UN vs WTO
WTO stands for World Trade Organization and is a successor body to GATT that was founded in 1995 in the Uruguay round of talks as the members failed to agree on setting up ITO to facilitate world trade. WTO is currently trying to work out negotiations between participating countries through Doha round of talks. Unlike GATT, WTO is a permanent body that provides guidelines to member countries for international trade in goods and service. Today, WTO has 153 members that represent more than 96% of the world population. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland and Pascal Lamy is the Director General of the organization. Though WTO is not an organ of the UN, neither is it an specialized agency of the UN, it maintains close relations with the world body and its other agencies.
An agreement was signed between the UN and WTO on November 15, 1995 that lays the guidelines for the relations between the two bodies. This agreement is referred to as arrangements for effective cooperation with other intergovernmental organizations. There is Chief Executive Board which is an organ for coordination between different bodies under the UN system. The Director General of WTO takes part in the meetings of this board. Then there is ECOSOC, also known as United Nations Economic and Social Council that organizes an annual meeting during spring that is attended by all Breton Woods institutions, WTO and UNCTAD. The meeting of Chief executive Board takes place twice every year and is attended by all Breton Woods institutions and WTO. The meetings are headed by the UN secretary general and issues of common interest are raised.
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In brief: UN vs WTO • Though WTO (World Trade Organization) is not a formal body of the UN, it maintains close relations with the UN through the Chief Executive Board and ECOSOC. • The meetings are attended by all Bretton Woods institutions and issues of common interest are discussed and activities of the bodies are also discussed.
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