promote cooperation among central banks in international financial
settlements members - (56) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,
China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Central Bank,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia,
Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Montenegro has a separate
central bank; its links with BIS are currently under review
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
established - June 1997 aim - to foster socio-economic cooperation
among members members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal,
Sri Lanka, Thailand
Benelux Union (Benelux)
note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg; was formerly
known as Benelux Economic Union established - 3 February 1958;
effective - 1 November 1960; changed names 17 June 2008 aim - to
develop closer economic and legal cooperation and integration members
- (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Big Seven
note - membership is the same as the Group of 7 established - 1975
aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies members - (7)
Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)
established - 25 June 1992 aim - to enhance regional stability through
economic cooperation members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey,
Ukraine; note - Macedonia is in the process of joining observers -
(17) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Commission of the EC,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy Charter Secretariat, France,
Germany, International Black Sea Club, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia,
Tunisia, US; note - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia have applied
for observer status
C
Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)
established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973 aim - to promote
economic integration and development, especially among the less
developed countries members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago associate members - (5)
Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and
Caicos Islands observers - (8) Aruba, Colombia, Curacao, Dominican
Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Venezuela
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970 aim - to
promote economic development and cooperation regional members - (21)
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana,
Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Venezuela nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany,
Italy, UK
Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
see Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)
Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique
Centrale established - 3 December 1975 aim - to provide loans for
economic development members - (10) African Development Bank (AfDB),
Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic,
Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Kuwait
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico
established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31
May 1961 began operations aim - to promote economic integration and
development members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua nonregional members - (7) Argentina, Colombia,
Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Taiwan
Central American Common Market (CACM)
established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991
aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market
members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
Central American Integration System (SICA)
established - 13 December 1991; operational 1 February 1993 aim - to
strengthen democracy; to set up a new model of regional security; to
promote freedom; to achieve a regional system of welfare and economic
and social justice; to attain economic unity and strengthen the area as
an economic bloc; to act as a bloc in international matters members -
(7) Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Panama associated member - (1) Dominican Republic observers - (8)
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain
Central European Initiative (CEI)
note - evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal
Initiative established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral
Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, July 1992 its
present name was adopted aim - to form an economic and political
cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic
Seas members - (18) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova,
Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine
centrally planned economies
a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked
to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more
democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the
Second World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this
group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba,
Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, North Korea, Laos,
Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, but now is
limited to Cuba and North Korea, and less so to China
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
established - 7 October 2002 aim - to coordinate military and
political cooperation, to develop multilateral structures and
mechanisms of cooperation for ensuring national security of the member
states members - (6) Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan
Colombo Plan (CP)
established - May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full
operations aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia
and the Pacific members - (26) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South
Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua
New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
note - formerly known as Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and
Southern Africa (PTA) established - treaty signed 5 November 1993;
treaty ratified 8 December 1994 aim - recognizing, promoting and
protecting fundamental human rights, commitment to the principles of
liberty and rule of law, maintaining peace and stability through the
promotion and strengthening of good neighborliness, commitment to
peaceful settlement of disputes among member states members - (19)
Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda,
Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Commonwealth (C)
note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations established - 31 December
1931 aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a
voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire members -
(54) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji
(suspended), The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya,
Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (reinstated 2004),
Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7
December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991 aim - to
coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for
the orderly dissolution of the USSR members - (9) Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan; note - neither Ukraine as a participating member nor
Turkmenistan as an associate member have signed the 1993 CIS charter,
although both participate in meetings; Georgia left the organization in
August 2009
Communist countries
traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian
governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of
the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see
centrally planned economies
Community of Democracies (CD)
established - 27 June 2000 aim - "to respect and uphold core
democratic principals and practices" including free and fair elections,
freedom of speech and expression, equal access to education, rule of
law, and freedom of peaceful assembly members - (17) Cape Verde,
Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, India, Italy, South Korea,
Lithuania, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, South Africa, US
Comuinidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLP)
established - 1996 aim - to establish a forum for friendship among
Portuguese-speaking nations where Portuguese is an official language
members - (8) Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique,
Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste associate observers - (3)
Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Senegal
Conference of Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia
(CICA)
established - proposed 5 October 1992; established 14 September 1999
aim - promoting a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation
towards promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia members - (22
and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, China, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, South Korea, Russia, Tajikistan,
