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

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