Chapter 409
members - (117 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (15) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvadore, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Serbia, Ukraine, Uruguay
guests - (24) Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12 February 1953
aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation
members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden
Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): established - 17 December 1992
aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes
members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949
aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US
Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
established - 1 February 1958
aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD
members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
established - 1974; effective - 1975
aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability
members - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (30) 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, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special member - (1) EC
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975
established - 1 January 1995
aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures
members - (56) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan
partners for cooperation - (11) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997
aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention
members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbadoes, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (5) The Bahamas, Burma, Dominican Republic, Guinea- Bissau, Israel
Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union
Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951
aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development
members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (63) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Vanuatu, Yemen
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC): established - 9 January 1968
aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia (suspended), UAE
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981
aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation
members - (9) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14 September 1960
aim - to coordinate petroleum policies
members - (13) Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25 September 1969
aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (14) AU, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States, Russia, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN
Pacific Community (SPC): local name of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): note - formerly known as South Pacific Forum (SPF)
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
associate members - (2) French Polynesia, New Caledonia
partners - (13) Canada, China, EU, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, UK, US
observers - (5) Asia Development Bank, The Commonwealth, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna
Paris Club: established - 1956
aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries
members - (19) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
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, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (108) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group
established - 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (21) Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Schengen Convention: established - established - signed June 1990; effective March 1995
aim - aim - to allow free movement within an area without internal border controls
members - (25) Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland; note - UK and Ireland have not joined; Liechtenstein and Cyprus will probably join in 2009; Bulgaria and Romania are still not fully implemented
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
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC): established - 6 February 1947; effective 29 July 1948
aim - to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research support; to build planning and management capability
members - (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001
aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields
members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
observers - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan
guests - (6) Afghanistan, ASEAN, CIS, EurAsEC, Turkmenistan, UN
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 American Community of Nations (CSN): established - 9 December 2004
aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (2) Mexico, Panama
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established - 8 December 1985
aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members - (8) Afghanistan. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
observers - (9) Australia, Burma, China, EU, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, US
South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP): established - January 1983
aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region
members - (8) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca): established - 1981
aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region
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
Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI): established - 6 December 1996
aim - to encourage cooperation among participating states and to facilitate their integration into European structures
members - (13) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey
observers - (18) Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US
Southern African Customs Union (SACU): 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)
established - 17 August 1992
aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
established - 26 March 1991
aim - to increase regional economic cooperation
members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
associate members - (5) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)
African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID): established - 31 July 2007
aim - to contribute to the restoration of security conditions which will allow safe humanitarian assistance throughout Darfur, to contribute to the protection of civilian populations under imminent threat of physical attack, to monitor, observe compliance with, and verify the implementation of various ceasefire agreements
members - (31) Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, UK, Yemen, Zambia
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 Latina: established - 15 May 1954; became functional 1983
aim - to project, protect, and promote the common heritage and unifying idenitites of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world
members - (37) Andorra, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Spain, Timor-Leste, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (3) Argentina, Holy See, Order of Malta
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR - Spanish; UNASUL - Portuguese): formerly South American Community of Nations which terminated on 16 April 2007
established - 23 May 2008
aim - to model a community after the European Union which will include a common currency, parliament, and passport
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela
United Nations (UN): 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
constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:
1) Secretariat