Minister of foreign affairs - Definition and Overview

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.

Related articles and lists

By year

• List of foreign ministers in 1950
• List of foreign ministers in 1990
• List of foreign ministers in 1991
• List of foreign ministers in 1992
• List of foreign ministers in 1993
• List of foreign ministers in 1994
• List of foreign ministers in 1995
• List of foreign ministers in 1996
• List of foreign ministers in 1997
• List of foreign ministers in 1998
• List of foreign ministers in 1999
• List of foreign ministers in 2000
• List of foreign ministers in 2001
• List of foreign ministers in 2002
• List of foreign ministers in 2003
• List of foreign ministers in 2004

By country

• Australia: Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Austria-Hungary: List of Foreign Ministers of Austria-Hungary
• Canada:
  • (from 1993) Minister of Foreign Affairs (list)
  • (until 1993) Secretary of State for External Affairs (list)
• France: Minister of Foreign Affairs (list)
• Germany: Minister of Foreign Affairs (list)
• Iran: Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Ireland: Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Japan: Minister for Foreign Affairs (with list)
• New Zealand: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (with list)
• Russia: List of Russian Foreign Ministers
• Sweden: Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Switzerland: Federal Councillor heading the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (list)
• United Kingdom:
  • (from 1968) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (with list)
  • (until 1968) Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (with list)
• United States: Secretary of State (with list)