Department of Foreign Affairs
Managing and maintaining amicable relations with bilateral and multilateral partners.
Introduction
The central role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (DFAIC) remains the provision of policy development, support and policy advice to the Ministry in managing and maintaining amicable relations with bilateral and multilateral partners.
The overall vision, mission, and values of the DFAIC are consistent with those contained in the Ministry’s Corporate Plan;
Department Objectives
In consistent with the Ministry’s Strategic Objectives the Department further developed 7 key objectives to reflect specific activities that each division plans to carry out in 2024 in line with budget realities. The 7 key objectives are as follows:
To have an ethical, professional, responsive, and high performing Department
Contributing to Vanuatu’s Development Agenda through effectively managing Vanuatu’s Foreign Relations under the Division’s purview.
Effectively manage Vanuatu’s foreign relations within Asia and Pacific region.
Effectively Initiate Negotiations and Establish Development Cooperation Programs that underpins Vanuatu’s development in alignment to the NSDP.
Effectively manage Vanuatu’s foreign relations that underpins Vanuatu’s development agenda.
To provide efficient diplomatic, protocol and consular assistance to resident Diplomats and Ni-Vanuatu travelling or residing overseas as well as to non-resident Foreign Diplomatic Missions;
To manage Vanuatu’s unresolved Maritime Boundaries, sovereign territorial disputes, and the National Oceans Governance Framework.
Organisation Structure
The organizational structure of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation shows a hierarchy whereby the Director is the Head of the Department and is responsible for providing administrative and management support to the seven (7) divisions. Each division is supervised by a Head of Division. Each Division comprises of Policy Officials ranging from a Senior Desk Officer post to a Desk Officer level.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Organization structure is displayed below in Figure 1. The Department’s last structure reform was in 2021 with 40 approved positions by the Public Service Commission.
The Director is also responsible for overseeing the work of Vanuatu’s Diplomatic Missions and Consular Missions around the world. These Diplomatic missions are managed by a head of Mission and supported by career diplomats in the position of First Secretary, Second Secretary, and local support staff. An illustration below provides information on Vanuatu Overseas Missions.