Foreign relations of Westarctica

As a sovereign nation-state, Westarctica engages in foreign relations with many nations, micronations, and other international governmental organizations. Aside from brief periods during the reign of Grand Duke Philip and Prime Minister Waesche, all foreign affairs have been handled by the Grand Duke of Westarctica, however, starting in 2018, a Minister of Foreign Affairs was appointed to handle day-to-day interactions with representatives from other countries.

History and diplomatic activities

In May 2005, Westarctica entered into its first international agreement, a treaty of friendship and recognition with the Republic of Molossia. This treaty became the go-to template for treaties of many other micronations, and portions of the text can still be found in micronational treaties to this day. Westarctica has signed treaties of friendship and recognition with dozens of other micronations from around the world and also entered into several multi-state pacts such as the West-Antarctic Treaty, the West Antarctic Free Alliance and the Antarctic Micronational Union (which it later left).

United Nations involvement

Since January 2015, Westarctica has enjoyed non-consultative status as a member of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs - NGO Branch. In this capacity, representatives from Westarctica have participated in annual planning sessions with other NGOs to create and implement Sustainable Development Goals on a global scale.

State visits

Grand Duke Travis has undertaken many state visits on behalf of Westarctica and has traveled widely to promote the country's interests and to help raise awareness of micronations in general. Starting in 2015, there was a major shift in the nature of these visits and public speeches: instead of advocating exclusively for recognition of Westarctica's sovereignty, the Grand Duke began advocating on behalf of the fragile West Antarctic ecosystem and made environmental conservation a key talking point.

Westarctica has received representatives from many micronations and a few sovereign nation-states. One guest of honor at the Grand Duke's 2004 wedding to Grand Duchess Cathryn was the nephew of the Minister of Finance from Togo (a small country on the West African coast).

Diplomatic Corps

Westarctica's Diplomatic Corps evolved out of the Honorary Consular Corps, a volunteer organization that encourages Westarctican citizens and hereditary nobles around the world to become representatives for Westarctica right in their home country.

Westarctica's diplomatic relations

Nation	Recognition Status	Trade Status	Diplomatic Visits
Royal Republic of Ladonia	Mutual Recognition	No economic exchanges	2014 - Informal dinner with Heads of State 2015 - Formal dinner at MicroCon 2015 2018 - Diplomatic visit
Kingdom of Shiloh	Mutual Recognition Military cooperation	Economic cooperation	2012 - 2018 Numerous diplomatic and cultural exchanges
Kingdom of Vikesland	Mutual Recognition Military cooperation	Economic cooperation	2012 - State visit in Vikesland 2012 - State visit from Vikesland 2015 - Formal dinner at MicroCon 2015
	Grand Duke Jacob Felts	Intermicronational Trade and Economics
	Vice President John Farr	West Who
23x15px	Queen Anastasia	Micronations, Living the Dream
	King George II	25 Years On The Throne
	Lord Henry	The Grand Duchy of Broslavia
	Grand Marshall Yagjian	The Ambulatory Free States of Obsidia 101
	President McCovey Staples	The California Republic
	King Adam I	Überstadt, A Kingdom of the People
	Prince Arthur & Princess Edith	Legal Process of Micronational Documents
	Supreme Dictator Vladimir Valentinovich Veselovsky	The Provisional Territories of the F.A.R.T.
	Yan the First	The Power Of One
	Emperor Joseph Vladimir Christ	The Empire of Gilead
	First Lady Adrianne Baugh	Growing into Micronationalism