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Encyclopedia > Department of Foreign Affairs

A foreign minister is a cabinet minister that helps to form foreign policy for sovereign nations. The Ministry of Foreign (or External) Affairs is often considered to be the most senior ministerial position after Prime Minister, and is often given to the Deputy Prime Minister in coalition governments.


A Foreign Minister's powers can vary from government to government. In a classic parliamentary system a Foreign Minister can have genuine influence on forming foreign policy. However, with a strong Prime Minister or in a presidential system, a Foreign Minister can be more advisory or outright ignored. Since the end of World War II, it has been common for the foreign minister to be part of an inner cabinet, often known as a National Security Council with the defense minister so that the defence and diplomatic policy can better be coordinated.


While it was common for a head of government to assume the foreign ministry in the 19th or early 20th centuries, this is not as common anymore. It does still happen though, however it is mostly confined to newly independent or still developing nations.


In the United States, the Foreign Minister is called the Secretary of State, and is the oldest cabinet post in the US. In the United Kingdom, the Foreign Minister is called the Foreign Secretary, and has officially been called the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs since 1968, when the previously separate Foreign Office and Commonwealth Office were merged.


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Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (329 words)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) is a former department in the Government of Canada which had responsibility for foreign policy and diplomacy, as well as import/export and international trade policies.
Prior to 1993, the department was referred to as the Department of External Affairs.
At the time when the External Affairs portfolio's inception in 1905, Canada was a self-governing dominion in the British Empire and did not have an independent foreign policy.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs - definition of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Encyclopedia (1084 words)
The international relations of Switzerland are the responsibility of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and of all other departments for their respective fields of activity.
Below this overarching goal, the Constitution sets five specific foreign policy objectives: further the peaceful coexistence of nations; promote respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of the law; promote Swiss economic interests abroad, alleviate need and poverty in the world; and the preservation of natural resources.
Federal councilor heading the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is the Swiss foreign minister:
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