### Appendix C: International Organizations and Groups

advanced developing countries
another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

advanced economies
a new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published IMF statistics include the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note-this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino which are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries (ACP)
address—Avenue Georges Henri 451, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 743 06 00
FAX—32 (2) 735 55 73
established—1 April 1976
aim—to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU
members—(70) 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, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

African Development Bank (AfDB)
note—also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
address—01 BP 1387, Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire
telephone—225 20 41 18
FAX—225 20 40 06
established—4 August 1963
aim—to promote economic and social development
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
nonpermanent members—(25) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US

Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique (ACCT)
see Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)

Agence de la francophonie (ACCT)
see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT)

Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)
see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT); acronym from Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique

Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT)
note—formerly Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation
address—13 quai Andre-Citroen, F-75015 Paris, France
telephone—33 (1) 44 37 33 00
FAX—33 (1) 45 79 14 98
established—21 March 1970
name changed—1996
aim—to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French-speaking countries
members—(40) Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (may have dropped out), Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam
associate members—(5) Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Morocco, Saint Lucia
participating governments—(2) New Brunswick (Canada), Quebec (Canada)

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)
address—Temistocles 78, Col Polanco, CP 011560, Mexico City 5 DF, Mexico
telephone—52 (5) 280 4923, 280 5064, 280 2715
FAX—52 (5) 280 2965
established—14 February 1967
aim—to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons
members—(30) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Group (AG)
note—known also as the Andean Parliament
address—Carrera 7a, No. 13-58, Oficina 401, Apartado Aereo 039165, Santafe de Bogota, Columbia
telephone—57 (1) 284 41 91, 284 40 28, 284 33 74
FAX—57 (1) 184 32 70
established—26 May 1969
effective—16 October 1969
aim—to promote harmonious development through economic integration
members—(5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
associate members—(1) Panama
observers—(26) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US, Uruguay, Yugoslavia

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
note—also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)
address—Abdel Rahman El Mahdi Avenue, P.O. Box 2640, Khartoum, Sudan
telephone—249 (11) 770498, 773646, 773709
FAX—249 (11) 770600
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 Cooperation Council (ACC)
established—16 February 1989
aim—to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to an Arab Common Market
members—(4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
address—P.O. Box 21923, Safat 13080, Kuwait
telephone—965 4844500
FAX—965 4815750, 4815760, 4815770
established—16 May 1968
aim—to promote economic and social development
members—(21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt (suspended from 1979 to 1988), Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan (suspended 1993), Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab League (AL)
note—also known as League of Arab States (LAS)
address—Midan Attahrir, Tahrir Square, P.O. Box 11642, Cairo, Egypt
telephone—20 (2) 750 511
FAX—20 (2) 740 331
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

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
address—27 avenue Okba Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
telephone—212 (7) 77 26 82, 77 26 76, 77 26 68
FAX—212 (7) 77 26 93
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)
address—P.O. Box 2818, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
telephone—971 (2) 215000, 328500
FAX—971 (2) 326454
established—27 April 1976
effective—2 February 1977
aim—to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs
members—(20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
address—438 Alexandra Road, Alexandra Point Building, 19th Floor 01/04, Singapore 119958, Singapore
telephone—65 276 1880
FAX—65 276 1775
established—7 November 1989
aim—to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin
members—(19) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam
observers—(3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference, South Pacific Forum

Asian Development Bank (AsDB)
address—6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, 0401 METRO Manila, Philippines
telephone—63 (2) 711 3851
FAX—63 (2) 741 7961, 631 6816
established—19 December 1966
aim—to promote regional economic cooperation regional members—(40) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam
nonregional members—(16) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
see Latin American Integration Association (LAIA)

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
note—the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) consists of the 9 ASEAN members, 2 observers, 2 consultative partners, and 8 dialogue partners: Australia, Canada, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, US
address—70 A Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Kebayoran Baru, P.O. Box 2072, Jakarta 12110, Indonesia
telephone—62 (21) 7262410, 7262991, 7262272, 7251988
FAX—62 (21) 7398234, 7243348
established—9 August 1967
aim—to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia
members—(9) Brunei, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
observers—(2) Cambodia, Papua New Guinea
consultative partners—(2) China, Russia

Australia Group
established—1984
aim—to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons
members—(28) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US; note-may now include only 23 countries
observer—(1) Singapore

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
address—c/o Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bag 8, Queen Victoria Terrace, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
telephone—61 (62) 61 91 11
FAX—61 (62) 61 21 51
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

Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico (BCIE)
see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)
see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
address—Centralbahnplatz 2, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
telephone—41 (61) 280 80 80
FAX—41 (61) 280 91 00
established—20 January 1930
effective—17 March 1930
aim—to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements
members—(33) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia (suspended)
pending members—(9) Brazil, China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore

Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
see African Development Bank (AfDB)

Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)
see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)

Banque de Developpement des Etats de l''Afrique Centrale (BDEAC)
see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)

Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD)
see West African Development Bank (WADB)

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux)
note—acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg
address—Rue de la Regence 39, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 519 38 11
FAX—32 (2) 513 42 06
established—3 February 1958
effective—1 November 1960
aim—to develop closer economic cooperation and integration
members—(3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven
note—membership is the same as the Group of 7
established—NA 1975
aim—to discuss and coordinate major economic policies
members—(7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Big Six
note—not to be confused with the Group of 6
established—NA 1967
aim—to foster economic cooperation
members—(6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)
address—I Hareket Kosku, Dolmabahce Sarayi, Besiktas 80680, Istanbul, Turkey
telephone—90 (1) 227 7300 through 227 7305
FAX—90 (1) 227 7306
established—25 June 1992
aim—to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation
members—(11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine
observers—(7) Austria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)
address—Caricom, P.O. Box 10827, Bank of Guyana Building, 3rd floor, Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Guyana
telephone—592 (2) 69281 through 69289
FAX—592 (2) 66091, 67816, 57341
established—4 July 1973
effective—1 August 1973
aim—to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries
members—(14) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
associate members—(2) British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
observers—(9) Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
address—P.O. Box 408, Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados
telephone—1 (809) 431 1600
FAX—1 (809) 426 7269
established—18 October 1969
effective—26 January 1970
aim—to promote economic development and cooperation
regional members—(20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela
nonregional members—(5) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, UK

