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Vienna International Community - Top Diplomats - Latest Headlines
Read updated news about key diplomats in Vienna's international community,e.g. changes in diplomatic personnel in Austria & at Austrian representations abroad


Vienna Welcomes New Ambassadors from the Holy See, Greece, Iraq, Thailand, Ecuador and Paraguay

On June 14, 2019, Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed the six newly accredited Ambassadors of the Holy See, Greece, Iraq, Thailand, Ecuador and Paraguay to Austria to the Presidential Chancellery of the Vienna Imperial Palace for the presentation of their letters of accreditation.
June 21, 2019 · Updated: July 18, 2019; 11:00



Meet the Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to Austria: H.E. Ms. Nardi Elizabeth Suxo Iturry


The new Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia (Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia) to Austria, H.E. Ms. Nardi Elizabeth Suxo Iturry presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg. Nardi Suxo is also the new Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations and the other international organizations in vienna.
July 18, 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


Meet the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Austria: H.E. Mr. Shin Dong-ik

H.E. Mr. Shin Dong-ik is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Austria and to the Republic of Slovenia and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the International Organizations in Vienna. He was followed in this post by Ambassador Shin Chae-hyun in July 2019.
March 26, 2019 · Updated: July 10, 2019; 12:00



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



Austrian Foreign Ministry - Diplomatic Excursion 2019 to Lake Neusiedl


Foreign diplomats and heads of international organisations in Austria were invited by the BMEIA Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs to the annual summer excursion to Burgenland (Diplomatenausflug 2019).
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


First Visit Abroad Leads Foreign Minister Schallenberg to Finland

His first bilateral trip abroad took Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to Helsinki. The trip focused not only on European policy issues but also on the EU Presidency, which Finland will take over on 1 July 2019.
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



Meet the New Ambassador of the Holy See to Austria: H.E. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Dr. Pedro Lopéz Quintana


The new Ambassador of of the Holy See to Austria, H.E. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Dr. Pedro Lopéz Quintana presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
June 20, 2019



Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay to Austria: H.E. Mr. Juan Francisco Facetti


The new Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay to Austria, H.E. Mr. Juan Francisco Facetti presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
June 20, 2019



Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Austria: H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi


The new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Austria, H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
June 20, 2019



Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to Austria: H.E. Mr. Roberto Betancourt Ruales


The new Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to Austria, H.E. Mr. Roberto Betancourt Ruales presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
June 20, 2019



Meet the New Ambassador of Greece to Austria: H.E. Ms. Catherine Koika


The new Ambassador of Greece to Austria, H.E. Ms. Catherine Koika presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
June 20, 2019



Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Austria: H.E. Mr. Baker Fattah Hussen


The new Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Austria, H.E. Mr. Baker Fattah Hussen presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
June 20, 2019



Elisabeth Gürtler Receives United States Friendship Award


Austrian entrepreneur Elisabeth Gürtler-Mauthner (69) received the Cultural Icon Award in acknowledgement of her achievements and long friendship with the United States of America from US Ambassador Trevor Traina.
June 20, 2019


European Forum Wachau 2019 - Stability and Continuity in European Policy

Austria will continue to represent its interests in Europe in a proven manner, said representatives from politics and business at this year's European Forum Wachau.
June 17, 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



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


Turkish - Austrian Diplomatic Efforts Bear Fruit

According to outgoing Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has promised in a telephone conversation to ease the Turkish blockade of Austria in the "Partnership for Peace (PfP)" programme. The PfP is a NATO program aimed at creating trust between NATO and non-NATO members.
June 3, 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


40 Years of the UN in Vienna - Guterres, Kneissl and Ludwig at Ceremony

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the VIC Vienna International Centre (UNO-City), UN Secretary General António Guterres, former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig attended a ceremony at the Vienna headquarters of the United Nations.
May 30, 2019


Alexander Schallenberg Appointed Austrian Foreign Minister and Minister for European Affairs

The new Austrian Interim Chancellor Ms. Brigitte Bierlein has declared her intention to appoint career diplomat and lawyer Dr. Alexander Schallenberg (50) as Karin Kneissl's successor and thus designated interim Foreign Minister and Minister for European Affairs.
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


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


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



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



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


Meet Thailand's New Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna: H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi

The new Permanent Representative of Thailand to the International Organizations in Vienna, Morakot Sriswasdi, presented her credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and to Yukiya Amano, IAEA Director General.
May 6, 2019


Meet the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Austria: Ms. Robin Dunnigan

Robin Dunnigan assumed the duties of Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Austria in July 2018.
May 2, 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



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


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



International Mine Awareness Day: By 2025 We Want to Make the World Minefree


Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl stresses Austria's commitment to the International Mine Awareness Day. In the last 20 years Austria has provided more than 33 million euros for mine action and supported projects in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Mozambique, Ukraine and other countries.
April 4, 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



Laxenburg Research Institute IIASA Deepens Relations with South Korea


Since the Republic of Korea’s (South Korea) membership of IIASA began in 2008, a range of research collaborations and capacity building activities have been developed by IIASA and 18 Korean research partners. Now, Shin Dong-ik, Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in Vienna, visited IIASA to learn more and to talk about the IIASA research agenda and the institute's current and future research collaborations with South Korea.
March 26, 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


Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Austria: H.E. Mr. Ümit Yardim

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Austria, H.E. Mr. Ümit Yardim presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
March 19, 2019


Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Austria: H.E. Mr. Armen Papikyan

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Austria, H.E. Mr. Armen Papikyan presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
March 19, 2019


Sergey Lavrov to Participate in Session of UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took part in the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs at the Vienna International Center and also met Federal President van der Bellen during his visit to exchange ideas.
March 14, 2019



Iraqi Expert Roundtable in Vienna - How to Reconstruct the City of Mosul?


More than 70 experts from Iraq, Austria and the relevant international community met in Vienna at the invitation of the Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce to discuss the reconstruction of the devastated northern Iraqi city of Mosul and find solutions. Here is the report of the Expert's Round Table on the Reconstruction of the City of Mosul.
March 14, 2019


Austrian Foreign Ministry Summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Scherba for Talks

Journalist Christian Wehrschütz has been barred from entering Ukraine for one year. The Austrian Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry Johannes Peterlik and Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, demand the lifting of the entry ban for ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz.
March 11, 2019