International trips made by the heads of state and heads of government to the United States have become a valuable part of American diplomacy and international relations since such trips were first made in the mid-19th century. They are complicated undertakings that often require months of planning along with a great deal of coordination and communication.
The first international visit to the United States was made by King Kalakaua of Hawaii in 1874, which was the first visit by a foreign chief of state or head of government. [1]
The first South American head of state to visit the United States was Emperor Pedro II of Brazil in 1876. [2]
The first Central American head of state to visit the United States was President Justo Rufino Barrios of Guatemala in 1882. [3]
The first European head of state to visit the United States was Albert I, Prince of Monaco in 1913 [4] while the first head of government to visit the United States was Prime Minister Macdonald of the United Kingdom in 1929. [5]
The first Oceanian head of government to visit the United States was Prime Minister Billy Hughes of Australia in 1918. [6]
The first Asian head of state to visit the United States was King Prajadhipok of Siam in 1931. [7] The Republic of China (later Taiwan) made its first visit in 1945 when Premier T.V. Soong went to San Francisco to lead the United Nations Conference in 1945. [8]
The first African head of state to visit the United States was President Edwin Barclay of Liberia in 1943. [9]
Liberian foreign relations were traditionally stable and cordial throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a significant relationship with the United States, sharing close relations until the 1970s.
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entity is usually headed by a foreign minister or minister of foreign affairs. The foreign minister typically reports to the head of government.
Hawaiian Kingdom–United States relations refers to the historical relationship between the independent Hawaiian Kingdom and the United States. Relations included several treaties and exchanges of trade and diplomatic representatives from 1820 to 1893.
The United States has formal diplomatic relations with most nations. This includes all United Nations members and observer states other than Bhutan, Iran, North Korea and Syria, and the UN observer State of Palestine, the last of which the U.S. does not recognize. Additionally, the U.S. has diplomatic relations with Kosovo and the European Union.
Eleven United States presidents and three presidents-elect have made thirty-four presidential visits to Central America. The first visit by an incumbent president to a country in Central America was made in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt. The trip, to Panama, was the first international presidential trip in U.S. history, and signaled the start of a new era in how presidents conducted diplomatic relations with other countries. In 1928, Herbert Hoover, during the time when he was president-elect, visited the region during his historic "good will" trip, to Central and South America.
State and official visits to the United States are formal visits by the head of state or chief of government from one country to the United States, during which the president of the United States acts as official host of the visitor. State visits are considered to be the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations between the United States and a foreign state and are, in general, characterized by an emphasis on official public ceremonies.