Cartagena Group
see Group of 11

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
note—acronym from Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale
address—BP 969, Bangui, Central African Republic
telephone—236 61 09 22, 61 45 77
FAX—236 61 21 35
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

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
note—acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale
address—BDEAC, Place du Gouvernement, BP 1177, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
telephone—242 83 01 26, 83 01 49, 81 02 12, 81 02 21
FAX—242 83 02 66
established—3 December 1975
aim—to provide loans for economic development
members—(9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
note—acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico
address—Apartado Postal 772, Tegucigalpa DC, Honduras
telephone—504 372230 through 372239, 371184 through 371188
FAX—504 370793
established—3 December 1960
aim—to promote economic integration and development
members—(5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
nonregional members—(3) Argentina, Mexico, Taiwan

Central American Common Market (CACM)
address—c/o SIECA, Apart Postal 1237, 4a Avenida 10-25, Zona 14, Guatemala 01901, Guatemala
telephone—502 (2) 682151, 682152, 682153, 682154
FAX—502 (2) 681071
established—13 December 1960
effective—3 June 1961
aim—to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market
members—(6) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama

Central European Initiative (CEI)
note—evolved from the Hexagonal Group
address—Ministry of Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Al I Ch Szucha 23, PL-00 580 Warsaw, Poland
established—27 July 1991
aim—to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas
members—(16) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, 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, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia

Colombo Plan (CP)
address—Colombo Plan Bureau, P.O. Box 596, 12 Melbourne Avenue, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka
telephone—94 (1) 581813, 581853, 581754
FAX—94 (1) 581754
established—1 July 1951
aim—to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific
members—(24) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UK, US

Commission for Social Development
note—formerly Social Commission
address—Division Policy Coordination ECOSOC Affairs, Department Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, United Nations, Room S-29631, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 5935
established—21 June 1946 as the Social Commission, renamed 29 July 1966
aim—to deal, as part of the Economic and Social Council, with social development programs of UN
members—(32) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
address—Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division, Vienna International Center, P.O. Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 21345, extension 4272
FAX—43 (1) 21345 5898
established—6 February 1992
aim—to provide guidance, as part of the Economic and Social Council, on crime prevention and criminal justice
members—(40) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commission on Human Rights
address—c/o United Nations Office, Centre for Human Rights, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 917 12 34, 907 12 34
FAX—41 (22) 733 32 46
established—18 February 1946
aim—to assist, as part of the Economic and Social Council, with human rights programs of UN
members—(53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commission on Narcotic Drugs
address—c/o United Nations Drug Control Programme, Treaty Implementation and Legal Affairs Division, P.O. Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 213450
FAX—43 (1) 21345-5885
established—16 February 1946
aim—Economic and Social Council organization dealing with illicit drugs programs of UN
members—(53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions with emphasis on producing and processing countries

Commission on Population and Development
address—Division for Policy and Coordination and ECOSOC Affairs, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, United Nations, Room 2963, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 5935
established—3 October 1946
aim—to deal with population matters of importance to the UN, as part of Economic and Social Council
members—(47) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commission on Science and Technology for Development
address—United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—30 April 1992
aim—to promote international cooperation, as part of the Economic and Social Council, in the field of science and technology
members—(53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commission on the Status of Women
address—Division for Policy and Coordination and ECOSOC Affairs, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, United Nations, Room S-2963, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 5935
established—21 June 1946
aim—to deal, as part of the Economic and Social Council, with women's rights goals of UN
members—(45) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commission on Sustainable Development
address—Division for Sustainable Development, UN DPCSD, Room DC2-2274, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 0902
FAX—1 (212) 963 4260
established—12 February 1993
aim—to monitor, as part of the Economic and Social Council, implementation of agreements reached at the UN Conference on Environment and Development
members—(53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Commonwealth (C)
note—also known as Commonwealth of Nations
address—c/o Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, UK
telephone—44 (171) 839 3411
FAX—44 (171) 930 0827
established—31 December 1931
aim—to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire
members—(52) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, NZ, Nigeria (suspended), Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, 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, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
special members—(2) Nauru (soon to become full member), Tuvalu

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
address—Kirov Street 17, 220000 Minsk, Belarus
telephone—375 293434, 293517
FAX—375 261894, 261944
established—8 December 1991
effective—21 December 1991
aim—to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR
members—(12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Commonwealth of Nations
see Commonwealth (C)

Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEAO)
see West African Economic Community (CEAO)

Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (CEEAC)
see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)

Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL)
see Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)

communist countries
traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer communist; see centrally planned economies

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
see Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire (CERN)
see European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)

Contadora Group (CG)
established 5 January 1983 (on the Panamanian island of Contadora) to reduce tensions and conflicts in Central America; has evolved into the Rio Group (RG); members included Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela

Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
see Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

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 are working on a new organization with expanded membership which 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)
address—International Trade Centre Building, 12th Floor, 1191 Cornish El Nile, P.O. Box 1, Mohamad Freed, Cairo, Egypt
telephone—20 (2) 754252, 755321
FAX—20 (2) 754090
telephone—962 (6) 66 43 26, 66 43 27, 66 43 28
FAX—962 (6) 66 33 43
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)
address—Palais de l'Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg CEDEX, France
telephone—33 (3) 88 41 20 00
FAX—33 (3) 88 41 27 81, 88 41 27 82
established—5 May 1949
effective—3 August 1949
aim—to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe
members—(40) Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK
guests—(4) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia
observers—(5) Canada, Israel, Italy, Japan, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
address—Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Box 16121, S-10323 Stockholm, Sweden
telephone—46 (8) 405 1000
FAX—46 (8) 723 1176
established—5 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—(11) Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

Council of the Entente (Entente)
address—BP 3734, Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire
telephone—225 33 10 01, 33 28 35
FAX—225 33 11 49
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 new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, 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—also known as World Customs Organization (WCO)
address—Rue de l'Industrie 26-38, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 508 42 11
FAX—32 (2) 508 42 40
established—5 December 1950
aim—to promote international cooperation in customs matters
members—(142) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, 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, 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, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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 $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 35 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, 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" which adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries
a new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published 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, 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

