The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has partnered with the Iowa International Center (IIC) to facilitate Iowa’s Partner States Program. Established in 1960, the Partner States Program aims to foster connections between Iowans and the global community in areas such as agriculture, business and education. After the state government realignment, IEDA’s International Trade Office assumed responsibility over the program in July 2023, creating a new role to handle partner state relationships. The collaboration with IIC offers professional and educational resources for international visitors, including translation services. Iowa’s current partner states include:

• Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan (1960)
• Yucatan, Mexico (1965)
• Hebei Province, China (1983)
• Terengganu, Malaysia (1987)
• Stavropol Krai, Russia (1988)
• Taiwan (1989)
• Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine (1996)
• Veneto region, Italy (1997)
• Kosovo (2013)