List of ministers of foreign affairs of Turkey

Last updated

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
Dışişleri Bakanı
Republic of Turkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo.svg
Emblem of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C. on 8 December 2023 - (cropped photo).jpg
Incumbent
Hakan Fidan
since 4 June 2023
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Member of Cabinet
National Security Council
Supreme Military Council
Reports to President
Residence Residence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Appointer President
Term length No term limit
Inaugural holder Bekir Sami Kunduh
Formation3 May 1920
DeputyDeputy Minister
Website www.mfa.gov.tr

This is a list of ministers of foreign affairs of Turkey.

Contents

List

The position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey was established in 1920, during the Turkish War of Independence.

No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTerm
1 Bekir Sami Bey Kunduh.jpg Bekir Sami Kunduh
(1867–1933)
3 May 19208 May 19211 year, 5 days Independent
2 Ahmet Muhtar Bey Mollaoglu.jpg Ahmet Muhtar Mollaoğlu
(1870–1934)
8 May 192116 May 19218 days Independent
3 Yusuf Kemal Tengirsenk.jpg Yusuf Kemal Tengirşenk
(1878–1969)
16 May 192125 October 19221 year, 162 days Independent
4 Inonu Ismet.jpg İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
25 October 192222 November 19242 years, 28 days Republican People's Party
5 Mehmet Sukru Kaya.jpg Şükrü Kaya
(1883–1959)
22 November 19243 March 1925101 days Republican People's Party
6 Ahmet Tevfik Rustu Aras.jpg Tevfik Rüştü Aras
(1883–1972)
3 March 192511 November 193813 years, 253 days Republican People's Party
7 Mehmet Sukru Saracoglu.jpg Şükrü Saracoğlu
(1887–1953)
11 November 193814 August 19423 years, 276 days Republican People's Party
8 Huseyin Nugman Kemal Menemencioglu.jpg Numan Menemencioğlu
(1893–1958)
14 August 194216 June 19441 year, 307 days Republican People's Party
(7) Mehmet Sukru Saracoglu.jpg Şükrü Saracoğlu
(1887–1953)
16 June 194413 September 194489 days Republican People's Party
9 Hasan Husnu Saka.jpg Hasan Saka
(1885–1960)
13 September 194410 September 19472 years, 362 days Republican People's Party
10 Necmettin Sadik Bey.jpg Necmettin Sadak
(1890–1953)
10 September 194722 May 19502 years, 254 days Republican People's Party
11 Mehmet Fuat Koprulu.jpg Mehmet Fuat Köprülü
(1890–1966)
22 May 195015 April 19554 years, 328 days Democrat Party
12 Adnan Menderes VI. Yasama Donemi.jpg Adnan Menderes
(1899–1961)
15 April 195527 July 1955103 days Democrat Party
Fatin Rustu Zorlu.jpg Fatin Rüştü Zorlu
(1910–1961)
Acting Minister
27 July 19559 December 1955135 days Democrat Party
(11) Mehmet Fuat Koprulu.jpg Mehmet Fuat Köprülü
(1890–1966)
9 December 195520 June 1956194 days Democrat Party
Ibrahim Ethem Menderes.jpg Ethem Menderes
(1899–1992)
Acting Minister
20 June 195625 November 19571 year, 158 days Democrat Party
13 Fatin Rustu Zorlu.jpg Fatin Rüştü Zorlu
(1910–1961)
25 November 195727 May 19602 years, 184 days Democrat Party
14 Selim sarper.jpg Selim Sarper
(1899–1968)
30 May 196026 March 19621 year, 300 days Independent
15 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F017259-0001, Bonn, Empfang fur Aussenminister der Turkei erkin.jpg Feridun Cemal Erkin
(1899–1980)
26 March 196220 February 19652 years, 331 days Justice Party
16 Hasan Esat Isik.jpg Hasan Esat Işık
(1916–1989)
20 February 196527 October 1965249 days Independent
17 Ihsan Sabri Caglayangil (1968).jpg İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil
(1908–1993)
27 October 196526 March 19715 years, 150 days Justice Party
18 No image.png Osman Esim Olcay
(1924–2010)
26 March 197111 December 1971260 days Independent
19 Haluk Bayulgen (1972).jpg Ümit Haluk Bayülken
(1921–2007)
11 December 197126 January 19742 years, 46 days Independent
20 No image.png Turan Güneş
(1922–1982)
26 January 197417 November 1974295 days Republican People's Party
21 No image.png Melih Esenbel
(1915–1995)
17 November 197431 March 1975134 days Independent
