Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has named Ambassador Friedrich Stift as the new Managing Director of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). One of Austria’s top diplomats, Stift will take over the reins of the Austrian Development Agency this summer. The agency, which employs around 250 staff, is responsible for implementing bilateral sustainable development programmes and projects worth a total of 550 million euros.
Commenting on the appointment, Schallenberg said,
“The ADA does excellent work, and is highly regarded internationally. That is due in no small part to the work of Martin Ledolter, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation for his valuable contribution over the last few years. In view of the increasing budgets being allocated to international development projects, it is important to ensure that the ADA’s work is closely aligned with the Austrian government’s foreign policy aims. With his wide range of experience, Mr Stift can make an important contribution in this regard.”
Friedrich Stift is currently Austria’s ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, having previously served as Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran and Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Stift holds a Doctorate in Law and previously led the Austrian Foreign Ministry’s Middle East Department for four years. He has also served as the Ministry’s Deputy Political Director.
The committee tasked to select a suitable candidate consisted of Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, Section Head Désirée Schweitzer, Head of Human Resources Romana Königsbrun, and Head of International Development Christine Freilinger. They chose Friedrich Stift from a field of 17 candidates (including eight women and nine men), describing him as “the most eminently qualified candidate for the job.” They unanimously recommended that Mr Stift should be appointed to lead the ADA, and the Foreign Minister accepted their recommendation.
