Other Intergovernmental Organizations

Directories

International Governmental Organizations-- Extensive guide to intergovernmental organizations from the Northwestern University Library.

Union of International Associations-- A large master index with a wealth of information about intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, by the Brussels group responsible for tracking them. There is a general entry point to all UIA online databases. You can search for specific IGOs and NGOs through the International Organizations and NGOs Project page or the Links Page. Research documents about international organization are also available online.

• African Union-- The international organization for all African countries, with information about the AU and its member countries.

• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)-- "The premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region." Information about APEC, the international economics and trade of the region, latest news, official statements, agreements, and more. Hundreds of free publications for download.

• Group of 8 Information Centre-- From the G8 Research Group at the University of Toronto, "G7/G8 background information, all documentation arising from G7 summit meetings, available documentation from G7 ministerial and other meetings," and "scholarly articles and bibliographies about the G7 process."

• Inter-American Development Bank-- The IDB finances economic and social development studies and projects in Latin America and the Caribbean and posts plentiful and excellent online news, analysis, and development reports about the region.

• International Atomic Energy Agency-- Independent international organization related to the United Nations system, with the mission of working with "Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies." Posts much information and analysis on "nuclear knowledge and information resources, including associated legal and official documentation... scientific and technical documents, websites and databases."

• International Finance Cooporation-- Part of the World Bank Group, IFC is "the largest multilateral source of loan and equity financing for private sector projects in the developing world," with special interest in sustainable private sector development. The site posts many papers and reports on global and regional aspects of sustainable private sector development.

• International Labour Organization-- Much information about international labor standards and conditions. Note the following databases-- NATLEX: Database of national laws on labor, social security, and related human rights;  ILOLEX: Database of International Labour Standards; and LABORSTA: Labour Statistics Database operated by the ILO Bureau of Statistics. Labordoc has "references to a wide range of print and electronic publications, including journal articles, from countries around the world, on all aspects of work and sustainable livelihoods, and the work-related aspects of economic and social development and human rights." Also see Key Indicators of the Labour Market, a monitor of employment trends.

• International Monetary Fund-- The IMF was created to promote international monetary cooperation, the expansion and balanced growth of international trade, exchange stability, a multilateral system of payments, solution of balance of payments difficulties under adequate safeguards, and lessening of the degree of disequilibrium in the international balances of payments of members. Numerous publications on economic and financial issues, including country information and World Economic Outlook, are available and searchable online. Note the quarterly journal Finance and Development.

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization-- NATO is attempting to participate in the development of cooperative security structures for the whole of Europe. This site has a complete archive of all official documents and both general and specific NATO publications. Note the NATO Integrated Data Service that gives access to NATO documentation, and the NATO Review magazine.

• Organization of American States-- The principal international organization of the Western Hemisphere, with searchable information on many issues in the Hemisphere.

• Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation-- The international organization of the industrialized, market-economy countries, to exchange information and harmonize policy to maximize economic growth within member countries and assist non-member countries to develop more rapidly. Many OECD statistics and papers are posted online. The searchable Publications and Documents section is a good place to start. OECD resources focusing on a particular country (OECD member or not) can be found  at the Country Portal. Note especially the  very useful yearly OECD Factbook, "an essential tool providing a global overview of world economic, social and environmental trends." Read the online version of the OECD Observer magazine for a topical approach to the latest interests of OECD research.

• Organization for Security and Co-operation  in Europe-- Publications and newsletters are available from this international organization, which is "the largest regional security organization in the world with 55 participating States from Europe, Central Asia and North America. It is active in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation."

• World Bank Group-- A huge number of online publications is available here. Good access points for economic research reports online are the Data and Research, the Documents and Reports, and the Document Search pages. Publications and databases are available on the Development Data and Statistics page.  Also see the data and analysis available at the Countries and Regions page. The Key Development Data and Statistics page presents "the most widely-used, official-source development data from the World Bank and other international agencies." Data by Topic presents country data on many variables. Note the searchable World Bank Journals Home Page. Also see Gender and Development, about projects, programs, publications, policy, news, and events concerning women's issues. Many additional annotated World Bank links are available on the International Development page of this WWW Virtual Library.

• World Trade Organization-- The only global body dealing with the rules of trade among nations, whose agreements are the legal ground-rules for international commerce and for trade policy. Large amount of online resources for a range of users, from the general public to students, academics, and trade specialists. Note the Resources Gateway for statistics, research, publications and other services of the WTO, the Trade Statistics page, and the Official Documents page for searchable access to all online official WTO documents.