Council of the Entente
Environmental Modification
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques
ESA
European Space Agency
ESCAP
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
ESCWA
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
est.
estimate
EU
European Union
Euratom
European Atomic Energy Community
Eutelsat
European Telecommunications Satellite Organization
Ex-Im
Export-Import Bank of the United States
F
f.o.b.
free on board
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
FATF
Financial Action Task Force
FAX
facsimile
FLS
Front Line States
FOC
flags of convenience
FSU
former Soviet Union
FY
fiscal year
FZ
Franc Zone
G
G-2
Group of 2
G-3
Group of 3
G-5
Group of 5
G-6
Group of 6
G-7
Group of 7
G-8
Group of 8
G-9
Group of 9
G-10
Group of 10
G-15
Group of 15
G-11
Group of 11
G-24
Group of 24
G-77
Group of 77
GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO
GCC
Gulf Cooperation Council
GCTU
General Confederation of Trade Unions
GDP
gross domestic product
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
GNP
gross national product
GRT
gross register ton
GSM
global system for mobile cellular communications
GUAM
Organization for Democracy and Economic Development; acronym for member
states - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova
GWP
gross world product
H
Hazardous Wastes
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal
HF
high-frequency
HIV/AIDS
human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome
I
IADB
Inter-American Development Bank
IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
IANA
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
IBRD
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
ICC
International Chamber of Commerce
ICCt
International Criminal Court
ICJ
International Court of Justice (World Court)
ICRC
International Committee of the Red Cross
ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
ICSID
International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes
ICTR
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
ICTY
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
IDA
International Development Association
IDB
Islamic Development Bank
IDP
Internally Displaced Person
IEA
International Energy Agency
IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
IFC
International Finance Corporation
IFRCS
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
IGAD
Inter-Governmental Authority on Development
IHO
International Hydrographic Organization
ILO
International Labor Organization
IMF
International Monetary Fund
IMO
International Maritime Organization
IMSO
International Mobile Satellite Organization
Inmarsat
International Maritime Satellite Organization
InOC
Indian Ocean Commission
INSTRAW
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women
Intelsat
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
Interpol
International Criminal Police Organization
Intersputnik
International Organization of Space Communications
IOC
International Olympic Committee
IOM
International Organization for Migration
IPU
Inter-parliamentary Union
ISO
International Organization for Standardization
ISP
Internet Service Provider
ITSO
International Telecommunications Satellites Organization
ITU
International Telecommunication Union
ITUC
International Trade Union Confederation, the successor to ICFTU
(International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) and the WCL (World
Confederation of Labor)
K
kHz
kilohertz
km
kilometer
kW
kilowatt
kWh
kilowatt-hour
L
LAES
Latin American Economic System
LAIA
Latin American Integration Association
LAS
League of Arab States
Law of the Sea
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
LDC
less developed country
LLDC
least developed country
London Convention
see Marine Dumping
LOS
see Law of the Sea
M
m
meter
Marecs
Maritime European Communications Satellite
Marine Dumping
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter
Marine Life Conservation
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas
MARPOL
see Ship Pollution
Medarabtel
Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International
Telecommunications Union
Mercosur
Southern Cone Common Market
MHz
megahertz
MICAH
International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti
MIGA
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency
MINURSO
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
MINUSTAH
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
MONUSCO
United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo
N
NA
not available
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement
NAM
Nonaligned Movement
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NC
Nordic Council
NEA
Nuclear Energy Agency
NEGL
negligible
NGA
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
NGO
nongovernmental organization
NIB
Nordic Investment Bank
NIC
newly industrializing country
NIE
newly industrializing economy
NIS
new independent states
nm
nautical mile
NMT
Nordic Mobile Telephone
NSG
Nuclear Suppliers Group
Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space,
and Under Water
NZ
New Zealand
O
OAPEC
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
OAS
Organization of American States
OAU
Organization of African Unity; see African Union
ODA
official development assistance
OECD
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OECS
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
OHCHR
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
OIC
Organization of the Islamic Conference
OIF
International Organization of the French-speaking World
OOF
other official flows
OPANAL
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean
OPCW
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
OPEC
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
OSCE
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Ozone Layer Protection
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
P
PCA
Permanent Court of Arbitration
PFP
Partnership for Peace
PIF
Pacific Islands Forum
PPP
purchasing power parity
R
Ramsar
see Wetlands
RG
Rio Group
S
SAARC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SACEP
South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme
SACU
Southern African Customs Union
SADC
Southern African Development Community
SAFE
South African Far East Cable
SCO
Shanghai Cooperation Organization
SECI
Southeast European Cooperative Initiative
SHF
super-high-frequency
Ship Pollution
Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
SICA
Central American Integration System
Sparteca
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
SPC
Secretariat of the Pacific Communities
SPF
South Pacific Forum
sq km
square kilometer
sq mi
square mile
T
TAT
Trans-Atlantic Telephone
TEU
Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, a unit of measure for containerized cargo
capacity
Tropical Timber 83
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
Tropical Timber 94
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
U
UAE
United Arab Emirates
UDEAC
Central African Customs and Economic Union
UHF
ultra-high-frequency
UK
United Kingdom
UN
United Nations
UN-AIDS
Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS
UNAMID
African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur
UNASUR
Union of South American Nations
UNCLOS
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as LOS
UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNDCP
United Nations Drug Control Program
UNDEF
United Nations Democracy Fund
UNDOF
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force
UNDP
United Nations Development Program
UNEP
United Nations Environment Program
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
UNFICYP
United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus
UNFIP
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships
UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund
UN-Habitat
United Nations Center for Human Settlements
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund
UNICRI
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
UNIDIR
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
UN-INSTRAW
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women
UNITAR
United Nations Institute for Training and Research
UNMIK
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
UNMIL
United Nations Mission in Liberia
UNMIS
United Nations Mission in the Sudan
UNMIS
UNMIT
United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste
UNMOGIP
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
UNOCI
United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire
UNOPS
United Nations Office of Project Services
UNRISD
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
UNRWA
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East
UNSC
United Nations Security Council
UNSSC
Untied Nations System Staff College
UNTSO
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
UNU
United Nations University
UNWTO
World Tourism Organization
UPU
Universal Postal Union
US
United States
USSR
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for
information dated before 25 December 1991
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
UV
ultra violet
V
VHF
