OPEC,
often described as a cartel, is an organization of 12 oil rich countries made
up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Sandi
Arabia. The UAE and Venezuela. OPEC headquarter is located in Vienna since its
inception in 1965. regular meetings rotates among the oil Ministers of its
member countries Indonesia withdrew its membership in 2008 after it became a
net importer of oil, but stated it would likely return if it became a net
exporter in the world again.
1. Aims
and objectives: According to its statutes, one of the principal goals of OPEC
is the determination of the best means for safe- guarding the carters interest,
Individually and collectively.
2. It
also pursues ways and means of ensuring the stabilization of prices in the
international market with a view to eliminating harmful and unnecessary
fluctuations.
3. Giving
due regard at all times to the interest of the producing nations and to the
necessity of securing a steady income to the producing countries.
4. An
efficient and regular supply of petroleum products to consuming nations.
5. A
fair returns on their capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.
History and Background: OPEC is a central body while at regular
intervals, fixes the price of oil on the international market. Although Britain
is an producing state. It is not a member of OPEC since they are all at odds
with the old colonial powers who controlled the oil industry in the early stages.
OPEC increased petroleum prices very dramatically in 1973 and 74 to the great
discomfort of the western countries who are the major oil consumers.
Venezuela
and Iraq were the first countries to move towards the establishment of OPEC in
the early 1960s. they approached Iraq, Kuronite and Sandi Arabia and suggested
exchange of views and regular, closer communication among petroleum producing
nations. The founding fathers of OPEC are Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Sandi Arabia and
Venezuela. Later, other members – Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Gatar,
Indonesia, Libya and the UAE came on board. OPEC was found to unify and
co-ordinate members petroleum policies.
OPEC and the 1973 oil Embargo: The lingering
Arab-Israelite conflict triggered an OPEC response that transformed the
organization into a formidable political force in 1973. after the six-day war
at 1976, the Arab members of OPEC formed a separate overlapping organization
called the organization of Arab exporting countries for the sole purpose of
centralizing policy and excreting pressures on the west over its support to the
state of Israel. Egypt and Syria, though not major oil exporting countries
joined the latter group to help articulate their objectives. The Yorn Kippur
war of 1973 galvanized Arab opinion. Furious at the emergency re-supply effort
that had enabled Israel to withstand Egyptian and Syrian forces, the Arab world
role in Unisom and imposed an oil embargo against the US and Western Europe,
non Arab members of OPEC however, did not join the embargo.
The
Arabs were able to use oil as a political and economic weapon successfully
became the went felt the impact of the oil embargo. The result of the embargo
was so effective that the US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger declared that
in future, the US may have to invade the oil fields of the middle earth to get
what it wanted.
The
oil glut of the1980s after 1980, oil prices began a steady six-year decline
that culminated In a46% price drop in 1986. this was due to reduced demand and
over production that led to a glut in the world market. This situation caused
OPEC to lose its unity as well as its influence. Other factors that led to the
decline of OPEC value include the Iran-Iraq war, which lasted eight long years
and the Iraq invasion of Kuwaih in 1990. although these conflicts, particularly
the Kuwaniti. Invasion brought about very low points in OPEC Whension, it led
to a significant but temporary increase in oil prices due to supply disruption
fears. Once there supply fears dissipated, oil prices once again began to
decline. In the late 1990s, will prices slumped to a record & 15 a barrel.
This prompted concerted diplomatic efforts by OPEC members to arrest the drift.
The co-ordinated scaling back of oil production form 1998 helped stabilize oil
prices. In 2001, the US was attached by Aleada terrorists. This led to the
Invasion of Afghanistan and later Iraq in 2003 by the US and its allies. The
war on terror Iraq in 2003 by the US and its allies. The wary on terror prompted a singer in oil
prices far beyond OPEC targets. In 2007,
global oil prices reacted strongly to OPEC members threat to convert their
foreign reserves form the US dollar to the Euro. This was on effort t pull
Pressure on the US over the Iraq campaign which was lead by many, even beyond
the Arab world, as unjustified and illegitimate.
