009. The cause of his death is unclear. According to IAEA, Amano passed away as a result of his illness. Amano’s death comes at a time of increasing concerns and escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

July 22, 2019 · Updated: July 24, 2019; 13:00

UN Chief Guterres Voices Deep Sadness at Death of IAEA Chief Amano

UN chief António Guterres paid tribute, saying he was deeply saddened to hear the news of his death.

July 23, 2019

Vienna Welcomes New Ambassadors from South Korea, South Africa, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, Morocco and Sierra Leone

On July 10, 2019, Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed the six newly accredited Ambassadors of South Korea, South Africa, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, Morocco and Sierra Leone to Austria to the Presidential Chancellery of the Vienna Imperial Palace for the presentation of their letters of accreditation.

July 19, 2019

France in Austria: National Day Celebration (Bastille Day)

At the invitation of Ambassador Saint-Paul, the Permanent Representative to the UN, Jean-Louis Falconi and the Permanent Representative to the OSCE, Véronique Roger-Lacan, a reception was held at the French Embassy in Vienna.

July 15, 2019

Poznan Summit: Bringing Western Balkans Closer to EU Remains Priority

Chancellor Bierlein at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Poland. The sixth Western Balkans Conference as part of the Berlin Process, which brings together heads of government from several EU states and their counterparts from the Western Balkans, dealt with connectivity at all levels.

July 9, 2019

How North Macedonia Learns from Austria - Best Practices on the Topic of Equal Treatment

During a visit of the delegations of the Macedonian Ministry of the Interior and the OSCE Mission Skopje to the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Vienna, representatives of all sides exchanged views on the subject of equal treatment.

July 4, 2019

Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Austria

Italy's President Sergio Mattarella was on a two-day state visit to Austria. The main topics discussed were Sea Watch 3, South Tyrol and the situation of the European Union after the elections.

July 3, 2019

Schallenberg Represents Austria in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg travelled to Geneva on the occasion of the current meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Last year Austria was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2019 to 2021.

July 2, 2019

Strengthening Comprehensive Security in the OSCE Area

The OSCE’s Annual Security Review Conference in Vienna will discuss state of play of co-operation on comprehensive security in Europe and beyond.

June 25, 2019

Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg at EU Foreign Affairs Council for the First Time

In Luxembourg, Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg represented Austria for the first time at the FAC Foreign Affairs Council and the Council of the European Union.

June 21, 2019

Albania and North Macedonia: No EU Accession Negotiations for the Time Being, but Austria Still in Favor of It

The decision to start accession negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia was postponed. Several EU states are blocking enlargement in the Balkans. The EU committee of the Austrian Federal Council demands that the Western Balkans become part of the EU. The Austrian Federation of Trade Unions, on the other hand, warns against hasty new admissions.

June 20, 2019

New Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg Took Office

Austria is and remains a reliable partner in the world and in Europe, stressed the new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in his first speech to the Austrian National Council. Since developments at the international level are continuing and important decisions are pending, he said that what is needed most of all now is "a sense of proportion to what is possible, trust, reliability and stability".

June 17, 2019

Meet the Ambassador of the Republic of India to Austria: H.E. Ms. Renu Pall

Renu Pall is the Ambassador of India to Austria and Montenegro, and Permanent Representative of India to the International Organizations in Vienna since February 2017.

February 7, 2017 · Updated: June 13, 2019; 13:44

Potential President of the EU Commission Michel Barnier Met Top of New Austrian Government

Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier was in Vienna to meet several members of the new government, including Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Officially, the Brexit negotiations were the focus of the talks, however, unofficially Barnier repeatedly shows interest as Jean-Claude Juncker's successor in the office of EU Commission President.

June 11, 2019

Global Compact for Migration: Top UN Refugee Agency Diplomat Volker Türk at the Kreisky Forum

Austria's top diplomat in the UNHCR, a United Nations Programme, the international law expert Dr. Volker Türk has made an appeal to governments, NGOs and individuals to rethink refugee protection and to implement the UN Global Compact for Refugees adopted in 2018.

June 6, 2019

Austrian Top Diplomat Albert Rohan Deceased

As one of his first duties the new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg had to inform the public about the death of one of the most distinguished diplomats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Albert Rohan died shortly after his 83rd birthday. He had played a crucial role in shaping Austrian foreign policy in numerous international functions.

June 5, 2019

New Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg Inaugurated

The new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (49) was sworn in by the Federal President as Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs. He succeeds Karin Kneissl.

June 5, 2019

Western Balkans: Austrians Demand EU Accession Negotiations Begin

After the EU Commission issued a recommendation for the opening of accession talks with the two Western Balkan states North Macedonia and Albania, the European parliamentarians of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) Karas and Mandl demand that the "promises" be kept. The decision to open accession talks will be taken by the Member States later in June.

