International Political & Cultural Organisations

These organizations are also supporters of various procurement and infrastructure initiatives and may be worth following from that point of view alone.

N.B. Where a country is a member or otherwise affiliated to any of these organizations, this is indicated (with an appropriate link) in the Country Specific (General Profile) section.

African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States‎
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is an organisation created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. It is composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states, with all of them, save Cuba, signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, also known as the "ACP-EC Partnership Agreement" which binds them to the European Union. There are 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.
African Union
The main objectives of the OAU are, inter alia, to rid the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonization and apartheid; to promote unity and solidarity among African States; to coordinate and intensify cooperation for development; to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and to promote international cooperation within the framework of the United Nations.
Agence de la Francophonie
Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 84 member states and governments (58 members and 26 observers), which together represent over one-third of the United Nations’ member states and account for a population of over 900 million people, including 274 million French speakers.
Alliance of Small Island States
A coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges and concerns about the environment, especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change.
Andean Parliament
Apoyar a los gobiernos de los países miembros en la armonización de las legislaciones, así como en la regionalización de políticas públicas y prácticas gubernamentales exitosas que contribuyan a mejorar la calidad de vida y el bienestar de la población andina. Igualmente, fortalecer el Proceso Andino de Integración por medio de la construcción de una ciudadanía andina y del fomento de la participación ciudadana.
Arab League
A regional organization of Arab countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa and Arabia.
Arab Parliament
Arctic Council
The leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.
Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
Its primary purpose is to be an organization for “consultation, cooperation and concerted action” for its member countries.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations‎
The ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the ASEAN Leaders on the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN, agreed on a shared vision of ASEAN as a concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.
Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-Operation
Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) was established in 1993, based on the Stavanger Declaration, and as a result of the establishment of the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in 1992. BSSSC' participants are regional authorities (level directly below the national level authorities) of the 10 Baltic Sea littoral states: Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Russia. ​
Caricom - Caribbean Community
CARICOM rests on four main pillars: economic integration; foreign policy coordination; human and social development; and security. These pillars underpin the stated objectives of our Community.
Central American Integration System (SICA)
The System was designed taking into account past attempts for regional unification as well as lessons learned from a history of political crisis, belligerent conflict and dictatorial rule in Central America. These considerations, coupled to internal constitutional transformations and the existence of democratic regimes in the region, were contemplated in establishing the fundamental objective of realizing the integration of Central America in order to transform the area into a region of Peace, Liberty, Democracy and Development, based firmly on the respect, tutelage and promotion of human rights.
Collective Security Treaty Organization
Commonwealth of Independent States
A loose confederation of 9 member states and 2 associate members that are located in Eurasia (primarily in Central to North Asia), formed during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and which were all former Soviet Republics.
Commonwealth of Nations‎
The Commonwealth is an association of sovereign nations which support each other and work together towards international goals. With their common heritage in language, culture, law, education and democratic traditions, among other things, Commonwealth countries are able to work together in an atmosphere of greater trust and understanding than generally prevails among nations.
Community of Democracies
The organisation which includes all those countries which have accepted the Warsaw Declaration, which describes the freedoms, rights and liberties that are essential for a country to flourish as a democracy.
Comunidad Andina
Somos una comunidad de países que nos unimos voluntariamente con el objetivo de alcanzar un desarrollo integral, más equilibrado y autónomo, mediante la integración andina, suramericana y latinoamericana.
Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa
Community of Portuguese speaking countries.
Council of Europe
The continent's leading human rights organisation.
Council of the Baltic Sea States
An overall political forum for regional inter-governmental cooperation. The Members of the Council are the eleven states of the Baltic Sea Region as well as the European Commission.
East African Community
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of 6 Partner States.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA)
The East African Legislative Assembly (Assembly) is an organ of the East African Community; established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. The Assembly has a cardinal function in the furtherance of Community objectives; this function encompasses the legislative, representative and oversight mandate.
Eurasian Economic Union‎
The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization of regional economic integration, possessing international legal personality. The EAEC ensures freedom of movement of goods, services, capital and labor , as well as a coordinated, coordinated or unified policy in the economic sectors.
Euro-Atlantic-Partnership-Council
A multilateral forum for dialogue and consultation on political and security-related issues among Allies and partner countries. It provides the overall political framework for NATO’s cooperation with partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area, and for the bilateral relationships developed between NATO and individual partner countries under the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme.
European Parliament
The Parliament acts as a co-legislator, sharing with the Council the power to adopt and amend legislative proposals and to decide on the EU budget. It also supervises the work of the Commission and other EU bodies and cooperates with national parliaments of EU countries to get their input.
