Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

Georgian: საქართველოს საგარეო საქმეთა სამინისტრო
Logo of MFA
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
Ministry overview
Formed	May 25, 1918; 103 years ago (1918-05-25)
Jurisdiction	Government of Georgia
Headquarters	4, Sh. Chitadze Str., 0118, Tbilisi, Georgia
Annual budget	₾136,500,000 (2019) (~€40,000,000)
Ministry executive	David Zalkaliani, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Website	www.mfa.gov.ge

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს საგარეო საქმეთა სამინისტრო, romanized: sakartvelos sagareo sakmeta saminist'ro) is a governmental body of Georgia responsible for protecting and promoting Georgia’s interest and its persons and entities abroad. The Ministry is led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Georgia as a member of cabinet. The position is currently held by David Zalkaliani, in office since 21 June 2018.

Activity[]

Georgia's foreign service – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Missions and Consular Services - serve fundamental national interests and values anchored in the Constitution of Georgia, the Foreign Policy Strategy as well as the National Security Concept. The Ministry drives Georgia’s foreign policy to enhance the security and international status of the country, and promote its interests in an increasingly globalizing world.^[1]

Democratic Republic of Georgia[]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was established on 26 May 1918, the same day Georgia declared its independence. Consequently, the foreign affairs commission, diplomatic missions, and other entities necessary for carrying out diplomatic work were formed abroad. The first Foreign Minister was Akaki Chkhenkeli,^[2] a political leader. In November 1918, Evgeniy Gegechkori was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the main foreign policy agency of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. It held diplomatic negotiations on behalf of the government. The Ministry was accountable to the Parliament. The staff of the Ministry did not exceed 50 people and its structure was the following:^[3]

• The Minister of Foreign Affairs - Director of the Ministry, Deputy Director, Legal Counsel, Secretary of the Minister.
• Personnel Department - the Head of the Personnel Department of the Minister, executive secretary, driver.
• Political Department - the Head of the Department, the Head of the European Division, the Head of the Asian Division, executive secretaries of the divisions, chancelleries and translators.
• General Department - the Head of the Department, executive secretary and his assistant, chancellery.
• Information Bureau - the Head of the Department, executive secretary, chancellery and translators.

Structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia^[4][]

• Minister's Secretariat
• Internal Audit Department
• Division of Classified Document Management
• Ambassadors at Large

General Directorate of Information and Public Relations:

→  Press and Information Department

→ Strategic Communications Department

General Directorate of European Integration:

→ Department of European Integration

→ Department of EU Assistance Coordination and Sectoral Integration

•  Department of Human Resources Management

•  Political Department

• Department of Security of Georgian Diplomatic Representations and Consular Offices Abroad

• Department of European Affairs

• Department of the Americas

• Department of NATO Integration

• Department of International Cultural and Humanitarian Relations

• Department of Diplomatic Protocol

• Department of International Law

• Department of Legal Issues and Relations with Parliament

• Consular Department

• Political Department

• Department of International Organisations

• Department of Neighbouring Countries

• Department of International Economic Relations

• Department of the Middle East and Africa

• Department of Asia and The Pacific

• Administrative Department

• Department for Relations with Diaspora

• IT Department

Legal Entities of Public Law

o   LEPL - Information Center on NATO and EU

LEPL Information Center on NATO and EU was established in 2005 and, since 2017, operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.^[5] The Information Centre on NATO and EU aims to support Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration process through public diplomacy and strategic communication efforts, primarily focusing on maintaining and increasing knowledge-based public support towards the country's top foreign policy priorities - Georgia’s membership to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and to the European Union.

o   LEPL - Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Institute

The goal of The Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Institute (DTRI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (MFA) is to promote the continuous professional development of MFA staff and those forming the diplomatic reserve, taking into consideration Georgian foreign policy priorities, existing needs and trends. The Centre also aims to raise the awareness of foreign diplomats accredited to Georgia and strengthen the capacity of public officials working in the area of international relations.

o   LEPL - Bureau of Translation of International Agreements

List of Ministers (since 1918)[]

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Democratic Republic of Georgia

• Akaki Chkhenkeli, May 25, 1918 – 1918
• Evgeni Gegechkori, 1918–1921

People's Commissars of Foreign Affairs of Georgian SSR

• Alexander Svanidze, 1921–1923
• Giorgi Kiknadze, 1944–1946

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgian SSR

• Giorgi Kiknadze, 1946–1953
• , 1953–1954
• , 1954–1962
• , 1962–1969
• , 1969–1970
• , 1970–1970
• , 1970–1979
• , 1979–1981
• Giorgi Javakhishvili, 1985–1990

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

#	Portrait	Minister of Foreign Affairs	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party
1		Giorgi Khoshtaria	26 November 1990	15 September 1991	293 days
2		Murman Omanidze	15 September 1991	31 December 1991	107 days	Independent
3		Alexander Chikvaidze	2 March 1992	21 December 1995	3 years, 294 days
4		Irakli Menagharishvili	15 December 1995	29 November 2003	7 years, 349 days
5		Tedo Japaridze	30 November 2003	20 March 2004	111 days
6		Salome Zourabichvili	20 March 2004	19 October 2005	1 year, 213 days
7		Gela Bezhuashvili	19 October 2005	31 January 2008	2 years, 104 days	United National Movement
8		David Bakradze	31 January 2008	5 May 2008	95 days	United National Movement
9		Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili	5 May 2008	6 December 2008	215 days	United National Movement
10		Grigol Vashadze	6 December 2008	25 October 2012	3 years, 324 days	United National Movement
11		Maia Panjikidze	25 October 2012	5 November 2014	2 years, 11 days	Free Democrats
12		Tamar Beruchashvili	11 November 2014	1 September 2015	294 days
13		Giorgi Kvirikashvili	1 September 2015	30 December 2015	120 days	Georgian Dream
14		Mikheil Janelidze	30 December 2015	13 June 2018	2 years, 165 days	Independent
15		David Zalkaliani	21 June 2018	Present	3 years, 73 days	Georgian Dream

References[]

External links[]

https://mfa.gov.ge/

http://old.infocenter.gov.ge/