MANILA — Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has appointed Ewen McDonald to head its new Office of the Pacific.
In a news release, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne described the move to establish the office as a reflection of the “Australian government’s commitment to take our engagement with the Pacific to a new level.” Observers pointed to a growing recognition of the Pacific’s role in Australian foreign policy and the need to maintain influence in the region amid increasing Chinese investments as motivating factors.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
