Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA; Malay: Kementerian Ehwal Luar Negeri; Chinese: 新加坡外交部; Tamil: வெளியுறவு அமைச்சு) is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries, managing its representation in international organisations, and providing consular assistance to overseas Singaporeans. It was established on 9 August 1965.

Headquartered in Tanglin, the ministry operates under the motto "Establishing Our Place in the World."

Vision and Mission

According to the ministry, its core objective is to safeguard and advance Singapore's sovereignty, security, and prosperity through active and skillful diplomacy. Its primary responsibilities include:

• Fostering strong bilateral relationships with international partners.
• Maintaining a stable and peaceful regional environment, primarily via ASEAN.
• Championing international law and multilateralism through bodies like the United Nations.
• Assisting Singaporeans traveling or residing abroad through its consular network.

History

The MFA was established on 9 August 1965, immediately following Singapore's independence from Malaysia. It began operations out of a small office in City Hall with a staff of only 11 officers, led by S. Rajaratnam as the inaugural Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The fledgling ministry's immediate priority was to secure international recognition for the new state. This was rapidly achieved with Singapore's admission as the 117th member of the United Nations on 21 September 1965, followed by entry into the Commonwealth on 15 October 1965. In 1967, Singapore became a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

By the late 1960s, the ministry had established its first wave of overseas missions in critical global cities, including Kuala Lumpur, London, Canberra, Washington D.C., and Jakarta.

Organisation Structure

The ministry is split between its headquarters in Singapore and its extensive global footprint.

Directorates

The administrative and policy backbone of MFA HQ is divided into 11 geographical and functional directorates dealing with political and economic matters, alongside 7 functional directorates covering specific fields:

• Geographical Directorates: ASEAN; Americas; Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific; Europe; Middle East, North Africa & Central Asia; Northeast Asia; South Asia & Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Functional Directorates: Consular; Protocol; International Organisations; International Economics; Strategic Communications & Engagement; Development Partnerships (managing the Singapore Cooperation Programme).
• Internal Support: Human Resource Directorate, Corporate Affairs Directorate, and the MFA Diplomatic Academy (established in 2007 to train diplomatic personnel).

Diplomatic Missions

Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with over 180 countries. The MFA manages:

• 50 overseas missions (including Embassies, High Commissions, Permanent Missions to the United Nations, and Consulates-General).
• Over 30 Honorary Consuls-General/Consuls abroad.
• A network of non-resident High Commissioners and Ambassadors based directly out of Singapore.

Ministers

Minister	Took office	Left office	Party
S. Rajaratnam	9 August 1965	30 May 1980	PAP
S. Dhanabalan	1 June 1980	12 September 1988	PAP
Wong Kan Seng	13 September 1988	1 January 1994	PAP
S. Jayakumar	2 January 1994	11 August 2004	PAP
George Yeo	12 August 2004	20 May 2011	PAP
K. Shanmugam	21 May 2011	30 September 2015	PAP
Vivian Balakrishnan	1 October 2015	Incumbent	PAP

External Links

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Official Website