Foreign relations of Urcea

The foreign relations of Urcea are the way in which the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea interacts with the other nations of the world. Governed by the Ministry of State, Urcea's foreign policy goals include the "radical preservation" of Urcea's independence and sovereignty, which includes the maintenance of Levantia as free of foreign influence. Historically, Urcea's focus was on its relationship with other members of the Holy Levantine Empire, but during the 20th century its focus shifted to its relationship with Caphiria during the Occidental Cold War.

Urcea is a founding member of the League of Nations and occupies a permanent seat on the League of Nations Security Council. It is a member of the Levantine Union and the Nysdra Sea Treaty Association.

History

Urcea's predominant foreign policy goals have shifted over time as the nation has grown from the confines of just the Archduchy of Urceopolis and Duchy of Yustona to a major continental power spanning most of southern Levantia. Over the first century and a half of its existence, Urcea's aim was establishing control over its direct zone of influence in the Imperial Kingdom of Urcea, a legal boundary of the Kingdom within the Holy Levantine Empire. This included the establishment of hostile and friendly relations - as the need presented - in order to especially subjugate the Creagmer republics, which gradually came under its influence. Growing ascendant over its de jure vassals, Urcea's attentions soon turned inward as the Saint's War characterized generations of Urcean policy and history over the course of nearly a century and a half. Emerging from the Saint's War under the direction of House de Weluta, Urcea entered a place in the sun for nearly four centuries from the 15th to early 19th century, ruling the Holy Levantine Empire and successfully prosecuting the War of Veltorine Independence, War of the Caroline Succession, and Great Confessional War during that time. During this era, Urcea established strong bilateral relations abroad and strong dependent relationships within the Holy Levantine Empire, including with the Grand Duchy of Carolina, which it eventually incorporated. Urcea eventually turned inward towards reform during the 19th century and the Recess of the Julii, but emerging from that period it became a great power following the First Great War and a superpower following the Second Great War. As a consequence of the Great Wars, Urcea built strong relationships with nations in Sarpedon as part of the Occidental Cold War, and also became closely tied to its neighbors Fiannria and Burgundie as part of the Levantine Union. Burgundie became Urcea's closest ally following the Second Great War, and that friendship lead to Urcea's participation in Operation Kipling. The period of the Occidental Cold War saw considerable antagonism between Urcea and Caphiria, antagonism which has eased into cordial relations since the Assumption Accords. Much of Urcea's foreign policy and relationships are now centered on Crona following the conclusion of The Deluge.

Foreign Aid

Foreign aid provided by Urcea is managed by the Office for Foreign Aid and is generally broken into two categories by the Government of Urcea, "humanitarian aid", i.e. aid necessary for human development purposes abroad including healthcare and education, and "lethal aid", which covers weapons provided by Urcea to other nations for no charge or for reduced prices.

Much of Urcea's humanitarian aid is provided in the form of block grants provided by the government from the Office to the Catholic Church, specifically Catholic charities abroad, for the direct provision of services to individuals in developing countries. This program, called the Ecclesiastical Development Grant (EDG), comprised 87% of Urcean foreign humanitarian aid in fiscal year 2018-19. Accordingly, Urcea has little discretion in where this money is spent geographically, and Urcean dollars fund Church programs in developing countries all over the world. The remaining amount is divided among several programs which are referred to colloquially as "in-house aid programs" ("IHAPs"), which are targeted programs that the Government of Urcea operates by working with other governments to fund specific programs in those countries. The largest IHAP programs are for education and healthcare in Crona and Alshar, with most of the funds going specifically to NSTA countries. IHAPs have many restrictions placed on them, and funding from Urcea cannot be used for abortion services and contraceptives among other restricted uses.