Geo-political Abbreviations
International Organizations and Groups
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A B C
D E F G
H I L M
N O P R
S T U W Z
advanced developing countries
another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid
industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
advanced economies
a new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group
in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing
countries; recently published IMF statistics include the following 28 advanced
economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,
UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven
smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein,
Monaco, and San Marino which are included in the more comprehensive group of
"developed countries"
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group)
address - Avenue Georges Henri 451, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
telephone - [32] (2) 743 06 00
FAX - [32] (2) 735 55 73
established - 6 June 1975
aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship
with the EU
members - (71) 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, Cote d'Ivoire, 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, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, 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,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
African Development Bank (AfDB)
note - also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
address - 01 BP 1387, Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire
telephone - [225] 20 44 44
FAX - [225] 21 77 53
established - 4 August 1963
aim - to promote economic and social development
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 - (25) Argentina, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UAE, UK, US
Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique (ACCT)
see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT)
Agence de la francophonie (ACCT)
see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT)
Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)
see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT); acronym from Agence
de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique
Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT)
note - formerly Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation
address - 13 Quai Andre-Citroen, F-75015 Paris, France
telephone - [33] (1) 44 37 33 00
FAX - [33] (1) 45 79 14 98
established - 20 March 1970
name changed - 1996
aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French-speaking
countries
members - (41) Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Sao Tome
and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam
associate members - (5) Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, 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)
address - Temistocles 78, Col Polanco, CP 011560, Mexico City 5
DF, Mexico
telephone - [52] (5) 280 4923, 280 5064, 280 2715
FAX - [52] (5) 280 2965
established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco
effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification of the treaty
aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit
nuclear weapons
members - (32) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, 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
Andean Community of Nations (CAN)
note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG), the Andean Parliament,
and most recently as the Andean Common Market (Ancom)
address - c/o General Secretariat of the Andean Community, Paseo
de la Republica 3895, Casilla 18-1177, Lima 18, Peru
telephone - [51] (1) 221 2222
FAX - [51] (1) 221 3329
established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992
effective - 16 October 1969
aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration
members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
associate member - (1) Panama
Andean Group (AG)
see Andean Community of Nations (CAN)
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en
Afrique (BADEA)
address - Abdel Rahman El Mahdi Avenue, P. O. Box 2640, Khartoum,
Sudan
telephone - [249] (11) 770498, 773646, 773709
FAX - [249] (11) 770600
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 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)
address - P. O. Box 21923, Safat 13080, Kuwait
telephone - [965] 4844500
FAX - [965] 4815750, 4815760, 4815770
established - 16 May 1968
aim - to promote economic and social development
members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt (suspended from 1979 to 1988), Iraq (suspended
1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan (suspended 1993), Syria, Tunisia, UAE,
Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Arab League (AL)
note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS)
address - Midan Attahrir, Tahrir Square, P. O. Box 11642, Cairo, Egypt
telephone - [20] (2) 750 511
FAX - [20] (2) 740 331
established - 22 March 1945
aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation
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
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
address - 27 Avenue Okba Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
telephone - [212] (7) 77 26 82, 77 26 76, 77 26 68
FAX - [212] (7) 77 26 93
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)
address - P. O. Box 2818, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
telephone - [971] (2) 215000, 328500
FAX - [971] (2) 326454
established - 27 April 1976
effective - 2 February 1977
aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration
in monetary and economic affairs
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
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
address - APEC Secretariat, 438 Alexandra Road, 14-00 Alexandra
Point, 14th Floor 01/04, Singapore 119958, Singapore
telephone - [65] 276 1880
FAX - [65] 276 1775
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 Conference, South Pacific Forum
Asian Development Bank (AsDB)
address - 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, 0401 METRO Manila, Philippines
telephone - [63] (2) 711 3851
FAX - [63] (2) 741 7961, 631 6816
established - 19 December 1966
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation
regional members - (41) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Vietnam
nonregional members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
UK, US
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
