attaché

An attaché is a staff member assigned to a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy, to provide specialized expertise or support. The term, rooted in the French attaché meaning "attached," denotes a role rather than a separate rank, and attaches work under the direction of the ambassador or minister-counselor.

Common types include military attaché, cultural attaché, economic or commercial attaché, political attaché, and press or information attaché. Military attachés advise on defense matters, liaise on security cooperation, and facilitate exchanges; cultural attaches promote arts, education, and heritage programs; economic attaches handle trade promotion and economic policy liaison; political attaches monitor developments and report back; press attaches manage media relations and messaging. Some missions also employ science, technology, and university attaches.

Attachés are typically career diplomats or military officers who hold full diplomatic status and are accredited to the host state under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. They usually serve for fixed terms and work within the mission's staff, reporting to the ambassador or chargé d'affaires, and they may rotate between posts.

Historically, attaches became common in the modern era as states built permanent diplomatic missions and sought specialized information and liaison. Today, hundreds of missions maintain attaches in fields such as defense, culture, and commerce, reflecting a broader scope of diplomacy that includes cultural exchange and sectoral cooperation in addition to traditional political diplomacy.