Secretariat General

Secretary General
Michele Valensise

Telephone: 06 3691 2030

Deputy Secretary General
Vicario Sebastiano Cardi

Telephone: 06 3691 2040

Email: sg.segreteria@esteri.it

As stated in art. 6, par. 2, of legislative decree no. 300/1999, the Secretary General assists the Minister directly in drafting Ministry policies and programmes, oversees the Ministry to ensure the continuity of its functions, and coordinates the activities of its various offices.

The Secretary General is assisted by a Deputy Secretary General.

In the Minister for Foreign Affairs’ absence the Secretary General chairs the Board of Directors, which assesses the Ministry’s strategic policies and overall action.

In completing their assigned tasks the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General avail themselves of:

• The Coordination Unit
  Head of the Unit: Min. Luigi Maria Vignali
  Telephone: 06 3691 2050
  Email: SGUDC@esteri.it

As well as of the following Units:

• The Unit for Analysis, Planning and Historic Diplomatic Documentation, which has the following tasks:
  • to analyse, research and study strategic foreign policy themes for the purposes of the central headquarters and diplomatic-consular network, and to handle relations with corresponding policy planning units abroad (“Analysis and Planning” component);
  • to catalogue and safeguard historic diplomatic documentation and related research, and to provide for the proper functioning of the library and publication of Italian Diplomatic Documents (“Historic Diplomatic Documentation component).

• The Crisis Unit, monitors international crises and hot spots with special regard for the interests and security of Italian nationals abroad in emergency situations, availing itself when necessary also of the collaboration of other State ministries;
  Telephone: 06 0636225
  Email: unita.crisi@esteri.it

The following offices work within the Secretariat General:

• Central Security Office-Special Secretariat: manages the flow of classified and qualified documents; issues directives regarding document security; grants security authorisations;
  Telephone: 06 3691 2050
• Statistics Office, set up in accordance with legislative decree no. 322/1999.
  Telephone: 06 3691 8996 - 06 3691 8968
  Email: ufficio.statistica@esteri.it