International Government & Intergovernmental Groups

Cooperative organizations of individual governments that promote the collective interests of their member states.

Sub-headings:

United Nations

Resources in this category:

American Society of International Law
http://www.asil.org/

"With over 4,000 members around the world, The American Society of International Law, is 1) a forum for exchange of views and information among government officials, corporate and business leaders, scholars, practicing lawyers, students and others interested in international law and affairs, 2) a research center through its panels, working groups, interest sections and extensive library of international law materials, and 3) a publisher of books and journals." The site contains a history and description of the organization's mission, lists of officers and members, current activities, and many links to online information resources and publications.

Center for Nonproliferation Studies
http://cns.miis.edu/

"The Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) of the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) is the world's largest non-governmental organization devoted to combating the spread of weapons of mass destruction."

European Union - Delegation of the European Commission to the United States
http://www.eurunion.org/eu/

The website of the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States is great for finding news, facts, and publications about the European Union's (EU) relationship to the United States as well as general information about the EU and its member nations.

International Institute of Administrative Sciences
http://www.iiasiisa.be/iias/aiestce.htm

The International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) supports the study and practice of public administration and public management. The website provides access to networking and research papers.

The Japan Center for Preventive Diplomacy
http://www.jccp.gr.jp/

"Being concerned with the frequent outbreak of regional and ethnic conflicts, JCPD aims to strengthen the contribution of the Japanese non-government sector to the prevention of conflicts in the world. Through its domestic, international and internet programs, JCPD hopes to contribute to the prevention of conflict in both real and potential spots of conflict. JCPD engages in field-activities throughout Asia and the Middle East, research, human resources development, educational projects, publishing, network creation and the organization of symposia on preventive diplomacy issues."

National Conference of State Legislatures
http://www.ncsl.org/

"The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization dedicated to serving the lawmakers and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories."

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
http://www.nato.int/

NATO consists of 19 member nations (as of 12 March, 1999) that cooperate in their mutual defense. "Today, following the end of the Cold War and of the division of Europe, the Alliance has been restructured to enable it to participate in the development of cooperative security structures for the whole of Europe. It has also transformed its political and military structures in order to adapt them to peacekeeping and crisis management tasks undertaken in cooperation with countries which are not members of the Alliance and with other international organisations." The site includes news updates, a web archive of NATO documents and publications in several different languages, and sub-sites dealing with specific NATO activities.

Organization of American States
http://www.oas.org/

"The Organization of American States is the world's oldest regional organization. It is the principal forum in the hemisphere for dialogue on political, economic and social issues. Every country in the Americas is a member of the Organization. In addition, the Organization has granted Permanent Observer status to 37 States, as well as the European Union.The Headquarters of the OAS is in Washington, D.C." Here you can find general information about the OAS here, a calendar of events, documents, speeches, and information on the member states. The site is available in English or Spanish.

Resource Center of The Americas
http://www.americas.org/

"The Resource Center of The Americas is a Minnesota-based nonprofit of more than 1,300 members, which provides educational resources, link individuals and grass-roots groups across national borders, and reveal the lopsided power relations within and between the Americas. The Center informs readers about indigenous rights, military repression, the environment, the global economy and democracy in both the developing and industrialized worlds."

Commonwealth
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/

"The Commonwealth is a unique family of 53 developed and developing nations around the world. It is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states spread over every continent and ocean. Its 1.6 billion people span a quarter of the world's population. They are found in every continent and ocean and are of many religions, races, languages and cultures... The association is as much a commonwealth of peoples as of nations. Informal links of non-governmental organisations, professional groups and committed individuals, as well as inter-governmental organisations are the cement of the spirit and work of the Commonwealth." Information about the Commonwealth and its history are available here. There are also lists of publications and events.

Universal Postal Union
http://www.upu.int/

"Postal services form part of the daily life of people all over the world. The Universal Postal Union (UPU), with headquarters in Berne, Switzerland, is the specialized institution of the United Nations that regulates this truly universal service. The postal services of its 189 member countries form the largest physical distribution network in the world. Some 6.2 million postal employees working in over 700,000 post offices all over the world handle an annual total of 430 billion letters, printed matter and parcels in the domestic service and almost 10 billion letters, printed matter and parcels in the international service." Site includes access to many publications on issues and legistlation affecting postal service in countries throughout the world. Information on many of the UPU programs and activities. The site also contains some information on philately (stamp collecting.)

World Customs Organization
http://www.wcoomd.org/

"World Customs Organization, established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council, is an independent intergovernmental body with world-wide membership whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations." The site is available in English or French. The site has information about the organization and its publications, lists of conventions and recommendations, WCO events, and articles on various customs topics.

World Trade Organization
http://www.wto.org/

"The WTO is the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, the legal ground-rules for international commerce and for trade policy. The agreements have three main objectives: to help trade flow as freely as possible, to achieve further liberalization gradually through negotiation, and to set up an impartial means of settling disputes." The site is divided into a section on various trade topics--including good, services, development, and policy reviews--and a section on resources--such as documents on-line, legal texts, new releases, links, and downloadable files. The front page covers WTO news. This site can be accessed in English, French, or Spanish.