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 - (52) 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, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT): note - formerly
Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation
established - 20 March 1970; name changed 1996
aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French- speaking countries
members - (51) Albania, 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, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco,
Morocco, New Brunswick (Canada), Niger, Quebec (Canada), Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam
observers - (4) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia
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)