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A Foreign Minister's powers can vary from government to government. In a classic parliamentary system a Foreign Minister can have genuine influence on forming foreign policy. However, with a strong Prime Minister or in a presidential system, a Foreign Minister can be more advisory or outright ignored. Since the end of World War II, it has been common for the foreign minister to be part of an inner cabinet, often known as a National Security Council with the defense minister so that the defence and diplomatic policy can better be coordinated.

While it was common for a head of government to assume the foreign ministry in the 19th or early 20th centuries, this is not as common anymore. It does still happen though, however it is mostly confined to newly independent or still developing nations.

In the United States, the Foreign Minister is called the Secretary of State, and is the oldest cabinet post in the US. In the United Kingdom, the Foreign Minister is called the Foreign Secretary, and has officially been called the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs since 1968, when the previously separate Foreign Office and Commonwealth Office were merged.

1 Related articles and lists

1.1 By year

• List of foreign ministers in 1950Foreign ministers in 1949 State leaders in 1950 Foreign ministers in 1951 incomplete Africa Egypt # Hussein Sirri Pasha ( 1949- 1950) # Muhammad Salah al-Din Bey ( 1950- 1952) Ethiopia Tsehafi Taezaz Aklilu Habte-Wold ( 1943- 1958) Liberia Gabriel Lafayet
• List of foreign ministers in 1990Foreign ministers in 1989 State leaders in 1990 Foreign ministers in 1991 See also List of religious leaders in 1990 List of international organization leaders in 1990 List of colonial governors in 1990 Africa Cote d'Ivoire Amara Essy ( 1990- 2000) Namibi
• List of foreign ministers in 1991Foreign ministers in 1990 State leaders in 1991 Foreign ministers in 1992 See also List of religious leaders in 1991 List of international organization leaders in 1991 List of colonial governors in 1991 Africa Cote d'Ivoire Amara Essy ( 1990- 2000) Egypt
• List of foreign ministers in 1992Foreign ministers in 1991 State leaders in 1992 Foreign ministers in 1993 See also List of religious leaders in 1992 List of international organization leaders in 1992 List of colonial governors in 1992 Africa Cote d'Ivoire Amara Essy ( 1990- 2000) Egypt
• List of foreign ministers in 1993Foreign ministers in 1992 State leaders in 1993 Foreign ministers in 1994 See also List of religious leaders in 1993 List of international organization leaders in 1993 List of colonial governors in 1993 Africa Cote d'Ivoire Amara Essy ( 1990- 2000) Egypt
• List of foreign ministers in 1994Foreign ministers in 1993 State leaders in 1994 Foreign ministers in 1995 See also List of religious leaders in 1994 List of international organization leaders in 1994 List of colonial governors in 1994 Africa Botswana Mompati Merafhe ( 1994-present) Cote
• List of foreign ministers in 1995Foreign ministers in 1994 State leaders in 1995 Foreign ministers in 1996 See also List of religious leaders in 1995 List of international organization leaders in 1995 List of colonial governors in 1995 Africa Botswana Mompati Merafhe ( 1994-present) Cote
• List of foreign ministers in 1996Foreign ministers in 1995 State leaders in 1996 Foreign ministers in 1997 See also List of religious leaders in 1996 List of international organization leaders in 1996 List of colonial governors in 1996 Africa Botswana Mompati Merafhe ( 1994-present) Cote
• List of foreign ministers in 1997
• List of foreign ministers in 1998
• List of foreign ministers in 1999
• List of foreign ministers in 2000
• List of foreign ministers in 2001
• List of foreign ministers in 2002
• List of foreign ministers in 2003
• List of foreign ministers in 2004