see Latin American Integration Association (LAIA)
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
note - the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) consists of the 9 ASEAN members,
2 observers, 2 consultative partners, and 8 dialogue partners: Australia, Canada,
EU, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, US
address - 70 A Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Jakarta 12110, Indonesia
telephone - [62] (21) 7262991, 7243372
FAX - [62] (21) 7398234, 7243504
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
observer - (1) Papua New Guinea
consultative partners - (2) China, Russia
Australia Group
established - 1984
aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical
and biological weapons
members - (28) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US; note - may now include
only 23 countries
observer - (1) Singapore
Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
address - c/o Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bag 8, Queen
Victoria Terrace, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
telephone - [61] (6) 261 91 11
FAX - [61] (6) 261 21 51
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
Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico (BCIE)
see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)
see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
address - Centralbahnplatz 2, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
telephone - [41] (61) 280 80 80
FAX - [41] (61) 280 91 00, 280 81 00
established - 20 January 1930
effective - 17 March 1930
aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international
financial settlements
members - (45) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mexico, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia
(suspended)
Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
see African Development Bank (AfDB)
Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)
see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BDEAC)
see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD)
see West African Development Bank (WADB)
Benelux Economic Union (Benelux)
note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg
address - Rue de la Regence 39, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
telephone - [32] (2) 519 38 11
FAX - [32] (2) 513 42 06
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 1975
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 1967
aim - to foster economic cooperation
members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)
address - Istinye Cad Musir Fuad Pasa Yalisi Eski Tersame, Istinye
80860, Istanbul, Turkey
telephone - [90] (212) 229 6330
FAX - [90] (212) 229 6336
established - 25 June 1992
aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation
members - (11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia,
Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine
observers - (7) Austria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia,
Tunisia
Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)
address - Caricom, P. O. Box 10827, Bank of Guyana Building, 3rd floor,
Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Guyana
telephone - [592] (2) 69281 through 69289
FAX - [592] (2) 66091, 67816, 57341
established - 4 July 1973
effective - 1 August 1973
aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among
the less developed countries
members - (14) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica,
Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
associate members - (3) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos
Islands
observers - (10) Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominican
Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
address - P. O. Box 408, Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados
telephone - [1] (246) 431 1600
FAX - [1] (246) 426 7269
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 - (6) Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy,
UK
Cartagena Group
see Group of 11
Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
note - acronym from Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique
Centrale
address - BP 969, Bangui, Central African Republic
telephone - [236] 61 09 22, 61 45 77
FAX - [236] 61 21 35
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, Republic
of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique
Centrale
address - BDEAC, Place du Gouvernement, BP 1177, Brazzaville, Republic
of the Congo
telephone - [242] 81 18 85
FAX - [242] 81 18 80
established - 3 December 1975
aim - to provide loans for economic development
members - (9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic
of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico
address - Apartado Postal 772, Tegucigalpa DC, Honduras
telephone - [504] 228 2243
FAX - [504] 228 2185
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 - (4) Argentina, Colombia, Mexico,
Taiwan
Central American Common Market (CACM)
address - c/o SIECA, Apartado Postal 1237, 4a Avenida 10-25, Zona
14, Guatemala 01901, Guatemala
telephone - [502] (2) 682151, 682152, 682153, 682154
FAX - [502] (2) 681071
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;
note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation
Central European Initiative (CEI)
note - evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal
Group
address - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, One
Exchange Square, London EC2A 2EH, UK
telephone - [44] (171) 338 6152
FAX - [44] (171) 338 7472
established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative,
27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, NA 1992 present name adopted
aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the
region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas
members - (16) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine
centrally planned economies
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)
address - Colombo Plan Bureau, P. O. Box 596, 12 Melbourne Avenue,
Colombo 4, Sri Lanka
telephone - [94] (1) 581813, 581853, 581754
FAX - [94] (1) 581754
established - NA May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced
full operations
aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the
Pacific
members - (24) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma,
Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia,
Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, Thailand, US
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