Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs): Background, History and Objectives

This article provides an overview of Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), which are primarily composed of sovereign states or other intergovernmental firms. It covers the background, history and objectives of IGOs, including the different types of IGOs and their roles in global governance and world political system.

Running Head: INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 1
Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)

INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 2
“Background, History and Objectives of Intergovernmental Organizations”
An intergovernmental organization (IGO) is an organization that is primarily composed of
sovereign states or other intergovernmental firms. These organizations are established by any
agreement or treaty which works as a charter making the group. Some of the examples of IGO
are such as The World Bank, United Nations and European Union (Joel 45). In general, it can be
stated that IGO is an entity that is developed by treaty by involving two or more countries. In the
absence of treaty, there is no existence of intergovernmental organization. While alliances and
treaties were there for the centuries, IGOs started to establish in the 19th century. The first IGO
was Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine that was begun in aftermath of Napoleonic
wars and International Telegraph Union that was originated by 20 nations in the May 1865
(Harvard Law School). In this process, an International Telegraph Convention was signed. In the
year 2002, there were thousands of IGOs all over the world and this number has been increasing
continuously. This rise is due to globalization that enhances and promotes the collaboration
within and among the states. Globalization is the major factor that gave an easy mean for the
expansion and growth of IGOs.
About IGOs, it can be said that the IGOs composed by treaties are more beneficial than just
grouping of countries as they are subject to International regulations and laws. These entities
have the potential to come in enforceable agreements. It covers various issues and government
from each region all over the world involving offices in United States. There are different types
of IGOs like global and worldwide organizations, economic organizations, cultural or religious
organizations, educational organizations, regional organizations and health and population
organizations (Blake and Payton 379). United Nations is among the oldest IGOs that substituted
the League of Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Universal Postal Union. Apart
from this, other popular IGOs are like Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC),
European Union (EU), World Trade Organization and African Development Bank.
IGOs are created by treaty with the objective to act in good faith on the problems of mutual
interest. The major objectives of IGOs are to develop a process for inhabitants of world to work
effectively together in the area of security and peace and to handle the social and economic
questions. In modern era of globalization and interdependence of countries, these organizations
have to play a vital role in global governance and world political system. However, IGOs

INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 3
distinguish in terms of membership, membership criteria and functions. They have different
scopes and objectives which are mentioned in the charter or treaty. Some of the IGOs established
with the objective to meet a requirement for a neutral forum for negotiation or discuss the
disputes (Bearce and Bondanella 705). Other were created to carry out the common interests
with integrated goals so that they can protect the peach via good international relations and
conflict resolution, encourage global corporation on different matters like protection of
environment, promotion of human rights, social development and economic development etc.
(Joel 45). Additionally, some IGOs like United Nations are very general in terms of purpose and
scope whereas other organizations have their specific objectives like International Organization
for Standardization.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 4
Works Cited
Harvard Law School, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), 17 November 2018
https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/opia/what-is-public-interest-law/public-service-practice-
settings/public-international-law/intergovernmental-organizations-igos/
Blake, Daniel J., and Autumn Lockwood Payton. "Balancing design objectives: Analyzing new
data on voting rules in intergovernmental organizations." The Review of International
Organizations 10.3 (2015): 377-402.
Bearce, David H., and Stacy Bondanella. "Intergovernmental organizations, socialization, and
member-state interest convergence." International Organization 61.4 (2007): 703-733.
Spring, Joel. How educational ideologies are shaping global society: Intergovernmental
organizations, NGOs, and the decline of the nation-state. Routledge, 2014.