Bilateral Relations between Middle Eastern Countries and Austria
Austria and Middle Eastern countries - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, diplomacy, culture and tourism
COVID-19: Risk Assessment on Travel and Visits to Austria
The coronavirus outbreak has now reached Austria and the disease is spreading further. What is the risk of infection when travelling in and to Austria?
February 28, 2020
Vienna Welcomes New Ambassadors from Turkey, Kosovo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Chad and Equatorial Guinea
Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed the six newly accredited Ambassadors of the Republic of Kosovo, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Chad, the Republic of Guinea and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Austria to the Presidential Chancellery of the Vienna Imperial Palace for the presentation of their letters of accreditation.
February 26, 2020
Portrait: Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Austria, H.E. Mr. Ozan Ceyhun
The new Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Austria, H.E. Mr. Ozan Ceyhun presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
February 26, 2020
Iran Nuclear Agreement: Rouhani and Zarif Met Schallenberg
Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani in Iran to mediate in the nuclear dispute. Rouhani himself has compared the US sanctions against Iran with the corona virus, saying that fear of it is greater than reality.
February 23, 2020
Headquarters Agreement with OPEC Fund Limits Privileges and Immunities
An amendment to the Headquarters Agreement between Austria and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) is intended to bring the 1981 Convention up to date and comparable with modern Headquarters Agreements.
February 18, 2020
Inaugural Visit of the New UNODC Boss Ms. Ghada Waly
Ghada Fathi Waly, the new Executive Director of UNODC and the new Director-General of UNOV, met Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen for talks during her inaugural visit.
February 4, 2020
UNWG International Festival - Charity Bazaar 2020 at the Austria Center Vienna
Once again this year, 20,000 visitors from all nations are expected at the 52nd Bazaar of the United Nations Womens Guild Vienna (UNWG) at the Austria Center Vienna. With the sale of culinary delicacies, products and handicrafts from over 80 countries, the UNWG collects money for needy children. The proceeds will again be donated to charitable organizations.
February 4, 2020
Reception of Austria-Accredited Ambassadors in the Federal Chancellery
The new Austrian Federal Government is in favour of continuing multilateral cooperation, especially in cooperation with the European countries.
January 31, 2020
Holocaust Remembrance Day: Fighting Anti-Semitism with All Strengths
Jews should feel safe in Europe and be able to live without fear of attacks.
January 28, 2020
Vienna Welcomes New Ambassadors from Japan, Croatia, El Salvador, Somalia, Andorra and Nicaragua
Last week Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed the six newly accredited Ambassadors of Japan, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of El Salvador, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Principality of Andorra and the Republic of Nicaragua to Austria to the Presidential Chancellery of the Vienna Imperial Palace for the presentation of their letters of accreditation.
January 20, 2020
Traditional New Year Reception for the Diplomatic Corps in Vienna
The Federal President's Reception for the Diplomatic Corps annually gathers all diplomatic representatives in Vienna in the Ceremonial Hall of the Hofburg.
January 17, 2020
Meet the New Ambassador of Somalia, H.E. Ms. Ebyan Mahamed Salah
The new Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia to Austria, H.E. Ms. Ebyan Mahamed Salah presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 17, 2020
War in Iran: Austria for EU Mediation Role
In view of the tense situation in the Middle East, Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg pleads at a special meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels for a return to dialogue, the continuation of the nuclear agreement and a possible mediation role for the EU.
January 10, 2020
Aircraft Crash: Austrian Airlines Cancels Tehran Flights
Austrian Airlines flights to the Iranian capital are cancelled for the time being. The reason is the unclear security situation in Iranian airspace.
January 10, 2020
Foreign Ministry Advises Against Travelling to Iran
There is currently no official travel warning from the Austrian Foreign Ministry, although it advises against travel that is not absolutely necessary.
January 10, 2020
Egyptian Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly Appointed Executive Director of United Nations Agency UNODC
The United Nations announced the appointment of Ghada Fathi Waly of Egypt as the next Executive Director of the Vienna based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Ms. Waly will also serve as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). She succeeds Yury Fedotov of the Russian Federation.