East African Development Bank (EADB)
address—4 Nile Avenue, P.O. Box 7128, Kampala, Uganda, or Bruce House, P.O. Box 47685, Nairobi Kenya, or Nic Investment House, P.O. Box 9401, Miranbo Street, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
telephone—256 (41) 230021, 230825 or 254 (2) 340642, 340656 or 255 (51) 113194, 113195
FAX—256 (41) 259763 or 255 (51) 113197
established—6 June 1967
effective—1 December 1967
aim—to promote economic development
members—(3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
address—United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
telephone—66 (2) 2881234
FAX—66 (2) 2881000
established—28 March 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE)
aim—to carry out the commitment of the Economic and Social Council of the UN to promote economic development
members—(51) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam
associate members—(9) American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
address—28 Abdel Hameed Sharaf Street, P.O. Box 927115, Amman, Jordan
telephone—962 (6) 694351
FAX—962 (6) 694981, 694982
established—9 August 1973 as Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA)
aim—to promote economic development as a regional commission for the UN's Economic and Social Council
members—(12 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
address—P.O. Box 3001-3005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
telephone—251 (1) 51 72 00
FAX—251 (1) 51 44 16
established—29 April 1958
aim—to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council
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
associate members—(2) France, UK

Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE)
see Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
address—Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 917 1234, 907 2893
FAX—41 (22) 917 0036
established—28 March 1947
aim—to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council
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, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia

Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)
see Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
address—Edificio Naciones Unidas, Avenida Dag Hammarskjold, Casilla 179 D, Santiago, Chile
telephone—56 (2) 2102000
FAX—56 (2) 2080252, 2081946
established—25 February 1948 as Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)
aim—to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council
members—(41) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
associate members—(7) Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA)
see Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)
note—acronym from Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale
address—CEEAC, BP 2112, Libreville, Gabon
telephone—241 73 35 47, 73 35 48, 73 36 77
established—18 October 1983
aim—to promote regional economic cooperation and establish a Central African Common Market
members—(10) Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe
observer—(1) Angola

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
note—acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs
address—B.O. Box 58, Gisenyi, Rwanda
telephone—250 40228
FAX—250 40785
established—26 September 1976
aim—to promote regional economic cooperation and integration
members—(3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
address—6 King George V Road, PMB 12745, Lagos, Nigeria
telephone—234 (1) 636839, 636841, 636064, 630398
FAX—234 (1) 636822
established—28 May 1975
aim—to promote regional economic cooperation
members—(16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
address—No. 5 Khayahan-A-Hejab, Bd Keshavarz, P.O. Box 14155-6176, Teheran, Iran Islamic Republic
telephone—98 (21) 653349, 654888, 655100, 658614, 656152, 658045, 659052
FAX—98 (21) 658046
established—NA 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
associate members—(1) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)
note—began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO
address—c/o NATO, B-1110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 728 41 11
FAX—32 (2) 728 45 79
established—8 November 1991
effective—20 December 1991
aim—to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues
members—(44) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
address—EBRD Headquarters, One Exchange Square, London EC2A 2EH, UK
telephone—44 (171) 338 6000, 338 7931
FAX—44 (171) 338 6100, 338 6139
established—15 April 1991
aim—to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization
members—(60) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EU, European Investment Bank (EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan;
note—includes all 25 members of the OECD; also includes the EU as a single entity

European Community (or European Communities, EC)
was established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
address—9-11 rue de Varembe, CH-1202 Geneva 20, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 749 13 35
FAX—41 (22) 733 92 91
established—4 January 1960
effective—3 May 1960
aim—to promote expansion of free trade
members—(4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

European Investment Bank (EIB)
address—Bd Konrad Adenauer 100, L-2950 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
telephone—352 43791
FAX—352 437704
established—25 March 1957
effective—1 January 1958
aim—to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC
members—(15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Monetary Union (EMU)
note—an integral part of the European Union
address—c/o European Commission, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Bruxelles,
telephone—32 (2) 199 11 11 proposed-7 February 1992
aim—to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; time table-2 May 1998: European exchange rates are likely to be 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—(0) likely to be included in the first wave of members: Austria, Beligum, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain;
note—Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join, and Greece did not meet all the criteria to take part

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
note—acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire
address—CH-1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 767 61 11
FAX—41 (22) 767 65 55
established—1 July 1953
effective—29 September 1954
aim—to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only
members—(19) Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
observers—(7) EU, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Yugoslavia (suspended)

European Space Agency (ESA)
address—8-10 rue Mario Nikis, F-75738 Paris CEDEX 15, France
telephone—33 (1) 53 69 76 54
FAX—33 (1) 53 69 75 60
established—31 July 1973
effective—1 May 1975
aim—to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology
members—(14) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
cooperating state—(1) Canada

European Union (EU)
note—evolved from the European Community (EC)
address—c/o European Commission, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 299 11 11
FAX—32 (2) 295 01 38 through 295 01 40
established—7 February 1992
effective—1 November 1993
aim—to coordinate policy among the 15 members in three fields: economics, building on the European Economic Community's (EEC) efforts to establish a common market and eventually a common currency to be called the 'euro', which will supercede the EU's accounting unit, the ECU; defense, within the concept of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and justice and home affairs, including immigration, drugs, terrorism, and improved living and working conditions
members—(15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK
membership applicant—(12) Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia

First World
another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
address—Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy
telephone—39 (6) 52251
FAX—39 (6) 5225 3152
established—16 October 1945
aim—to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products, as a UN specialized agency
members—(175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, 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, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, 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, Kenya, 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, 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, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members—(1) Puerto Rico

former Soviet Union (FSU)
a collective term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/ EE)
the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

Four Dragons
the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

Four Tigers
another term for the Four Dragons; see Four Dragons

Franc Zone (FZ)
address—Direction Generale des Service Etrangers (Service de la Zone Franc), Banque de France, 39 rue Crois-des-Petits-Champs, BP 140-01, Paris CEDEX 01, France
telephone—33 (1) 42 92 31 26
FAX—33 (1) 42 92 39 88
established—20 December 1945
aim—to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc
members—(15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note—France includes metropolitan France, the four overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion), the two territorial collectivities of France (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), and the three overseas territories of France (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna); note—Guinea-Bissau was to become a member on 2 May 1997

