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 — c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jalan Taman Pejambon 6, Jakarta PUSAT, Indonesia
established — 1-6 September 1961
aim — to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs
members — (110 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina,Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central AfricanRepublic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba,Cyprus, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon,The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, NorthKorea, 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, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe,Palestine Liberation Organization
observers — (19) Afro-Asian Solidarity Organization, Antigua andBarbuda, Arab League, Armenia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia,Dominica, El Salvador, Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front (NewCaledonia), Mexico, Mongolia, Organization of African Unity,Organization of the Islamic Conference, Papua New Guinea, SocialistParty of Puerto Rico, UN, Uruguay
guests — (21) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,Canada, Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary,Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino,Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Nordic Council (NC)
address — Tyrgatan 7, Box 19506, S-104 32 Stockholm, Sweden
telephone — [46] (8) 453 47 00
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 — the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, andSweden
Nordic Investment Bank (NIB)
address — Fabiansgatan 34, PB 249 SF-00171 Helsinki, Finland
telephone — [358] (0) 18001
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 — an extension of NATO
address — c/o NATO, B-1110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone — [32] (2) 728 41 11
established — 8 November 1991
effective — 20 December 1991
aim — to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues
members — (38) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia,Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan
observer — (1) Finland
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
address — B-110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone — [32] (2) 728 41 11
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 — Le Seine St. Germain, 12 bd des Iles, F-92130 Issy-les- Moulineaux, France
telephone — [33] (1) 45 24 10 10
established — NA 1958
aim — to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated withOECD
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
address — c/o IAEA, Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone — [43] (1) 2360 2045
established — 1974
aim — to establish guidelines for exports of technical information, processing equipment for uranium enrichment and nuclear materials to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability
members — (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
observers — (2) Argentina, European Commission
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
established — 14 December 1960
effective — 30 September 1961
aim — to promote economic cooperation and development
members — (25) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg,Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,Turkey, UK, US
special member — (1) EU
Organization of African Unity (OAU)
address — P. O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
telephone — [251] (1) 517700
established — 25 May 1963
aim — to promote unity and cooperation among African states
members — (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi,Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, 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 DemocraticRepublic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia,Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Organization of American States (OAS)
address — corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA
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 AmericanParliament, 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, SaudiArabia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
address — POB 20501, Safat 13066, Kuwait
telephone — [965] 5340713
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 — P.O. Box 179, The Morne, Castries, St. Lucia
telephone — [1] (809) 452 2537
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 member — (1) British Virgin Islands
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
address — Obere Donaustrasse 93, A-1020 Vienna, Austria
telephone — [43] (1) 21 11 20
established — 14 September 1960
aim — to coordinate petroleum policies
members — (12) Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
address — Kilo 6, Mecca Road, P.O. Box 178, Jeddah 21411, Saudi Arabia
telephone — [966] (2) 680-0800
established — 22-25 September 1969
aim — to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members — (48 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin,Brunei, Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, TheGambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania,Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, SierraLeone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers — (3) Kazakhstan, Mozambique, "Turkish Republic of NorthernCyprus"
Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
note — formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
address — Thunovska 12, Mala Strana, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
telephone — [422] (2) 24311069
established — 1 January 1995
aim — to discuss issues of mutual concern and to review implementation of the Helsinki Agreement
members — (53) Albania, 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, 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)
observer — (1) The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Paris Club
see — Group of 10
Partnership for Peace (PFP)
established — 10-11 January 1994
aim — to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO
members — (24) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, CzechRepublic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,Slovenia, Sweden, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
address — Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, NL-2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
telephone — [31] (70) 346 96 80
established — 29 July 1899
aim — to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members — (80) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile,China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran,Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal,Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey,Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zimbabwe
Population Commission
address — c/o ECOSOC, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 754 1234
established — 3 October 1946
aim — to deal with population matters of importance to the UN, as part of Economic and Social Council organization
members — (27) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
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 — (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela; note - Panama was expelled in 1988
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
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, 221787, 221794
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 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 — (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, Western Samoa
South Pacific Forum (SPF)
address — c/o forum Secretariat, Ratu Sukuna Road GPO Box 856, Suva, Fiji
telephone — [679] 312 600, 303 106
established — 5 August 1971
aim — to promote regional cooperation in political matters
members — (15) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa
