Aspects of International Governance

 International relations (IR) once seen as mainly an inter-governmental affair  Sovereign states the basic units in the international system  This neo-realist view increasingly challenged in the era of globalisation ◦ Complex inter-dependence eg financial markets ◦ Non-government actors in global system eg World Bank, multinational corporations, civil society organisations  Different systems of rule of transnational character – ‘governance without government’

 States are ◦ single most important units ◦ equal units ◦ Rational ◦ Pursue their national security interests ◦ Unitary ◦ Change in foreign policy results from change in international system

 The international system is ◦ Anarchic ◦ No sovereign above states ◦ No world government to guarantee that law and order is upheld on a global level  States are always busy ◦ Preparing for war ◦ Actively engaging in war or ◦ Recovering from war  Go to war because fear other states will attack them

 Liberals criticise the heavy focus neo-realists place on states  Other actors are important ◦ Individuals travel more ◦ Trade between countries ◦ Transnational corporations ◦ Political movements ◦ International organisations  International transactions have increased enormously since end of Second World War

 Now complex interdependence ◦ Some states so integrated with others that war can be ruled out (cooperative relations) ◦ Trade and other trans-border flows rule out military force as means of solving disputes ◦ Means that some states not strong militarily but could be strong economically ◦ Distinction between domestic policy and foreign policy blurred

 ‘Globalisation denotes the expanding scale, growing magnitude, speeding up and deepening impact of interregional flows and patterns of social interaction’ (Held and McGrew 2000)  ‘A quiet revolution’ (Annan 1998)  Neo-realists recognise changes but don’t think they are radical  ‘Democratic globalists’ see possibility of building global governance system

 Dimensions of globalization (Held et al 1999) ◦ Political ◦ Organised violence ◦ Trade and markets ◦ Finance ◦ Corporate power and global production networks ◦ Migration ◦ Culture ◦ Environment

 Has the policy-making autonomy of the state declined? ◦ States have to conform to global financial markets ◦ States’ response to global markets may be differentiated  Neoliberals argue for minimum state role in economy (provide and enabling environment for market)  Others argue that economic success has been because of state action

 States are the most important actors in the international system ◦ Neo-realists: states cannot be bound by rules eg US didn’t sign Kyoto agreement, put tariffs on agricultural products ◦ Pluralists: states bound by rules; international law of sovereignty and principle of non-intervention  Global governance is what governments can agree on

 There are global governance processes that go beyond states ◦ Liberalism/solidarism includes NGOs, citizens’ movements, multinational corporations and global capital market as global actors as well as governments ◦ Global governance is about a framework of rules to tackle global issues guaranteed by a set of institutions ◦ Multiplication of global regimes

 ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

 IGOs have members which are states  NGOs have members who are private individuals and groups  Numbers of both have grown enormously ◦ 1909 = 37 IGOs and 176 NGOs ◦ 1991 = 4917 international organisations with 118,000 memberships  Only 18 IGOs are general purpose  Most IGOs enage in narrow range of activities

Range of stated purpose Geographic scope of membership Multiple purposeSingle purpose Global United Nations World Trade Organization UNESCO World Health Organization International Labour Organisation International Monetary Fund Interregional, regional, subregional European Union Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Orhganization of American States League of Arab States South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Nordic Council North Atlantic Treaty Organization International Olive Oil Council International North Pacific Fisheries Commission A classification of IGOs

 UN is best known international organisation  Almost universal membership  Article 1 of Charter ◦ Maintain international peace and security; ◦ Develop friendly relations between nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self- determination of peoples; ◦ Achieve international cooperation in solving international problem,s ◦ Centre for harmonizing actions of nations to attain these ends

 Involved in a very broad range of issues from conflict resolution and peace-keeping to welfare and environment (even postal services)  For example, for development ◦ UNDP, ESCAP, UNIFEM, WFP, FAO, UNEP, UNCTAD ◦ ILO, WFC, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNCHS, ITC  World Bank Group is under the Economic and Social Council of the UN  IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA

 Both rich and poor countries have used the UN to advance their own foreign policy goals  Has been a source of considerable aid to developing countries  Broad-based conferences favoured by developing countries  Others not so keen – ‘ill-informed participation’ by states not involved in the issue  Criticised for excessive bureaucracy, interference and beset by money woes – also seen by some as a waste of money with too much authority

 Global governance in the 21 st century is distinctive ◦ Policy problems can cut across several distinct issue areas (eg HIV/AIDS; global warming) ◦ States and IGOs no longer the only important global actors for dealing with international problems (eg NGOs, private sector, expert communities, social movements) ◦ No single model of global governance for all issues

 Who governs access to the Internet?  Who controls means of access and physical infrastructure?  Who controls functionality and technical quality?  Who controls online activities?  Previous global communication rules no use  Different parties with different interests  Internet Governance Forum (IGF) commenced 2006 – annual meetings - recommends

 UNAIDS used a network approach to HIV/AIDS involving public, private and non- governmental actors  Dissatisfaction among partners led to rethink  The Global Fund aims to fight malaria, TB and AIDS ◦ Independent institution ◦ Multiple stakeholders for public, private and NG ◦ Multisectoral participation from funding to implementation

 Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) commenced 2003 ◦ To halt production and trade in illicit ‘conflict’ diamonds ◦ Minimise government revenue losses ◦ Involves states (74), private sector and NGOs ◦ Introduces validated certificates of compliance for diamond shipments  Government commitment questionable in some countries

 There are 3 leading challenges for institutions that address global governance issues ◦ Legitimacy ◦ Accountability ◦ Effectiveness