WORLD FACT BOOK 1992 Appendix C: (Part 1) International Organizations and Groups ********** advanced developing countries Note - another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs) ********** African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries (ACP) established - 1 April 1976 aim - members have a preferential economic and aid relationship with the EC members - (69) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Boswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ********** African Development Bank (AfDB), also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD) established - 4 August 1963 aim - to promote economic and social development regional members - (51) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe nonregional members - (25) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US, Yugoslavia ********** Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique (ACCT) Note - see Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) ********** Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) Note - acronym from Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique established - 21 March 1970 aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French- speaking countries members - (32) Belgium, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zaire associate members - (7) Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Mauritania, Morocco, Saint Lucia participating governments - (2) New Brunswick (Canada), Quebec (Canada) ********** Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) Note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL) established - 14 February 1967 aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons members - (24) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela ********** Andean Group (AG) established - 26 May 1969, effective 16 October 1969 aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela associate member - (1) Panama observers - (26) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US, Uruguay, Yugoslavia Note - The US view is that the Socialist Federal represents its continuation. Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that none of the successor republics ********** 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 - (16 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, 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 except Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen ********** Arab Cooperation Council (ACC) established - 16 February 1989 aim - to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to an Arab Common Market members - (4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen ********** Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) established - 16 May 1968 aim - to promote economic and social development members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt (suspended from 1979 to 1988), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization ********** Arab League (AL) Note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS) established - 22 March 1945 aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization ********** 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 - (19 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization ********** Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) established - NA November 1989 aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin members - (15) all ASEAN members (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) plus Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Taiwan, US ********** Asian Development Bank (AsDB) established - 19 December 1966 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation regional members - (35) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa nonregional members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US ********** Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI) Note - see Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) ********** Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) established - 9 August 1967 aim - regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia members - (6) Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand observer - (1) Papua New Guinea ********** Australia Group established - 1984 aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons members - (22) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US ********** Australia - New Zealand - United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) established - 1 September 1951, effective 29 April 1952 aim - trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986 members - (3) Australia, NZ, US ********** Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico (BCIE) Note - see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) ********** Banco Interamericano de Desarvollo (BID) Note - see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) ********** 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 - (29) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia ********** Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD) Note - see African Development Bank (AfDB) ********** Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA) Note - see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA) ********** Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BDEAC) Note - see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC) ********** Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD) Note - see West African Development Bank (WADB) ********** Benelux Economic Union (Benelux) Note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg established - 3 February 1958 effective - 1 November 1960 aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands ********** Big Seven Note - membership is the same as the Group of 7 established - NA aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US ********** Big Six Note - not to be confused with the Group of 6 established - NA aim - economic cooperation members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK ********** 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 - (13) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago associate members - (2) British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands observers - (10) Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Venezuela ********** Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) established - 18 October 1969 effective - 26 January 1970 aim - to promote economic development and cooperation regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela nonregional members - (5) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, UK ********** Cartagena Group Note - see Group of 11 ********** Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) Note - acronym from Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale established - 8 December 1964 effective - 1 January 1966 aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon ********** 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 - (9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait ********** Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) Note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico established - 13 December 1960 aim - to promote economic integration and development members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua ********** Central American Common Market (CACM) established - 13 December 1960 effective - 3 June 1961 aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua ********** centrally planned economies Note - a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia ********** Colombo Plan (CP) established - 1 July 1951 aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific nembers - (26) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UK, US ********** Commission for Social Development established - 21 June 1946 as the Social Commission, renamed 29 July 1966 aim - ECOSOC organization dealing with social development programs members - (31) selected on a rotating basis from all regions ********** Commission on Human Rights established - 18 February 1946 aim - ECOSOC organization dealing with human rights members - (43) selected on a rotating basis from all regions ********** Commission on Narcotic Drugs established - 16 February 1946 aim - ECOSOC organization dealing with illicit drugs members - (38) selected on a rotating basis from all regions with emphasis on producing and processing countries ********** Commission on the Status of Women established - 21 June 1946 aim - ECOSOC organization dealing with women's rights members - (32) selected on a rotating basis from all regions ********** Commonwealth (C) established - 31 December 1931 aim - voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire and that seeks to foster multinational cooperation and assistance members - (48) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe special members - (2) Nauru, Tuvalu ********** Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) established - 8 December 1991 effective - 21 December 1991 aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR members - (11) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan ********** Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEAO) Note - see West African Economic Community (CEAO) ********** Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (CEEAC) Note - see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) ********** Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL) Note - see Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) ********** Communist countries Note - traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies ********** Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established - NA November 1972 aim - discusses issues of mutual concern and reviews implementation of the Helsinki Agreement members - (52) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Yugoslavia ********** Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire (CERN) Note - see European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) ********** Contadora Group (CG) - Note - was established 5 January 1983 (on the Panamanian island of Contadora) to reduce tensions and conflicts in Central America but evolved into the Rio Group (RG); members included Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela ********** Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Note - see Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ********** Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM) established - NA 1949 aim - to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations members - (17) Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US cooperating countries - (8) Austria, Finland, Ireland, South Korea, NZ, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland ********** Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA) Note - also known as CMEA or Comecon, was established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and was abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate) ********** Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) established - 3 June 1957 effective - 30 May 1964 aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations members - (11 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization ********** Council of Europe (CE) established - 5 May 1949 effective - 3 August 1949 aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe members - (28) Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK ********** Council of the Entente (Entente) established - 29 May 1959 aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination members - (5) Benin, Burkina, Ivory Coast, Niger, Togo ********** Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) established - 15 December 1950 aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters members - (108) Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ********** developed countries (DCs) Note - the top group in the comprehensive but mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GNP/GDP in excess of $10,000 although some OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000. The 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Vatican City ********** developing countries Note - an imprecise term for the less developed countries with growing economies; see less developed countries (LDCs) ********** East African Development Bank (EADB) established - 6 June 1967 effective - 1 December 1967 aim - to promote economic development members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda ********** Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) established - 28 March 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission for the UN's ECOSOC members - (39) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa associate members - (10) American Samoa, Cook Islands, Guam, Hong Kong, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) ********** Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) established - 9 August 1973 as Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission for the UN's ECOSOC members - (12 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization ********** Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established - 26 June 1945 effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (see Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and six functional commissions (see Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Population Commission, and Statistical Commission) members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions ********** Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) established - 29 April 1958 aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's ECOSOC members - (52) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, 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 (suspended), Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ********** Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE)

see Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) ********** Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) established - 28 March 1947 aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's ECOSOC members - (33) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, US, Yugoslavia ********** Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)

see Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ********** Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) established - 25 February 1948 as Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's ECOSOC members - (41) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela associate members - (5) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Virgin Islands ********** Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) Note - see Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) ********** Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) - acronym from Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale established - 18 October 1983 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and establish a Central African Common Market members - (10) Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Zaire observer - (1) Angola ********** Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) Note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs established - 26 September 1976 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration members - (3) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire ********** Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established - 28 May 1975 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation members - (16) Benin, Burkina, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo ********** European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) established - 15 April 1991 aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization members - (35) Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, European Community (EC), Egypt, European Investment Bank (EIB), Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - includes all 24 members of the OECD and the EC as an institution ********** European Community (EC) established - 8 April 1965 effective - 1 July 1967 aim - a fusing of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), and the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market); the EC plans to establish a completely integrated common market in 1992 and an eventual federation of Europe members - (12) Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK associate member - (1) Czechoslovakia ********** European Free Trade Association (EFTA) established - 4 January 1960 effective - 3 May 1960 aim - to promote expansion of free trade members - (6) Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland ********** European Investment Bank (EIB) established - 25 March 1957 effective - 1 January 1958 aim - to promote economic development of the EC members - (12) Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK ********** European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire established - 1 July 1953 effective - 29 September 1954 aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK observers - (2) Turkey, Yugoslavia ********** European Space Agency (ESA) established - 31 July 1973 effective - 1 May 1975 aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology members - (13) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK associate member - (1) Finland ********** First World Note - another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs) ********** Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) established - 16 October 1945 aim - UN specialized agency to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products members - (157) all UN members except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Brunei, Croatia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; other members are Cook Islands, Switzerland, Tonga ********** Former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE) Note - the middle group in the comprehensive but mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this includes Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czecholovakia, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia **********