A GUIDE TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Per the request of the Chief Minister of Foreign Affairs on the 2nd of October, 2021, I create this guide to how TEP’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs functions.
THE CHIEF MINISTER
The Chief Minister oversees the entire ministry, acting as the main point of contact, FA regional officer, and leader of the ministry. Despite delegating most responsibilities to a group decision by the Inner Circle, the Chief Minister has the final say in these decisions, second only to the Delegate, and remains the actual leader of the ministry. Inner Circle voting, ministry structure, Senior Diplomat assignments, and similar major ministerial duties are up to the Chief Minister.
THE HALL SYSTEM
The regions we hold relations with are divided into separate “halls”. These halls essentially function as divisions. To picture it, imagine the Chief Minister of Foreign Affairs at the top. Senior Diplomats rest below them. Each Senior Diplomat has a list of regions they oversee as Chief Ambassador. These regions then are assigned to regular Diplomats who rest below the Senior Diplomats. Below regular Diplomats are the Junior Diplomats who I’ll cover shortly. Each hall contains a roughly equal number of regions. A region, when beginning relations, is assigned to a hall. This is done arbitrarily provided all halls are equal in region number.
THE JUNIOR SYSTEM
When a new individual signs up to join our diplomatic corps, we give them the lowest rank, a Junior Diplomat. This Junior Diplomat will then be assigned to a regular Diplomat or Senior Diplomat who will work with them in a specific region. During their junior-ship, the guiding diplomat will teach them the ropes of said region, the way diplomacy is done in TEP, and anything else that may be relevant in a future date. Examples would include teaching a junior how to write up a report, what to report on, and what the culture of a region is like. When an overseeing diplomat feels their junior is ready to become a regular Diplomat, they will recommend their Senior Diplomat promote them. A Senior Diplomat will then ask the Foreign Affairs Inner Circle for a consensus and if it is positive, they will promote them. I will cover the Inner Circle next.
THE INNER CIRCLE SYSTEM
The Senior Diplomats and the Chief Minister are part of an “inner circle”. This inner circle handles the big issues of the Ministry. This includes accepting a region’s consulate or embassy request, signing off on a statement on behalf of the Ministry, and dealing with problematic incidents. There are also advisors in the Inner Circle. They are chosen by both the Delegate and Chief Minister and can also participate in decision-making and discussions.