IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
IBEC International Bank for Economic Cooperation
IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ICC International Chamber of Commerce
ICEM Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration; see
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
ICFTU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
ICJ International Court of Justice
ICM Intergovernmental Committee for Migration; see
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross
IDA International Development Association
IDB Islamic Development Bank
IEA International Energy Agency
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
IFC International Finance Corporation
IFCTU International Federation of Christian Trade Unions
IGADD Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development
IIB International Investment Bank
ILO International Labor Organization
IMCO Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization; see
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
IMF International Monetary Fund
IMO International Maritime Organization
INMARSAT International Maritime Satellite Organization
INTELSAT International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
INTERPOL International Criminal Police Organization
IOC International Olympic Committee
IOM International Organization for Migration
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ITU International Telecommunication Union
L LAES Latin American Economic System
LAIA Latin American Integration Association
LAS League of Arab States; see Arab League (AL)
LDC less developed country
LLDC least developed country
LORCS League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
M MERCOSUR Mercado Comun del Cono Sur; see Southern Cone Common Market
MINURSO United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
MTCR Missile Technology Control Regime
N NACC North Atlantic Cooperation Council
NAM Nonaligned Movement
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NC Nordic Council
NEA Nuclear Energy Agency
NIB Nordic Investment Bank
NIC newly industrializing country; see newly industrializing
economy (NIE)
NIE newly industrializing economy
NSG Nuclear Suppliers Group
O OAPEC Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
OAS Organization of American States
OAU Organization of African Unity
OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
OIC Organization of the Islamic Conference
ONUSAL United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador
OPANAL Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la
America Latina y el Caribe; see Agency for the
Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and
the Caribbean
OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
P PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration
R RG Rio Group
S SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SACU Southern African Customs Union
SADC Southern African Development Community
SADCC Southern African Development Coordination Conference
SELA Sistema Economico Latinoamericana; see Latin American
Economic System (LAES)
SPARTECA South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation
Agreement
SPC South Pacific Commission
SPF South Pacific Forum
U UDEAC Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale; see
Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
UN United Nations
UNAVEM II United Nations Angola Verification Mission
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNDOF United Nations Disengagement Observer Force
UNDP United Nations Development Program
UNEP United Nations Environment Program
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization
UNFICYP United Nations Force in Cyprus
UNFPA United Nations Fund for Population Activities; see UN
Population Fund (UNFPA)
UNHCR United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNIFIL United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
UNIKOM United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission
UNMOGIP United Nations Military Observer Group in India and
Pakistan
UNOMIG United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia
UNOMOZ United Nations Operation in Mozambique
UNOMUR United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda
UNOSOM United Nations Operation in Somalia
UNPROFOR United Nations Protection Force
UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East
UNTAC United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia
UNTSO United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
UPU Universal Postal Union
USSR/EE USSR/Eastern Europe
W WADB West African Development Bank
WCL World Confederation of Labor
WEU Western European Union
WFC World Food Council
WFP World Food Program
WFTU World Federation of Trade Unions
WHO World Health Organization
WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization
WMO World Meteorological Organization
WP Warsaw Pact (members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the
alliance)
WTO World Tourism Organization
Z ZC Zangger Committee
Note: Not all international organizations and groups have abbreviations
Appendix C: International Organizations and Groups
-----
Note: The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved,
and ceases to exist. None of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia,
including Serbia and Montenegro, have been permitted to participate solely
on the basis of the membership of the former Yugoslavia in the United
Nations General Assembly and Economic and Social Council and their
subsidiary bodies and in various United Nations Specialized Agencies. The
United Nations, however, permits the seat and nameplate of the SFRY to
remain, permits the SFRY mission to continue to function, and continues to
fly the flag of the former Yugoslavia. For a variety of reasons, a number
of other organizations have not yet taken action with regard to the
membership of the former Yugoslavia. The World Factbook therefore continues
to list Yugoslavia under international organizations where the SFRY seat
remains or where no action has yet been taken.
