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As part of its effort to downsize America's global diplomatic footprint, the US State Department has notified Congress of plans to close five consulates in Canada, Japan, Indonesia, Cameroon and Grenada.
According to Reuters, the State Department informed some congressional committees late last week that it intends to shut its embassy in St George's, Grenada; consulates in Nagoya, Japan, Medan, Indonesia, and Winnipeg, Canada; and its embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon. The people familiar with the notification spoke on the condition of anonymity because the notice has not been made public. Reuters reported that the proposed closures represent a rare instance of the United States reducing multiple overseas diplomatic posts outside the context of a specific geopolitical crisis. The move follows discussions that began early last year during the Trump administration, when the State Department explored shutting nearly a dozen foreign missions as part of a broader effort to reshape the federal bureaucracy in line with President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda, Reuters reported. According to the report, the White House Office of Management and Budget had advocated an even larger reduction, proposing the closure of around 30 overseas missions. Some administration officials have argued that several smaller diplomatic posts are no longer essential or cost-effective. However, Democrats and several former foreign policy and national security officials have warned that reducing the US diplomatic presence overseas, coupled with the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), could weaken American global influence and create opportunities for strategic rivals such as China and Russia, Reuters reported. When asked for comment, the State Department did not confirm the planned closures but said it remained focused on ensuring that the United States maintained an "efficient and effective" diplomatic footprint. It also said it was following the required congressional notification procedures. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended the administration's cost-cutting initiatives, arguing that they are necessary to streamline what many view as an overly large and bureaucratic department. According to Reuters, while China does not maintain diplomatic missions in Douala or Winnipeg, it has an established diplomatic presence in St George's, Nagoya and Medan. (ANI)
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