June 5, 2019

40 Years of the UN in Vienna - The Tireless Commitment of António Guterres

UN Secretary General António Guterres completed a busy programme when he came to Vienna for the 40th anniversary celebrations and the R20 Austria World Summit. The VIC Vienna International Centre is the place where, with the help of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the 193 member states, 15 Vienna-based UN organisations and more than 5000 people from 125 countries from around the world are bound together.

May 31, 2019

Combat Climate Change - António Guterres' Remarks at the R20 Austrian World Summit

Because of climate change all around the world the sea level is rising, floods, drought, wildfires and extreme storms appear, and people are now losing their homes and being forced to migrate. Read what António Guterres had to say in Vienna after a trip to the South Pacific.

May 30, 2019

Diplomats for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2019

More and more embassies, delegations and permanent representations to international organisations supported this day (IDAHOBIT), that raises awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide, as well as EuroPride 2019 in Vienna.

May 29, 2019

Amerika Haus: Rushan Abbas About Concentration Camps in Xinjiang, China

Rushan Abbas, a Uighur American whose family members have been detained in China, spoke at the Amerika Haus Wien about various human rights violations against Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang province. In her presentation "China’s Concentration Camps in a Muted World" she pointed out, that far West China’s Uyghur people, a minority Muslim group, face a high-tech police state, cultural genocide, and mass detainment in modern concentration camps.

May 29, 2019

Head of China's Top Legislative Body in Vienna

Li Zhanshu, one of China's most powerful politicians was in Vienna and was received by Austria's central institutions despite the domestic political turbulences.

May 28, 2019

EU and UN - 40 Years Together in Vienna

Both the UN United Nations and the EU European Union celebrate their 40th anniversary in Vienna. The Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna was established as soon as the United Nations opened their Vienna headquarters in 1979.

May 27, 2019

Apostolic Nuncio Pedro Lopéz Quintana Arrived in Vienna

H.E. Archbishop Dr. Lopéz Quintana became the 92nd Apostolic Nuncio in Vienna after the first accreditation of a Pontifical Nuncio in 1529.

May 22, 2019

Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl to Remain in Transitional Government

While President Van der Bellen has removed Interior Minister Kickl from office, Foreign Minister Kneissl will remain in a transitional government at her own request.

May 21, 2019

Russia Expands Network in Upper Austria

Wolfgang Mayer of the company Backaldrin was elected Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation for Upper Austria in Asten/Upper Austria by the Russian Ambassador in Austria, H.E. Dmitrij Ljubinskij. After the already established Honorary Consulates in Innsbruck and Bludenz, he thus takes over the third Russian Honorary Consulate in Austria. His task is to look after the 3000 Russians in Upper Austria and to promote culture and education.

May 16, 2019

ALPS 2019: How Diplomacy and Commerce Fit Together

As part of the 11th ALPS round in May 2019, 21 international company and start-up founders from 13 non-EU countries had the opportunity to make contact with Austrian decision-makers, explore ways of working together and develop new ideas.

May 16, 2019

Vienna Sticks to Iran Agreement

At the Eastern Partnership meeting in Brussels, the foreign ministers of the EU states discussed the rescue efforts for the nuclear agreement with Iran, specifically the maintenance of trade relations despite US sanction threats. Austria's Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl demanded that the nuclear agreement with Iran should be an EU priority.

May 16, 2019

New Nuncio Lopez to Be Bridge between Rome and Austria

The new Apostolic Nuncio in Austria sees itself as an instrument of unity and communication between the Pope and the Church in Austria. This was underlined by Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana (65) at his first official meeting with the Austrian Bishops' Conference in Vienna.

May 15, 2019

Putin and Van der Bellen Open Sochi Dialogue Forum

The Sochi Dialogue Russian Austrian Forum was opened in the Black Sea port city as part of a working discussion between Russian and Austrian representatives from politics, business, science, education, art and culture.

May 15, 2019

The Ambassadors of the Four Allied Powers in the Austrian Federal Chancellery

On the occasion of the "Liberation" Day of Austria from National Socialism by the Allies in 1945 and the end of the Second World War (Victory in Europe Day), Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz received the four ambassadors of the USA (Trevor Traina), Great Britain (Leigh Turner), France (representative of Francois Marcel Michel Saint-Paul) and Russia (Dmitrij Ljubinskij) at the Federal Chancellery.

May 13, 2019

The Lipizzaners - What Links Austria and Slovenia Together

The Lipizzan horses are to become cultural heritage. After decades of dispute, Slovenia and Austria submit the Lipizzaner breed to UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. This was declared by Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and her Slovenian colleague Miro Cerar after signing a joint declaration in Going in Tyrol. The application should be submitted by March 2020 with the aim of enrolment by 2021.

