Part II - (138 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,

Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central

African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,

Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,

Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall

Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,

Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,

Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi

Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad

and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam,

Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974

aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency

oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers;

established by the OECD

members - (26) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

(IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent

Societies (LORCS)

established - 5 May 1919

aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions;

to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the

development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed

conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability

of people through development programs

members - (185 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia

and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,

Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of

the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,

Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the

Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (2) Israel, Tuvalu

International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955;

effective - 24 July 1956

aim - to support private enterprise in international economic

development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,

Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,

Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,

Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,

Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and

Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,

Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,

Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established -

NA November 1974

aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency

members - (163)

Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,

Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,

UAE, Venezuela

Category III - (128 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,

Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook

Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,

Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,

India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South

Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, The Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,

Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,

Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint

Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,

Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam,

Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed

from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970

established - NA June 1919; effective - NA June 1921

aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to

achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart

displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to

develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used

for descriptive oceanography

members - (74) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and

Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji,

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia,

Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,

Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ,

Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovenia,

South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,

Uruguay, Venezuela

membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar

International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set

up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14

December 1946 affiliated with the UN

aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (177) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,

Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,

Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El

Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,

France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,

Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,

Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,

Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from

Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May

1982

established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime

Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958

aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized

agency

members - (163) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia,

Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta,

Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,

Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,

Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia

and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,

UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen associate

members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944;

effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a

UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador,

Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,

Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,

Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,

Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,

South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,

Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,

Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of

Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,

Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome

and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,

South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,

Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,

UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,

Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894

aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games:

2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin,

Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2010 Winter Olympics in

British Colombia, Canada

National Olympic Committees - (201 and the Palestine Liberation

Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,

Angola (suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,

Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,

Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,

Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala,

Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,

Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,

Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,

Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,

Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,

Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania,

Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - established as

Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants

from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration

(ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for

Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989

established - 5 December 1951

aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration

members - (102) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,

Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin,

Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,

Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,

Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,

Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova,

Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South

Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,

Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen,

Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (29) Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Brazil, Burundi, China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See,

India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Russia, San

Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Vietnam

International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established - NA

February 1947

aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view

to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to

developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific,

technological and economic activity

members - (97 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bahrain,

Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,

Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,

Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia,

Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg,

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius,

Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,

Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi

Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South

Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,

Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,

Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

correspondent members - (36) Albania, Angola, Bolivia, Brunei,

Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Estonia,

Guatemala, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macau,

Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,

Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Senegal,

Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

subscriber members - (14 plus the Palestinian Liberation Organization)

Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Eritrea, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Mali,

Niger, Palestinian Liberation Organization

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established

- NA 1928

aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International

Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International

Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly

League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime

National Societies - (185 countries); note - same as membership for

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

(IFRCS)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865

set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted

present name

effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947

aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized

agency

members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua

and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,

Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,

Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,

Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy

See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,

Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,

North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,

Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,

Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,

Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao

Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon

Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,

Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,

Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by

declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974

aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development

members - (54 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,

Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan,

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,

Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,

Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema

Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)

established - 17 October 1975

aim - to promote economic and social development through regional

cooperation

members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,

El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,

Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and

Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as

Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)

established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981

aim - to promote freer regional trade

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba,

Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (23) China, Commission of the European Communities,

Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El

Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-

American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Latin America

Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama,

Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain,

Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS): note - also known as Arab League (AL)

established - 22 March 1945

aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,

Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,

Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,

Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed

countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in

1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally

less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped

countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan,

Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African

Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,

Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos,

Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger,

Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,

Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of

developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE),

and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent

areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per

capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500;

however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per

capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of

growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing

countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries

(LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly

industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World,

underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are:

Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,

Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin

Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape

Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,

Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The

Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe,

Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey,

Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos,

Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia,

Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands

Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk

Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua

New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico,

Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,

Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra

Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,

Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE,

Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis

and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note -

similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing

countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits

in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British

Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos

Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana,

French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada,

Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man,

Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk

Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico,

Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks

and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West

Bank, Western Sahara

low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries

with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

middle-income countries: another term for those less developed

countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed

countries (LDCs)

Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was

formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

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, Republic of the

Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of

the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow

has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,

Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,

Uzbekistan

new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all those countries

of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly

industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less

developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid

industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly

industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing

countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea,

Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961

aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the

traditional East or West blocs

members - (114 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,

Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,

Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,

Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,

The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North

Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,

Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,

Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,

Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,

Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (13) Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia,

Dominica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay

guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,

Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,

Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12

February 1953

aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental

cooperation

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland

(including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway,

and Sweden

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective

- 1 June 1976

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland

(including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally

located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the

counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): established - 17 December

