The (big) Business of Subnational Foreign Offices
Even the smallest states want in on the fun
From Alberta to Andalucia to Arizona, subnational governments are putting boots on the ground around the globe.
In some jurisdictions, these initiatives involve dozens of international offices and tens of millions of dollars in annual public expenditures. Yet, compared to national level diplomacy, this industry is mostly a mystery to the public. Even those who work in it, such as bureaucrats and consultants, admit they have limited visibility into its size and scope globally.
Until today, there has not been a consolidated list of subnational government foreign representations, so we decided to build one.