Federal Department of Foreign AffairsGovernment

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is the federal ministry responsible for formulating, coordinating, and implementing Switzerland's foreign policy. Operating under the direction of the Swiss Federal Council, its mandate includes managing diplomatic relations, providing consular services, and overseeing international development and humanitarian aid. Established in 1848 alongside the modern Swiss federal state as the Federal Political Department, it was traditionally led by the rotating President of the Confederation before becoming a permanent ministerial assignment and taking its current name in 1979.