Ministry of External Relations

Ministry of External Relations

Agency overview
Formed	11 August 2014
Superseding agency	His Majesty's Government
Type	Ministry
Jurisdiction	Ebenthal
Ministers responsible	Matteo Lucattini, Minister of State for External Relations Bernardo Barcelos, Archchancellor
Parent agency	Executive Council
Child agency	Crown Diplomatic Service

The Ministry of State for External Relations (Portuguese: Ministério de Estado para Relações Exteriores), sometimes referred to as Foreign Ministry, is the ministerial department of Ebenthal responsible for conduct the country's international relations and foreign policy. It is Ebenthal's first ministerial agency and widely regarded as the most prestigious portfolio. The ministry is headed by the Minister of External Relations who is appointed by the Archchancellor of Ebenthal. However the Sovereign exerts a strong influence on the choice of the foreign minister and remains the highest authority in foreign affairs.

The Foreign Ministry in itself is managed day-to-day by a civil servant, a minister without portfolio-equivalent informally called as Chancellor, who also acts as the head of the Crown Diplomatic Service.

Responsibilities

The Ministry of External Relations is responsible for conduct the foreign relations of Ebenthal towards other sovereign, non-sovereign, public or private states or entities, apply the foreign policy as designed by the cabinet, safeguard the security and national interests of the realm and supporting Ebenthaler nationals around the world through consular services. The Ministry oversees the government's foreign policy and conducts Ebenthal's international relations with countries, sovereign entities and some companies. This is done through direct contact and through diplomatic offices such as embassies and consulates. The ministry mainly maintains embassies in countries or regions that are of national interest for various reasons in order to promote its interests and provide support to Ebenthaler citizens. Consulates are maintained as official representations of the government of Ebenthal in places of less relevance to the country's foreign policy; generally, as representation located in countries or regions already served by embassies.

Diplomatic missions

The Ministry of External Relations has numerous diplomats assigned to various states, regions and organisations; these are appointed by the Minister of State for External Relations on the advice of the Chancellor, who through holding that office holds responsibility for relations with all nations and peoples that do not have a specifically designated diplomat. The function the role of ambassadors and consuls is to represent the interests of the government of Ebenthal and support the Ebenthaler citizens and subjects in that specific country or region they have been assigned to and to raise awareness of the country's existence.

Ambassadors are diplomats assigned to a sovereign state or larger geographical and cultural region, whereas consuls-general and consuls are assigned to a specific region or city within a sovereign state. The majority of ambassadors do not have embassies over which the State has claimed extraterritoriality.

Current diplomatic missions:

• European Union (see Ebenthaler Ambassador to Whole Europe)
• North America (see Ebenthaler Ambassador to North America)
• East Asia (see Ebenthaler Ambassador to East Asia)
• Gymnasium State (see Ebenthaler Ambassador to the Gymnasium State)
• Empire of Karnia-Ruthenia (see Ebenthaler Ambassador to Karnia-Ruthenia)