Comparison and Contrast between the UN and the WTO Essay Example for Free

Comparison and Contrast between the UN and the WTO Essay The United Nations is an international organization that acts as a pool between 191 member countries in the world. The UN was founded in 1945 with the objective of preventing the conflict between member countries. However, in the past 60 years, its responsibilities have increased manifold and now it has become the most important organization in the world that has authority over almost all countries in the world. The world Trade Organization is a multilateral organization that sets the rules and regulation for the global trading system. It also resolves disputes between the member countries. It is the most powerful organization in global business and trade. The WTO was founded in 1995 after several rounds of negotiations that lasted for decades. Although both the United Nations and WTO work for the benefit of their member countries, their functions and operations are quite different. Structure of the UN and the WTO The United Nations is divided into several administrative bodies including the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council and the UN Economic and Social Council. There are also several other organs of the UN that work for the benefit of people across the globe. â€Å"The UN Secretary General is the head of the Secretariat, which is one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The UN Security Council is the most powerful body within the UN. It has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members† . Representatives from all member countries of the UN meet in the UN General Assembly and discuss important issues. The structure of the WTO is completely different from that of the United Nations. â€Å"Currently, there are 150 member countries in the WTO. There are different levels in the WTO structure. Ministerial Conference is the highest decision making body within the WTO. It can make decisions on all trade-related matters. The General Council is another level organ of the WTO, which carries out the functions of the WTO on a regular basis† . Missions and Objectives The main objective of the UN is to ensure peace in the world. It also keeps a tab on issues such as health, economy, security, population growth, unemployment, disarmament, human rights and social development. â€Å"The UN General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other important bodies of the UN cooperate with each other to provide assistance to the member countries on the issues that need special attention† . When an issue is considered very important, the General Assembly has the power to convene an international conference to draw global attention to it. The UN also works for sustainable development and invests in basic education, health care and economic opportunities for all. The WTO aims to increase international trade by promoting lower trade barriers. It also provides a platform for the negotiation of trade and business development. The WTO sincerely works to resolve disputes between member countries. â€Å"The main objective of the WTO is to help producers of goods and services, exporters and importers. It also ensures a competitive trading system that accommodates more developing countries and gives them more time to adjust with others† . Financial Resources The United Nations is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from member states. The UN General Assembly approves the regular budget and determines the assessment for each member country. The United States is the largest contributor to the UN. The WTO is also financed by its member countries. Besides the member countries, many non-government organizations are also involved in generating funds for the WTO. Transparency The United Nations is not a mere governing institution. It is a forum where sovereign nations gather to discuss their differences and resolve them amicably. In the recent years, several reform initiatives have been taken in order to make the UN more transparent and accountable. The governing power of the United Nations has been expanded by squeezing out most of its inefficiency. The WTO allows all member nations to hold discussion on all concerns related to trade and business. It also focuses on non-trade concerns such as gender issues, employment, health, food security, ecology and animal welfare. â€Å"The WTO maintains open principles and cooperates with other international organizations. It also takes the accountability for protecting vulnerable economies of developing countries against powerful countries in the world† . It serves the welfare of all people who intend to have economic benefits. Conflicts between the two Organizations The Global presence of both the organizations and their operations for the growth and development of countries often result in bigger conflicts. The power invested in the WTO overshadows some of the global institutions of the United Nations. Sometimes, the decisions made by the WTO also over-ride the jurisdiction and mandates of the UN bodies. â€Å"Ecology and biodiversity are two major areas where both the organizations contradict each other. While the WTO allows free trade and business irrespective of ecological consequences, the United Nations emphasizes on environment, biodiversity and climate change by putting certain restrictions on trade and agriculture† . Difference on Development Issue There are several differences in the approaches of the United Nations and the WTO. That undermined the global progress on development. â€Å"The standards set by the United Nations in human rights, labor rights and social policies have drawn criticism from the WTO. On the other hand, the UN wants the WTO to concentrate on trade, not on health and other services. The strained relationship between the UN and the WTO has become a major obstacle for economic growth and development† . The actions of most countries in the WTO are not consistent with their commitment to the United Nations. Most of the members of the International Labor Organization (ILO), a UN body, are also members of the WTO. They have differences on several issues including the market policy and labors’ rights. Conclusion Both the UN and the WTO are the most powerful organizations in the world. Their main objective is to work for the development of the countries in the world. Although their individual roles are different, they share the same vision. The United Nations is the largest organization in the world and plays much broader role in various fields whereas the WTOs role is limited to trade and business. Both the organizations hold negotiations and discussions between the member countries for the implementation of policies.These organizations provide opportunities to all countries to resolve their disputes and conflicts. Bibliography Hoekman, Bernard M. Michel M. Kostecki. The Political Economy of the World Trading System: From GATT to WTO. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. Murphy, Craig N. Global Institutions, Marginalization and Development. London: Routledge, 2005. Condon, Bradly J. NAFTA, WTO, and Global Business Strategy: How Aids, Trade, and Terrorism Affect Our Economic. Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 2002.