By : Muwalliha Syahdani
Former Staff of International Organization Studies (KOIN)
International relations studies built upon a perspective or through lenses in accordance to the social phenomenon. Presence of non state actors legitimized by Liberalism perspective. Every international organizations especially intergovernmental work based on their founding treaty. One of which influential organization runs supra-nationally in the world is European Union.
International organization in a simplistic manner could be defined as: “any cooperative arrangement instituted among states, usually by a basic arrangement, to perform some mutually advantageous functions implemented through periodic meetings and staff activities.” This definition outlining the periodic meetings and staff activities which will be explained further in this discussion.
According to the definition above, international organization has these three character—including but not limited to:
Involvement of a one state on the cooperation arrangement;
A periodical meetings;
An international staffs.
Robert Jackson and George Sorensen on the “Introduction to International Relations” said that international institutions help fostering cooperation amongs states. So what is an international institution defined? Pursuant to the liberal institutionalist, international institutions is a set of international organization, such as NATO or ASEAN also rules regulating state behavior on a specific arrangement, such as trade or maritime navigation. These set of rules interchangeably called “regime”.
One of three function from international organization related to Clive Archer’s theory is “Arena”. On the practical level, arena could be defined as setting or venue. In this function, international organization runs its activities as a medium for states’ delegation to meet each other both in formal and/or informal settings of one of the agenda. A type of interactions such as debate, discussion, and information exchange that will finally lead to any form of international cooperation between the two states.
These meetings and interaction between delegation of the states happened by equity principle. Equality emphasized the background of cooperation that departed from the forum has been created. This forum or arena of cooperation is in accordance with the basic principles of Liberalism which seek international relations actors as being able to carry out an international code of conduct without a centralized system of command (Lepgold & Nincic 2001:142).
An arena or forum as depicted in a side event is a part of the larger formal meetings. Side event was classified as informal meetings take places outside the scheduled session of the core meetings of the event. Interaction of the side event could be done by every delegates present—normally head of state—to make a deal. Any forms of side event divided into sporadic—talks happened as an unorganized one—also accommodate as the session formally opened by the organizer.
Sign number IV shown the interaction between states in international organizations as an arena.
Source: Nicolas Burmester’s Dissertation: International Organizations as Actors and Arenas in International Politics
Vabulas and Snidal (2013) introduced a concept of informal intergovernmental organization. Informal intergovernmental organization is distinguished from formal intergovernmental organization. Both concepts differentiated from their dependency nature and central administrative arrangement (legal basis and secretariat). Informal intergovernmental organization does not have a basic founding treaty in spite of a clear code of conduct. Fixed secretariat is still not a basis because informal organization does not have a full legal personality.
G20 is one of the primary example of informal intergovernmental organizations runs administratively by the annual rotated presidential holder. Right after elected, a presidential holder become the host of annual G20 meetings also execute the agenda for the summit. Members of G20 named are South Africa, United States, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, England, Italy, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, France, Russia, Turkey and European Union. A presidential holder nominee comes based on the regional group ordered by the member states. 2021 G20 summit will be held in Rome, Italy meanwhile Indonesia prepared for the 2022 G20 summit.
State representatives when conducting any session represent their bilateral relations. Acknowledgement of one state to another shown by their diplomatic correspondence activity. Right after the session, representative could talk about their postponed discussion or entering a new caucus about their national position.
Take a look at President Joko Widodo’s informal meeting with other head of states. Although on his term, Ministry of Foreign Affairs take much portion of diplomatic activity (compared to Yudhoyono’s Presidential tenure), Joko Widodo is still be seen to meet other head of state in a informal multilateral framework.
G20 Summit of 2019 in Osaka, Japan being this informal meetings attended and presented by Joko Widodo. 2019 G20 summit marks a big and prestigious summit for the economic superpower in the world. Summit was take place in INTEX Osaka with a theme “Ensure Global Sustainable Development” with a branch of eight main themes. Joko Widodo scheduled to meet his counterpart such as South Korea President Moon Jae-in, People’s Republic of China President Xi Jin Ping and South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa.
When waiting the first session of official welcome, Joko Widodo encountered and talked with other delegations, head of state, head of government, also director of the international organizations. As a summit, G20 was attended by United States President Donald Trump, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Netherland Mark Rutte and Executive Officer from IMF Christine Lagarde.
On the record, president Donald trump handing off a candy to president Joko Widodo.
How about the pattern of side event accommodated by organizer? Back again to the same summit of G20 2019 in Osaka. Organizer accommodated attending world leaders with some of official side event, Leader’s Side Event, by themed “Digital Economy” and “Woman Empowerment”. Seen president Joko Widodo encountering his counterpart in person. Joko Widodo also scheduled to meet Moon Jae-In among working lunch session right after Leader’s Side Event.
Both side event mentioned above—sporadic or accommodated—brings a good relations to the states conducted. A held of side event gives a chance of best practice and capacity building sharing, expanding communication channel, and give a wider practical solutions states could achieved.
Also it leaves a good impression to both who met. Each of delegations could share and maintain their good will in meeting each other. Normatively, from this kind of relationship, Indonesia has its own term of “Negara Sahabat” or state of amity who will symbolically invited as a guest of honor in Indonesia when Jakarta holding a state event be it inauguration of elected president, courtesy visit, condolences of prominence, or be the guest of honor in an international event organized by Indonesia.
Referensi
S. Cheever, Daniel and Henry Field Haviland. (2010). Organizing for Peace: International Organization in World Affairs. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.id/books/about/Organizing_for_Peace.html?id=HfU4AQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y
Burmester, Nicolas. (2019). International Organizations as Actors and Arenas in International Politics. PhD Dissertation. Retrieved from https://politica.dk/fileadmin/politica/Dokumenter/Afhandlinger/nicolas_burmester.pdf
Formal and Informal Intergovernmental Organisations in Time: Explaining Transformations in Global Governance. (2018, September 12). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://ecpr.eu/Events/Event/PanelDetails/7632
The Rotating G20 Presidency: How do member countries take turns?. (2016, December 1). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.boell.de/en/2016/11/30/rotating-g20-presidency-how-do-member-countries-take-turns
G20 summit officially opens in Japan's Osaka. (2019, June 28). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/06/28/g20-summit-officially-opens-in-japans-osaka.html
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