Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Logo of the MFA
Agency overview
Formed 1965
Jurisdiction Government of Singapore
Headquarters Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tanglin, Singapore 248163
Employees 1,615 [1]
Annual budget Increase 501.63 million SGD (projected 2017)[1]
Ministers responsible
Agency executive
  • Chee Wee Kiong, Permanent Secretary
Child agency
Website www.mfa.gov.sg

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Abbreviation: MFA; Malay: Kementerian Ehwal Luar Negeri; Chinese: 新加坡外交部) is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries and regions. It is headed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the office currently held by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

Established in 1965, the Ministry now has 50 overseas missions including 7 High Commissions, 21 Embassies, 4 Permanent Missions to the United Nations, and 17 consulates. Singapore has appointed 31 Honorary Consuls-General/Consuls abroad and has 46 non-resident Ambassadors and High Commissioners based in Singapore. The MFA provides consular assistance to Singaporeans travelling, working and studying overseas. The MFA is currently divided into 11 Directorates which deal with political and economic matters, and 7 Directorates which oversee matters relating to protocol, consular issues and the Singapore Cooperation Programme among others. The Corporate Affairs Directorate oversees organisational and resource management while the Human Resource Directorate and Diplomatic Academy manage the development of personnel and training.

Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with 188 countries. In Singapore, there are 70 resident foreign Embassies and High Commissions, 43 foreign Consulates, and 11 International Organisations based in Singapore. In addition, more than 60 non-resident foreign Ambassadors are accredited to Singapore.

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Years in Office Minister
1965–1980S Rajaratnam
1980–1988Suppiah Dhanabalan
1988–1994Wong Kan Seng
1994–2004Shunmugam Jayakumar
2004–2011George Yeo
2011–2015K. Shanmugam
2015– PresentVivian Balakrishnan

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Expenditure Estimates by Head of Expenditure - Ministry of Foreign Affairs" (PDF). Singapore Budget 2017. Ministry of Finance. March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
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