The ICMA International Committee serves as the primary advisory committee on international issues to the ICMA Executive Board, helping them to implement the board's policy on international activities. International Committee members serve terms of one, two, or three years. The committee meets each year at the ICMA Annual Conference and conducts a second meeting jointly with an affiliate organization in its home country, focusing on professional exchange and contribution to the international knowledge base. The committee, through the work of its subcommittees, focuses on the following issues and initiatives:

Affiliate relations: The committee works closely with staff to review ongoing relationships with ICMA's international affiliate organizations and reviews staff progress on updating affiliate agreements. The committee also examines ways to ensure that important member-to-member interactions still occur among and between affiliates and ICMA's domestic membership.

Knowledge base exchange: The committee works with staff to develop strategies to further develop ICMA's knowledge base (leading practices, information exchange, technical assistance, products and services) so that it is relevant and valuable to local government managers worldwide in both developing and developed countries.

Capacity building and advocacy: The committee works with staff in developing a focus and scope for ICMA's international work (including capacity building and advocacy for professional management) that is not donor funded. This includes recommendations for targeted countries, type of work, and funding.

Membership and governance: The committee continues its consultation efforts pursuant to the direction of the ICMA Executive Board with affiliates on the issue of international representation on the board. The committee also developed Good Global Local Governance and ICMA, a white paper defining ICMA's principles and practices in good local governance that serves as a basis for ICMA's advocacy with various international organizations.

Communications: The committee works with staff to develop strategies to better communicate the international work of the association to its members.