Thailand, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and the Palestine
Liberation Organization observers - (12) Bangladesh, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Japan, League of Arab States, Malaysia, OSCE, Philippines,
Qatar, Ukraine, UN, US
Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM)
established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and
technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations;
members were: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a
new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership
on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as
opposed to East-West control of advanced technology
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA)
note - also known as CMEA or Comecon established 25 January 1949 to
promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January
1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not
participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria,
Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos
(observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer),
Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia
(associate)
Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU)
established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964 aim - to promote
economic integration among Arab nations members - (11 plus the
Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya,
Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation
Organization
Council of Europe (CE)
established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949 aim - to promote
increased unity and quality of life in Europe members - (47) Albania,
Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta,
Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK
Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
established - 6 March 1992 aim - to promote cooperation among the
Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions,
economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment,
cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication
members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden observers - (10) Belarus,
France, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Ukraine, UK, US
Council of the Entente (Entente)
established - 29 May 1959 aim - to promote economic, social, and
political coordination members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote
d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo
countries in transition
a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle
group in its hierarchy of formerly centrally planned economies; IMF
statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia,
Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is
identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former
USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia
Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)
note - see World Customs Organization (WCO)
D
developed countries (DCs)
the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former
USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries
(LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic
nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates;
also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North,
industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of
$15,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well
under $15,000 and eight of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of
more than $20,000; the DCs include: Andorra, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF)
term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore,
and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey
developing countries
a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bottom
group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition,
and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 126
developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, 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, Cyprus,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would presumably
also cover the following 46 other countries that are traditionally
included in the more comprehensive group of "less developed countries":
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, Isle of Man,
Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New
Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau,
Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Ascension, and
Tristan da Cunha, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and
Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank,
Western Sahara
Developing Eight (D-8)
established - 15 June 1997 aim - to improve developing countries'
positions in the world economy, diversify and create new opportunities
in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at the
international level, provide better standards of living member - (8)
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey
E
East African Community (EAC)
note - originally established in 1967, it was disbanded in 1977
established - January 2001 aim - to establish a political and economic
union among the countries members - (5) Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda,
Tanzania, Uganda
East African Development Bank (EADB)
established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967 aim - to
promote economic development members - (4) Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania,
Uganda
East Asia Summit (EAS)
established - 14 December 2005 aim - to promote cooperation in
political and security issues; to promote development, financial
stability, energy security, economic integration and growth; to
eradicate poverty and narrow the development gap in East Asia, and to
promote deeper cultural understanding members - (16) Australia,
Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea,
Laos, Malaysia, NZ, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Economic and Monetary 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
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
note - an integral part of the European Union; also known as the
European Economic and Monetary Union established - 1-2 December 1969
(proposed at summit conference of heads of government; 7 February 1992
(Maastricht Treaty signed) aim - to promote a single market by
creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European
exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and
stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into
circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted members -
(17) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to
coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five
regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic
Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional
commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human
Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of
Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical
Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development,
Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice) members - (54) selected on a rotating
basis from all regions
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs
established - 20 September 1976 aim - to promote regional economic
cooperation and integration members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Rwanda; note - organization collapsed because of fighting
in 1998; reactivated in 2006
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
established - 28 May 1975 aim - to promote regional economic
cooperation members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote
d'Ivoire (suspended), The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea (suspended), Guinea-
Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger (suspended), Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Togo
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
established - 27-29 January 1985 aim - to promote regional cooperation
in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs,
and economic development members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan
Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC or EurasEC)
note - merged with Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) in
2005 established - May 2001 aim - to create a common economic and
energy policy members - (5) Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan observers - (3) Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)
note - began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an
extension of NATO established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20
December 1991 aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and
security issues members - (50) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)