The United Nations Understanding global interactions

International Organizations, Laws, & Agreements Supranationalism - involves nations putting aside their self-interests to work with other nations for the good of the collective, or for global good In supranational organizations - member nations appoint representatives to an international body, which then makes decisions to which members agree to abide Often responsible for creating international law and agreements Through participation, nations attempt to balance their national interests with the well-being of the global community Supranationalism - involves nations putting aside their self-interests to work with other nations for the good of the collective, or for global good In supranational organizations - member nations appoint representatives to an international body, which then makes decisions to which members agree to abide Often responsible for creating international law and agreements Through participation, nations attempt to balance their national interests with the well-being of the global community

Supranational Organizations The United Nations - “to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends” The United Nations - “to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends”

The Beginnings

Different Branches General Assembly Economic and Social Council Security Council Trusteeship Council International Court of Justice Secretariat General Assembly Economic and Social Council Security Council Trusteeship Council International Court of Justice Secretariat

Security Council

General Assembly

International Court of Justice

International Human Law video: IHL from ICRC

Geneva Conventions Set regulations about actions permissible in war, including the care of prisoners and injured, the law of warfare at sea, and the control of ‘collateral damage’ to civilians Nations are expected to temper their actions so there is at least a basic level of respect for humanity, especially civilian populations Set regulations about actions permissible in war, including the care of prisoners and injured, the law of warfare at sea, and the control of ‘collateral damage’ to civilians Nations are expected to temper their actions so there is at least a basic level of respect for humanity, especially civilian populations

War Crime Trials international law can be used after a conflict has been resolved to try individuals who have clearly stepped beyond humane practice in war the Nuremberg Trials, happened after WWII - tried, convicted and sentenced to death many Nazi leaders international law can be used after a conflict has been resolved to try individuals who have clearly stepped beyond humane practice in war the Nuremberg Trials, happened after WWII - tried, convicted and sentenced to death many Nazi leaders

The African Union The AU consists of 53 nations Works to improve and secure democracy, human rights, and a stable economy in Africa through... resolving conflicts creating a common market The AU consists of 53 nations Works to improve and secure democracy, human rights, and a stable economy in Africa through... resolving conflicts creating a common market

New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Its primary objectives: To eradicate poverty To place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development To halt the marginalization of Africa in the globalization process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy To accelerate the empowerment of women Its primary objectives: To eradicate poverty To place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development To halt the marginalization of Africa in the globalization process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy To accelerate the empowerment of women

The International World Market IMF - International Monetary Fund WTO - World Trade Organization World Bank IMF - International Monetary Fund WTO - World Trade Organization World Bank

IMF

What does it do?

Original Aims

Criticisms

More...

The World Trade Organization (WTO) A group of nation-states who work together to resolve trade issues “help producers of good and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business, while allowing governments to meet social and environmental objectives... The system’s overriding purpose is to help trade flow as freely as possible - so long as there are no undesirable side-effects - because this is important for economic development and well-being” A group of nation-states who work together to resolve trade issues “help producers of good and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business, while allowing governments to meet social and environmental objectives... The system’s overriding purpose is to help trade flow as freely as possible - so long as there are no undesirable side-effects - because this is important for economic development and well-being”

WTO continued It apparently promotes equal treatment of foreign and national companies The reduction of government involvement in commerce, through tariffs, concessions, and regulation Some are concerned that member countries cannot make their own choices based on the beliefs and values of their people Some feel that the WTO ignores important environmental and labour issues and values the interests of free markets over the interests of ordinary people The WTO has also been criticized for benefiting rich countries and allowing the powerful countries to control less powerful countries It apparently promotes equal treatment of foreign and national companies The reduction of government involvement in commerce, through tariffs, concessions, and regulation Some are concerned that member countries cannot make their own choices based on the beliefs and values of their people Some feel that the WTO ignores important environmental and labour issues and values the interests of free markets over the interests of ordinary people The WTO has also been criticized for benefiting rich countries and allowing the powerful countries to control less powerful countries

WTO Criticisms Reflect back on “The unholy trinity”

Criticism of the WTO Criticism of the WTO fall into two broad categories: 1. 1.Criticism of WTO aims - The WTO is very strongly committed to trade liberalization which means a movement towards free trade both in the reduction and elimination of tariffs and a removal of non-tariff barriers such as quotas. In fact the first four of the WTO's principles (see Basic Facts About the WTO) are all explicity or implicitly about this. This position (pro free trade) is firmly grounded in main stream trade economics - particularly comparative advantage theory - which implies that free trade is an optimal system (in technical terms it is pareto optimal - see glossary). Importantly it is even good for poor undeveloped countries, hence the WTO's fifth principle about development. This, however, is controversial. There are some, particularly in development studies and development economics, who are doubtful that free trade and deregulation are in fact good for developing countries or the best development paradigm. In fact it is often felt that free trade is actually bad in a variety of ways for poorer countries and beneficial mainly to richer ones. If this is so then the WTO's philosophy has serious problems (it's own principles are mutually contradictory) and the WTO is at its very basic level biased towards the richer countries. The other main criticism of the WTO's philosophy comes from environmental circles. It is felt that the free trade/deregulatory paradigm is detrimental to the environmental protection and preservation. In fact some environmentalists would argue that the idea of the ultimate economic good being material improvement (GDP growth) which is implicit in the WTO's philosophy is fundamentally misguided in that it neglects and fails to take into account the (negative) environmental affects of pursuit of this economic goal (e.g. global warming).Basic Facts About the WTO is even Criticism of WTO practices/structure - Criticism of WTO practices and/or structure focus on the democratic or undemocratic nature of the organization. The points tend to seperate into two related arguments. First that the structure and personnel of the WTO is undemocratic in various ways that lead to developed richer countries winning out over less developed poorer countries. Second that while not actively biased or undemocratic the WTO facilitates and permits powerful groups to dominate the others (these groups being either the richer developed countries or e.g. TNCs - transnational corporations). Apart from this, the other main criticism of WTO practices would be that it does not implement its philosophy evenhandedly, in particular free trade arguments are used to open up the markets of third world countries while the developed world retains all kind of protectionist measures. In this view the WTO has just been a method of institutionalizing the accumalated advantage of developed countries.

World Bank

A brief description

History...

Accomplishing the MDGs Millennium Developmental Goals created to establish a better world... (simply put) end in asking, “Did we make a better world and alleviate some of its issues?” Millennium Developmental Goals created to establish a better world... (simply put) end in asking, “Did we make a better world and alleviate some of its issues?”

International Law and Treaties NATO is an example of a multinational military treaty (26 countries) The original missions has changed since the Cold War - originally designed to maintain European security against possible communist threats - to a more general security force to protect global interests of the member nations NATO is an example of a multinational military treaty (26 countries) The original missions has changed since the Cold War - originally designed to maintain European security against possible communist threats - to a more general security force to protect global interests of the member nations

NATO

Member Nations