1. English for Lawyers 4 Lecturer: Miljen Matijašević Session 5
Session 5

2. International Organisations
Unit 22

3. International Organisations
What international organisations do you know?
What do you know about their work?
Exercise I, p. 219

4. International Organisations
What do you know about the procedure of establishing an international organisation?
What is the legal basis for an IO?
What are the benefits and drawbacks for member states?

5. International Organisations
Founded by international agreements:
charters, statutes, conventions
Work to achieve common goals
Usually have a deliberative body (council, assembly) that adopts (binding) rules
Secretariat with administrative powers
Problem of enforcement

6. The United Nations

7. The United Nations
international organisation facilitating co- operation in international law, prevention of war, promoting human rights, economic and social development, social progress and world peace
founded on 24 October 1945 with the ratification of the Charter of the United Nations, signed at the UN Conference in Internation Organization in San Francisco (June 1945)

8. The United Nations - origins
The League of Nations
founded immediately after WW1
headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
main aim – to prevent another world war
in addition: promoted social and economic progress, global health, suppression of drug and human trafficking

9. The United Nations - origins
The League of Nations
had no military forces, used arbitration and negotiation instead
at its peak had 58 member countries (the USA never a member)
disintegrated as WW2 started

10. The United Nations
193 member states (nearly all sovereign nations of the world)
headquarters: New York City, NY, USA
offices also in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi

11. The Aims of the United Nations
to keep peace throughout the world
to develop friendly relations between nations
to work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each other's rights and freedoms
to be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims
2000 United Nations Publications

12. The Principles of the United Nations
all Member States have sovereign equality
all Member States must obey the Charter
countries must try to settle their differences by peaceful means
countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force
the UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country
countries should try to assist the United Nations
2000 United Nations Publications

13. The United Nations six official languages: English French Arabic
Chinese
Russian
Spanish

14. The United Nations consists of six principal organs: General Assembly
Security Council
Economic and Social Council
Secretariat
International Court of Justice (in The Hague)
Trusteeship Council (inactive)
also: specialised institutions

15. The United Nations specialised agencies:
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
World Bank
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
UN’s Children Fund (UNICEF)
etc.

16. The General Assembly

17. The General Assembly
main deliberative, policymaking and representative body of the UN
a forum of multilateral discussion under the Charter
meets in yearly sessions (Sep-Dec)
one state – one vote
resolutions of the UN not binding on the members, except budgetary matters

18. The General Assembly
GA President elected for a one-year term of office
GA also elects non-permanent members of the Security Council
Has an important role in the codification of international law

19. The Security Council

20. The Security Council
body in charge of maintaining world peace and security
five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA (veto power)
ten non-permanent members (voted for two- year terms)
power to issue binding decisions that Member States have agreed to abide by in the Charter

21. The Security Council current non-permanent members:
Bolivia, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Peru, Poland and Sweden
Non-member states may participate in disussions if the Council estimates that they are affected by the issue at hand, but they do not get a voting right

22. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
promotes intrenational economic and social co-operation and development
has 54 members voted by the General Council for a three-year term
meets once a year
co-ordinates special bodies
meets with representatives of IMF and WB

23. The Secretariat carries out day-to-day work of the organisation
provides services for UN bodies
carries out studies, gathers information
implements programmes and policies (e.g. peacekeeping operations)
helps resolve international disputes
organises conferences
translates documents
acts as a PR for the UN

24. The Secretariat headed by Secretary-General
currently: António Guterres
chief officer of the UN
can draw the attention of the Security Council to “any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security”, under the UN Charter

25. International Court of Justice (ICJ)

26. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
primary judicial organ of the United Nations
established in 1945 by the UN Charter
situated in The Hague, Netherlands

27. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
jurisdiction over treaties and conventions in force
decides on contentious issues as submitted by states
also issues advisory opinions to UN bodies and agencies

28. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
composed of 15 judges – 5 from Western countries, 3 from African countries, 2 for Eastern European states, 3 for Asian states, 2 for Latin America and the Carribean
5 judges are from UN Security Council permanent member states
ad hoc judges may be appointed for particular cases (usually from the applicant and/or respondent states)

29. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
applicant state files an application
respondent state may or may not agree to take part
if both agree, the Court deliberates and reaches a decision
decision binding and final (no appeal)
enforcement measures for non-compliance within the competence of the Security Council (usually not used)

30. The United Nations not a homogenous body
usually slow decision-making process, particularly in the area of peacekeeping and international relations
long time to achieve consensus
both global and national interests considered
treaties often abided by owing to pressure from the media and the public

31. Language work

32. Complete with prepositions by – in – on – to - under
Parties ___ a treaty are the States of the International Organisations which have consented to be bound ___ the treaty and for which the treaty is ___ force.
By becoming a signatory ___ the convention with 172 other countries, Russia is taking an important step to facilitate environmental legislation.
___ the Convention on the Rights of the Child, persons under the age of 18 are entitled ___ special protection.
International laws apply ___ the citizens of all signatory nations.
The Council of Ministers of the East African Community is a policy organ whose decisions, directives and regulations are binding ___ Partner States.

33. Complete with prepositions by – in – on – to - under
Parties TO a treaty are the States of the International Organisations which have consented to be bound BY the treaty and for which the treaty is IN force.
By becoming a signatory TO the convention with 172 other countries, Russia is taking an important step to facilitate environmental legislation.
UNDER the Convention on the Rights of the Child, persons under the age of 18 are entitled TO special protection.
International laws apply TO the citizens of all signatory nations.
The Council of Ministers of the East African Community is a policy organ whose decisions, directives and regulations are binding ON Partner States.

34. Thank you for your attention!