The World of International Organizations

HOW IT WORKS

Wonder how international organizations really work? How they got started, what purposes they serve and what are some of their lesser-known responsibilities and functions? Here you will find explanatory journalism and other timely, useful information about international organizations — their complex agendas and politics, and the standards and decision-making that they support.

World leaders propose new pandemic treaty

A line for COVID-19 testing in New York City (AN/Hrag Vartanian)

March 30, 2021

Twenty five nations joined with the European Council and World Health Organization in making an “urgent call” for creation of an international pandemic treaty.

U.N. says U.K. nuke plans would violate NPT

London's Science Museum exhibits a WE.177 nuclear weapon deployed in the United Kingdom from the 1960s to the 1990s (AN/Paul Hudson)

March 17, 2021

The U.K.’s decision to boost its nuclear warhead stockpile would breach the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, a U.N. spokesperson said.

IAEA to get ‘less access’ to Iran nuclear sites

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi speaks to reporters in Vienna after returning from Iran (AN/IAEAvideo)

February 21, 2021

The head of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency and Iranian top officials announced Tehran will give international inspectors reduced access to nuclear sites.

U.S. to ‘re-engage’ with Human Rights Council

Diplomats meet below Spanish abstract artist Miquel Barceló's ceiling painting in the U.N. Human Rights Council's chamber at Geneva (AN/Eric Bridiers)

February 8, 2021

The Biden-Harris administration will seek U.S. ‘observer’ status with the U.N. Human Rights Council at Geneva in a reversal of former Trump-era policy.

Virtual Davos targets pandemic-era mistrust

The central Belvedere Hotel during WEF's Annual Meeting at Davos, Switzerland in pre-pandemic times (AN/Robert Scoble)

January 18, 2021

Thousands normally descend on Davos this time of year. But with the pandemic still raging, WEF will meet virtually to take on mistrust and division.

WTO delays IP waiver proposal for pandemic

World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva (AN/John Heilprin)

December 28, 2020

A proposal for WTO to suspend IP protections of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments is set to expire this month, kicking the issue over to 2021.

WTO subsidy talks to curb overfishing drag on

A fishing boat returns from a long day off the coast of Marbella, Spain (AN/Hernán Piñera)

December 14, 2020

Diplomats failed to meet an end-of-year deadline for a deal on halting government subsidies that contribute to overfishing, WTO officials said.

WMO says CO2 levels again at record high

Heavy air pollution from brick kilns serving Bangladesh's rapid development (AN/Bryan Katz)

November 23, 2020

Atmospheric CO2 levels reached a record high in 2019 and are expected to keep rising this year despite an economic slowdown due to the pandemic.

Envoy says 126 nations seek carbon neutrality

London Bridge (AN/John Heilprin)

November 9, 2020

The top U.N. official for global climate action said 65 percent of the world body’s 193 member nations will seek net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

OSCE ‘grave concerns’ at Trump election ploys

For the first time in a U.S. election, New Jersey Army National Guard members help at polls due to the pandemic (AN/Mark Olsen)

October 22, 2020

OSCE election observers reported widespread concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to uncercut voter confidence in the presidential election.