European Union‎
The European Union is a unique economic and political union between 28 European countries that together cover much of the continent.
GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)
An international regional organization which includes the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
Gulf Cooperation Council
The basic objectives of the Cooperation Council are: (i) To effect coordination, integration and inter-connection between Member States in all fields in order to achieve unity between them (ii) To deepen and strengthen relations, links and areas of cooperation now prevailing between their peoples in various fields and (iii) To formulate similar regulations in various fields including the following: Economic and financial affairs , Commerce, customs and communications, Education and culture.
International Seabed Authority
The organization through which States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea shall organize and control activities with a view to administering the resources of the seabed and ocean floor
Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States
The Interparliamentary Assembly consists of parliamentary delegations from the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Inter-Parliamentary Union
The global organization of national parliaments. We work with parliaments to safeguard peace and drive positive democratic change through political dialogue and concrete action.
NATO
NATO’s purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
Nordic Council
The official body for formal inter-parliamentary cooperation from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Aland.
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States‎
An International Inter-governmental Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights,and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean.
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavours to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos
La Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (OEI) es un organismo internacional de carácter gubernamental para la cooperación entre los países iberoamericanos en el campo de la educación, la ciencia, la tecnología y la cultura en el contexto del desarrollo integral, la democracia y la integración regional.
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
The OSCE's comprehensive view of security covers three “dimensions”: the politico-military; the economic and environmental; and the human. The OSCE's activities cover all three of these areas, from "hard" security issues such as conflict prevention to fostering economic development, ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources, and promoting the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Organization of American States
The Organization was established in order to achieve among its member states—as stipulated in Article 1 of the Charter—"an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence."
Pacific Alliance
La Alianza del Pacífico nació como una iniciativa económica y de desarrollo entre cuatro naciones de América Latina: Chile, Colombia, México y Perú.
Parlamento CentroAmericano  (PARLACEN)
Ser el órgano de representación democrática y política de los pueblos centroamericanos y dominicano, ejerciendo las funciones parlamentarias del Sistema Comunitario de la Integración Regional, que permita lograr la unión de nuestros pueblos.
Parlamento Latinoamericano y Caribeno
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
The Assembly brings together 324 men and women from the parliaments of the Council of Europe's 47 member states. Its mission is to uphold the shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law that are the "common heritage" of the peoples of Europe.
Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
The ECOWAS Parliament, also known as the Community Parliament, is a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for representatives of the people of West Africa with the aim of promoting integration.
Secretaría General Iberoamericana
An international support organisation for 22 countries that make up the Ibero-American community: the 19 Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America and those of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain, Portugal and Andorra.
Sistema Económico Latinoamericano
Fundamentalmente, el SELA está dirigido a promover un sistema de consulta y coordinación para concertar posiciones y estrategias comunes de América Latina y el Caribe, en materia económica, ante países, grupos de naciones, foros y organismos internacionales e impulsar la cooperación y la integración entre países de América Latina y el Caribe.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
The objectives of the Association as outlined in the SAARC Charter are: to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life; to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potentials; to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia ............
Southern African Development Community
The main objectives of SADC are to achieve development, peace and security, and economic growth, to alleviate poverty, enhance the standard and quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa, and support the socially disadvantaged through regional integration, built on democratic principles and equitable and sustainable development.
The Australia Group
The Australia Group (AG) is an informal forum of countries which, through the harmonisation of export controls, seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons. Coordination of national export control measures assists Australia Group participants to fulfil their obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention to the fullest extent possible.
The Baltic Assembly
The parliament of each of the Baltic States appoints from 12 to 16 parliamentarians to the Baltic Assembly (national delegation, including its chairman and vice chairman), in accordance with the approved rules of procedure and the principle of proportional political representation in the national delegation.
UNESCO
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is responsible for coordinating international cooperation in education, science, culture and communication. It strengthens the ties between nations and societies, and mobilizes the wider public.
Union Latina
The Latin Union develops, through permanent dialogue with its member states and intergovernmental organizations, essentially regional, programs based on the principles of complementarity and subsidiarity, aimed at training specialists, encouraging the creation and promotion of languages ​​and industries.
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR)
Our goal is to build integration in the cultural, economic, social and political areas while respecting the current situation of each of our member nations.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. It is currently made up of 193 Member States. The mission and work of the United Nations are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter.