Transnationals

List of Multi-Governmental Organizations  - An extended list on transnational organizations.

Arab League - The League of Arab States, or Arab League, is a voluntary association of countries whose peoples are mainly Arabic speaking. It aims to strengthen ties among member states, coordinate their policies and direct them towards the common good. It has 22 members, including Palestine, which the league regards as an independent state. The idea of the Arab League was mooted in 1942 by the British, who wanted to rally Arab countries against the Axis powers. However, the league did not take off until March 1945, just before the end of World War II. At that time the issues that dominated the league's agenda were freeing those Arab countries still under colonial rule, and preventing the Jewish minority in Palestine from creating a Jewish state. BBC Profile

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam then joined on 8 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN. List of Member States. BBC Profile

African Union - The African Union, or AU, is a pan-African organisation whose goal is to propel a united continent towards peace and prosperity. The AU supports political and economic integration among its 53 member nations. It aims to boost development, eradicate poverty and bring Africa into the global economy. The AU succeeded the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 2002. In its later years the OAU - which originated in the decolonisation struggles of the early 1960s - had been criticised for becoming a mere talking shop. BBC Profile

Council of Europe - The Council of Europe, Europe's oldest political body, aims to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law across the continent. It emerged in 1949 from the ashes of World War II and now includes all European countries apart from Belarus, where the council is concerned about the human rights situation, and Kosovo, the independence of which is not recognised by many Council of Europe members. Parliamentary Assembly, The council's parliament meets in Strasbourg, France. Members must respect the rights and freedoms laid out in the body's treaties, including its centrepiece, the European Convention on Human Rights. The council oversees and enforces rulings made by the European Court of Human Rights, which considers cases brought by individuals and groups against the signatories to the convention. After 1989 the council gained a new political focus with the accession of Europe's post-communist democracies. Russia in particular promised to make significant reforms to allay concerns about human rights and its judicial system. Lately, the council has become preoccupied with the problems of terrorism, organised crime, money laundering and human trafficking. Its broad remit also includes the fields of education, the environment, health and culture. The treatment of terror suspects has in recent years received considerable attention from the council. In 2006, it published a report into allegations of secret CIA detention centres in Europe which concluded that Council of Europe member states had colluded in this system. BBC Profile

Mercosur: Common Market of South America (South) - Mercosur is South America's leading trading bloc. Known as the Common Market of the South, it aims to bring about the free movement of goods, capital, services and people among its member states. It has been likened to the European Union but, with an area of 12m sq km (4.6m sq miles), it is four times as big. The bloc's combined market encompasses more than 250m people and accounts for more than three-quarters of the economic activity on the continent. BBC Profile

European Court of Human Rights - The European Court of Human Rights aims to apply and to protect the civil and political rights of the continent's citizens. These principles are set out in the European Convention on Human Rights, a landmark treaty that was drawn up in the aftermath of World War II. The court, which was set up in 1959 in the French city of Strasbourg, considers cases brought by individuals, organisations and states against the countries which are bound by the convention; namely, all European nations except Belarus.  BBC Profile

European Union - The European Union, or EU, describes itself as a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. The organisation oversees co-operation among its members in diverse areas, including trade, the environment, transport and employment. The EU promotes economic, political integration of Europe through: A common currency Freedom of movement between member states Trading market without frontiers Enlargement Development of common foreign, security policy. On 1 May 2004 the EU took in 10 new members, most of them former communist countries, in a huge step along the road towards dismantling the post-World War II division of Europe. The new joiners were the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. However, plans to introduce a constitution - intended to ensure the smooth running of the enlarged EU - faltered repeatedly at various national referenda until the revised "Lisbon" reform treaty was adopted. It came into force in December 2009. BBC Profile

G8 (Group of 8) - With no headquarters, budget or permanent staff, the Group of Eight is an informal but exclusive body whose members set out to tackle global challenges through discussion and action. The G8 comprises seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia. The leaders of these countries meet face-to-face at an annual summit that has become a focus of media attention and protest action. The G8's roots lie in the oil crisis and global economic recession of the early 1970s. Members: United States, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, and Russia. BBC Profile

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, and the World Bank's forerunner were set up to manage the post-World War II global economy. They were conceived in 1944 at a conference in Bretton Woods, in the US state of New Hampshire. By fostering economic cooperation and helping countries with balance of payments problems the founders hoped to avoid a repeat of the 1930s Great Depression. The IMF aims to preserve economic stability and to tackle - or ideally prevent - financial crises. Over time, its focus has switched to the developing world. The World Bank's predecessor - the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - was set up to drive post-war recovery. Now, it is the world's leading development organisation, working for growth and poverty reduction. Owned by the governments of its 185 member states, the Bank channels loans and grants and advises low and middle-income countries. The IMF is funded by a charge - known as a "quota" - paid by member nations. The quota is based on a country's wealth and it determines voting power within the organisation; those making higher contributions have greater voting rights. The Fund acts as a lender of last resort, disbursing its foreign exchange reserves for short periods to any member in difficulties. The IMF and World Bank attempt to help countries or regions in economic turmoil. BBC Profile

International Committee of the Red Cross - he International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC, is a humanitarian organisation which aims to help those caught up in armed conflicts around the globe. Its work is guided by seven principles - humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. The organisation is the guardian of the Geneva Conventions - the system of humanitarian safeguards that sets out the way in which wars may be fought. The roots of the movement lie in the battleground of Solferino, where in 1859 Franco-Sardinian forces were trying to drive the Austrians out of Italy.  BBC Profile

Non-Aligned Movement - NAM summit in Kuala Lumpur, February 2003 NAM member countries represent many shades of political opinion. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is made up of 118 developing countries and aims to represent the political, economic and cultural interests of the developing world. The NAM traces its origins to a meeting in 1955 of 29 Asian and African countries at which heads of state discussed common concerns, including colonialism and the influence of the West. BBC Profile

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - the nuclear watchdog of the United Nations - promotes the peaceful use of atomic energy while trying to make sure that the technology is not used for military purposes. It has a high-profile role in monitoring compliance with international safeguards, including the 1968 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In recent years it has been active in Iran, North Korea and Iraq. Nobel peace prize judges spoke of the "incalculable" importance of its work in awarding the 2005 prize to the agency and its then director, Mohamed ElBaradei. BBC Profile

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - Formed in 1949 to counter the threat of post-war communist expansion as the Soviet Union sought to extend its influence in Europe, Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - is the world's most powerful regional defence alliance. It has traditionally stated its general aim as being to "safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation" of its members by promoting "stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area". Members agree that an armed attack against one shall be considered an attack against them all, and that they will come to the aid of each other. BBC Profile

Albania
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States

Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) - The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the OSCE, aims to prevent conflict and manage crises in Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia. The organisation is based in Vienna, Austria, but many of its 3,500 staff work in the field. The OSCE is particularly active in the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the republics of the Caucasus. The organisation's mandate is broad. It aims to promote democracy and human rights and to resolve regional conflicts. To this end it encourages political, social and media reforms. BBC Profile

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) - Opec, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, was set up in 1960 as an attempt by oil-producing states to assert themselves in a market dominated by the major multinational oil companies. It has expanded from its five founding countries to a membership of thirteen. Opec member states currently produce about 45 per cent of the world's crude oil and 18 per cent of its natural gas. By its own reckoning, at the end of 2007, Opec states had proven oil reserves representing 78 per cent of the world total. Opec has often faced difficulties in reconciling demands among its members to stabilise world prices on the one hand or use oil as a political lever on the other. Its influence has waned to an extent since the early 1980s, as importers have diversified their sources of petroleum. BBC Profile

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) - The 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is largely made up of countries whose people are mainly followers of the Islamic religion. It was established in 1969 in the wake of an arson attack by a deranged tourist on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Its aims are, among other things, to promote all-round cooperation among its member states, to safeguard Islamic holy places and to work towards eradicating racial discrimination and colonialism. BBC Profile

Organization of American States - OAS members include South American giants, Caribbean islands. The Organization of American States, or OAS, aims to foster democracy, security, human rights and economic integration among its members. It includes all the countries of the Americas except Cuba - which was suspended in 1962 because of its Marxist-Leninist political system - and Honduras. In 2009, the OAS voted to lift Cuba's suspension. Cuba welcomed the decision, but declined to rejoin. Honduras was suspended from the OAS in July 2009 after a military coup. BBC Profile

Organization of American States - The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world’s oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, which was held in Washington, D.C. from October 1889 to April 1890. At that conference, the establishment of the International Union of American Republics was approved and the stage was set for the weaving together of a web of provisions and institutions that came to be known as the inter-American system, the oldest of the international institutional systems. The OAS came into being in 1948 with the signing, in Bogotá, Colombia, of the Charter of the OAS. The Charter entered into force in December 1951 and was subsequently amended by the Protocol of Buenos Aires, which was signed in 1967 and which entered into force in February 1970; by the Protocol of Cartagena de Indias, which was signed in 1985 and which entered into force in November 1988; by the Protocol of Managua, which was signed in 1993 and which entered into force on January 29, 1996; and by the Protocol of Washington, which was signed in 1992 and which entered into force on September 25, 1997. The OAS was established to achieve among its member states, as stated in Article 1 of its 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.” Today it comprises the 35 independent states of the Americas and has granted permanent observer status to 63 states, as well as to the European Union. The Organization of American States constitutes the principal political, juridical, and social governmental forum in the Hemisphere. The OAS uses a four-pronged approach to effectively implement its essential purposes, based on its pillars: democracy, human rights, security, and development. List of Member States

Commonwealth - The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development. Formerly known as the British Commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Nations is a loose association of former British colonies, dependencies and other territories - and Mozambique, which has no historical ties to Britain. The modern Commonwealth has its roots in the Imperial Conferences of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when some of the colonies within the British Empire began to acquire greater autonomy. As some achieved self-government and varying degrees of independence from the motherland, a new constitutional definition of their relationship with one another had to be found. BBC Profile

United Nations

World Trade Organizaiton  (WTO) - The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international body whose purpose is to promote free trade by persuading countries to abolish import tariffs and other barriers. As such, it has become closely associated with globalisation. The WTO is the only international agency overseeing the rules of international trade. It polices free trade agreements, settles trade disputes between governments and organises trade negotiations. WTO decisions are absolute and every member must abide by its rulings. So, when the US and the European Union are in dispute over bananas or beef, it is the WTO which acts as judge and jury. WTO members are empowered by the organisation to enforce its decisions by imposing trade sanctions against countries that have breached the rules. BBC Profille