Foreign minister
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a governmental cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign nation. The ministry for foreign affairs 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, the foreign minister is referred to as the minister for external affairs. The current foreign minister of New Zealand, however, is not a member of the Cabinet, but rather sits in the Opposition, as part of a complex system of coalition agreements entered into by the Labour Party and its multiple allies.

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.

• Albania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also known as the Ministria e Puneve te Jashtme.
• Armenia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Australia - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Austria - Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, also known as the österreichischen Außenministeriums.
• Barbados - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados.
• Belarus - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Botswana - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Bulgaria - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.
• Canada - Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, also known as the Ministère des Affaires étrangères et du Commerce international.
• Croatia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Cyprus - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.
• Czech Republic - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Egypt - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Relations.
• Fiji - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.
• Finland - Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
• France Diplomatie - Ministère des Affaires étrangères - Foreign policy, French culture, Francophony, and information for those wishing to enter or learn about France.
• Georgia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
• Germany - Federal Foreign Office, also known as the Auswärtiges Amt.
• Greece - Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Hungary - Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Iceland - Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
• Ireland - Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.
• Kenya - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Lesotho - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
• Malawi - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Mauritius - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation.
• Namibia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Netherlands - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• New Zealand - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Norway - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Poland - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Romania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Slovakia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
• Slovenia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• South Africa - Department of Foreign Affairs.
• Sweden - Foreign Ministry.
• Tanzania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
• Turkey - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Uganda - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Ukraine - Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
• United Kingdom - Foreign and Commonwealth Office Home.
• United States - U. S. Department of State.
• Zimbabwe - Foreign Affairs.