Policy Implementation by International Organizations: A Comparative Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses of National and International Staff

Strengths and weaknesses of IO staff Policy implementation in an intergovernmental organization (IGO) takes the form of co-implementation by two staff groups: international officials and national staffers recruited from the host state. This paper conceptualizes and empirically evaluates the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two groups. Based on an original staff survey, it finds as one distinct strength of international staff their impartiality towards local actors. In comparison, national staff have three strengths in the alignment of IGO activities with local environment, in seamless interactions with locals, and in gaining the trust of the host country. However, the patterns of disagreement in survey responses further point to important divisions between staff groups that may impede the performance of IGOs in policy implementation.