Front Line States (FLS)
established to achieve black majority rule in South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
was established 30 October 1947 to promote the expansion of international trade on a nondiscriminatory basis; subsumed by the World Trade Organization (WTrO) on 1 January 1995; members at the time were Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, 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, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

Group of 2 (G-2)
informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants Japan, US

Group of 3 (G-3)
established—NA October 1990
aim—mechanism for policy coordination
members—(3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela

Group of 5 (G-5)
established—22 September 1985
aim—to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers
members—(5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

Group of 6 (G-6)
note—also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six
established—22 May 1984
aim—to achieve nuclear disarmament
members—(6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

Group of 7 (G-7)
note—membership is the same as the Big Seven
established—22 September 1985
aim—to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers
members—(7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

Group of 8 (G-8)
established NA October 1975 to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977; members were Australia, Canada, EU (as one member), Japan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, US

Group of 9 (G-9)
established—NA
aim—to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis
members—(9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia

Group of 10 (G-10)
note—also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984
address—c/o IMF Office in Europe, 64-66 ave d'Iena, F-75116 Paris, France
telephone—33 (1) 40 69 30 80
FAX—33 (1) 47 23 40 89
established—NA October 1962
aim—to coordinate credit policy
members—(11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
nonstate participants—(4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11)
note—also known as the Cartagena Group
established—22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia
aim—to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America
members—(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15)
note—byproduct of the Non-Aligned Movement
address—Technical Support Facility, Ch du Champ d'Ancier 17, Case postale 326, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 798 42 10
FAX—41 (22) 798 38 49
established—September 1989
aim—to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Non-Aligned Movement
members—(15) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

Group of 19 (G-19)
established—NA October 1975
aim—to represent the interests of the less developed countries (LDCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC) held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977
members—(19) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia

Group of 24 (G-24)
address—c/o European Commission, DGIA- G-24 Coordination Unit, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 299 22 44
FAX—32 (2) 299 06 02
established—NA January 1972
aim—to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF
members—(24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Yugoslavia

Group of 30 (G-30)
address—1990 M Street NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20036, US
telephone—1 (202) 331 2472
FAX—1 (202) 785 9423
established—NA 1979
aim—to discuss and propose solutions to the world's economic problems
members—(30) informal group of 30 leading international bankers, economists, financial experts, and business leaders organized by Johannes Witteveen (former managing director of the IMF)

Group of 33 (G-33)
established—NA 1987
aim—to promote solutions to international economic problems
members—(33) leading economists from 13 countries

Group of 77 (G-77)
address—Office of the Chairman, United Nations, Room S-3959, P.O. Box 20, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 3816, 963 0192, 963 4777
FAX—1 (212) 963 3515, 963 1753
established—NA October 1967
aim—to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership
members—(129 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, 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, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, 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, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
note—also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
address—P.O. Box 7153, Riyadh 11462, Saudi Arabia
telephone—966 (1) 482 7777
FAX—966 (1) 482 9109
established—25 May 1981
aim—to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs
members—(6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Hexagonal Group
see Central European Initiative (CEI)

high-income countries
another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC)
address—Q4 avenue Sir Guy Forget, BP7, Quatre Bornes, Mauritius
telephone—230 425 9564, 425 1652
FAX—230 425 1209
established—July 1982
aim—to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic
members—(5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

industrial countries
another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
note—also known as Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)
address—1300 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20577, US
telephone—1 (202) 623 1000
FAX—1 (202) 623 3096
established—8 April 1959
effective—30 December 1959
aim—to promote economic and social development in Latin America
members—(46) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)
see Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
note—formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)
address—P. O. Box 2653, Djibouti, Djibouti
telephone—253 354050, 354486
FAX—253 356994
established—15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development
revitalized—21 March 1996 as the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development
aim—to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members
members—(7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
address—Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 20600
FAX—43 (1) 20607
established—26 October 1956
effective—29 July 1957
aim—to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy
members—(124) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC)
was established on 22 October 1963 to promote economic cooperation and development; members were Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam; now it is a Russian bank with a new charter

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
note—also known as the World Bank
address—1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, US
telephone—1 (202) 477 1234
FAX—1 (202) 477 6391
established—22 July 1944
effective—27 December 1945
aim—to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency
members—(181) 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, 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, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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 Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
address—38 Cours Albert 1st, F-75008 Paris, France
telephone—33 (1) 49 53 28 28
FAX—33 (1) 49 53 29 42
established—NA 1919
aim—to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels
members—(62 national councils) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
address—ICAO, 999 University Street, Montreal H3C 5H7, Canada
telephone—1 (514) 954 8219
FAX—1 (514) 954 6077
established—7 December 1944
effective—4 April 1947
aim—to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency
members—(185) 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, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, 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, 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, Norway, Oman, Palau, 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, 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 Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
address—ICRC, 19 av de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 734 60 01
FAX—41 (22) 733 20 57
established—NA 1863
aim—to provide humanitarian aid in wartime
members—(25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
address—International Trade Union House, Bd Emile Jacqmain 155, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 224 02 11
FAX—32 (2) 201 58 15, 203 07 56
established—NA December 1949
aim—to promote the trade union movement
members—(19,487 affiliated organizations in the following 136 countries) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Basque Country, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Court of Justice (ICJ)
note—also known as the World Court
address—Peace Palace, NL-2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
telephone—31 (70) 302 23 23
FAX—31 (70) 364 99 28
established—26 June 1945
effective—24 October 1945
aim—primary judicial organ of the UN
members—(15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
address—BP 6041, F-69411 Lyon CEDEX 06, France
telephone—33 (4) 72 44 70 00
FAX—33 (4) 72 44 71 63
established—13 June 1956
aim—to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime
subbureaus—(176) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, 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, 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, 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, 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, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
subbureaus—(11) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands

