Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) are paramount in structuring the global political terrain, working as platforms for cooperation, policy coordination, and conflict resolution among states.
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Functions
- Regulating international trade through multilateral agreements.
- Facilitating trade negotiations, particularly during periodic negotiation rounds.
- Addressing trade disputes through its Dispute Settlement Body.
- Monitoring member states' trade policies to ensure conformity with WTO agreements.
Successes
- Playing a role in the expansion of global trade over the decades.
- Establishment of a rule-based trading order, reducing arbitrary trade restrictions.
- Empowering smaller nations through a collective framework.
Criticisms
- Pro-development bias: Critics argue that WTO favours wealthy nations and multinational corporations.
- Slow decision-making: Consensus-based decisions often lead to protracted negotiations.
- Lack of enforcement: While the WTO can authorise sanctions, it lacks direct enforcement power.
Impact on International Relations and Global Policy
- Creates a structured framework for global trade, reducing ad-hoc bilateral negotiations.
- Its decisions and rulings can influence national trade policies and legal frameworks.
- Acts as a platform for resolving trade tensions among member states.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Functions
- Monitoring the global financial system and member countries' economic health.
- Lending to countries facing financial crises.
- Technical assistance in economic policy and institution building.
- Economic research and data provision to promote understanding of financial issues.
Successes
- Providing critical financial assistance during global financial crises.
- Stabilising economies facing balance of payments problems.
- Promoting economic reforms and policy adjustments in countries facing economic challenges.
Criticisms
- Conditionality: Imposing strict conditions on loans which can lead to public spending cuts and economic hardships.
- Transparency issues: Criticised for decision-making processes that lack transparency.
- Accusations of Western bias: Many argue that the IMF's policies often reflect the interests of its Western donors.
Impact on International Relations and Global Policy
- Regular economic assessments influence national economic policies and reforms.
- Its lending conditions can lead to significant policy shifts in borrowing nations.
- Serves as a platform for global economic coordination, especially during crises.
European Union (EU)
Functions
- Policy coordination across diverse areas: from environment to digital economy.
- Legislative and regulatory harmonisation to facilitate the Single Market.
- External representation in areas of shared competence, like trade negotiations.
- Promotion of human rights and democratic values both internally and globally.
Successes
- Introduction of the Euro, a common currency for 19 member states.
- Expansion and successful integration of Eastern European countries post the Cold War.
- Schengen Agreement, allowing passport-free travel across most member states.
Criticisms
- Bureaucratic inefficiencies and the perceived distance between EU institutions and citizens.
- Handling of the Eurozone crisis and the bailouts, seen by some as prioritising banks over citizens.
- Differing views on federalism and the future direction of the EU among member states.
Impact on International Relations and Global Policy
- Setting standards in trade, competition, consumer protection and more that have global repercussions.
- Influencing international norms through its soft power, especially in human rights and democracy promotion.
- Engaging in peacekeeping and diplomatic missions under its Common Security and Defence Policy.
African Union (AU)
Functions
- Conflict prevention and mediation through peacekeeping missions.
- Economic development initiatives aimed at African self-reliance.
- Health initiatives, including responses to epidemics and promoting healthcare reforms.
Successes
- Peace and Security Council has played a role in mediating various African conflicts.
- African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative aiming to boost intra-Africa trade.
- Agenda 2063 laying out the strategic framework for the continent's future development.
Criticisms
- Political inertia: Often criticised for not taking swift action against member states with poor human rights records.
- Dependency on foreign aid for many of its programmes and missions.
- Perceived as being dominated by a few powerful states which influence its policies and directions.
Impact on International Relations and Global Policy
- Unified stance on issues of common interest boosts Africa's negotiation power on the global stage.
- Intervening in regional conflicts, helping stabilise volatile regions.
- Promoting African solutions to African problems, fostering a sense of continental identity and unity.
Arab League
Functions
- Promoting Arab interests on issues like the Palestinian cause.
- Encouraging economic cooperation among member states.
- Cultural coordination, fostering a shared Arab identity.
Successes
- Acting as a forum for resolving inter-Arab disputes.
- Unified responses to external threats, such as the nationalisation of the Suez Canal in 1956.
- Cultural and educational programmes to promote Arabic language and culture.
Criticisms
- Disunity and disagreements among members often hinder decisive action.
- Inefficacy in addressing major regional crises, like the Syrian civil war.
- Accusations of being a toothless entity, without tangible impact on the ground.
Impact on International Relations and Global Policy
- Providing a platform for joint Arab responses to global issues.
- Its positions can influence the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East.
