William Fisher is a Visiting Fellow at the College of Diplomacy at the Australian National University, following a long career with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was the Australian Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, from 2013 to 2014. Prior to that, Mr Fisher was the Australian Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to La Francophonie and to the Francophone States of Africa from 2010 to 2012. Mr Fisher was reappointed as Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the Francophone States of Africa from March 2016 and again as the Australian Government’s Special Envoy to the Francophone States of Africa from March 2017. During his diplomatic career, he had a number of senior appointments as Australian Ambassador/High Commissioner. Mr Fisher was Australia’s High Commissioner to Canada (2005-2008), and prior to that as Ambassador to France (2000-2004) including accreditations to Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania; as Ambassador to Thailand (1997-2000); Ambassador to Israel (1990-1993); Consul-General in Honolulu and Micronesia (1983-1987); Charge d’Affaires in Tehran (1982-1983); Consul-General and Head of Post in Port Vila, New Hebrides (1978-1980) and in Noumea, New Caledonia (1975-1978), as well as earlier postings at the Embassy in Vientiane, Laos and at the Australian Missions to the United Nations in Geneva and New York. In Canberra, Mr Fisher’s positions included First Assistant Secretary, Public Affairs Division (1996-1997); FAS Consular Programs and Security Division (1995-1996); and FAS International Organisations and Legal Division (1994-1995). He was Principal Adviser, Americas and Europe Division (1980-1990); Head of the South Pacific Section (1980-1981). He also held the position of Assistant Secretary, Defence Branch of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (1987-1988). Mr Fisher was awarded the decoration of Grand Officier de l’Ordre National du Merite by the French Government.