Criticism and Conclusion: OPEC’s
influence on the market has been criticized as insensitive since it became
effective in determining production and prices. Arab members of OPEC greatly
alarmed the developed economics when they used the “oil weapon” during the Your
kippun war of 1973 to implement an oil embargo that created a global energy
crisis. OPEC countries have also been accused of monumental waste and corruption. In many oil over the years does
not reflect on the living standards of the citizens. The large clink of this
revenue filter into private bank accounts while the population remain in the
grip of poverty and desperation. The economics and general infrastructure of
these countries remain at deplorable states despite the huge resources that
would have been channeled to development efforts. OPEC countries also do not
always in one voice, on many occasions, Sandi Arabia have some outside OPEC
regulation to produce beyond there commended quota in role to impress the US.
OPEC’s ability to control the price of oil have diminished when the years due
to several factors some of which have been outlined. Other reasons include the
discovery and development of large oil reserves in Alaska, the North sea,
Canada, gulf of Mexico and the opening up of Russia and other market
modernization efforts.
OPEC
nations still account for two-thirds of the worlds oil production, affording
them considerable control over the global market. The next largest group of producers, members
of the OECP and the post-soviet states produce 25% and 14% respectively of the world’s total oil supply.
Dwindling
oil reserves and excess pumping capacity is also affecting OPEC’s position.
Since 2003, there have been concerns that OPEC members had little excess
pumping capacity and this has again spanked speculation that their influence on
crude oil prices would continue to flutter.
INTERNATIONAL
LABOUR ORGANIZATION
The
international labour organization, ILO, is a specialized agency of the UN that
deals with labour issues; it has its heated quarters in general. The ILo
received the noble prize in 1969.
History
and origin – the ILo was established as an agency of the league of nations
following the fealty of Versailles, which ended the world war 1. The founding
fathers of the ILo are man who have made great strides in social thought and
action before 1919, drawn from private, professional and ideological networks
in which they exchanged knowledge, experiences and ideas on social policy. Prewar epistenice communities and political
interludes were decisive factors in the institution of the international labour
policies. In the pass world war 1 euphoria, idea of a makeable society’ was an
important catalysh behind the social engineering of the ILo architects. The
utopian ideas of the founding fathers about social justices and the right to
decide work were however changed by the diplomatic and political compromises
made at the Paris conference of 1919 which placed the ILo at a balance between
idealism and pragmatism.
Over
the came of World War 1, the international labour movement proposed a
comprehensive programme of protection for working classes conceived as
compensation for labour’s support and sacrifice during the war. However, the
way In which the program was instituted disappointed the high expectation of
trade unions. Port war reconstruction and the protection of labour unions
occupied the attention of many nations during and after world war1.
In
1946, the ILo became a member of the UN system after the demise of the league.
Unlike other special agencies of The UN, the ILo has a tripartite governing
structure representing government, employers and workers membership. Membership
of the ILo is limited to nation states. There are 182 members at present states
are admitted by a super –majority vote of any ILo general conference. The
national training centre of ILo is based in Torino, Italy.
The
governing body is the executive of the international labour office which meets
three times in a year. It takes decision on ILo policy, decides the genda for
the ILo conference, elects the director general and adopts draft program and
budget for submission to the conference. The ilo organizes the international
labour conference in genera every year where conventions and recommendations
are crafted and adopted. The conferences makes decision on the ILo general
policy, work programme and budget.
One
of the principal functions of the ILo is to set international labour standards
which is referred to as the international labour code. The topics covered have
include a wide range of issues dealing with freedom at association, health and
safety at work, working conditions high
work, discrimination, child labour and forced labour.
Areas of ILo interest
1. Child
labour: the term child labour is often defined as work that deprives children
of their childhood, leisure, their potential and their dignity and work that is
harmful to the physical and mental development of the child. Child labour
refers to work that
a. Is
mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to the child.
b. Work
that interferes with his schooling or deprives him the opportunity to attend
school as in should be.
c. Obeying
them to leave school prematurely or requiring them to attempt to combine school
attendance with excessively long and heavy work.
d. In
most extreme cases, child labour may involve a child being enslaved, separated
from their families exposed to serious
hazards and illnesses or left to fend for themselves on the streets.
Children
helping their parents and guardians of home, assisting in the family business,
or earning pocket money during holidays, or outsides school hours does not
constitute child labour. Such activities are healthy and can help contribute to
child development or serve as arances for them to assist in the welfare of the
family.
2. Promotion
and realization of freedom of association and the right to collective
bargaining.
3. The
elimination of all forms of forced labour, compulsory labour or any form of
what may constitute serritude.
4. The effective and total elimination of
child labour in all its ramifications.
5. The
elimination of discrimination in respect of employment, occupation and
professional abolitions.
