Definition of Intergovernmental Organization (IGO)

At the international level there are institutions of a different nature. Some focus on cooperation with underdeveloped countries. Others focus their efforts on the culture or the environment.

Of course, many of them have economic and financial objectives. The different modalities are integrated into a category general, the intergovernmental organization, also known by its acronym OIG.

The general principle of every IGO is its dimension interstate. In other words, these entities are formed by a group of states and all of them create a supranational alliance in order to establish cooperation between the member states.

Classification criteria for Intergovernmental Organizations

One of the most common criteria is geographic. So, there is organizations that encompass the vast majority of states in the international community, as is the case with the UN or the ILO. Certain organizations have a regional dimension in which the member countries share the same geopolitical framework, such as the OAS or the European Union.

In some cases, the member states of an IGO are not integrated into the same region, but rather what unites them is a common interest. Thus, OPEC is made up of countries from different continents, but all of them are oil exporters.

The legal system is another of the criteria for classification related to IGOs. In this context, there are organizations whose legal system is at a higher level than that of their member states. For example, the legal principles that govern NATO are supranational and, therefore, the member states of this body must assume these principles.

The different modalities of IGOs ​​have a series of aspects in common

- A constitutive or founding act (in most cases a voluntary adhesion treaty is signed between the member states of the body).

- second, a legal personality its own differentiated from that of the member states that comprise it.

- Generally, the status of member of an organization is acquired from the compliance prerequisites (for example, the nations that make up the ILO commit to respecting a Labor legislation determined).

- Of course, there are a series of rights and obligations that must be respected so that the different states have a voice and vote in the representative bodies of the OIG.

- Finally, the financing of any international organization generates costs, which must be met through the mandatory contribution of the members.

Photo: Fotolia - Konstantant - Yu Lan