At the Mackinac Policy Conference today, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez met with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, and local leaders to emphasize the U.S. Department of State’s support for the newly announced “Michigan City and State Diplomacy Initiative,” hosted by the Michigan Municipal League and Foundation.
The initiative aims to build capacity for Michigan local governments to engage more on the international stage. The Department of State commends Michigan's innovative leadership in highlighting the importance of foreign policy for all Americans by connecting local communities to American foreign policy. The Department’s Subnational Diplomacy Unit (SDU) will collaborate with Michigan on subnational diplomacy efforts, including advising on tools and strategies and facilitating introductions to key stakeholders at DoS, other agencies, and like-minded local leaders globally to enhance the benefits of American foreign policy.
This collaboration allows the U.S. Department of State to strengthen its work with city and state leaders nationwide. As the first state in the U.S. to officially establish a task force of this kind, Michigan is leading in effectively utilizing international engagement benefits.
Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy Ambassador Nina Hachigian and Under Secretary Fernandez signed a letter of support for this initiative earlier this year.
For more information about SDU, visit: https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-economic-growth-energy-and-the-environment/the-special-representative-for-subnational-diplomacy/. Follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X:@State_E, LinkedIn:@State-E, and Facebook:@StateDeptE. For further media inquiries, please contact E_Communications@state.gov.