International Development Association (IDA)
address—1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, US
telephone—1 (202) 477 1234
FAX—1 (202) 477 6391
established—26 January 1960
effective—24 September 1960
aim—UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that provides economic loans for low income countries
members—(159)
Part I—(26 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US
Part II—(133 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, 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, 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, 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, Sierra Leone, 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)
address—2 rue Andre Pascal, F-75775 Paris CEDEX 16, France
telephone—33 (1) 45 24 82 00
FAX—33 (1) 45 24 99 88
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—(23) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, 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)
address—Chemin des Crets 17, CP 372, Petit-Saconnex, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 730 4222
FAX—41 (22) 733 0395
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—(170) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, 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, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members—(13) Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Comoros, Cyprus, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kiribati, Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, Suriname, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

International Finance Corporation (IFC)
address—1850 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, US
telephone—1 (202) 473 0631
FAX—1 (202) 676 0631
established—25 May 1955
effective—20 July 1956
aim—to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate
members—(170) 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, 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, 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, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
address—Via del Serafico 107, I-00142 Rome, Italy
telephone—39 (6) 54591
FAX—39 (6) 5043463
established—NA November 1974
aim—to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency
members—(160)
Category I—(22 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, 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—(126 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, 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, 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, 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, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)
note—name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970
address—BP 445, 7 avenue President J F Kennedy, Monte Carlo MC 98011 CEDEX, Monaco
telephone—33 (93) 50 65 87
FAX—33 (93) 25 20 03
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—(60) Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, UAE, US, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
permanent members—(10) Algeria, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Estonia, Jamaica, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia

International Investment Bank (IIB)
established on 7 July 1970; to promote economic development; members were Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam; now it is a Russian bank with a new charter

International Labor Organization (ILO)
address—International Labor Office, 4 route des Morillons, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 799 61 11
FAX—41 (22) 798 86 85
established—11 April 1919 (affiliated with the UN 14 December 1946)
aim—to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency
members—(174) 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, 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, 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, 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, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Maritime Organization (IMO)
note—name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982
address—4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR, UK
telephone—44 (171) 735 7611
FAX—44 (171) 587 3210
established—17 March 1958
aim—to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency
members—(155) 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, 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, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, 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 Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended)
associate members—(2) Hong Kong, Macau

International Maritime Satellite Organization (Inmarsat)
see International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat)

International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat)
note—formerly International Maritime Satellite Organization
address—99 City Road, London EC1Y 1AX, UK
telephone—44 (171) 728 1212
FAX—44 (171) 728 1602
established—3 September 1976
effective—26 July 1979
aim—to provide worldwide communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications, at sea, in the air, and on land
members—(79) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Yugoslavia

International Monetary Fund (IMF)
address—700 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20431, US
telephone—1 (202) 623 7000
FAX—1 (202) 623 4661, 623 7491, 623 4662
established—22 July 1944
effective—27 December 1945
aim—to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency
members—(182) 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, 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, Palua, 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, 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)
note—there are 194 National Olympic Committees of which 185 are recognized by the International Olympic Committee
address—Chateau de Vidy, CH-1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
telephone—41 (21) 621 61 11
FAX—41 (21) 621 62 16
established—23 June 1894
aim—to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States (20 July-4 August); 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan (date NA); 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia (date NA); 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States (date NA)
National Olympic Committees—(196 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, 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, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, 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, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, 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, 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, Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), 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
address—17 route des Morillons, CP 71, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 717 91 11
FAX—41 (22) 798 61 50
established—5 December 1951
aim—to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration
members—(59) Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Senegal, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uganda, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia
observers—(48) Afghanistan, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cape Verde, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Council of Australia Inc., Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Holy See, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Japan International Friendship and Welfare Foundation, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, NZ, Niwano Peace Foundation, Partnership with the Children of the Third World, Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief/Episcopal Church, Refugee Council of Australia, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
address—CP 56, 1 rue de Varembe, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 749 01 11
FAX—41 (22) 733 34 30
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—(86 national standards organizations) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
correspondent members—(24) Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Estonia, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malawi, Malta, Mozambique, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE
subscriber members—(9) Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Namibia, Saint Lucia

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)
address—CICR, 19 avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 734 60 01
FAX—41 (22) 733 20 57
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—(163 countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, 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, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
address—Place des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 730 6184
FAX—41 (22) 733 7256, 730 6614
established—9 December 1932
effective—1 January 1934
affiliated with the UN—15 November 1947
aim—to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency
members—(187) 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 Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat)
address—Intelsat, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008-3098, US
telephone—1 (202) 944 7500
FAX—1 (202) 944 7890
established—20 August 1971
effective—12 February 1973
aim—to develop and operate a global commercial telecommunications satellite system
members—(140) 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, 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, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, 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, 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, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
nonsignatory users—(44) Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Belarus, Belize, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Eritrea, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kiribati, North Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Mongolia, Nauru, Niue, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Vanuatu

Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
address—P.O. Box 5925, Jeddah 21432, Saudi Arabia
telephone—966 (2) 6361400
FAX—966 (2) 6366871
established—15 December 1973
aim—to promote Islamic economic aid and social development
members—(48 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Latin American Economic System (LAES)
note—also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)
address—SELA, Avda Francisco de Miranda, Torre Europa, piso 4, Chacaito, Apartado de Correos 17035, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela
telephone—58 (2) 905 5111
FAX—58 (2) 951 6953, 951 7246
established—17 October 1975
aim—to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation
members—(27) Argentina, 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)
address—Calle Cebollati 1461, Casilla de Correo 577, 11000 Montevideo, Uruguay
telephone—598 (2) 40 11 21, 49 59 15
FAX—598 (2) 49 06 49
established—12 August 1980
effective—18 March 1981
aim—to promote freer regional trade
members—(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers—(20) China, Commission of the European Communities, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Italy, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS)
see Arab League (AL)

League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS)
see International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

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)

London Suppliers Group
see Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
see Southern Cone Common Market

middle-income countries
another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
established—16 April 1987
aim—to arrest the proliferation of missiles (unmanned delivery vehicles of mass destruction) by controlling the export of key missile technologies and equipment
members—(28) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

