The Influence of Strategic Subnational Diplomacy in International Relations
The international engagement of cities and local governments has increased and diversified recently. Mainly understood by the public as the cultural and academic ties cultivated within the sister-city framework, these connections now bear deeper and more strategic implications.
Cities and local governments are operating across borders as they must manage the acute effects of global challenges, such as geopolitical competition, climate change, pandemics, and migration. Local leaders must strategically update their toolbox to manage international affairs, advance their communities’ economic and social progress, and elevate their interests in the multilateral system.
This new strategic dimension of subnational diplomacy has implications for national governments. Some ignore this phenomenon, attempt to limit it, or seek to exploit subnational relationships to advance their national interests. Others recognize the need to support subnational diplomacy as a value add in foreign policy statecraft, such as the United States.
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The Influence of Strategic Subnational Diplomacy in International Relations
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Founded in 2007, Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa center produces an in-depth analysis of the African continent and its security, geopolitical, political and socio-economic dynamics (in particular the phenomenon of urbanization). The Center aims to be both, through various publications and conferences, a space for disseminating analyzes intended for the media and the public but also a decision-making tool for political and economic actors with regard to the continent.
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Sub-Saharan Africa's cities are experiencing the fastest growth rates in the world. By 2050, most of the countries in the region will have made an urban transition, meaning that more than 50% of their population will live in urban areas. Urban growth is often presented as a cornerstone of the continent's socio-economic development.
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