The Office of International Affairs and External Relations, a division of the Mayor’s Executive Offices, was established to create and maintain working relationships with state, federal and local government entities; consular and diplomatic corps, bi-lateral chambers of commerce and international trade offices in order to maximize the City’s opportunities to impact public policy, increase revenues, and foster its growing stature as a global city and key player in trade and commerce.
Additionally, the office provides staff support to the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (ASCC) and CIFAL Atlanta. Since 1974, the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (ASCC) has been an affiliate of Sister Cities International (SCI), the national membership association for sister-city, county and state programs in the United States. Click here for more information on Atlanta's 18 sister city linkages and the work done to promote economic development, education partnerships and cultural exchange.
CIFAL Atlanta was inaugurated in September 2004 as a joint initiative between the United Nations and the City of Atlanta and is the only such center in North America. The 12 worldwide CIFAL Centers provide training for local authorities, mayors, governors or municipal councilors and their key executives as well as provide sector and civil society leaders in the area of sustainable urbanization and environment, information society, and human, social economic development. CIFAL Atlanta serves city leaders throughout the Western Hemisphere.