- Engaging in cultural diplomacy to foster Arab identity globally.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Functions
- Promoting regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy.
- Economic cooperation through initiatives like the ASEAN Economic Community.
- Sociocultural integration among member states to build a sense of regional identity.
Successes
- Conflict prevention in a region with diverse political systems and historical disputes.
- Trade facilitation through various free trade agreements.
- Disaster relief coordination through mechanisms like the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance.
Criticisms
- Non-interference principle: Sometimes criticised for not addressing human rights issues in member states.
- Economic disparities between member states lead to imbalances in benefits from economic integration.
- Slow decision-making due to the consensus-based approach.
Impact on International Relations and Global Policy
- Navigating major power dynamics, especially between the U.S. and China, ensuring ASEAN centrality.
- Engaging in regional and mega-regional trade agreements
- Promoting ASEAN norms and values on the international stage.
FAQ
The African Union (AU) proactively addresses political instability through several mechanisms. The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU is the primary body responsible for peacekeeping missions, conflict prevention, and mediation. The PSC often deploys observer missions during elections to ensure fairness and transparency. The AU has a principle of non-indifference, allowing it to intervene in a member state in grave circumstances, such as war crimes or genocide. Moreover, the African Peer Review Mechanism allows member states to engage in mutual evaluations, fostering best practices in governance and socio-economic development. However, effectiveness can vary based on political will and regional dynamics.
The European Union (EU) embeds human rights and democratic values within its foundational principles and external action policies. Through its enlargement policy, candidate countries must adhere to the Copenhagen Criteria, which mandates stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, rule of law, and human rights. Furthermore, the EU's trade and cooperation agreements often include a human rights clause, conditioning the relationship on respect for human rights. The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) funds projects worldwide to support civil society in their efforts to advance democratic reform. Additionally, the EU engages in human rights dialogues and consultations with third countries and regional organisations, aiming to enhance the human rights situation globally.
The decision-making processes vary considerably among IGOs. In the United Nations, especially in the Security Council, decisions often require consensus, with permanent members wielding veto power. This can sometimes lead to gridlock on contentious issues. The World Trade Organisation operates on a consensus-based decision-making model, where all members must agree. While this ensures collective decisions, it can also slow down negotiations and agreements, as witnessed in various trade rounds. The European Union, with its diverse institutions, combines both qualified majority voting and unanimity, depending on the policy area. For instance, while most legislative acts follow the ordinary legislative procedure (previously co-decision) requiring a qualified majority in the Council and the European Parliament's approval, sensitive areas like taxation or foreign policy require unanimity among member states.
Informal forums, like the G20, wield influence primarily because they bring together leaders from the world's major economies to discuss and coordinate on pressing global issues. These groupings are often more flexible and adaptive than formal IGOs. The lack of a bureaucratic structure allows for candid, high-level discussions. The decisions, although not legally binding, carry weight given the economic and political clout of the participating nations. Moreover, the visibility of these forums ensures that their declarations or communiqués receive global attention, indirectly pressuring members to adhere to the stated commitments. In essence, their influence lies in the collective power of their member states rather than institutional authority.
Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) are primarily composed of sovereign states and are established through treaties that act as charters setting out their objectives, functions, and structure. IGOs, such as the United Nations or the World Trade Organisation, have members that are states and they typically address issues of international concern, often holding diplomatic immunity. On the other hand, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-profit entities established by individuals or groups, independent from states and international governmental entities. NGOs, like Amnesty International or Greenpeace, often focus on specific issues like human rights, environment, or health, and do not possess the same diplomatic privileges as IGOs.
Practice Questions
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) plays a pivotal role in sculpting global trade dynamics by instituting a rule-based trading system, arbitrating trade disputes, and monitoring member states' trade policies. Its framework aids in reducing arbitrary trade barriers and has fostered the expansion of international trade. However, criticisms directed towards the WTO assert a pro-development bias, suggesting that its policies often favour developed nations and multinational corporations. Additionally, its consensus-based decision-making process can be sluggish, and although it can authorise sanctions, the WTO lacks the direct power to enforce its rulings.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is fundamental in fostering regional peace and stability. By promoting dialogue and diplomacy among its diverse member states, many of which have historic disputes, ASEAN has been instrumental in preventing conflicts. ASEAN's non-interference principle and consensus-based approach, while fostering unity, can sometimes slow decision-making and sideline pressing issues, such as human rights violations. Nonetheless, in the realm of geopolitics, ASEAN has been adept at navigating the major power dynamics, particularly between the U.S. and China, and ensuring that the region's interests remain central. Its emphasis on ASEAN centrality ensures a balanced and independent stance in global affairs.