observer — (1) Palau
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA)
address — (see South Pacific Forum)
established — NA 1981
aim — to redress unequal trade relationship of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in Pacific region
members — (15) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa
Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
address — Director General, Trade and Industry, Private Bag X84, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
established — 11 December 1969
aim — to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters
members — (9) Bophuthatswana, Botswana, Ciskei, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Transkei, Venda
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
note — evolved from the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
address — Private Bag 008, Gaborone, Botswana
telephone — [267] (31) 51863, 51864, 51865
established — 17 August 1992
aim — to promote regional economic development and integration
members — (11) Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR)
address — c/o Cancilleria de la Republica de Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
established — 26 March 1991
aim — to increase regional economic cooperation
members — (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
Statistical Commission
address — c/o ECOSOC, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
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, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
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 andHerzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma,Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central AfricanRepublic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, 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 ofMacedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States ofMicronesia, 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, SaintKitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, SanMarino, 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, Western Samoa, Yemen,Yugoslavia (suspended), Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - all UN membersare represented in the General Assembly
observers — (2 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See,Switzerland, Palestine Liberation Organization
United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II)
note — successor to original UNAVEM
address — c/o United Nations, UNAVEM II, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 20 December 1988
aim — to verify the withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola; established by the UN Security Council
members — (16) Argentina, Brazil, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, Zimbabwe
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR)
established — 5 October 1993
aim — to monitor ceasefire agreement, to support and provide safe conditions for displaced persons; established by the UN Security Council
members — (17) Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Congo, Egypt, Fiji,Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia,Uruguay, Zimbabwe
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
note — acronym retained from the predecessor organization UNInternational Children's Emergency Fund
address — UNICEF House, Three United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 326 7000
established — 11 December 1946
aim — to help establish child health and welfare services
members — (41) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
address — Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
telephone — [41] (22) 917 12 34, 907 12 34
established — 30 December 1964
aim — to promote international trade
members — (187) all UN members plus Holy See, Switzerland, Tonga
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
address — One United National Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 906 5788, 906 500 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 UNDOF, P.O. Box 5368, Damascus, Syrian AR
established — 31 May 1974
aim — to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli ceasefire; established by the UN Security Council
members — (4) Austria, Canada, Finland, Poland
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
address — 7 place de Fontenoy, F-75700 Paris, France
telephone — [33] (1) 45 68 10 00
established — 16 November 1945
effective — 4 November 1946
aim — to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture
members — (182) 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, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Coted'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, EquatorialGuinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, TheGambia, 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, Mauritania, Mauritius,Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,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 andNevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, SaoTome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, 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, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia(suspended), Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members — (3) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, NetherlandsAntilles
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
address — One United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 906 5000
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 — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 4 March 1964
aim — to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots andTurkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council
members — (8) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark,Finland, 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
established — 17 November 1966
effective — 1 January 1967
aim — UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members
members — (166) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma, Burundi,Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, 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, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, SaudiArabia, 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), Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
established — 11 December 1963
aim — to help the UN become more effective through training and research members (Board of Trustees) - (24) Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, Cote d'Ivoire, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, UK, US, Yugoslavia
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 19 March 1978
aim — to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, restore peace, and reestablish 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 UN Peace Keeping Mission, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA telephone [1] (212) 963 1234
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, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India,Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, 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 OUSGSPA, Room 3853, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 4457
established — 13 August 1948
aim — to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan ceasefire; established by the UN Security Council
members — (8) Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway,Sweden, Uruguay
United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH)
established — 23 September 1993
aim — to assist in implementing the agreement to transfer power back into the civilian government; established by the UN Security Council
members — (14) Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Canada, France, Indonesia, Madagascar, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, US, Venezuela