very-high-frequency
VSAT
very small aperture terminal
W
WADB
West African Development Bank
WAEMU
West African Economic and Monetary Union
WCL
World Confederation of Labor
WCO
World Customs Organization
Wetlands
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As
Waterfowl Habitat
WEU
Western European Union
WFP
World Food Program
WFTU
World Federation of Trade Unions
Whaling
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
WHO
World Health Organization
WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization
WMO
World Meteorological Organization
WP
Warsaw Pact
WTO
World Trade Organization
Z
ZC
Zangger Committee
======================================================================
Appendix B :: International Organizations and Groups
A
advanced developing countries
another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with
particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing
economies (NIEs)
advanced economies
a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group
in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and
developing countries; it includes the following 33 advanced economies:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Portugal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also
cover the following nine smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe
Islands, Guernsey, Holy See, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San
Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed
countries"
African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
note - regional multilateral development finance institution
temporarily located in Tunis, Tunisia; the Bank Group consists of the
African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the
Nigerian Trust Fund established - 10 September 1964 aim - to promote
economic development and social progress regional members - (53)
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape
Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe nonregional members - (24)
Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
African Union (AU)
note - replaces Organization of African Unity (OAU) established - 8
July 2001 aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to
defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political,
social, and economic integration; to encourage international
cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions members
- (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea (suspended), Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic
Republic (Western Sahara), Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)
established - 31 July 2007 aim - to contribute to the restoration of
security conditions which will allow safe humanitarian assistance
throughout Darfur, to contribute to the protection of civilian
populations under imminent threat of physical attack, to monitor,
observe compliance with, and verify the implementation of various
ceasefire agreements members - (35) Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana,
Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group)
established - 6 June 1975 aim - to manage their preferential economic
and aid relationship with the EU members - (79) Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,
Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu,
Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean (OPANAL)
note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas
Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL) established - 14
February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969
on the 11th ratification aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of
atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons members - (33) Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, 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, Uruguay, Venezuela
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
established - November 1990 aim - to call attention to threats of sea-
level rise and coral bleaching to small islands and lowlying coastal
developing states from global warming; to emphasize the importance of
information and information technology in the process of achieving
sustainable development members - (39) Antigua and Barbuda, The
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cook Islands, Cuba,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Jamaica, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius,
Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea,
St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
observers - (3) American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands
Andean Community of Nations (CAN)
note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG) and the Andean Common
Market (Ancom) established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1
October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969 aim - to promote harmonious
development through economic integration members - (4) Bolivia,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru associate members - (5) Argentina, Brazil,
Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay observers - (2) Mexico, Panama
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en
Afrique (BADEA) established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16
September 1974 aim - to promote economic development members - (17
plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt,
Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation
Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League
excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
established - 16 May 1968 aim - to promote economic and social
development members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia
(suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine
Liberation Organization
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
established - 17 February 1989 aim - to promote cooperation and
integration among the Arab states of northern Africa members - (5)
Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia
Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)
established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2 February 1977 aim - to
promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and
economic affairs members - (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
Arctic Council
established - 18 September 1996 aim - to address the common concerns
and challenges faced by Arctic governments and the people of the
Arctic; to protect the Arctic environment members - (8) Canada,
Denmark (Greenland, Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia,
Sweden, US permanent participants - (6) Aleut International
Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich'in Council International,
Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Russian Association of Indigenous People
of the North, Saami Council observers - (6) France, Germany,
Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
established - 25 July 1994 aim - to foster constructive dialogue and
consultation on political and security issues of common interest and
concern members - (27) Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia,
Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea,
Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, US, Vietnam
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
established - 7 November 1989 aim - to promote trade and investment in
the Pacific basin members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile,
China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ,
Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan,
Thailand, US, Vietnam observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum
Secretariat
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
established - 19 December 1966 aim - to promote regional economic
cooperation members - (48) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia,
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook
Islands, Fiji, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste,
Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam nonregional
members - (19) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
established - 8 August 1967 aim - to encourage regional economic,
social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of
Southeast Asia members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam dialogue
partners - (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South
Korea, NZ, Pakistan, Russia, US observers - (1) Papua New Guinea
Australia Group (AG)
established - June 1985 aim - to consult on and coordinate export
controls related to chemical and biological weapons members - (41)
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952 aim - to
implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US
suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and
the US continue to hold annual meetings members - (3) Australia, NZ,
US
B
Baltic Assembly (BA)
established - 12 May 1990 aim - to thoroughly discuss various
cooperation issues between Baltic states members - (3) Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)