Ministry of External Affairs

The Ministry of External Affairs (MoEA) was founded back in 4026 and was thus represented on the first modern cabinet of the Royal Council to be established at the Lorell Hall.

The Ministry played an important role in 4026 and 4027 as the Hapes Consortium opened formal talks with both the Galactic Empire and New Republic. It also ensured that no lives were lost in the Dellalt Conflict of 4031. During its early years, the Ministry of External Affairs was often referred to as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Although External Affairs was decreed the official name of the ministry in 4033, the terms Foreign and External, to this day, continue to be used interchangeably.

The ministry implements the Government's foreign policies by maintaining and expanding friendly relations with other governments and powers, as well as advices the Lorell Hall and the Fountain Palace on the formulation and implementation of their foreign and trade policies. The promotion and establishment of external trade and economic relations through negotiation is an important function of the ministry, and the diplomatic missions abroad assist with the responsibility for trade policy implementation and coordination of trade promotion activities, while also identifying potential investment opportunities. While advising on, negotiating and recording on Hapes' accession and ratification of treaties, conventions and agreements, the ministry also carries out depository functions for various regional and Galactic agreements, a function which is obligatory under Hapan law. Furthermore, the ministry deals with negotiating foreign aid, as well as consular matters, including assisting expatriates, and issues relating to the status of refugees and political or diplomatic asylum.

The ministry maintains embassies and rotates their mission staff, including ambassadors and envoys, on the capital worlds of some of the galaxy's more prominent powers. Within the Hapes Cluster, Lorell is the designated embassy world of the Hapes Consortium due to the strict regulations on intra-cluster travel. The planet was opened to the outside galaxy in 4024 and houses dozens of foreign companies and governments' embassy estates.

For journeys beyond the Hapes Cluster, the Ministry of External Affairs has numerous unarmed C-3 Passenger Liners at their disposal, often seen escorted on their diplomatic missions by Nova Battle Cruisers of the Royal Hapan Navy.