attachés

An attaché is a person assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission or government ministry to provide expertise in a specific field. The term derives from French attaché, meaning "attached" or "assigned." Attachés are typically professionals—military officers, economists, cultural specialists, scientists, or civil servants—who support the mission by offering specialized knowledge and handling liaison with host-country authorities.

Within an embassy or consulate, an attaché serves under the authority of the ambassador or head of mission. Their duties include monitoring developments in their area of specialization, preparing analytical reports, advising senior officials, facilitating cooperation with host institutions, and assisting with protocol and representative duties. They may also help promote bilateral programs in areas such as culture, education, trade, or science.

Common types include military attachés (and defense attachés in some countries), economic or commercial attachés, cultural attachés, scientific or technical attachés, and consular attachés. Attachés may be military or civilian staff and often hold diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Historically, attachés emerged as states expanded their bureaucracies and sought specialized expertise at foreign posts. Today the exact role and degree of authority of an attaché vary by country and mission, but the core function remains: to bring domain-specific knowledge to the diplomatic relationship and to facilitate contact and cooperation with the host nation in that field.