Inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) play an instrumental role in ensuring international
norm compliance through on-site monitoring missions. However, conducting such missions in
authoritarian regimes presents a challenging environment, as these regimes are reluctant to be
monitored. How then can monitoring IGOs endure and function within these repressive
environments? This article seeks to address this puzzle, focusing on the interplay between IGOs
and autocratic governments. Drawing from elite interviews and official documents, particularly
concerning the International Labour Organization's (ILO) mission in Uzbekistan, I argue that
cooperation between IGOs and authoritarian states can be understood as a strategic
partnership. This partnership, emerging from mutual suspicion and shared interests, matures
through trust-building efforts, facilitated by dialogues, joint activities, and symbolic gestures.
As the partnership develops, it fosters an environment conducive to open information
exchange, granting IGOs some influence over domestic policy areas. Once trust is established,
autocratic leaders are more amenable to collaboration, potentially leading to enhanced
adherence to international commitments. However, this strategic partnership is not without its
drawbacks, potentially boosting an autocratic regime's global legitimacy and overshadowing
democratic advocacy. Furthermore, the inherent political undertones of the partnership give
rise to internal and external contestations, underscoring the intricate balance IGOs must
maintain when aligning with repressive regimes. These insights offer substantive implications
for our understanding of IGO compliance endeavors and authoritarian practices. I also provide
policy recommendations, underscoring the importance of fostering collaboration between
IGOs, NGOs, and civil society in these missions. Future research should focus on the ethical
and normative dimensions of such strategic partnerships.