December 20, 2019
Vienna Welcomes New Ambassadors from Australia, Israel, UAE, Kenya, Cuba and Libya
Recently Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed the six newly accredited Ambassadors of the United Arab Emirates, the Commonwealth of Australia, the State of Israel, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Cuba and the State of Libya to Austria to the Presidential Chancellery of the Vienna Imperial Palace for the presentation of their letters of accreditation.
December 3, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of the State of Israel, H.E. Mr. Mordechai Denis Paul Rodgold
The new Ambassador of the State of Israel to Austria, H.E. Mr. Mordechai Denis Paul Rodgold presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
December 2, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, H.E. Ibrahim Salim Mohamed Al Musharrakh
The new Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Austria, H.E. Ibrahim Salim Mohamed Al Musharrakh presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg. He is also non-resident ambassador to Hungary, the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Slovenia.
December 2, 2019
EXPO 2020 Dubai: Groundbreaking Ceremony at the Austria Pavilion
Preparations are in full swing for the first world exhibition in an Arab country. The construction phase of the Austria Pavilion has also begun.
November 18, 2019
Nuclear Deal: Austria Disappointed at Iran's Behaviour
The result of a meeting of the Council of EU Foreign Ministers on regional developments in the Gulf States and Iran is to get Iran to comply again with the agreements of the Vienna Agreement.
November 12, 2019
Current Austrian Ambassador to Israel to Become Top Diplomat in the United States
Ambassador Martin Weiss, the current Ambassador in Tel Aviv and former Speaker of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, will become the new Austrian Ambassador in Washington D.C., USA.
January 24, 2019 · Updated: November 7, 2019; 09:12
Austro-Arab Chamber Secretary General Receives “Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Province of Vienna”
The AACC Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Vienna announced that Secretary General Dipl.-Ing. Mr. Mouddar Khouja was awarded the "Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Province of Vienna", in recognition of his dedication and devotement to the province of Vienna through his personal initiatives and in his professional capacity as Secretary General of AACC.
November 4, 2019
30th Anniversary Celebrations of Austro- Arab Chamber of Commerce
The AACC Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce held a gala in the ballroom of the Vienna City Hall on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and on the occasion of the 11th Arab-Austrian Economic Forum & Exhibition.
October 25, 2019
Turkey: Schallenberg Calls for an End to EU Candidate Status
The meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg focused on the Turkish military offensive in Northern Syria. In the run-up to the meeting, Foreign Minister Schallenberg emphasised that the military action was "simply wrong" and that it was now the EU's turn to take clear decisions.
October 16, 2019
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at UN General Assembly
Tight schedule at the Annual General Meeting in New York City. Meetings with counterparts from Iran, Javad Zarif, Belarus, Vladimir Makei and Iraq, Mohamed Ali Alhakim and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer. A speech to the UN General Assembly is scheduled for Thursday. The strengthening of Vienna as a UN location is also on the agenda.
September 24, 2019
Reception on the Occasion of the Jewish New Year Festival Rosh Hashanah
The two-day Jewish New Year festival Rosh Hashanah lasts from the evening before 30 September to 01 October 2019 and is always celebrated 163 days after the Passover. At a reception at the Austrian Federal Chancellery, Chancellor Bierlein and Foreign Minister Schallenberg thanked the guests for coming, in particular the Ambassador of the State of Israel for her tireless bilateral commitment.
September 23, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Prince Abdullah Bin Khaled Bin Sultan Al Saud
The new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Austria, Prince Abdullah Bin Khaled Bin Sultan Al Saud presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg. He is also non-resident ambassador to Slovakia and Slovenia.
September 20, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of Qatar to Austria: H.E. Sultan Salmeen Al-Mansouri
The new Ambassador of Qatar to Austria, H.E. Sultan Salmeen Al-Mansouri presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
September 20, 2019
IAEA: Eleven New Member Countries Elected to Board of Governors
Eleven countries have been newly elected to serve on the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors for the period 2019–2020. The election took place on Thursday 19 September at the plenary session of the IAEA General Conference.
