Part 536

established - 29 June 2005 aim - to eliminate existing social inequities, to foster high standards of living, to promote effective people's participation in shaping their own destiny members - (18) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Venezuela

R

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 - (24) Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica (representing CARICOM), Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

S

Schengen Convention

established - signed June 1990; effective March 1995 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 the near future; Bulgaria and Romania are still not fully implemented De Facto members - (3) Holy See, Monaco, San Marino

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 dialogue members - (2) Belarus, Sri Lanka observers - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan

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 on 9 December 2004; its aim was to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur; the members were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela; in 2008 it became Union of South American Nations (UNASUR)

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 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 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, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, 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

T

Third World

another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

U

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 identities of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world members - (36) 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, 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 (CSN) 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, passport, and defense policy members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

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 2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN-AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Preparation Committee for the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP),United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP) 3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), and United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) 4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and World Trade Organization (WTO) 5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time) 6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund established - 11 December 1946 aim - to help establish child health and welfare services executive board members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

established - 30 December 1964 aim - to promote international trade members - (193) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

established - 22 November 1965 aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)

established - 31 May 1974 aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (6) Austria, Canada, Croatia, India, Japan, Philippines

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946 aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture members - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue associate members - (7) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Faroe Islands, Macau, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)

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 General Assembly

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN members - (192) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

established - 3 December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951 aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems members (executive committee) - (79) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967 aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members members - (173) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, US

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965 aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research members (Board of Trustees) - (16) Algeria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Republic of the Congo, France, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jamaica, Nigeria, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)

established - 25 August 2006 aim - to support the Government, to support the electoral process, to ensure the restoration and maintenance of public security members - (14) Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Singapore

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)

established - 10 June 1999 aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief note - gives civilian support only; works closely with NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR)

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

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 - (31) Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Macedonia, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Portugal, Qatar, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)

established - 24 January 1949 aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (8) Chile, Croatia, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Philippines, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)

established - 29 April 1991 aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council members - (30) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Croatia, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Yemen

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

established - 19 September 2003 aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in national security reform members - (44) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Togo, Ukraine, US, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT)

established on 25 September 2007; to create the security and conditions which will to contribute to the protection of refugees, displaced persons, and citizens in danger, to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance in eastern Chad and the northeastern Central African Republic, to create favorable conditions for the reconstruction and economic and social development of these areas; members were Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mali, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Togo, Tunisia, US; MINURCAT was dissolved in December 2010

United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS)

established - March 2005 aim - to support implementation of the comprehensive Peace Agreement by Monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement, by observing and monitoring movements of armed groups, and by helping disarm, demobilizing and reintegrating armed bands members - (60) Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherland, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI)

established - 27 February 2004 aim - to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003 members - (42) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Chad, China, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland, Jordan, South Korea, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)

established - 28 May 2010 aim - to protect the civilians; to assist the government in the areas of stabilization and peace consolidation members - (52) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovine, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)

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 - (11) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hungary, Paraguay, Peru, Serbia, Slovakia, UK

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities established - July 1967 aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

established - 8 December 1949 aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees members (advisory commission) - (23) Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, UK, US observers - (3) EC, LAS, Palestine Liberation Organization

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)

established - 1963 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 12 individual members

United Nations Secretariat

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 (UNSC)