Author(s): Esref ERTÜRK
In the process of globalization, several international actors have emerged besides states. The intergovernmental cooperation resulting from treaties or agreements in the forms of Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) has been viewed as an appropriate mean for dealing with various issues in global and regional levels. Whilst IGOs may focus on a wide range of areas such as education, culture, and political affairs, this study primarily addresses their roles and activities in security, economy, health, and environment. To that aim, their evolution, roles, and activities were elaborated through giving several examples of IGOs. The Union of International Associations’ (UIA) online database about international organizations was examined through categorizing the IGOs’ main interests as security, economy, health, and environment. The study compared and evaluated the quantities of IGOs considering their types and interests. The number of established IGOs has increased along with the process of globalization. The present study revealed that most IGOs have been established for economic purposes whilst security, health, and environment have been other key interests of IGOs. Economy and security interests have been more common in universal and intercontinental membership organizations. Economy and environment, on the other hand, have been more prevalent purposes in other types of IGOs including regional and financial ones. Health has been the least common interest of IGOs amongst the interests in question. The IGOs such as the UN and NATO have advanced their activities and become more important in the last decades. The evolving role of IGOs shows that they will remain key actors in global system.
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