September 20, 2019
Multilateralism: Austrian Delegation at UN General Assembly in New York City
Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein is attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York together with Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Sustainability Minister Maria Patek. Schallenberg speaks as Austria's representative.
September 20, 2019
The Majlis - Cultures in Dialogue: Exhibition Opening at the Weltmuseum Wien
President of the National Council Sobotka opened the exhibition "The Majlis - Cultures in Dialogue" at the World Museum Vienna, which deals with intercultural dialogue in the Arab world. The travelling exhibition shows the collection of the museum of Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani in Doha.
September 19, 2019
War in Yemen: 1 Million Euro for UNICEF
One million euros in humanitarian funds from the Foreign Disaster Fund has been disbursed by the Austrian Government to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
September 12, 2019
Syria Conflict: Humanitarian Assistance to Jordan and Lebanon
Austria has decided to disburse humanitarian funds totalling EUR 1 million for Syria's most severely affected neighbouring countries. The funds from the Foreign Disaster Fund will each amount to half a million euros for Jordan and Lebanon.
September 12, 2019
Austria to Support Syria and Mali with EUR 2.5 Million
The Austrian Council of Ministers approved a total of 2.5 million euros in aid payments from the Foreign Disaster Fund for humanitarian aid in Mali and Syria. The money is intended for refugees in the two crisis areas.
July 31, 2019
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
Updated Directory of Foreign Ambassadors in Austria 2019
Below you will find the updated Vindobona.org list of foreign ambassadors and representatives of the bilateral and multilateral missions and representations in Vienna, Austria (including description of persons, pictures, CVs, etc.).
November 19, 2018 · Updated: July 19, 2019; 11:50
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
Iran: Last Chance to Save Nuclear Deal Failed in Vienna
The latest round of negotiations to save the nuclear agreement with Iran has remained unresolved in Vienna. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted after the meeting, which lasted several hours, that despite some progress made at the meeting, Iran would probably continue on its path towards a partial withdrawal from the nuclear programme.
June 28, 2019
Massive Slump in Austrian Exports to Iran
Trade between Iran and Austria is shrinking. Austrian exports to Iran fell by 11.1 % in 2018, as the Foreign Trade Centre Tehran of the Chamber of Commerce reported. In addition, a further decline is expected after the negative GDP growth in 2018/2019. In addition, there are fears of a further currency decline of the rial and rising inflation.
June 24, 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
Austrian Parliament: Termination of EU Accession Negotiations with Turkey, Extension of Sanctions against Russia
In a statement to the government, the EU Main Committee of the Austrian National Council has unanimously spoken out in favour of breaking off EU accession negotiations with Turkey. Instead, the parliamentary groups believe that a strategic partnership should be sought.
June 21, 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
Closure of Controversial King Abdullah Center in Vienna Decided
The Austrian National Council has decided to close the King Abdullah Centre in Vienna. The KAICIID - King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, which is largely financed by Saudi Arabia, has long been controversial. The imminent death sentence of 18-year-old Murtaja Qureiris in Saudi Arabia was the immediate cause. The majority decision of parliament must now be implemented by the Foreign Ministry under Alexander Schallenberg. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) spoke out in favour of a new centre under the auspices of the UN.
June 13, 2019
In Vino Veritas: Wine in Ancient Egypt
Wine has always been a drink for gods and people. The noble drink was just like today an important economic good and stimulant and possessed besides a large religious and cultic meaning. Also in the country at the Nile it was already early professionally produced and enjoyed generously. Under the title "In vino veritas. Wein im alten Ägypten", the Papyrus Museum of the Austrian National Library presents more than 70 fascinating exhibits, up to 3,000 years old, on viticulture and wine enjoyment.
June 13, 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
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
Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce Strengthens Links with Iraq
Representatives of the AACC visited Baghdad to further develop the foundation for Iraq-Austria business relations. Visits and contacts with, among others, the Mayor of Baghdad, the Ministry of Electricity, the Governor of the Central Bank and the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce were on the agenda.
May 20, 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