May 7, 2019

Foreign Minister of Albania Gent Cakaj Visits Vienna

Austria emphasises its continued support for the commencement of EU accession negotiations with Albania.

April 26, 2019

Alibaba's Jack Ma Hosted Lower Austrian Business Delegation

In order to improve bilateral relations and exports between Lower Austria and the Chinese partner province Zhejiang near Shanghai, a large delegation from Lower Austria headed by Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner was touring East China this week. The plan is to increase goods exports by 100 million euros within four years.

April 26, 2019

Austrian Volker Türk Appointed Top UN Official

The Austrian lawyer and UN official Volker Türk was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as one of his deputies with the title Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination.

April 19, 2019

Silk Road Initiative in Mutual Interest - Chinese Delegation at Austrian Parliament

During a working visit by Ma Biao, former member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and current Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Austrian parliamentarians show interest in the trade partnership with China.

April 19, 2019

150 Years of Japanese Austrian Relations - The Danube Island Cherry Grove Festival

The Japanese donated 1000 trees for 1000 years of Austrian history and for a meanwhile 150 year friendship. Next week, the Japanese organisations in Vienna, together with the City of Vienna, will celebrate the 18th Cherry Grove Festival on the Danube Island, which is based on the Japanese Hanami Festival (花見).

April 18, 2019

Vienna Based OSCE Concerned about Freedom of the Media in Crimea and Uzbekistan

Following reports about the recent arrest of several citizen journalists in Crimea, the continued deterioration of freedom of expression and the safety of journalists on the peninsula, and about blocking of media outlets in Uzbekistan, the OSCE condems the arrest of citizen journalists in Crimea and calls for their immediate release, and also urges reform to media laws and regulations in Uzbekistan. Similarities to the case of the Austrian journalist Wehrschütz become apparent.

April 18, 2019

Montenegro and Austria Emphasise Good Relations

The Prime Minister of the Western Balkan country Montenegro, Duško Marković, and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz stressed in Vienna the good relations and the potential for further cooperation in the economic field.

April 12, 2019

Austria Welcomes 6 New Ambassadors from Armenia, Mali, Namibia, North Macedonia, Trinidad and Tobago and Turkey

On March 19, 2019, Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed six newly accredited Ambassadors to Austria to the Presidential Chancellery of the Vienna Imperial Palace for the presentation of their letters of accreditation.

March 20, 2019 · Updated: April 8, 2019; 12:00

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to Austria: H.E. Ms. Oumou Sall-Seck

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Mali (République du Mali) to Austria, H.E. Ms. Oumou Sall-Seck presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

March 20, 2019 · Updated: April 8, 2019; 11:00

Leaders Discuss Azerbaijani-Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict in Vienna

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met in Vienna for the first time under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to discuss the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The two heads of state also met with Austrian President Van der Bellen and Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

April 5, 2019

Former Top Indian Diplomat Returns to Vienna

Shivshankar Menon, former Foreign Secretary and National Security Adviser of India, who speaks some German, will visit Vienna in April, where he regularly visited the IAEA from 2008 to 2014, as a member of India's Atomic Energy Commission. At a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are particularly high, he will talk about "The New Asian Geopolitics".

March 28, 2019

150th Anniversary - Japan and Austria Enjoy Excellent Bilateral Ties

Foreign Minister Kneissl has concluded her visit to Japan, which served, among other purposes, as preparation for the visit of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in autumn on the occasion of 150 years of relations between Japan and Austria. During her stay Kneissl also took part in numerous bilateral meetings and in the international women's conference WAW World Assembly for Women.

March 26, 2019

Kurz in the Emirates and in Kuwait - A Lipizzaner Stallion for the Monarch

Chancellor Kurz visited the UAE United Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait with an extensive business delegation. Main purpose were deals in in the fields of energy, sustainability, infrastructure, transport and health. Also on the trip were 25 Lipizzan stallions of the Spanish Riding School including riders, which were on a tour in the Emirates. Kurz presented the Crown Prince of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with a Lipizzan stallion as a gift from the Republic of Austria.

March 25, 2019

UNIDO Supports the Philippines Achieving Its Development Goals - Secretary of Foreign Affairs in Vienna

The Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines H.E. Mr. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. visited the UNIDO in Vienna to meet Li Yong, the Director General. “The Government of the Philippines highly appreciates UNIDO’s relevance in helping the country achieve its development goals.”

March 22, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to Austria: H.E. Ms. Makeda Antoine

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to Austria, H.E. Ms. Makeda Antoine presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

March 20, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to Austria: H.E. Ms. Nada Kruger

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to Austria, H.E. Ms. Nada Kruger presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

March 19, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia to Austria: H.E. Mr. Nenad Kolev

The new Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia to Austria, H.E. Mr. Nenad Kolev presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

March 19, 2019