Expert advice sought on trade and investment
Dr. Mark Higgie (left), Australia's Ambassador-Designate to the European Union, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg with Dr. Remy Davison, Jean Monnet Chair in Politics & Economics at Monash University
The School of Social Sciences' Dr Remy Davison has advised authorities on the future of EU-Australia trade and investment relations.
Dr Davison, the Jean Monnet Chair in Politics and Economics, recently provided a diplomatic briefing to Dr Mark Higgie, Australia's ambassador-designate to the European Union, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg.
“The European Union is Australia’s biggest investment partner and NATO is the world’s most important military alliance. As a member of the United Nations Security Council, it’s critical that Australia’s defence and trade views are represented in these institutions,” Dr Davison said.
Dr Higgie and Dr Davison held a meeting in July at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where they discussed matters of importance to the future of EU-Australia trade and investment relations. They also discussed NATO, the situation in Ukraine and Russia-EU relations.
Dr Davison is a global conflict expert for the United Nations and a former member of the Council on Optimising Government Performance, an elite roundtable comprising representatives from business, government and academia.
On top of many professional achievements and appointments, Dr Davison is also a much sought-after media commentator both in Australia and globally. He has written more than 5000 media articles and appeared on numerous television and radio programs.
Dr Higgie will take up his appointment in Brussels in September 2014. The EU and NATO posting is one of Australia's most senior and important diplomatic postings dealing with representatives from the EU's key institutions.
As NATO ambassador, Dr Higgie will also have a key responsibility for managing Australia's military and security relations with NATO. Australia became a member of Global NATO in 2006, and a substantial number of Australian Defence Force members served with the NATO International Assistance Force in Afghanistan.