Scandinavians trust international organisations more than rest of Europe - report

Trust in organisations such as the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is higher in Scandinavia than in any other European region, according to a new report published by the Rockefeller Foundation.

The survey, which gathered responses from more than 36,000 people across 34 countries, set out to measure public opinion on international cooperation.  

The results show that people across the globe believe global cooperation is important to address challenges such as food and water security, supported by 93% of the respondents, global health at 91%, and climate at 86%. 

However, trust in institutions working on these issues is relatively lower, the best regarded being the World Health Organization at 60% and the United Nations at 58%. 

In Sweden and Norway, 64% of people reported trusting the UN, while 69% said they trusted the WHO. 

In other parts of Europe, however, trust levels recorded were notably lower. In Central and Eastern Europe (Poland, Hungary and Romania) and in Western Europe (Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom), trust in these institutions was only slightly above 50%. 

Trust levels in The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) were lower, with 44% and 46% of global respondents expressing confidence in these institutions. 

Confidence in the IMF is also relatively weak across Europe. While 50% of respondents in Scandinavia expressed trust in the organisation, the figure dropped to 41% in Eastern Europe and just 39% in Western Europe. 

Global picture

Worldwide, Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest levels of trust in international organisations, the survey found. In countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana, international institutions enjoy strong support.  

The WHO is particularly highly regarded, with 85% of respondents expressing trust. Even the lowest-rated organisations in the region – the IMF and the International Criminal Court (ICC), both at 70% – still attract more confidence than in most other parts of the world. 

By contrast, the lowest trust levels were recorded in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In these countries, only the European Court of Human Rights managed to exceed the 50% trust threshold. The African Union with only 41% of respondents’ confidence, scored the lowest.