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Jakahn Von Senden
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)Jakahn is a Wulgurukaba man from Townsville in the North Queensland region.
At 19 years old, Jakahn moved to Canberra to start his career at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on a public service wide entry level program. In his two years with the Department, he has worked across national security, human rights, multilateral policy, Indigenous issues, and international trade.
Jakahn has had two short-term postings; one to New York to attend the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and the other to Fiji to work across Australia’s human development activities in the Pacific. He has also travelled extensively domestically, engaging key stakeholders on a range of issues.
In New York, he became one of the youngest government officials ever to address the United Nations, delivering a national statement to the body on behalf of the Australian Government.
Jakahn currently works in the Office for First Nations International Engagement in the Development, Multilateral and Europe Group. The Office, under the leadership of the Ambassador for First Nations People, is working to embed First Nations perspectives into Australia’s foreign policy, development, and trade and investment activities.
As a 21-year-old diplomat, Jakahn brings a unique perspective to the foreign service.