Part 531
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water
NZ New Zealand
O
OAPEC Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
OAS Organization of American States
OAU Organization of African Unity; see African Union
ODA official development assistance
OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
OIC Organization of the Islamic Conference
OIF International Organization of the French-speaking World
OOF other official flows
OPANAL Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean
OPCW Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
OSCE Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Ozone Layer Protection Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
P
PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration
PFP Partnership for Peace
PIF Pacific Islands Forum
PPP purchasing power parity
R
Ramsar see Wetlands
RG Rio Group
S
SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SACEP South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme
SACU Southern African Customs Union
SADC Southern African Development Community
SAFE South African Far East Cable
SCO Shanghai Cooperation Organization
SECI Southeast European Cooperative Initiative
SHF super-high-frequency
Ship Pollution Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
SICA Central American Integration System
Sparteca South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Communities
SPF South Pacific Forum
sq km square kilometer
sq mi square mile
T
TAT Trans-Atlantic Telephone
TEU Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, a unit of measure for containerized cargo capacity
Tropical Timber 83 International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
Tropical Timber 94 International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
U
UAE United Arab Emirates
UDEAC Central African Customs and Economic Union
UHF ultra-high-frequency
UK United Kingdom
UN United Nations
UN-AIDS Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS
UNAMID African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur
UNASUR Union of South American Nations
UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as LOS
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNDCP United Nations Drug Control Program
UNDEF United Nations Democracy Fund
UNDOF United Nations Disengagement Observer Force
UNDP United Nations Development Program
UNEP United Nations Environment Program
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
UNFICYP United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus
UNFIP United Nations Fund for International Partnerships
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund
UN-Habitat United Nations Center for Human Settlements
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund
UNICRI United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
UNIDIR United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNIFIL United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
UN-INSTRAW International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women
UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research
UNMIK United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
UNMIL United Nations Mission in Liberia
UNMIS United Nations Mission in the Sudan
UNMIS
UNMIT United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste
UNMOGIP United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
UNOCI United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire
UNOPS United Nations Office of Project Services
UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
UNSC United Nations Security Council
UNSSC Untied Nations System Staff College
UNTSO United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
UNU United Nations University
UNWTO World Tourism Organization
UPU Universal Postal Union
US United States
USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991
UTC Coordinated Universal Time
UV ultra violet
V
VHF very-high-frequency
VSAT very small aperture terminal
W
WADB West African Development Bank
WAEMU West African Economic and Monetary Union
WCL World Confederation of Labor
WCO World Customs Organization
Wetlands Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat
WEU Western European Union
WFP World Food Program
WFTU World Federation of Trade Unions
Whaling International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
WHO World Health Organization
WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization
WMO World Meteorological Organization
WP Warsaw Pact
WTO World Trade Organization
Z
ZC Zangger Committee
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Appendix B :: International Organizations and Groups
A
advanced developing countries
another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
advanced economies
a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 33 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following nine smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Holy See, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"
African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
note - regional multilateral development finance institution temporarily located in Tunis, Tunisia; the Bank Group consists of the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Nigerian Trust Fund established - 10 September 1964 aim - to promote economic development and social progress 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 nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
African Union (AU)
note - replaces Organization of African Unity (OAU) established - 8 July 2001 aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions 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 (suspended), Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara), Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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 - (35) Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group)
established - 6 June 1975 aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU members - (79) 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, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, 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, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, 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, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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) established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, 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, Uruguay, Venezuela
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
established - November 1990 aim - to call attention to threats of sea- level rise and coral bleaching to small islands and lowlying coastal developing states from global warming; to emphasize the importance of information and information technology in the process of achieving sustainable development members - (39) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cook Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu observers - (3) American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands
Andean Community of Nations (CAN)
note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG) and the Andean Common Market (Ancom) established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969 aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration members - (4) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru associate members - (5) Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay observers - (2) Mexico, Panama
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA) 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 Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
established - 16 May 1968 aim - to promote economic and social development members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
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)
established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2 February 1977 aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs 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
Arctic Council
established - 18 September 1996 aim - to address the common concerns and challenges faced by Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic; to protect the Arctic environment members - (8) Canada, Denmark (Greenland, Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, US permanent participants - (6) Aleut International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich'in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Russian Association of Indigenous People of the North, Saami Council observers - (6) France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
established - 25 July 1994 aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern members - (27) Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, US, Vietnam
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
established - 7 November 1989 aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
established - 19 December 1966 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation members - (48) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam nonregional members - (19) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
established - 8 August 1967 aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam dialogue partners - (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Pakistan, Russia, US observers - (1) Papua New Guinea
Australia Group (AG)
established - June 1985 aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons members - (41) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
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
B
Baltic Assembly (BA)
established - 12 May 1990 aim - to thoroughly discuss various cooperation issues between Baltic states members - (3) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930 aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements members - (56) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Central Bank, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Montenegro has a separate central bank; its links with BIS are currently under review
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
established - June 1997 aim - to foster socio-economic cooperation among members members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand
Benelux Union (Benelux)
note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg; was formerly known as Benelux Economic Union established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960; changed names 17 June 2008 aim - to develop closer economic and legal cooperation and integration members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Big Seven
note - membership is the same as the Group of 7 established - 1975 aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)
established - 25 June 1992 aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; note - Macedonia is in the process of joining observers - (17) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Commission of the EC, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy Charter Secretariat, France, Germany, International Black Sea Club, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, US; note - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia have applied for observer status
C
Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)
established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973 aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago associate members - (5) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands observers - (8) Aruba, Colombia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Venezuela
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970 aim - to promote economic development and cooperation regional members - (21) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK
Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
see Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)
Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale established - 3 December 1975 aim - to provide loans for economic development members - (10) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Kuwait
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations aim - to promote economic integration and development members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua nonregional members - (7) Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Taiwan
Central American Common Market (CACM)
established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991 aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
Central American Integration System (SICA)
established - 13 December 1991; operational 1 February 1993 aim - to strengthen democracy; to set up a new model of regional security; to promote freedom; to achieve a regional system of welfare and economic and social justice; to attain economic unity and strengthen the area as an economic bloc; to act as a bloc in international matters members - (7) Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama associated member - (1) Dominican Republic observers - (8) Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain
Central European Initiative (CEI)
note - evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, July 1992 its present name was adopted aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas members - (18) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine
centrally planned economies