Ewen McDonald

Deputy Secretary, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

Mr McDonald joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as a Deputy Secretary in November 2013. His responsibilities include: Aid development policy and strategy covering economic growth, education, health, water, women and girls, effective governance, infrastructure and fragile states; Multilateral policy and finance including the United Nations, Multilateral Development Banks, Sectoral Funds, the 2030 Agenda covering Sustainable Development Goals and finance, and climate finance; Global humanitarian and recovery policy and response including building resilience, disaster risk reduction and social protection; Non-Government Organisations and Volunteers; Innovation including the recently established innovationXchange; Mr McDonald is the Department's Indigenous Champion and a White Ribbon Ambassador. Mr McDonald is Chair of DFAT's Audit and Risk Committee, Aid Policy Committee and Aid Investment Committee. He is also a member of the Independent Evaluation Committee. Mr McDonald has a long association with the establishment and operations of the Green Climate Fund. He was Vice Chair of the Transitional Committee in 2011/12, inaugural Co-Chair of the Green Climate Fund Board in 2012/13 with South Africa and is currently the Co- Chair of the Board with South Africa for a second term in 2015/16. Prior to joining DFAT, Mr McDonald was Deputy Director General at AusAID from 2011 and Deputy Secretary in Education, Employment and Workplace relations from 2008. Mr McDonald's career has spanned a variety of portfolios in commonwealth and state government. Mr McDonald was born in Victoria and holds a Bachelor of Business.
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