A
minister for foreign affairs, or
foreign
minister, is a
cabinet
minister who helps form the
foreign policy of a
sovereign state. The foreign minister is
often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that
of the
head of government (prime
minister or president). It is often granted to the
deputy prime minister in
coalition governments.
In some nations, such
as India
, the foreign
minister is referred to as the Minister for External
Affairs.
A foreign minister's powers can vary from government to government.
In a classic
parliamentary
system, a foreign minister can potentially exert significant
influence in forming foreign policy but when the government is
dominated by a strong prime minister the foreign minister may be
limited to playing a more marginal or subsidiary role in
determining policy. Similarly, the political powers invested in the
foreign minister are often more limited in
presidential governments with a strong
executive. Since the end of
World War
II, it has been common for both the foreign minister and
defense minister to be part of an
inner cabinet (commonly known as a
national security council) in
order to coordinate defence and diplomatic policy. Although the
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw many heads of
government assume the foreign ministry, this practice has since
become uncommon in most developed nations.
Along with their political roles, foreign ministers are also
traditionally responsible for many
diplomatic duties, such as hosting foreign world
leaders and going on
state visits to
other countries. The foreign minister is generally the most
well-traveled member of any cabinet.
In the
United
Kingdom
, the minister responsible for foreign policy as
well as the British
overseas territories) is the Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Foreign
Secretary). Before 1968, the
Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs only handled relations with foreign
(non-
Commonwealth)
countries, while relations with Commonwealth countries and colonies
were handled by the
Secretary of State
for Commonwealth Affairs. For the same reason, in Commonwealth
countries other than the United Kingdom, the ministers responsible
for handling relations with both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth
countries were formerly usually designated ministers for 'External
Affairs'.
In the
United
States
, the United States Secretary of
State handles foreign policy and is the senior Cabinet officer. The name of
the post comes from several domestic duties.
Other common titles may include
minister of foreign
relations. In many Spanish-speaking countries in
Latin America, the foreign minister is
colloquially called
canciller (
chancellor).
Related articles and lists
By year
- 1950
- 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
- 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Country-related articles and lists
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
of External Relations
- : Foreign
Minister of Argentina
- :
Minister for
Foreign Affairs , heading the Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade

- : Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- : Foreign
Minister
- : Foreign
Minister , heading the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : see
Ministry of
External Relations

- :
- : Foreign
Minister , heading the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs
- : Foreign
minister , heading the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
- : see Ministry
of Foreign Affairs
- : see Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- : see
Minister of Foreign Affairs
- : see
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

- : see Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : see Minister
of Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- : Foreign Minister
(list)
- : Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs, heading the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
for Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs (list)
- : Foreign
minister
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- :
Minister for Foreign Affairs

- : Minister of External
Affairs
- : Departemen Luar Negeri - Department of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
for Foreign Affairs
- : Foreign Affairs
Minister
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Foreign
Minister
- : Foreign
minister
- : Foreign
minister
- : Foreign
minister
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister
of Foreign Affairs
- : Foreign
Minister
- : Minister of Foreign
Affairs , heading the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister
of Foreign Affairs , heading the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
- : Foreign
Minister
- : Foreign
minister
- : Foreign Minister
, heading the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- : Minister
of Foreign Affairs
- : Foreign Affairs
Secretary, heading the Department of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
of Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- :
Foreign Minister heading
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

- : Foreign
Minister
- : Foreign
Minister
- :
Foreign Minister
- : Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
for Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
for Foreign Affairs
- : Foreign
Minister
- : see the link under Russia
- : Minister
for Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs , heading the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs
- :
Federal Councillor (list),
heading the Federal Department of Foreign
Affairs

- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister of
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister for
Foreign Affairs
- : Minister
for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
- :
- :
Secretary of State
, heading the Department of State

- : Foreign
Minister
- : Secretary for
Relations with States
- : Foreign
Minister
See also
External links