Ministry of foreign affairs

In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support, including consular services, for a country's citizens who are abroad.

Similarly, the political powers invested in the foreign minister are often more limited in presidential governments with a strong executive branch.

Although the 19th and early 20th centuries saw many heads of government assume the foreign ministry, this practice has since become uncommon in most developed nations.

For instance, in the US, its foreign minister is the first member of cabinet in line for the presidential line of succession (with the vice president, speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and president pro-tempore of the United States Senate ahead of the foreign minister).

The European Union has dealt with external relations in certain areas since its inception (see EU Trade Commissioner) and has a high representative as its chief diplomat.