Inspections of U.S. Embassy Paris, France, the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently inspected the three U.S. missions in Paris, France: the U.S. embassy, the U.S. mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (USOECD), and the new U.S. mission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (USUNESCO). OIG concluded that the missions are actively advancing U.S. government interests, that executive direction at the missions meets Department of State standards, that priorities and activities at each mission conform to the strategic plans in their mission performance plans, that Embassy Paris consular services are effective, despite severe space constraints; and that the missions are meeting their responsibilities for interagency coordination. Furthermore, morale and job satisfaction of American and local employees is generally high.

However, OIG also identified several areas for improvement. For instance, the existing management structures at the three missions contained a number of areas of overlap and duplication. Both USOECD and USUNESCO subscribe to – and pay for – a wide set of support services under the International Cooperative and Administrative Support Services (ICASS) framework directed by Embassy Paris. At the same time, both USOECD and USUNESCO maintain -- and pay again -- for extensive in-house administrative capabilities. OIG recommended that USOECD and USUNESCO move fully into a joint administrative structure, using Embassy Paris as the primary service provider under the ICASS umbrella. This would emulate existing successful models in Brussels and Vienna, cities where multiple, independent U.S. missions receive high-quality, cost-effective services via a single support mechanism.

In program implementation, OIG concluded that Embassy Paris is strengthening the U.S.-France relationship. The embassy effectively oversees the presence of 40 U.S. government agencies and offices that are active in France and engaged in such key topics as anti-terrorism coordination, scientific cooperation, and trade development.