Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Roles and appearances
About the FCDO
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK's diplomatic, development and consular work around the world. It is a ministerial department of the UK Government, headed by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and supported by ten agencies and public bodies.
The department was formed in September 2020, when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office merged with the Department for International Development. Since then, the UK's diplomacy and its development work have been run from a single department.
Reach
Around 17,000 people work for the FCDO, across a global network of 281 offices. In the UK, staff are based at King Charles Street in London, at Abercrombie House in East Kilbride and in Milton Keynes. Overseas, the network operates through the UK's embassies, high commissions and consulates.
Areas of work
Diplomacy. Representing the UK internationally and working with other governments and multilateral bodies on foreign policy, security and global issues.
International development. Leading the UK's development work overseas, including official development assistance, and publishing official statistics on how that assistance is spent.
Consular services. Support for British nationals abroad, from emergency assistance to overseas passports and travel advice for countries worldwide.
Sanctions and legalisation. Maintaining the UK Sanctions List and running the legalisation and apostille service for British documents used overseas.
FCDO and RRDA
The Raparin Regional Development Agency operates under the legal mandate of The Foundation. Its establishment had support from the UK Government and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, working with Adam Smith International.