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

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)
address—Permanent Rep of Colombia to the United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—1-6 September 1961
aim—to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs
members—(112 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, 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, 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, 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, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers—(20) Afro-Asian Solidarity Organization, Antigua and Barbuda, Arab League, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, El Salvador, Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front (New Caledonia), Mexico, Mongolia, Organization of African Unity, Organization of the Islamic Conference, Socialist Party of Puerto Rico, UN, Uruguay
guests—(22) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Nordic Council (NC)
address—Store Strandstraede 18, PB 3043, DK-1021 Kobenhavn K, Denmark
telephone—45 33 96 04 00
FAX—45 33 11 18 70
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)
address—Fabianinkatu 34, P.O. Box 249, FIN-00171 Helsinki, Finland
telephone—358 (0) 18001
FAX—358 (0) 1800210
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 Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC)
note-see Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
address—B-1110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 707 4111
FAX—32 (2) 707 4579
established—17 September 1949
aim—to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members—(16) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
address—AEN/NEA, Le Seine St. Germain, 12 bd des Iles, F-92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
telephone—33 (1) 45 24 10 10
FAX—33 (1) 45 24 11 10
established—NA 1958
aim—to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD
members—(23) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
note—also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
address—c/o Permanent Mission of Japan in Vienna, Prinz-Eugen Strasse 8-10, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 505 5467
FAX—43 (1) 505 6167
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—(34) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US
observer—(1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)
see Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
address—2 rue Andre Pascal, F-75775 Paris CEDEX 16, France
telephone—33 (1) 45 24 82 00
FAX—33 (1) 45 24 85 00, 45 24 81 76
established—14 December 1960
effective—30 September 1961
aim—to promote economic cooperation and development
members—(29) 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, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special members—(1) EU

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
note—formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
address—Karntner Ring 5-7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 514 36-190
FAX—43 (1) 514 36-96
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, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia (suspended)
partners for cooperation—(7) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, Tunisia

Organization of African Unity (OAU)
address—P. O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
telephone—251 (1) 517700
FAX—251 (1) 512622
established—25 May 1963
aim—to promote unity and cooperation among African states
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, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Organization of American States (OAS)
address—corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006, US
telephone—1 (202) 458 3000
FAX—1 (202) 458 3967
established—30 April 1948
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—(31) Algeria, Angola, Austria, Belgium, Central American Parliament, Commission of the European Communities, Cyprus, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
address—P.O. Box 20501, Safat 13066, Kuwait
telephone—965 4844500
FAX—965 4815747
established—9 January 1968
aim—to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members—(10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
address—OECS, P.O. Box 179, The Morne, Castries, St. Lucia
telephone—1 (809) 45 22537, 45 22538, 45 36401
FAX—1 (809) 45 31628
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)
address—Obere Donaustrasse 93, A-1020 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 21 11 20
FAX—43 (1) 216 43 20
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)
address—6 km Makkah Al-Mukarramah Road, P.O. Box 178, Jeddah 21411, Saudi Arabia
telephone—966 (2) 680-0800
FAX—966 (2) 687-6568
established—22-25 September 1969
aim—to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members—(53 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, 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, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers—(6) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Guyana, Moro National Liberation Front (Philippines), Togo, "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Paris Club
see Group of 10

Partnership for Peace (PFP)
address—NATO Office of Information and Press, B-1110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 728 44 15
FAX—32 (2) 728 45 79
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—(27) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
address—Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, NL-2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
telephone—31 (70) 302 42 42
FAX—31 (70) 302 41 67
established—29 July 1899
aim—to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members—(83) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Population Commission
see Commission on Population and Development

Rio Group (RG)
note—formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986
established—NA 1988
aim—to consult on regional Latin American issues
members—(12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, 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

Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)
note-see Latin American Economic System (LAES)

Social Commission
see Commission for Social Development

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)
address—P.O. Box 4222, Kathmandu, Nepal
telephone—977 (1) 221785, 226350, 221792, 228029
FAX—977 (1) 227033, 223991
established—8 December 1985
aim—to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members—(7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Pacific Commission (SPC)
address—Anse Vata, BP D5, 98848 Noumea CEDEX, New Caledonia
telephone—687 26 20 00
FAX—687 26 38 18
established—6 February 1947
effective—29 July 1948
aim—to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters
members—(26) 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, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

South Pacific Forum (SPF)
address—c/o Forum Secretariat, Ratu Sukuna Road, Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji
telephone—679 312 600, 303 106
FAX—679 301 102, 305 573
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

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)
address—c/o forum Secretariat, Ratu Sukuna Road GPO Box 856, Suva, Fiji
telephone—679 312 600, 303 106
FAX—679 302 204
established—NA 1981
aim—to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region
members—(15) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
address—Director, State Revenue, Private Bag 13185, Windhoek, Namibia, or Director General, Trade and Industry, Private Bag X84, Pretoria 0001, South Africa, or Director of Customs and Excise, Private Bag 0041, Gaborone, Botswana, or Director of Customs and Excise, P. O. Box 891, Maseru 100, Lesotho, or Chief Customs Officer, P.O. Box 489, Manzini, Swaziland
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)
address—Private Bag 0095, Gaborone, Botswana
telephone—267 (31) 351863, 351864, 351865
FAX—267 (31) 372848
established—17 August 1992
aim—to promote regional economic development and integration
members—(12) Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur)
note—also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
address—Rincon 575 P 12, 11000 Montevideo, Uruguay
telephone—598 (2) 964590
FAX—598 (2) 964591
established—26 March 1991
aim—to increase regional economic cooperation
members—(4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
associate member—(1) Chile

Statistical Commission
address—Division for Policy and Coordination and ECOSOC Affairs, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, United Nations, Room 2963, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 5935
established—21 June 1946
aim—to deal with development and standardization of national statistics of interest to the UN, as part of the Economic and Social Council organization
members—(24) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Third World
another term for the less developed countries; the term is fading from use; 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)

Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale (UDEAC)
see Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

United Nations (UN)
address—United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
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
members—(184 excluding Yugoslavia) 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, 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, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe; note-all UN members are represented in the General Assembly
observers—(2 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Switzerland, Palestine Liberation Organization

United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III)
successor to original UNAVEM and UNAVEM II; established 20 December 1988; renewed for third time 8 February 1995; aim was to assist the parties in restoring peace and achieving national reconciliation in Angola on the basis of the Peace Accords, the Lusaka Protocol, and relevant Security Council resolutions; established by the UN Security Council; members Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Egypt, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Jordan, Mongolia, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Sweden, Tanzania, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe; disbanded 30 June 1997