(17) Ihsan Sabri Caglayangil (1968).jpg İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil
(1908–1993)
31 March 197521 June 19772 years, 82 days Justice Party
22 Ahmet Gunduz Okcun (cropped).jpg Ahmet Gündüz Ökçün
(1935–1986)
21 June 197721 July 197730 days Republican People's Party
(17) Ihsan Sabri Caglayangil (1968).jpg İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil
(1908–1993)
21 July 19775 January 1978168 days Justice Party
(22) Ahmet Gunduz Okcun (cropped).jpg Ahmet Gündüz Ökçün
(1935–1986)
5 January 197812 November 19791 year, 311 days Republican People's Party
23 Hayrettin Erkmen.jpg Hayrettin Erkmen
(1915–1999)
12 November 19795 September 1980298 days Justice Party
No image.png Ertuğrul Ekrem Ceyhun
(1927–2017)
Acting Minister
5 September 198012 September 19807 days Justice Party
24 Ilter Turkmen in 1980.jpg İlter Türkmen
(1927–2022)
20 September 198013 December 19833 years, 84 days Independent
25 Vahit Melih Halefoglu (cropped).jpg Vahit Melih Halefoğlu
(1919–2017)
13 December 198321 December 19874 years, 8 days Motherland Party
26 Mesut Yilmaz as Foreign Minister.jpg Mesut Yılmaz
(1947–2020)
21 December 198721 February 19902 years, 62 days Motherland Party
27 Ali Bozer (cropped).jpg Ali Bozer
(1925–2020)
21 February 199012 October 1990233 days Motherland Party
28 No image.png Ahmet Kurtcebe Alptemoçin
(born 1940)
13 October 199023 June 1991253 days Motherland Party
29 Ismail Safa Giray signing financial agreements (cropped).jpg Safa Giray
(1931–2011)
23 June 199120 November 1991150 days Motherland Party
30 Hikmet Cetin (cropped).jpg Hikmet Çetin
(born 1937)
21 November 199127 July 19942 years, 248 days Social Democratic People's Party
31 No image.png Mümtaz Soysal
(1929–2019)
27 July 199428 November 1994124 days Social Democratic People's Party
32 Murat Karayalcin (cropped).jpg Murat Karayalçın
(born 1943)
12 December 199427 March 1995105 days Social Democratic People's Party
33 Erdal Inonu (1941) (cropped).jpg Erdal İnönü
(1926–2007)
27 March 19955 October 1995192 days Republican People's Party
34 No image.png Coşkun Kırca
(1927–2005)
5 October 199530 October 199525 days True Path Party
35 Deniz Baykal headshot.jpg Deniz Baykal
(1938–2023)
30 October 19956 March 1996128 days Republican People's Party
36 No image.png Emre Gönensay
(born 1937)
6 March 199628 June 1996114 days True Path Party
37 Turkish prime minister Tansu Ciller in Brussels.jpg Tansu Çiller
(born 1946)
28 June 199630 June 19971 year, 2 days True Path Party
38 Ismail cem (cropped)2.jpg İsmail Cem
(1940–2007)
30 June 199712 July 20025 years, 12 days Democratic Left Party
39 Sukru Sina Gurel, 2002 (cropped).jpg Şükrü Sina Gürel
(born 1950)
12 July 200218 November 2002129 days Democratic Left Party
40 Yasar Yakis.jpg Yaşar Yakış
(1938–2024)
18 November 200214 March 2003116 days Justice and Development Party
41 Abdullah Gul Senate of Poland (cropped).JPG Abdullah Gül
(born 1950)
14 March 200329 August 20074 years, 168 days Justice and Development Party
42 Ali Babacan - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 crop.jpg Ali Babacan
(born 1967)
29 August 20071 May 20091 year, 245 days Justice and Development Party
43 Secretary Kerry Meets With Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu (2) (cropped).jpg Ahmet Davutoğlu
(born 1959)
1 May 200929 August 20145 years, 120 days Justice and Development Party
44 Mevlut Cavusoglu (cropped).jpg Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
(born 1968)
29 August 201428 August 2015364 days Justice and Development Party
45 Feridun Sinirlioglu December 2014 (16033355251).jpg Feridun Sinirlioğlu
(born 1956)
28 August 201524 November 201588 days Independent
(44) Mevlut Cavusoglu portrait.jpg Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
(born 1968)
24 November 20154 June 20237 years, 192 days Justice and Development Party
46 Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C. on 8 December 2023 - (cropped photo).jpg Hakan Fidan
(born 1968)
4 June 2023Incumbent1 year, 357 days Justice and Development Party