1992

aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase

investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property

rights, create procedures to settle disputes

members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949

aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation

members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy

Agency

established - 1 February 1958

aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with

OECD

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,

Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London

Suppliers Group or the London Group

established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975

aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials,

processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information

to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and

instability

members - (40) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,

Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South

Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,

Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,

Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD):

established - 14 December 1960;

effective - 30 September 1961

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,

Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

special member - (1) EU

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note -

formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)

established 3 July 1975

established - 1 January 1995

aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental

freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of

early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve

as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building

measures

members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,

Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,

Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,

Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands,

Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and

Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan,

Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

partners for cooperation - (10) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel,

Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW):

established - 29 April 1997

aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,

Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their

Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among

the signatories of the Convention

members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (160)

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,

Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,

Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,

China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,

Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador,

El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,

Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,

Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,

Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,

Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,

Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia,

Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,

Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,

Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,

Zambia, Zimbabwe

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the

Convention) - (22) The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Central

African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guinea-

Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands,

Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone; note - states have signed

but not ratified the convention

Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union

Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as

the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted

present charter; effective - 13 December 1951

aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and

social development

members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba

(excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint

Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,

Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (56) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Finland,

France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India,

Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia,

Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro,

Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia,

Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC):

established - 9 January 1968

aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry

members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar,

Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June

1981; effective - 4 July 1981

aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation

members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint

Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

associate members - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14

September 1960

aim - to coordinate petroleum policies

members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria,

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25

September 1969

aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and

political affairs

members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,

Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran,

Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,

Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,

Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (10) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECA,

LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Thailand, Turkish Muslim

Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community: note - formerly known as the South Pacific

Commission (SPC) established - 6 February 1947; effective - 29 July

1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,

French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of

Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands,

Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,

Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): note - formerly known as South Pacific

Forum (SPF)

established - 5 August 1971

aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall

Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua

New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

observers - (2) East Timor, New Caledonia

Paris Club: established - 1956

aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling

of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official

agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and

project finance to debtor countries

members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,

France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994

aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation

throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and

build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation

and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program

under the auspices of NATO

members - (20) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia,

Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, The Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland,

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899

aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes

members - (101) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa

Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,

Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,

Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,

Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands,

NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,

Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and

Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,

Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho,

established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the

Lima Group

established - NA 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,

Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist

states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments

and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading

from use; see centrally planned economies

Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard

regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative

security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic,

scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,

Uzbekistan

socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government

owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the

term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries

generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of

the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established

- 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri

Lanka

South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement

(Sparteca): established - NA 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New

Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall

Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua

New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the

Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)

established - 17 August 1992

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South

Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note

- also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)

established - 26 March 1991

aim - to increase regional economic cooperation

members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

associate members - (2) Bolivia, Chile

Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term

is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

underdeveloped countries: refers to those less developed countries

with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less

developed countries (LDCs)

undeveloped countries: refers to those extremely poor less developed

countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least

developed countries (LLDCs)

United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24

October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote

cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian

problems

constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs

and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:

1) Secretariat

2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN

AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the

Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Center for Human

Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United

Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program

(UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for

Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training

and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice

Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),

United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations

Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

(UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

(UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), and United

Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)

3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former

Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),

United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement

Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission

in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Mission of

Support in East Timor (UNMISET), United Nations Military Observer Group

in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission for the

Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in

Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

(UNAMSIL), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission

(UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United

Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

(MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social

Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,

Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission

on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for

Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the

Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the

Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

(ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for

Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

(ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for

Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for

Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil

Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association

(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for

Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization

(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International

Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),

Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical

Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations

Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union

(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property

Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World

Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTrO)

5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)

6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

UN members - (191) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,

Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,

Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,

Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,

Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-

Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,

Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,

Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua

New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,

Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,

Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,

Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,

Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,

Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and

Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,

UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,

Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - all UN members are represented in the General

Assembly

observers - (1 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See,

Palestine Liberation Organization

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from

the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency

Fund

established - 11 December 1946

aim - to help establish child health and welfare services

members - (37) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD):

established - 30 December 1964

aim - to promote international trade

members - (192) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November

1965

aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social

development

members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all

regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31

May 1974

aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the

UN Security Council

members - (6) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO): established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946

aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture

members - (190) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua

and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,

Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,

Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook

Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,

Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,

Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,

Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,

Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated

States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,

Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,

Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,

Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,

Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): established - 15 December

1972

aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters

members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective

- 24 October 1945

aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN

members - (191) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3

December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951

aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find

permanent solutions to refugee problems

members (executive committee) - (64) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,

Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark,

Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Holy See,

Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South

Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,

Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Somalia, South

Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia,

Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO):

established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967

aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development

especially among the members

members - (171) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,

Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,

China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,

Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,

Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel,

Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South

Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,

Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,

Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and

Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR):

established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing

the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965

aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and

research

members (Board of Trustees) - (21) Austria, Brazil, China, Czech

Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco,

Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sweden,

Switzerland, UK, US;

note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK):

established - 10 June 1999

aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-

government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative

functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and

humanitarian and disaster relief

members - (48) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria,

Cameroon, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji,

Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal,

Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania,

Russia, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey,

Ukraine UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19

March 1978

aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in

reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by

the UN Security Council

members - (7) France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine

United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM): established

in 9 April 1991; to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone

established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security

Council; members were Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Denmark,

Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India,

Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland,

Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US,

Uruguay, Venezuela; mandate ended 6 October 2003

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP):

established - 24 January 1949

aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the

UN Security Council

members - (9) Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South

Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO):

established - 29 April 1991

aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western

Sahara; established by the UN Security Council

members - (25) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Croatia, Egypt,

El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland,

Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan,

Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay

United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH): established

- 21 December 1995; to establish an International Police Task Force

(IPTF) to implement the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and

Herzegovina; members Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada,

Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland,

France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,

Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria,

Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,

Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,

Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu; was terminated 31 December 2002

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE): established -

31 July 2000

aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities

members - (42) Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia

and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, India, Italy, Jordan,

Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru,

Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,

Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL): established - 19 September

2003

aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process; protect UN

facilities and people; support humanitarian activities;and assist in

national security reform

members - (43) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Croatia,

Denmark, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-

Bissau, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Mali,

Moldova, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, South Africa,

Sweden, Togo, Turkey, UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established - 22

October 1999

aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other

parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement;

to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to

monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of

the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for

international humanitarian law

members - (31) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea,

Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ,

Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand,

Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP): established 1

February 1996; to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka

peninsula in southern Croatia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh,

Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana,

Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,

Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine; was terminated 15

December 2002

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET): established

- 17 May 2002

aim - to provide assistance to structures critical to political

stability; to provide law enforcement and public security and to assist

in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to

external security

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil,

Croatia, Denmark, Fiji, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,

Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal,

Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand,

Turkey, Uruguay

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission

(UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission

for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)

established - NA December 1999

aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass

destruction and the capacity to produce them

commissioners - (15) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany,

India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24

August 1993

aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor

weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for

Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South

Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,

UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999

aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire

agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and

disengagement of forces

members - (49) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland,

Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,

Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Spain,

Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established -

4 March 1964

aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and

Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland,

South Korea, Slovakia, UK

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from

predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities

established - NA July 1967

aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with

their population problems

members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all

regions

United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP): established 31

March 1995; to monitor border activity in the Former Yugoslav Republic

of Macedonia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil,

Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia,

Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland,

Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, US; mandate

ended 25 March 1999

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the

Near East (UNRWA): established - 8 December 1949

aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees

members (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan,

Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD):

established - NA 1963

aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development

during different phases of economic growth

members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a

chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 11 individual

members

United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24

October 1945

aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a

Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General

Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

members - the UN Secretary General and staff

United Nations Security Council (UNSC): established - 26 June 1945;

effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security

permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US

nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN

General Assembly; Algeria (2004-05), Angola (2003-04), Benin (2004-05),

Brazil (2004-05), Chile (2003-04), Germany (2003-04), Pakistan (2003-

04), Philippines (2004-05), Romania (2004-05), Spain (2003-04)

United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET):

established 25 October 1999 to provide security throughout the

territory of East Timor; to establish an effective administration; to

ensure the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance; to

support capacity-building for self-government; 28 members including

Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji,

Ireland, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Norway,

Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden,

Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established -

NA June 1948

aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports

timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in

the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,

China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,

Switzerland, US

United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945,

effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11

UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it

formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory

of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a

constitutional government in free association with the US; the

Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973

aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival

and to train scholars

members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by

the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of

UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated

with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948

aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized

agency

members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,

Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,

Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome

and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,

South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,

Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,

Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,

Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense;

members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the

time of dissolution were Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland,

Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque

Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of

WAEMU

established - 14 November 1973

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin,

Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank,

Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as

Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)

established - 1 August 1994

aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to

create a common market

members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali,

Niger, Senegal, Togo

Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective

- 6 May 1955

aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political

unification

members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg,

Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway,

Poland, Turkey

associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania,

Slovakia, Slovenia

observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), and

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the

International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4

October 1968

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (102 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,

Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French

Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,

Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,

Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius,

Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua,

Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,

Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,

Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,

Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the Customs

Cooperation Council (CCC)

established - 15 December 1950

aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters

members - (162) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,

Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana,

Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,

Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau,

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,

Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,

Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,

Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,

Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,

UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,

Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,

Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana,

Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,

Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,

Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ,

Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,

Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia,

Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon

Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,

Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961

aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or

disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective

- 7 April 1948

aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency

members - (192) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua

and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,

Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East

Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,

Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,

Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,

Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,

Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,

Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,

Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe

associate members - (2) Puerto Rico, Tokelau

observers - (2) Holy See, Liechtenstein

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July

1967; effective - 26 April 1970

aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific

works; a UN specialized agency

members - (179) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,

Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,

Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,

India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,

Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San

Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and

Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,

Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,

UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe

World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October

1947; effective - 4 April 1951