Institute for Global Affairs Releases New Report on City Leaders in Geopolitics, Launches Pilot Program for Local Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New “City Power in Global Affairs” report reveals American mayors are falling behind international peers as they become key players in global crises.

NEW YORK, NY – The Institute for Global Affairs (IGA) today released “City Power in Global Affairs: Equipping Local Leaders in Geopolitics,” a report examining how American city leaders are emerging as critical actors in international affairs while lacking the resources and training needed to succeed. 

Alongside the report’s publication, IGA announced the launch of a pilot program designed to equip local leaders with geopolitical knowledge and skills, and the retention of report author Leigh O’Neill as Senior Advisor to oversee this initiative.

With 70% of the world projected to be living in cities by 2050, city leaders are increasingly consequential in addressing global challenges. However, American cities are falling behind their international counterparts in developing the capabilities needed for effective global engagement. 

“City leaders now take direct action on geopolitical issues traditionally managed at the national level,” the report states. “Mayors are first responders to global crises that they do not control and might not understand,” yet they lack adequate preparation and resources to deliver on these expanded responsibilities.

Addressing an Urgent Leadership Gap

The new pilot program will address what the report identifies as critical needs: a local leadership training program, constituent engagement strategies, and support for peer learning and coordination.  

“City leaders are on the front lines of climate change, trade disruptions, pandemics, migration, and cybersecurity threats—yet they often lack the geopolitical experience to navigate these challenges effectively,” said Mark Hannah, Chief Executive Officer of IGA. “This pilot program is part of IGA’s programmatic expansion to promote geopolitical literacy among new audiences. Mayors act as vital connectors between global issues and the communities where more and more Americans live. By equipping mayors with the knowledge, networks, and tools to confront and communicate these challenges, we’re strengthening democratic governance from the ground up.”

The report documents how local leaders have already stepped into international roles during crises, from navigating global supply chains during COVID-19 to coordinating with international counterparts on climate action. A 2024 city diplomacy survey found that climate change was by far the priority issue for city international engagement, with 82% of cities surveyed naming it as their top issue.

Expert Leadership for Transformative Change

Leigh O’Neill, the report’s author and newly appointed Senior Advisor, brings extensive experience in city leadership development and international affairs. Previously overseeing  Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies, she managed  investments in leadership programming for global mayors at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard. She also served as Managing Director for Policy and Legislative Affairs at the Truman National Security Project and as staff in the United States Senate.

“The twenty-first century will be marked by complex, interconnected global challenges and city leaders act first when these issues appear locally,” said O’Neill. “Better informed and trained local officials will lead to more public appreciation and support for how cities are ever more consequential geopolitical actors, while deepening connectivity to constituents’ interests and better serving their needs.”

IGA Board Chair Zachary Karabell emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative: “At a moment when the United States is reconsidering its role in the world, supporting wider access to geopolitics education is so important. IGA is meeting this challenge with new leadership and expanded programming. Leigh brings exceptional expertise in city leadership development and a deep understanding of how global forces shape local governance. With her guidance, this pilot program will ensure that mayors and city officials are equipped not just to respond to crises, but to actively contribute to solutions which have global application.”

Critical Timing for American Leadership

The report comes in a year when the State Department has eliminated resources for local engagement in global affairs, including the Subnational Diplomacy Unit, leaving cities more isolated in their international work. Meanwhile, other nations like France, Australia, and Canada have institutionalized mechanisms for coordination between national and local governments on international affairs.

The pilot program will focus on practical training for mayors and city officials on how geopolitical trends affect their communities, constituent engagement strategies for communicating international issues to local voters, and building sustainable networks for peer learning and coordination. 

About the Institute for Global Affairs

The Institute for Global Affairs (IGA) pursues industry-leading research on geopolitics and global affairs, creates relevant, objective, fact-based content, tools, and programming, and partners around the world to drive awareness, increase understanding, and support action on global challenges. IGA works to increase awareness and understanding of geopolitics and global affairs—particularly among young people and marginalized and underrepresented groups—protect and strengthen democracy, and help overcome intolerance and totalitarianism, in the United States and globally.

For more information about the “City Power in Global Affairs” report and pilot program, contact info@instituteforglobalaffairs.org.

For individuals or institutions interested in supporting this program, contact development@instituteforglobalaffairs.org.