United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR)
established 5 October 1993 to support and provide safe conditions for displaced persons and human rights monitors, and to assist in training a new national police force; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Fiji, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Jordan, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe; terminated 8 March 1996

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
note—acronym retained from the predecessor organization UN International Children's Emergency Fund
address—UNICEF House, Three United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 326 7000
FAX—1 (212) 888 7465, 888 7454
established—11 December 1946
aim—to help establish child health and welfare services
members—(36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
address—UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 917 12 34, 907 12 34
FAX—41 (22) 907 00 57
established—30 December 1964
aim—to promote international trade
members—(188) all UN members plus Holy See, Switzerland, Tonga

United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO)
established 31 March 1995 to separate Croatian and Krajina Serb forces; to monitor demilitarization of the Prevlaka Peninsula; to maintain a presence on Croatia's international borders; to monitor and report the crossing of military personnel, equipment, supplies and weapons; to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance; to aid refugees and displaced persons; to protect ethnic minorities; and to clear mines; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US; disbanded January 1996

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
address—One United National Plaza, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 906 5788, 906 5000
FAX—1 (212) 906 5365
established—22 November 1965
aim—to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development
members—(36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, United Nations, Room S-3260E, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—31 May 1974
aim—to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council
members—(4) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
address—7 place de Fontenoy, F-75352 Paris 07SP, France
telephone—33 (1) 45 68 10 00
FAX—33 (1) 45 67 16 90
established—16 November 1945
effective—4 November 1946
aim—to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture
members—(185) 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, 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, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, 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, 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, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members—(4) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
address—P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya
telephone—254 (2) 230800, 520600
FAX—254 (2) 226890
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 Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)
address—Chief of Mission, P.O. Box 1642, Nicosia, Cyprus
telephone—357 (2) 359 700
FAX—357 (2) 359 753
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—(8) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, UK

United Nations General Assembly
address—see United Nations
established—26 June 1945
effective—24 October 1945
aim—to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN
members—(185) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
address—Vienna International Center, P.O. Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 211 310
FAX—43 (1) 23 21 56
established—17 November 1966
effective—1 January 1967
aim—UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members
members—(169) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, 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, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, 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, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, 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, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
address—Palais des Nations, Bureau 1070, CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 798-58-50, 798-84-00
FAX—41 (22) 733-13-83
established—11 December 1963
aim—to help the UN become more effective through training and research
members (Board of Trustees)—(17) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Cameroon, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Switzerland; note—the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
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—(9) Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Norway, Poland

United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—9 April 1991
aim—to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security Council
members—(33) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, 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

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room 3727, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 5721
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—13 August 1948
aim—to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council
members—(8) Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—29 April 1991
aim—to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council
members—(28) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Togo, Tunisia, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—13 December 1995
aim—to establish a UN civilian police force (IPTF) to implement the Peace Agreement in Bosnia
members—(39) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH)
established 23 September 1993;aim was to assist in implementing the agreement to transfer power back into the civilian government; established by the UN Security Council; became the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) 28 June 1996 with the aim to assist in the professionalization of the Haitian National Police; members were Algeria, Canada, France, India, Mali, Pakistan, Togo, US; disbanded 31 July 1997

United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—13 December 1992
aim—to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula
members—(25) 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, Ukraine

United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—16 December 1994
aim—to monitor and investigate violations of the cease-fire of 17 September 1994 between Tajikistan and the Tajik opposition and to assist in the political negotiation process; established by the UN Security Council
members—(9) Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Denmark, Jordan, Poland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uruguay

United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
established—1 July 1997
aim—to assist in implementation of peace agreement; oversee normalization of state administration throughout National territory; established by UN Security Council
members—(17) Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Jordan, Malaysia, Mali, Nigeria, Portugal, Sweden, Tanzania, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL)
established 20 May 1991 to verify cease-fire arrangements and to monitor the maintenance of public order pending the organization of a new National Civil Police; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Venezuela; disbanded April 1995

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—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—(22) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—22 September 1993
aim—to assist in the implementation of the peace agreement; established by the UN Security Council
members—(6) Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan

United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR)
established 1993 for six months to monitor the Uganda/Rwanda border to verify that no military assistance reaches Rwanda across the border; established by the UN Security Council; members were Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Hungary, Netherlands, Senegal, Slovakia, Zimbabwe; subsumed by UNAMIR

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
address—Case postale 2500, Depot, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 739 81 11
FAX—41 (22) 731 95 46
established—3 December 1949
effective—1 January 1951
aim—to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems
members—(50) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yugoslavia

United Nations Operation in Mozambique (UNOMOZ)
established 16 December 1992 to supervise the cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, US, Uruguay, Zambia; shut down operations 31 January 1995

United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II)
established 24 April 1992 to facilitate an immediate cessation of hostilities, to maintain a cease-fire in order to promote a political settlement, and to provide urgent humanitarian assistance; established by the UN Security Council; members were Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, Egypt, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Zimbabwe; UN peacekeepers left Somalia on 1 March 1995; some UN personnel remain in Somalia engaged in humanitarian work

United Nations Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
established—1 December 1997
aim—to support the professionalization of the Haitian National Police; established by UN Security Council
members—(11) Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
note—acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities
address—220 East 42nd Street, 19th Floor, Room DN-1901, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 297 5000
FAX—1 (212) 557 6416
established—NA July 1967
aim—to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems
members—(34) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—31 March 1995
aim—to monitor border activity in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
members—(27) 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

United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR)
established 28 February 1992; to create conditions for peace and security required for the negotiation of an overall settlement of the "Yugoslav" crisis; established by the UN Security Council; members were Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US; disbanded December 1995; replaced by the Implementation Force (IFOR), which has been replaced by the Stabilization Force (SFOR)

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
address—Vienna International Center, P. O. Box 700, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone—43 (1) 21345, ext. 4531
FAX—43 (1) 21345-5877
established—8 December 1949
aim—to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees
members—(11) Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
address—Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 798 84 00, 798 58 50
FAX—41 (22) 740 07 91
established—1 July 1964
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 10 individual members

