Ambassador to Portugal

Media release 31 August 2025 Today I announce the appointment of Dr Helen Cheney as Australia's next Ambassador to Portugal. The Ambassador to Portugal is also accredited to Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Australia and Portugal share a warm bilateral relationship, based on close community links and demonstrated a shared commitment to international law and multilateralism.

Australia's trade and investment relationship with Portugal continues to grow. Two-way investment has tripled in the last three years to $1.6 billion. 2025 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Portugal. Dr Cheney is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Australia's High Commissioner to Nauru.

She has also previously served overseas in Thailand and Indonesia. I thank outgoing Ambassador Ms Indra McCormick for her contributions to advancing Australia's interests in Portugal since 2022.