Australia’s former foreign minister Julie Bishop isappointed as the UN special envoy for Myanmar by the UN secretary-generalAntonio Guterres.

Bishop succeeds Noeleen Heyzer, a former UN under secretary-general nearly ayear after Heyzer retired.

She brings extensive political, legal, management and seniorleadership experience to the role. 

Earlier, she held several high-level positions in theAustralian government, including foreign minister (2013-18), cabinet ministerfor education, science & training, minister assisting the Prime Ministerfor women’s issues and minister for ageing. Bishop was also a member of theAustralian Parliament from 1998 to 2019, following a two decades long legalcareer.

Throughout her career, Bishop played a key role in strengthening engagementwith regional partners and leading international negotiation efforts. Notably,she was involved in the first-ever United Nations convention on the law of seaconciliation.

Currently, she serves as the chancellor of Australian National University andholds a bachelor degree of law from the Adelaide University.