Sonya Koppe
Australian High Commissioner
Sonya Koppe is an experienced diplomat, with a 32-year career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She has extensive experience in international security, including arms control and disarmament, countering people-smuggling, and civil-military cooperation. Overseas, she has completed four DFAT postings, two as Deputy Head of Mission, and a secondment to the Conference on Disarmament Secretariat in Geneva.
In Canberra, Sonya has undertaken a variety of roles, encompassing bilateral, multilateral, humanitarian, consular and corporate work. She has worked closely with the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force and is skilled at navigating the whole-of-government environment.
Sonya’s career highlights include:
playing a pivotal role in the consular response to the Covid pandemic during her posting in South Africa
driving an enhanced partnership with the European Union
participating in negotiations on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Deakin University – Master of Arts (Strategic Studies) – 2010
Australian National University – Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade – 1993
University of Western Australia – Bachelor of Arts (History) (First Class Honours) - 1990
EXPERIENCE
DIRECTOR, UKRAINE TASKFORCE AND UKRAINE SECTION, EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA DIVISION 2022
DEPUTY HEAD OF MISSION, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION, PRETORIA 2018 – 2021
DIRECTOR, EU, FRANCE AND BENELUX SECTION, EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA DIVISION 2016 – 2018
INTERNATIONAL ADVISOR, AUSTRALIAN CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE 2015 – 2016
DEPUTY HEAD OF MISSION, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION, COLOMBO 2011 – 2015
FIRST SECRETARY, THEN COUNSELLOR, AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY, THE HAGUE 2005-2008
POLITICIAL OFFICER, COMFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT SECRETARIAT, GENEVA 1999
SECOND SECRETARY, AUSTRALIAN PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA 1995-1998
JOINED DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE AS GRADUATE TRAINEE 1991