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The U.S. State Department has announced plans to close five overseas diplomatic posts approved by Congress: Douala, Cameroon (a branch office); St. George’s, Grenada (an embassy); Nagoya, Japan (a consulate); Medan, Indonesia (a consulate); and Winnipeg, Canada (a consulate).

All are located in countries that are partners or allies of the United States.

It is unusual for the United States to reduce its diplomatic footprint. With the exception of some retrenchment efforts during the Trump administration, Washington has generally viewed diplomacy as a force multiplier. Diplomacy is not simply a matter of authority and leverage. It requires sustained local engagement, relationships and presence.

Consulates and branch offices are not the same as embassies. They are smaller missions, headed by consuls or consuls general rather than ambassadors and often provide a more limited range of services. Yet they play a vital political, economic and cultural role, supporting both local populations and American citizens abroad.