6. Special
aspects of forced labour such as bonded labour, human trafficking, forced
domestic work, rural servitude and forced prison labour.
7. HIV/
AIDS
a. Prevention
of HIV/AIDS
B. Management
and initigation of the impact of HIV AIDS on the work force.
c. care
and support of workers infected with HIV/AIDS or affected in ay other way.
d. Elimination
of stigma and discrimination on the bodies of real or perceived his status.
e. Concerns
for indigenous and tribal peoples in independent countries.
Criticisms
1. Accrued
of creating a “false division” between different international labour standards
especially those on health and safety working hours.
2. Recommendations
do not have the building force of conventions and are not subject to
ratification by member countries.
3. Do
not adequately protect the rights mol collective well being of workers in
developing countries. These worker are In most part left of the mercy of
abusive and autocratic political leadership.
4. The
ILo is not very effective in pursing some of its aims and objectives. Forced
labour and child labour remain endemic in many societies despite ILo stand get
the organization do not have effective mechanisms to control such situations In
area they occur.
INTERPOL
The
international criminal police organization (ICPO) was formed in 1923 with its
headquarters in Lyon, France. It was formed with the aim of facilitating
international police co-operation. It has established as the international
criminal police commission but adopted the telegraphic name Interpol as a common
identity in 1956. it has a membership of 188 countries, its members countries
provide finance through annual contributions. It operates an annual budget of
about & 60m. it is the second largest inter governmental organization after
the united nations.
In
order to maintain political neutrality as much as possible in its operations,
interpol’s constitution forbids its involvement in crimes that do not overlap
several member countries. The organization also does not involve itself in
political, military, religious or racial crimes. Its work focuses primarily on
public safety, terrorium, organized crime, crimes against humanity,
environmental crime, genocide, war crimes, piracy, illicit drug production,
during trafficking, weapons smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering,
child pornography, white collar crime, computer crime, intellectual property
crime and corruption in both public and private sectors.
In
2008, Interpol general secretariat employed a staff of 588 persons representing
84 members countries. This Interpol public website receive are average of 2.2
million page visits every month, in 2008 alone, Interpol issued 3,126 red
notices” which led to the arrest of 718 people”.
Brief History: The first significant more towards creating Interpol was
1914 at the first international crime police organization congress. Police
officers, lawyers, jurists and magistrates form 14 countries gathered in Monaco
to discuss arrest procedures, identification techniques, centralized
international criminal records and extradition proceedings. However, the
outbreak of the world war 1 delayed the initiative until 1923 when Interpol was
founded in Austria as the international criminal police, (I C P). following
German annexation of Austria the Anschlnas in 1938, the organization fell into
Nazi control and the commission head quarters were moved to Berlin in 1942. it
is believed that the ICPC files were used to some degree to further the goals
of the Nazi regine.
Shortly
after the war in 1945, the organization was revived as the ICPO by European
allies of World War II. Officials from Beligium, France, Scandinavia and the UK
took the lead in resuscitating the organization. Its new headquarter was
established in saint-cloud, a small town wear Paris where it remained until
1989 when it was moved to its present location, Lyon.
Interpol Methodology: Interpol differs from most law
enforcement agencies. Agents of the organization do not make arrests
themselves, and there are not Interpol jails where criminals are detained. The
agency functions as an administrative liason bet need the law enforcement
agencies of the member this is important
when dealing with international crime became language, culture and bureaucratic
differences makes it difficult for officers of different countries to work
together. Interpol’s data base help law enforcement see the big picture of
international crime. While other agencies have their own extensive crime data
bases, the information rarely extends beyond the borders of one nation.
Interpol
can track criminals and crime trends around the world. They maintain
collections of finger prints and mug-shots of criminals and suspects. They keep
a lists of wanted lost and stolen travel documents data base contains more 12
million records. They also analyse all these data in order to release
information on crime trends to the member countries.
A
scene world wide communications network allows Interpol agents and member
countries to contact each other at any time. Interpol’s access points also
include key areas such as airports, seaports and border access points. Member
countries can also access each others criminal databases. In the event of an
international disaster, terrorist attack or assassinations, Interpol can send
an incidence response team. This team can offer a range of expertise and data
base access to assist with victim identity, suspect identity and the
dissemination of information to other nations law enforcement agencies. In
addition, at the request of local authorities, Interpol can act as a central
command and logistics operations to co-ordinate other law enforcement agencies
involved in a case.