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)
established — 22 September 1993
aim — to assist in the implementation of the peace agreement; established by the UN Security Council
members — (13) Austria, Bangladesh, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Guinea- Bissau, India, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Slovakia, Uruguay
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 29 April 1991
aim — to supervise the referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council
members — (27) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium,Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea,Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland,Russia, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, US, Venezuela
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL)
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 20 May 1991
aim — to verify ceasefire 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 — (14) Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Venezuela
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 1993 for a period of six months
aim — to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement reached 27 July 1993 and investigate reports of violations of that agreement; established by the UN Security Council
members — (7) Bangladesh, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland
United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR)
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 1993 for six months
aim — to monitor the Uganda/Rwanda border to verify that no military assistance reaches Rwanda across the border; established by the UN Security Council
members — (8) Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Hungary, Netherlands, Senegal, Slovakia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
address — Case postale 2500, Depot, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
telephone — [41] (22) 739 81 11
established — 3 December 1949
effective — 1 January 1951
aim — to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems
members — (47) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium,Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan,Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands,Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, Spain,Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire
United Nations Operation in Mozambique (UNOMOZ)
note — supposed to shut down 31 January 1995
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 16 December 1992
aim — to supervise the ceasefire; established by the UN SecurityCouncil
members — (27) 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
United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II)
note — UN peacekeepers left Somalia on 1 March 1995; some UN personnel remain in Somalia engaged in humanitarian work
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Missions, Office for Special PoliticalAffairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 24 April 1992
aim — to facilitate an immediate cessation of hostilities, to maintain a ceasefire in order to promote a political settlement, and to provide urgent humanitarian assistance; established by the UN Security Council
members — (14) Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, Egypt, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Zimbabwe
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
note — acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund forPopulation Activities
address — 220 E. 42nd Street, 19th Floor, Room DN-1901, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 297 5000
established — NA July 1967
aim — to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems
members — (52) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR)
address — c/o UN Peace Keeping Mission, Office for Special Political Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
established — 28 February 1992
aim — 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 — (35) Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Ghana,Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Venezuela
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) 211 31, ext. 4530
established — 8 December 1949
aim — to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees
members — (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
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, New York, NY 10017, USA
telephone — [1] (212) 963 1234
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; Argentina (1994-95), Brazil (1993-94), Czech Republic (1994-95), Djibouti (1993-94), NZ (1993-94), Nigeria (1994-95), Oman (1994-95), Pakistan (1993-94), Rwanda (1994-95), Spain (1993-94)
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
established — NA May 1948
aim — to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli ceasefire and subsequently extended to work in the Sinai, Lebanon, Jordan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan; initially established by the UN Security Council
members — (19) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,China, Denmark, 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; its mandate ended on 1 October 1994 when the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a self-governing territory in free association with the US
United Nations University (UNU)
established — 6 December 1973
aim — to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars
members (associated institutes) — (32) Argentina, Australia,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
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
address — Bureau International de lUPU, Weltpoststrasse 4, CH-3000 Berne 15, Switzerland
telephone — [41] (31) 350 31 11
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 andBarbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,Comoros, 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, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome andPrincipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, SriLanka, 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, Western Samoa,Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ——— WarsawPact (WP) established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; membersmet 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time ofdissolution 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)
address — BOAD, BP 1172, 68 av de la liberation, Lome, Togo
telephone — [228] 21 59 06, 21 42 44, 21 01 13
established — 14 November 1973
aim — to promote regional economic development and integration
members — (7) Benin, Burkina, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
West African Economic Community (CEAO)
note — acronym from Communaute Economique de lAfrique de lOuest established on 3 June 1972 to promote regional economic development; its members were Benin, Burkina, 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
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 — (9) Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia
observers — (2) Denmark, Ireland
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
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 andBarbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bolivia, Bonaire Island, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon,Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia,Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Dominica, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French Guiana, Gabon, TheGambia, 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, SaintKitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka,Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, UK, US,Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Court