Diplomat Appointed LA's Deputy Mayor Of International Affairs

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday that he has appointed Nina Hachigian, a former U.S. diplomat, as deputy mayor for the newly created Mayor's Office of International Affairs.

Hachigian served as U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the Obama administration from 2014 to 2017.

"Los Angeles is a leader on the world stage -- we're bringing the Olympics back to America, and Angelenos deserve the wealth of jobs and other new opportunities that come with increased international trade, more foreign investment and heightened cultural exchange," Garcetti said. "Nina will be an outstanding leader for my Office of International Affairs -- an Angeleno with the right experience, and who understands how deeper engagement with the world can lift up all of our communities."

The new office will oversee the city's international affairs, advising on trade policy and global investment, assisting with the 2028 Olympics, and managing relationships with global leaders, according to the mayor's office. She is scheduled to begin her role on Sept. 6.

"I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity Mayor Garcetti has given me to serve the people of our city," Hachigian said. "Los Angeles is already a worldwide beacon of hope, opportunity, diversity and innovation -- and the Mayor's Office of International Affairs will work tirelessly to build on that standing in a way that results in new opportunities for all Angelenos."

City News Service; Photo: Usmission2asean via Wikimedia Commons