A Framework for Non-Governmental Organisations in International Diplomacy

This comment on the role of Non-Governmental Organisations ("NGOs") in international relations is divided into two parts. First, it addresses the main theme of Kenneth Anderson's paper, and second, it looks at European attitudes on the subject. 1. THE NEED FOR AN ANALYTic FRAmEwoRK The main message of Professor Anderson's paper is that international NGOs grossly exaggerate their claims of being representative of and providing a legitimate expression of international civil society. On the contrary, Professor Anderson argues, they threaten legitimate democratic expression. Thus, Professor Anderson concludes that the Bush administration should take a much stronger line in asserting the voice of democratic sovereign states, notably its own. I agree with this message. What Professor Anderson's paper does not provide, however, is a framework for dealing with NGOs. International NGOs are here to stay, and a framework for understanding their activities is necessary. Similarly, international rules of behaviour are here to stay, and it is inherent in such rules that they constrain the role of sovereign states, particularly large states such as the United States. For example, the rules for international "freer" trade have allowed small countries to flourish, suggesting a more complicated relationship between international rules, institutions, and sovereign states than Professor Anderson concedes.1 Thus, the aim of US policy should not be against rule-making as such, but should insist on the right rules-rules that are consistent or compatible with the values to which the United States itself subscribes. Rather than opposing NGOs, the United States should develop a framework within which they can be treated. A. A TRANSACTION-COST APPROACH One approach to constructing such a framework is to look at the subject in terms of transaction costs. Some NGO activities raise the costs of international action, and others lower them. For example, when NGOs perform as service-deliverers by providing vaccination services, or as doers in the field by helping to dig wells, they lower the cost of international action because they perform these services more effectively than governments or official international organisations. Similarly, some NGOs help inform international debate (as the American Enterprise Institute is doing in this conference). This kind of activity can also reduce the cost of international transactions because people gain a better idea of why something is or is not being done, thereby reducing uncertainty. On the other hand, when NGOs advocate unreasoned views (as Greenpeace sometimes does), or act as lobbyists for international resource reallocation, they raise the costs of international transactions. Someone, somewhere incurs the costs of rebutting unsubstantiated claims and examining the case for resource reallocation. Following this approach, an appropriate theoretical framework would encourage those NGO actors and actions that lower the costs of international transactions, including the costs of obtaining and enforcing the "right" rules of international behaviour, and discourage those NGO actors and actions that raise the costs of international transactions, including the costs of rule-making. B. INCENTIVE MECHANISMS There are a number of mechanisms that might provide the necessary mix of incentives and disincentives. First, greater room to operate and additional encouragement could be given to the NGO deliverers and doers, particularly in bilateral and multilateral aid programmes. Second, a more selective approach could be taken towards international meetings in order to facilitate reasoned and responsible dialogue. Large international jamborees of the sort espoused by UN organisations should be discouraged (for example through budget control), while more cost-effective ways of engaging reasoned NGO contributions should be encouraged. For example, the World Bank has held meetings with private think-tanks involved with development issues, and the European Council has set up an interactive web site for debate ahead of the next Inter-Governmental Conference ("IGC") scheduled for 2004. …