UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office
# UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), commonly called the Foreign Office (and, prior to 1945, known as the Foreign Department), was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office and was responsible for protecting and promoting British interests worldwide until 2 September 2020 when it was merged with the Department for International Development to create the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

## History

### Formation

The FCO was formed on 17 October 1968, through the merger of the separate Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.

### Disestablishment

On 16 June 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the FCO and Department for International Development would merge to create the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This took effect from 2 September 2020.

## Role and Responsibilities

The FCO was responsible for protecting and promoting British interests worldwide, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries.

### Diplomacy

The FCO managed the UK's diplomatic missions overseas, including the negotiation of treaties and agreements with foreign entities.

### Overseas Territories

The FCO was responsible for the promotion of British interests in the Overseas Territories.

### Consular Services

It provided consular services to British nationals abroad, offering assistance in situations such as lost or stolen passports, and support during crises.

## Leadership

The head of the FCO was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary.

