The Foreign Service Journal, September 2006

them daily wages that were exorbitant by local standards. This, in turn, angered local businessmen, who came under pressure from their own workers as a result. Although the issue is not directly related to the UNPKOs’ economic impact, because it was raised by so many of my interlocutors it is impossible to avoid men- tion of the ubiquitous, imposing white land cruisers that are the most recognizable trademark of every PKO. A chief administrative officer at one mission acknowledged that his biggest headache was dealing with vehicle acci- dents involving mission personnel and local residents demanding compensation. At most missions, these expensive, heavy vehicles appeared to seldom engage their four-wheel drives, rarely venturing outside the commuting corridors from residence to office, the air- port or international supermarkets and restaurants. Security is often cited as a justification. But there is no doubt that attempts to change the mindset of U.N. personnel on this issue would encounter fierce resis- tance. As any staffer knows, having one’s own car full- time is not only a great convenience, but also perceived as a measure of one’s status and value to the organiza- tion. Some Obvious Steps to Take The scope of the EIP project goes well beyond the framework of the discussions I had; it involves systemat- ic analysis of a wide array of economic data, which will lead to numerous thoughtful recommendations. I would nonetheless like to identify a few of the more obvious conclusions that emerged from my investigation: • More coordination among the U.N.’s various ele- ments in these countries, as well as between the U.N., NGOs and major donors, on the economic impact of their activities is a priority. “Coordination” has become an overused mantra at these missions, and formal struc- tures are constantly being set up to encourage it. In my discussions, however, it seemed that, for the most part, PKO managers and development agency officials still see themselves as operating in very different worlds. F O C U S 54 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6