Ltd., a private company, to make sure it provides on a global and non-
discriminatory basis public telecommunication services members - (150)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, 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, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, the
Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
note - its predecessors were the International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labor (WCL)
established - 3 November 2006 aim - to promote the trade union
movement members - (312 affiliated organizations in the following 156
countries and the Palestine Liberation Organization as of December
2007) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Chad, Chile, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia,
Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New
Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Palestine
Liberation Organization
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 - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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, 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
L
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, Secretaria General Iberoamericana, 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 - (30) China, Corporacion Andina de
Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America
Economic System, Nicaragua, Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud,
Organizacion Mundial de la Salud, Organization of American States,
Panama, Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
San Marino, Secretaria General Iberoamericana, Spain, Switzerland,
Ukraine, 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
- 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 observers - (4) Brazil, Eritrea, India, Venezuela
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 44 LLDCs
are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti,
Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mozambique, Nepal,
Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia,
Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Uganda, Zambia
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, Isle of Man,
Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, 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, Ascension,
and Tristan da Cunha, 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, 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
low-income countries
another term for those less developed countries with below-average per
capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
M
middle-income countries
another term for those less developed countries with above-average per
capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
established - 12 April 1988 aim - encourages flow of foreign direct
investment among member countries by offering investment insurance,
consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and
technical assistance; a UN specialized agency members - (175) includes
all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros,
Cuba, Kiribati, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco,
Nauru, Niger, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tonga,
Tuvalu; plus Kosovo
N
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 the 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 - (117 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, 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, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (18) Argentina, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia,
El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Montenegro, Paraguay,
Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uruguay
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 - (8) Denmark
(including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including
Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, 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, and 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 - (28) Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada,
Croatia, 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 - (29) Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg,
Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, 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 - 1974; effective - 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 - (46)
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
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)
O
Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)
note-acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan, Moldova; formerly known as GUUAM before Uzbekistan withdrew
in 5 May 2005 established - 7 June 2001 aim - commits the countries
to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the
strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the
development and effective use of transport and communications,
highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the
member states members - (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961 aim - to
promote economic cooperation and development members - (34) Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, UK, US special member - (1) EC accession states - (1) Russia
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 - (56) 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,
Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan partners for cooperation - (12)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South
Korea, Mongolia, 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) - (188)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, 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, 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, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Djibouti, Ecuador, 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, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated
States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the
Convention) - (2) Burma, Israel
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 - (65) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy
See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,
Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Vanuatu, Yemen
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)