United Nations Secretariat
address—see United Nations
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
address—c/o United Nations, Room S-3520A, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 758 2718
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; Bahrain (1998-99), Brazil (1998-99), Costa Rica (1997-98), Gabon (1998-99), The Gambia (1998-99), Japan (1997-98), Kenya (1997-98), Poland (1996-97), Portugal(1997-98), Slovenia (1998-99), Sweden(1997-98)

United Nations Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Sirmium (UNTAES)
established 12 November 1995; aim to facilitate and supervise the Basic Agreement between the government of the Republic of Croatia and the local Serbian community that will lead to a peaceful integration of that region into the national state of Croatia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russian, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US; disbanded 15 January 1998; a UN Civilian Police Support Group was established in December 1997 as follow-on mission to UNTAES; the support group will continue to monitor the Croatian police in the Danube region, particularly in connection with the return of displaced people

United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
established by the UN Security Council on 28 February 1992 to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of peace and to the holding of free elections; disbanded sometime after the UN-supervised election in May 1993; members were Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
address—Government House, P.O. Box 490, Jerusalem, Israel
telephone—972 (2) 734 223
FAX—972 (2) 735 282, 734 223 extension 400
established—NA May 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—(20) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, 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)
address—53-70 Jingumae 5-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150, Japan
telephone—81 (3) 3499 2811
FAX—81 (3) 3499 2828
established—6 December 1973
aim—to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars
members—(38 associated institutes in 33 countries) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela

United National Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA)
address—c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone—1 (212) 963 1234
FAX—1 (212) 963 4879
established—20 January 1997
aim—to verify fulfillment of cease-fire provisions; established by UN Security Council
members—(18) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Universal Postal Union (UPU)
address—Bureau International de l'UPU, Weltpoststrasse 4, CH-3000 Berne 15, Switzerland
telephone—41 (31) 350 31 11
FAX—41 (31) 350 31 10
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—(189) 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, 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, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Overseas Territories of the UK, 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, 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, Yugoslavia (suspended), 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 East Germany and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB)
note—also known as Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of WAEMU
address—68 av de la Liberation, BP 1172, Lome, Togo
telephone—228 21 59 06, 21 42 44, 21 01 13
FAX—228 21 52 67, 21 72 69
established—14 November 1973
aim—to promote regional economic development and integration
members—(7) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)
note—also known as Union economique et monetaire Ouest africaine (UEMOA)
address—Commission de l'UEMOA, 01 BP 543, Ouadgadougou, Burkina Faso
telephone—226 31 88 73 through 76
FAX—226 31 88 72
established—1 August 1994
aim—to increase competitiveneess of members' economic markets; to create a common market
members—(7) Benin, Burkino Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

West African Economic Community (CEAO)
note—acronym from Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest established on 3 June 1972 to promote regional economic development; its members were Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal; it was disbanded in 1994

Western European Union (WEU)
address—Rue de la Regence 4, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 500 44 11
FAX—32 (2) 511 32 70
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—(3) Iceland, Norway, Turkey
associate partners—(10) Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
observers—(5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

World Bank
see International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

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)
address—Rue de Treves 33, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
telephone—32 (2) 230 62 95
FAX—32 (2) 230 87 22
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—(99 national organizations) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bonaire Island, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Court
see International Court of Justice (ICJ)

World Customs Organization (WCO)
see Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
address—Branicka 112, 14000 Prague 4, Czech Republic
telephone—42 (2) 46 21 40, 46 20 85, 46 29 61
FAX—42 (2) 46 13 78
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 Council (WFC)
established 17 December 1974; to study world food problems and to recommend solutions; ECOSOC organization; there were 36 members selected on a rotating basis from all regions; subsumed by the World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization

World Food Program (WFP)
address—Via Cristoforo Colombo 426, I-00145 Rome, Italy
telephone—39 (6) 522821
FAX—39 (6) 5123700, 5133537, 52282840
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)
address—CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 791 21 11, 791 32 23
FAX—41 (22) 791 07 46
established—22 July 1946
effective—7 April 1948
aim—to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency
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, Cook Islands, 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, 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, Niue, 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, 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, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members—(2) Puerto Rico, Tokelau

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
address—34 chemin des Colombettes, Case Postale 18, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 730 9111
FAX—41 (22) 733 5428
established—14 July 1967
effective—26 April 1970
aim—to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency
members—(161) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, 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, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, 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, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
address—Case Postale 2300, 41 Av Giuseppe-Motta, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 730 81 11
FAX—41 (22) 734 23 26
established—11 October 1947
effective—4 April 1951
aim—to sponsor meteorological cooperation; 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, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Caribbean Territories, 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, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, 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, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, 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, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Tourism Organization (WToO)
address—Calle Capitan Haya 42, 28020 Madrid, Spain
telephone—34 (1) 571 06 28
FAX—34 (1) 571 37 33
established—2 January 1975
aim—to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace
members—(131) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, 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, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members—(4) Aruba, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles
observer—(1) Holy See

World Trade Organization (WTrO)
note—succeeded General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT)
address—Centre William Rappard, 154 rue de Lausanne, CH-1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland
telephone—41 (22) 739 51 11
FAX—41 (22) 739 54 58
established—15 April 1994
effective—1 January 1995
aim—to provide a means to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers
members—(139) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, 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, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Libya, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers—(5) Azerbaijan, Laos, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
applicants—(31) Albania, Armenia, The Bahamas, Belarus, Cambodia, Cape Verde, China, Comoros, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Nepal, Oman, Panama, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Taiwan; note-some of these countries applied to GATT and are still under consideration for membership in WTrO
note—the following member of GATT had not become a member of WTrO as of 1 January 1998: Yugoslavia (suspended)

Zangger Committee (ZC)
established—early 1970s
aim—to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)
members—(29) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Note: The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) ceases to exist. None of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, including Serbia and Montenegro, have been permitted to participate solely on the basis of the membership of the former Yugoslavia in the United Nations General Assembly and Economic and Social Council and their subsidiary bodies and in various United Nations specialized agencies. The United Nations, however, permits the seat and nameplate of the SFRY to remain, permits the SFRY mission to continue to function, and continues to fly the flag of the former Yugoslavia. For a variety of reasons, a number of other organizations have not yet taken action with regard to the membership of the former Yugoslavia. The World Factbook therefore continues to list Yugoslavia under international organizations where the SFRY seat remains or where no action has yet been taken.

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