Cities worldwide are at a critical juncture. As they face mounting pressure to address climate change, migration, and geopolitical tensions through international cooperation, many find themselves caught between growing ambitions and persistent capacity constraints.
Our latest policy brief, published in partnership with Eurocities, exposes this tension while charting a clear path forward. The findings reveal a rapidly evolving landscape where city diplomacy is becoming more sophisticated, yet structural challenges continue to limit its effectiveness.
The Professionalisation Paradox
The data tells a compelling story: 84% of cities globally now have dedicated offices for international relations, and training for diplomatic staff has surged from just 19% in 2018 to 57% in 2024. Yet European cities consistently report that they “do not have enough staff to deal with EU affairs,” leading to what many describe as “overwhelming workload levels.”
This paradox—increased professionalization alongside persistent resource constraints—defines the current state of city diplomacy. Cities are establishing Brussels delegations, joining multiple international networks, and developing sophisticated engagement strategies, all while struggling to coordinate these efforts effectively across their administrations.
Beyond the Challenges: Concrete Solutions
The research not only identifies challenges but also reveals proven pathways to enhance city diplomatic effectiveness:
Strategic Capacity Building: Cities that invest in targeted training programs—particularly through peer-to-peer learning and city network workshops—report significantly higher policy impact from their international engagements.
Network Leverage: City network membership was rated as the activity with the greatest impact on local policymaking in 2024, with 73% of cities reporting substantial policy influence through collective advocacy and benchmarking activities.
Multilevel Alignment: The evolving relationship between national and local governments presents new opportunities, with nearly 70% of cities now coordinating with their national governments at least quarterly on international matters.
“In the midst of multiple and intersecting global and urban crises, city diplomacy is becoming more complex, but also more essential. […] Cities can move from fragmented engagement to coherent international action, guided by strategies and planned coordination with key actors.”
The Path Forward
This comprehensive study by Carlo Epifanio (University of Lausanne), Amelia Leavesley and Daniel Pejic (Melbourne Centre for Cities), and Pietro Reviglio (Eurocities), demonstrates that the future of city diplomacy lies not in choosing between ambition and capacity, but in strategically building the institutional infrastructure to support both.
The research calls for a renewed policy focus on equipping city administrations with the human and strategic capacity needed to meet today’s global challenges. As cities continue to emerge as crucial actors in addressing global crises, investing in their diplomatic capabilities becomes not just beneficial, but essential for effective multilevel governance.
