enforcement of international law by international organizations
The existence of international institutions facilitates the enforcement of the international. This has been achieved by international organizations such as the United Nations that have established protocols that ensure adherence to international law. Such protocols designed by international institutions create pressure against states that fail to comply with the established standards of conduct. International institutions can effectively implement the law since they use the application of pressure and mobilization of shame against states that defy the regulations. Besides, the United Nations has developed treaties that ensure member countries report on their compliance with international law. Also, the United Nations has mandated that all governments send representatives before a monitoring body to explain how they have adhered to the law or why they have not. This protocol enables the United Nations to enforce pressure for compliance. Therefore, these highlighted protocols ensure the enforcement of international law by international organizations is effective.
Furthermore, the international institutions assist states in coordinating their interventions in punishing countries that breach the law. International institutions such as the United Nations Security Council assist member countries in punishing states that defy the law. These organizations evaluate if there any act of aggression, breach of peace, or threat to peace and inflict sanctions to address the situation. Moreover, international organizations may use military, diplomatic, or economic sanctions to assist other states in punishing countries that defy the law. Military sanctions include the utilization of armed forces to reinstate international peace. Diplomatic sanctions imposed by international institutions include cutting off diplomatic associations with states that breach international law. Economic sanctions include enforcing an economic embargo against nations that threaten global security.
The Security Council imposes a trade embargo against states that defy international law. For instance, the embargo may be enforced to stop all outward or inward bound trade, excluding humanitarian products only. Recently, the Security Council inflicted some forms of the trade embargo on Somalia, Rwanda, Iraq, and Haiti for violating international law. Such economic sanctions force political leaders of the targeted state to work towards moderation, especially when the embargo is given time to influence the country. As a result, international bodies can effectively use trade embargos to assist countries in punishing states that international law.
Additionally, an armed force can be used by the Security Council and other international organizations in sanctioning states that breach the law. There are agreements that the Security Council follows when the need arises to restore international peace in some countries when other sanctions fail. For instance, the use of armed force by the Security Council was effective in restoring international peace when Iraq invaded Kuwait.
States alone without governance from a common international institution, cannot decide whether or not to punish other countries that breach the internal law. This is because some states connected with the country that violates international law may decide against not punishing the country, especially when the economic relationships exist. Besides, some states’ national interests may hinder them from punishing other states that breach the law. For instance, many developing countries have an interest in eliminating poverty. They may not be concerned with punishing other states such as Iraq when there is a need to restore peace.