International Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs) are organizations created by two or more nations, which agree to work together on matters of common interest such as peace and security, economic and trade issues or health and social welfare issues. While some IGOs have been around since the end of WWI, the spread of globalism has resulted in an increasing number of these organizations. This is due to the fact that multilateral cooperation is a critical component of the economic and social wellbeing of involved nations. To that end, IGOs provide a forum for member nations to discuss issues and facilitate cooperation on matters related to the organization’s charter. These organizations may also serve to disseminate information to the public on topics of interest.
The UN, perhaps the most prominent IGO, encompasses 15 agencies and several more programs and bodies overseeing various concerns such as peacekeeping and conflict resolution, human rights and humanitarian aid, and economic development and trade on behalf of its 192 member nations. Other IGOs have a more narrow focus, perhaps on one or two related issues. For example, the World Bank is concerned primarily with economic wellbeing and trade issues as they relate to its member nations.
Following is a bit of general information on some of the most active IGOs:
United Nations: 192 member countries “committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights”. Main Bodies include: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic & Social Council, Trusteeship Council & International Court of Justice. More information can be found at www.un.org
World Health Organization: “Directing and coordinating authority for health within the UN. Responsible for providing leadership on global health issues, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends”. Go to www.who.int for more information.
World Bank: 187 member countries whose “mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors”. More information is available at www.worldbank.org
International Monetary Fund: 187 member countries “working together to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment, sustainable economic growth & reduce poverty around the world”. Go to www.imf.org for more information.
World Trade Organization: 150 member countries “whose objective is to help trade flow smoothly, freely, fairly and predictably”. More information is available at www.wto.org
Critics of IGOs argue that, because IGOs are composed of and accountable to national governments, their policies are not impartial. Presumably, each member nation is influenced by his or her own national priorities. As such, IGO policy and agenda will be shaped to reflect these priorities, particularly those of the most powerful government members. In these cases, critics argue, the concerns of developing nations and the most vulnerable peoples are ignored. This could be even more problematic if IGOs are responsible for issues of international law and justice. The issue of national sovereignty vs multilateral cooperation facilitated by an IGO is a debate that is likely to intensify as the world continues to become more economically and socially connected.
What do you think? Are IGOs a critical component of multilateral cooperation in an interdependent world? Or are they a vehicle for promoting the agenda of the most powerful nations at the expense of developing countries?
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