Inside Global Agreements

A Summary of Episode 3:

Welcome back to IR Unfiltered, where we keep international relations simple, real, and actually interesting.

In today’s episode, we took on a topic that sounds like pure legal jargon but is way more important than it seems. We’re talking about international agreements. Those long names you hear tossed around in news headlines or history class? Treaty, convention, protocol, MoU... all of those. We broke down what they really mean and how they’re different from one another.

First up, a treaty. This is basically the heavyweight of global deals. It’s a legal agreement between countries, and once it’s signed and ratified, everyone involved is officially bound to follow it. Famous ones? The Treaty of Versailles and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Then comes a convention. Technically, it’s a kind of treaty, just with way more countries involved. Conventions usually come out of big international bodies like the UN and focus on global stuff like climate, war, or human rights. Think of the Geneva Conventions or the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A charter is next. This is the foundation document of an international organisation. It’s like the rulebook for how something like the UN functions. The UN Charter lays out how the entire system works, and by joining the UN, a country agrees to follow those rules.

Then we have a protocol, which is like a sequel to a treaty. It builds on the original, adding updates or tighter rules. A good example is the Kyoto Protocol, which added concrete goals to an earlier climate agreement.

Now, moving to the lighter side. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is more of a handshake on paper. It shows that the two sides agree in principle, but it doesn’t carry the same legal weight. You can’t really take someone to court over breaking an MoU. It’s more of a “we’ll try to work together” kind of thing.

A Memorandum of Agreement is a little more serious than an MoU. It spells out who’s doing what and can be legally binding depending on how it’s worded.

Next, we talked about the Exchange of Notes. This is old-school diplomacy. Two countries write formal letters agreeing to something, then swap them. Once both agree, it becomes official and binding. It’s still used more often than you’d think.

An arrangement is as chill as it gets in international law. It’s usually informal, and it can be written or even just spoken. Countries use arrangements for stuff like sharing satellite data or coordinating airport logistics.

Finally, there’s the umbrella agreement. Think of it as a general game plan. It sets the stage for ongoing cooperation between countries, with smaller, more detailed deals made underneath it as needed.

So, why should you care? Because the type of agreement tells you how serious the countries are. A treaty is enforceable. An arrangement? Not really. And when we’re dealing with things like climate change, war crimes, or refugee protection, knowing the difference can show us what kind of action to actually expect.

That wraps up Episode 3. If you’re starting to see the world of international politics a little more clearly, that’s the goal. Follow the podcast, share it with your friends, and come back next week for more unfiltered takes on global affairs.