On May 29, 2026, the panel discussion “Decentralizing Diplomacy: Subnational Perspectives on Inter-Regionalism across the AU, EU, and ASEAN” took place. Organized by Aliru Abiodun Adiatu and moderated by Christian Bueger, the participants discussed the growing importance of subnational diplomacy in relations between the AU, the EU, ASEAN, and other regional integration systems. The panel participants included Babatunde Obamamoye (International Development Department, British Academy International Fellow, University of Birmingham), Orestis Trasanidis (28Digital, Brussels, Belgium), AIA Associate Fellow Summar Iqbal Babar (School of Politics and International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad), and Aliru Abiodun Adiatu himself.

The focus was on the role of cities, regions, and local governments as international actors. While traditional diplomacy primarily addresses security and power issues, subnational cooperation focuses more on topics such as climate protection, sustainable development, digitalization, and local economic development. The panelists emphasized that global challenges must increasingly be addressed at the local level and that the implementation of international strategies is hardly possible without local actors. Cities are seen as key drivers of innovation, trade, and social transformation.

The discussion also addressed how paradiplomacy opens up new avenues for action in a geopolitically tense world. At the same time, potential risks were highlighted, such as the fragmentation of foreign policy interests. Particular emphasis was placed on direct cooperation between cities in Africa, Europe, and Asia, which is often more practical and efficient than traditional state-led development cooperation—for example, in the areas of digital education or green technologies. Overall, the event demonstrated that international cooperation is increasingly being organized in a decentralized manner and that local actors are playing an ever more important role in global political processes.