Foreign Ministry goes through reorganization

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has signed a presidential decree bringing significant structural changes to Türkiye's Foreign Ministry, aiming to enhance specialization.

The decree, published in the country's official gazette on April 6, outlines key alterations including the establishment of new general directorates and the reorganization of existing units.

Under this decree, America and Latin America have been bifurcated into separate entities, signaling a more nuanced approach to regional diplomacy. Additionally, within the general directorate in South Asia, issues concerning Iran and Iraq have been segregated, leading to the establishment of the Iran-Iraq General Directorate.

Furthermore, in order to strengthen ties with the Organization of Turkic States, a Central Asia and the Organization of Turkic States General Directorate has been set up.

Expertise emerges as a cornerstone of the restructuring, with diplomatic sources highlighting the creation of specialized units within general directorates based on regional knowledge.

Among the newly established units is the Humanitarian and Technical Assistance General Directorate, tasked with coordinating bilateral and multilateral cooperation on natural disasters, epidemics and humanitarian aid.

Another change is the transformation of the Information General Directorate into the Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication General Directorate. This restructuring also streamlines the ministry's spokesperson unit into a separate entity.

Türkiye's aspiration into international mediation is marked by the establishment of a new general directorate, emphasizing a more focused approach to these efforts.

Moreover, the decree addresses consulate and immigration matters by assigning them to separate general directorates, a departure from their previous joint handling.

A forward-looking initiative includes the creation of the Science and Technology Policies General Directorate, tasked with monitoring technological advancements and their implications for international relations.

In a significant development, the defense industry oversight has been integrated into the Foreign Ministry's purview, alongside existing responsibilities of the Defense Ministry and the Defense Industry Agency (SSB).

Additionally, the Research and Security Affairs General Directorate has been revamped as the Intelligence and Security Affairs General Directorate, with an expanded mandate encompassing cyber security, counterterrorism, organized crime and financial crimes.

According to sources, the reforms mark the beginning of a broader transformation agenda. Plans are underway to overhaul the ministry's overseas organization in the future.

“We will work devotedly and with all our efforts to move our Foreign Ministry even further and transform it into an institutional structure befitting our state. Because a strong Foreign Ministry is a must for strong foreign relations," they stated.