International Affairs Team

Aissata M.B. Camara serves as New York City’s Commissioner for International Affairs, where she leads the City’s engagement with the diplomatic community, the consular corps, and the United Nations. She is the first African-born and Muslim woman and one of the youngest individuals to serve as a Commissioner in the City’s history.

Commissioner Camara has served in the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs for a decade, holding multiple leadership roles that have advanced New York City’s global leadership and deepened its ties with the international community. In her current role, she drives the City’s international engagement strategy, connecting local priorities with global opportunities that promote equity, dignity, sustainability, and inclusive economic growth. She works closely with the United Nations, 193 Permanent Missions, 116 Consulates General, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to develop strategic partnerships that deliver tangible results for New Yorkers.

Before her appointment as Commissioner, she served as Deputy Commissioner for Policy & Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff. In that capacity, she advised City leadership on international policy, managed emergencies involving foreign-born New Yorkers and diplomatic incidents, and oversaw City protocol, the Diplomatic and Consular Parking Program, and internal operations to ensure New York City remains a trusted and effective global partner. She has also previously worked in philanthropy at the Rockefeller Foundation and the nonprofit and private sector.

A recognized leader in subnational diplomacy, Commissioner Camara has created and led award-winning initiatives that have positioned New York City as a model for global urban engagement. She launched the NYC Junior Ambassadors program, connecting thousands of students and educators with the United Nations, and spearheaded the global expansion of the Voluntary Local Review (VLR) movement, now adopted by more than 330 cities worldwide, to localize and measure progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Commissioner Camara is a Fulbright Specialist, a frequent speaker at high-level forums, including the United Nations, and a respected voice on diplomacy, equity, climate, economic development, and technology. Her work and story have been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, PBS, NY1, Deutsche Welle, Forbes, City & State, amNewYork Metro, and other outlets.

Her contributions have earned her local and global recognition, including the 2023 Bernard M. Baruch College Alumni Changemaker Award, induction into the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Hall of Fame, the Jo Ivey Boufford Award for Public Service Innovation, and designation as a Thomson Reuters Trust Conference Changemaker.

Originally from the Republic of Guinea, Commissioner Camara is driven by a vision to build resilient, inclusive, and globally connected communities that leave no one behind.