List of ministers of foreign affairs by time in office

13 years, 253 days
Tevfik Rustu Aras from 1925 to 1938 Ahmet Tevfik Rustu Aras.jpg
13 years, 253 days
Tevfik Rüştü Aras from 1925 to 1938
8 years, 192 days
Mevlut Cavusoglu from 2014 to 2015,
from 2015 to 2023 Mevlut Cavusoglu (cropped).jpg
8 years, 192 days
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu from 2014 to 2015,
from 2015 to 2023
8 years, 35 days
Ihsan Sabri Caglayangil
from 1965 to 1971,
from 1975 to 1977
and from 1977 to 1978 Ihsan Sabri Caglayangil (1968).jpg
8 years, 35 days
İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil
from 1965 to 1971,
from 1975 to 1977
and from 1977 to 1978

This is a list of Turkish ministers of foreign affairs by time in office. This is based on the difference between dates; if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be one greater. Tevfik Rüştü Aras is the only person to have served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for more than ten years.

No. in officeSecretaryLength of serviceRank
6 Tevfik Rüştü Aras 13 years, 253 days1
44 Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu 8 years, 192 days2
17 İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil 8 years, 35 days3
43 Mehmet Fuat Köprülü 5 years, 166 days4
11 Ahmet Davutoğlu 5 years, 120 days5
38 İsmail Cem 5 years, 12 days6
41 Abdullah Gül 4 years, 168 days7
25 Vahit Melih Halefoğlu 4 years, 8 days8
7 Şükrü Saracoğlu 3 years, 365 days9
24 İlter Türkmen 3 years, 84 days10
9 Hasan Saka 2 years, 362 days11
15 Feridun Cemal Erkin 2 years, 331 days12
13 Fatin Rüştü Zorlu 2 years, 319 days13
10 Necmettin Sadak 2 years, 254 days14
30 Hikmet Çetin 2 years, 248 days15
26 Mesut Yılmaz 2 years, 62 days16
19 Ümit Haluk Bayülken 2 years, 46 days17
4 İsmet İnönü 2 years, 28 days18
22 Ahmet Gündüz Ökçün 1 year, 341 days19
8 Numan Menemencioğlu 1 year, 307 days20
14 Selim Sarper 1 year, 300 days21
42 Ali Babacan 1 year, 245 days22
3 Yusuf Kemal Tengirşenk 1 year, 162 days23
1 Bekir Sami Kunduh 1 year, 5 days24
37 Tansu Çiller 1 year, 2 days25
46 Hakan Fidan 1 year, 358 days26
23 Hayrettin Erkmen 298 days27
20 Turan Güneş 295 days28
18 Osman Esim Olcay 260 days29
28 Ahmet Kurtcebe Alptemoçin 253 days30
16 Hasan Esat Işık 249 days31
27 Ali Bozer 233 days32
33 Erdal İnönü 192 days33
29 Safa Giray 150 days34
21 Melih Esenbel 134 days35
39 Şükrü Sina Gürel 129 days36
35 Deniz Baykal 128 days37
31 Mümtaz Soysal 124 days38
40 Yaşar Yakış 116 days39
36 Emre Gönensay 114 days40
32 Murat Karayalçın 105 days41
12 Adnan Menderes 103 days42
5 Şükrü Kaya 101 days43
45 Feridun Sinirlioğlu 88 days44
34 Coşkun Kırca 25 days45
2 Ahmet Muhtar Mollaoğlu 8 days45