In October 2022, Secretary Blinken established the Subnational Diplomacy Unit (SDU) at the State Department and appointed Nina Hachigian as the first Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy. Over the past two years, SDU has engaged with approximately 5,000 local government officials in the United States and globally, including mayors, governors, and county supervisors.
The SDU aims to enhance U.S. foreign policy by connecting with local leaders to understand their priorities and innovations. The unit's notable achievements include providing U.S. mayors with city-level Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) information for the first time. Nearly 100 mayors received FDI factsheets, accompanied by a webinar on attracting foreign investment.
In a historic move, Secretary Blinken addressed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in both 2023 and 2024. Additionally, August 2024 saw the launch of the Lewis Local Diplomat program, which places foreign service officers in local offices to bolster international engagement capabilities. This initiative is set to expand significantly in 2025-2026 due to positive responses from local governments.
June 2024 marked another milestone when Deputy Secretary Richard Verma and Ambassador Hachigian led a delegation to Armenia for the inaugural U.S.-Armenia Local Democracy Forum. This event facilitated discussions on democracy strengthening between local leaders from both nations.
Furthermore, SDU co-hosted the first Cities Summit of the Americas alongside the State Department’s Western Hemisphere Bureau. The summit fostered partnerships and solutions for urban sustainability challenges through initiatives like Cities Forward.
In terms of climate policy, SDU collaborated with major climate networks at COP28 to highlight local leaders' roles in global climate action. Ambassador Hachigian also participated in New York Climate Weeks in both 2023 and 2024.
The Assembly of Local Leaders (ALL) was established to engage U.S. mayors and governors on public health, foreign investment, and economic development issues. Meanwhile, the State-to-States Initiative seeks to enhance connections between U.S. cities and states with international communities.
SDU remains committed to regular briefings and outreach efforts aimed at increasing local stakeholders' involvement in foreign policymaking.
For further information or inquiries about these initiatives, contact can be made via email at Subnational@state.gov or through their social media handle @SubnationalDip on X.