-----
advanced developing countries
another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly
rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
-----
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries (ACP)
established - 1 April 1976
aim - members have a preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU
members - (70) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica,
Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao
Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-----
African Development Bank (AfDB),
also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
established - 4 August 1963
aim - to promote economic and social development
regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote
d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome
and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
nonregional members - (26) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia
-----
Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique (ACCT)
see Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)
-----
Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)
note - acronym from Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique
established - 21 March 1970
aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French-speaking
countries
members - (34) Belgium, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central
African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica,
Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles,
Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zaire
associate members - (5) Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Morocco, Saint
Lucia
participating governments - (2) New Brunswick (Canada), Quebec (Canada)
observers - (3) Bulgaria, Cambodia, Romania
-----
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean (OPANAL)
note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares
en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)
established - 14 February 1967
aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear
weapons
members - (26) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and
Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
-----
Andean Group (AG)
established - 26 May 1969
effective - 16 October 1969
aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration
members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
associate member - (1) Panama
observers - (26) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US,
Uruguay, Yugoslavia
-----
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique
(BADEA)
established - 18 February 1974
effective - 16 September 1974
aim - to promote economic development
members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain,
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation
Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League except
Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen
-----
Arab Cooperation Council (ACC)
established - 16 February 1989
aim - to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to
an Arab Common Market
members - (4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen
-----
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
established - 16 May 1968
aim - to promote economic and social development
members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain,
Djibouti, Egypt (suspended from 1979 to 1988), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia,
Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
-----
Arab League (AL)
note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS)
established - 22 March 1945
aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation
members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain,
Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen,
Palestine Liberation Organization
-----
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
established - 17 February 1989
aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of
northern Africa
members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia
-----
Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)
established - 27 April 1976
effective - 2 February 1977
aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary
and economic affairs
members - (19 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain,
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine
Liberation Organization
-----
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
established - 7 November 1989
aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin
members - (16) all ASEAN members (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand) plus Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South
Korea, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, US
-----
Asian Development Bank (AsDB)
established - 19 December 1966
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation
regional members - (37) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma,
Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan,
Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua
New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,
Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa
nonregional members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, UK, US
-----
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
see Latin American Integration Association (LAIA)
-----
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
established - 9 August 1967
aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation
among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia
members - (6) Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
observers - (3) Laos, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam
-----
Australia Group
established - 1984
aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and
biological weapons
members - (25) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
UK, US
observer - (1) Singapore
-----
Australia--New Zealand--United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
established - 1 September 1951
effective - 29 April 1952
aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US
suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986
members - (3) Australia, NZ, US
-----
Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico (BCIE)
see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
-----
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)
see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
-----
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
established - 20 January 1930
effective - 17 March 1930
aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial
settlements
members - (33) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia
-----
Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
see African Development Bank (AfDB)
-----
Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)
see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
-----
Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BDEAC)
see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
-----
Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD)
see West African Development Bank (WADB)
-----
Benelux Economic Union (Benelux)
note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg
established - 3 February 1958
effective - 1 November 1960
aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration
members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
-----
Big Seven
note - membership is the same as the Group of 7
established - NA 1975
aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies
members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the
US
-----
Big Six
note - not to be confused with the Group of 6
established - NA 1967
aim - to foster economic cooperation
members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
-----
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)
established - 25 June 1992
aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation
members - (11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece,
Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine
observer - (1) Poland
-----
Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
established - 4 July 1973
effective - 1 August 1973
aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the
less developed countries
members - (13) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
associate members - (2) British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
observers - (10) Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic,
Haiti, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Venezuela
-----
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
established - 18 October 1969
effective - 26 January 1970
aim - to promote economic development and cooperation
regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago,
Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela
nonregional members - (5) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, UK
-----
Cartagena Group
see Group of 11
-----
Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
note - acronym from Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale
established - 8 December 1964
effective - 1 January 1966
aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market
members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial
Guinea, Gabon
-----
Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale
established - 3 December 1975
aim - to provide loans for economic development
members - (9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial
Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait
-----
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico
established - 13 December 1960
aim - to promote economic integration and development
members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
nonregional members - (4) Argentina, Mexico, Taiwan, Venezuela
-----
Central American Common Market (CACM)
established - 13 December 1960
effective - 3 June 1961
aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market
members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
-----
Central European Initiative (CEI)
note - evolved from the Hexagonal Group
established - 27 July 1991
aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region
between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas
members - (10) Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Yugoslavia
participating nonmembers - (6) Baden-Wurtemburg, Bavaria, Belarus,
Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
-----
centrally planned economies
a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to
the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more
democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second
World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included
Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary,
North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia
-----
Colombo Plan (CP)
established - 1 July 1951
aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific
members - (24) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia,
Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives,
Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, US
-----
Commission for Social Development
established - 21 June 1946 as the Social Commission, renamed 29 July 1966
aim - Economic and Social Council organization dealing with social
development programs of UN
members - (32) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-----
Commission on Human Rights
established - 18 February 1946
aim - Economic and Social Council organization dealing with human rights
programs of UN
members - (53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-----
Commission on Human Settlements (Habitat)
established - 12 October 1978
aim - Economic and Social Council organization assisting in solving human
settlement problems of UN
members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-----
Commission on Narcotic Drugs
established - 16 February 1946
aim - Economic and Social Council organization dealing with illicit drugs
programs of UN
members - (53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions with emphasis
on producing and processing countries
-----
Commission on the Status of Women
established - 21 June 1946
aim - Economic and Social Council organization dealing with women's rights
goals of UN
members - (32) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-----
Commonwealth (C)
established - 31 December 1931
aim - voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire and that
seeks to foster multinational cooperation and assistance
members - (48) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, The Gambia,
Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua
New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri
Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK,
Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
special members - (2) Nauru, Tuvalu
-----
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
established - 8 December 1991
effective - 21 December 1991
aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism
for the orderly dissolution of the USSR
members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
-----
Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEAO)
see West African Economic Community (CEAO)
-----
Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (CEEAC)
see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)
-----
Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL)
see Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
-----
Communist countries
traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments
and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the successor
states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies
-----
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
established - 3 July 1973
aim - discusses issues of mutual concern and reviews implementation of the
Helsinki Agreement