Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Malay: Kementerian Ehwal Luar Negeri; Chinese: 新加坡外交部; Tamil: வெளியுறவு அமைச்சு) is in charge of the country's foreign relations, as well as handling matters and providing consular assistance related to overseas Singaporean citizens. It was established on 9 August 1965. A ministry for the Government of Singapore, it is also responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries and regions.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Agency overview
Formed9 August 1965; 59 years ago (1965-08-09)
JurisdictionGovernment of Singapore
Headquarters1 Sherwood Road, (Tanglin) Singapore 248163
MottoEstablishing Our Place in the World
Employees1,616 (2018)[1]
Annual budgetS$466.70 million (2019)[1]
Ministers responsible
Agency executives
  • Albert Chua,
    Permanent Secretary
  • Luke Goh,
    2nd Permanent Secretary
  • Ng Teck Hean,
    Deputy Secretary (Asia Pacific)
  • Ong Eng Chuan,
    Deputy Secretary (Management)
  • Foo Chi Hsia, Deputy Secretary (Southeast Asia and ASEAN)
Websitewww.mfa.gov.sg
Agency IDT08GA0014A
Footnotes
List of diplomatic missions of Singapore

Organisational structure

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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 ministry 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 (SCP) 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.

Impact

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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.

Ministers

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The Ministry is headed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore. The incumbent minister is MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC Vivian Balakrishnan from the People's Action Party.

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Party Cabinet
  S. Rajaratnam
MP for Kampong Glam
(1915–2006)
9 August
1965
30 May
1980
PAP Lee K. II
Lee K. III
Lee K. IV
Lee K. V
S. Dhanabalan
MP for Kallang
(born 1937)
1 June
1980
12 September
1988
PAP
Lee K. VI
Lee K. VII
  Wong Kan Seng
MP for Kuo Chuan SMC & Thomson GRC
(born 1946)
13 September
1988
1 January
1994
PAP Lee K. VIII
Goh I
Goh II
  S. Jayakumar
MP for Bedok GRC & East Coast GRC
(born 1939)
2 January
1994
12 August
2004
PAP
Goh III
Goh IV
  George Yeo
MP for Aljunied GRC
(born 1954)
12 August
2004
20 May
2011
PAP Lee H. I
Lee H. II
  K. Shanmugam
MP for Nee Soon GRC
(born 1959)
21 May
2011
30 September
2015
PAP Lee H. III
  Vivian Balakrishnan[2][3]
MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC
(born 1961)
1 October
2015
Incumbent PAP Lee H. IV
Lee H. V
Wong I

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Singapore Budget" (PDF).
  2. ^ Ong, Justin (28 September 2015). "Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces Singapore's new Cabinet". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  3. ^ Mahmud, Aqil Haziq (25 July 2020). "PM Lee announces new Cabinet; 6 office holders promoted, 3 retirements". CNA. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
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