Australia has appointed Peter Budd as its next ambassador to Nepal. He will replace the incumbent ambassador, Glenn White.

Budd is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He has served overseas as Deputy Head of Mission in Baghdad, Pretoria and Port Vila. In Canberra, he was most recently the director of Property Tender Unit and Estate Section. 

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop made the announcement of Budd’s appointment on Wednesday.

In her statement, Bishop said Nepal and Australia Nepal enjoyed a warm relationship underpinned by strong people-to-people links. 

“Nepal is the eighth largest provider of international students to Australia, with over 15,000 Nepalese students enrolling to study in Australia last year. In 2016 more than 25,000 Australians visited Nepal,” she said.

Bilateral trade relationship with Nepal is continuing to grow, with two-way trade in goods and services valued at over $800 million in 2015-16, she added. 

On bilateral assistance, the Australian government is providing $34 million in official development assistance to Nepal in 2016-17. 

The Austrailian aid is focused on improving basic education, expanding economic opportunities for the poor, and supporting the Government of Nepal to improve governance and policy implementation.