Fred Smith

Fred Smith has been described as 'Australia’s secret weapon' in international diplomacy. As a career diplomat, he served for two years in southern Afghanistan. Working alongside Australian soldiers in Uruzgan Province, Fred's second career as a musician came to the fore, his guitar serving as a bridge not only to the troops, but also to the people and tribal leaders...

When the US announced their intention to pull out of Afghanistan by September 2021, few anticipated how quickly the Taliban would overrun the Afghan National Security Forces. As Kabul fell two weeks before the deadline, those with reason to fear the new regime rushed to the airport desperate to find a way out. Seasoned Australian diplomat, Fred Smith, who like...