The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, then the people’s commission for external affairs, was established in December 1920. It operated, however, for two years only as with the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922 representation of Belarus abroad, as well as of other Soviet nations became a prerogative of the central government.

Over 20 years later, after Soviet nations legally received measured functions to develop external links the new people’s commission for external affairs was created in 1944 followed by its transformation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic two years on.

1958 saw the creation of the first ever Belarusian diplomatic agency abroad, the Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations.

In 1991 as Belarus gained independence, the Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

Belarus has diplomatic relations with 166 countries, with over 60 diplomatic posts in 47 of them. They include 45 Embassies, 2 Permanent Missions to international organizations, 7 Consulates General, 1 Consulate and 12 Embassy affiliations.

Foreign nations are represented in Belarus by 44 embassies and 20 consulates. There are also 13 country offices of international organizations in Belarus with 76 foreign diplomatic agencies accredited as non-residents.

Belarus is party to over 3,000 international treaties featuring over 1,700 bilateral and around 1,500 multilateral agreements.