United Nations General Assembly observers

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Contents 1 Non-member states 2 International organizations and entities 3 References 4 External links

In addition to the current 192 member states, the United Nations welcomes several other international agencies, entities, and one non-member state as observers. Observers have the right to speak at United Nations General Assembly meetings, but not vote on resolutions.

[edit] Non-member states

Non-member states are recognized as sovereign entities, like any actual member. They are free to submit a petition to join the General Assembly at their discretion. They can only accede to full membership after a vote in the Security Council. For example, Switzerland was also an observer state from 1948 to 2002, until its admission after a referendum.

•  Holy See (sovereignty over the territory of the  Vatican City): became a UN Permanent Observer State on 6 April 1964, and by resolution A/RES/58/314 on 1 July 2004, gained all the rights of full membership except voting.

[edit] International organizations and entities

Certain intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and entities whose statehood or sovereignty are not precisely defined, are invited to become observers at the General Assembly by resolutions. Some of them maintain a permanent office in the United Nations headquarters in New York City, while others do not; however, this is the choice of the organization and do not imply differences in their status.

• African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States: A/RES/36/4 (15 October 1981)
• African Development Bank: A/RES/42/10 (28 October 1987)
• African Union (formerly the Organisation of African Unity): A/RES/2011(XX) (11 October 1965) & General Assembly decision 56/475 (15 August 2002)
• Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean: A/RES/43/6 (17 October 1988)
• Andean Community: A/RES/52/6 (22 October 1997)
• Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (formerly the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee): A/RES/35/2 (13 October 1980)
• Asian Development Bank: A/RES/57/30 (19 November 2002)
• Association of Caribbean States: A/RES/53/5 (15 October 1998)
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations: To be approved formally [1]
• Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization: A/RES/54/5 (8 October 1999)
• Caribbean Community: A/RES/46/8 (17 October 1991)
• Central American Integration System: A/RES/50/2 (19 October 1995)
• Collective Security Treaty Organization: A/RES/59/50 (2 December 2004)
• Common Fund for Commodities: A/RES/60/26 (23 November 2005)
• Commonwealth of Independent States: A/RES/48/237 (24 March 1994)
• Commonwealth Secretariat: A/RES/31/3 (18 October 1976)
• Community of Portuguese Language Countries: A/RES/54/10 (26 October 1999)
• Community of Sahelo-Saharan States: A/RES/56/92 (12 December 2001)
• Council of Europe: A/RES/44/6 (17 October 1989)
• East African Community: A/RES/58/86 (9 December 2003)
• Economic Community of Central African States: A/RES/55/161 (12 December 2000)
• Economic Community of West African States: A/RES/59/51 (2 December 2004)
• Economic Cooperation Organization: A/RES/48/2 (13 October 1993)
• Eurasian Economic Community: A/RES/58/84 (9 December 2003)
• European Union: A/RES/3208 (XXIX) (11 October 1974)
• GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development: A/RES/58/85 (9 December 2003)
• Hague Conference on Private International Law: A/RES/60/27 (23 November 2005)
• Ibero-American Conference: A/RES/60/28 (23 November 2005)
• Inter-American Development Bank: A/RES/55/160 (12 December 2000)
• Inter-Parliamentary Union: A/RES/57/32 (19 November 2002)
• International Centre for Migration Policy Development: A/RES/57/31 (19 November 2002)
• International Committee of the Red Cross: A/RES/45/6 (16 October 1990)
• International Criminal Court
• International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol): A/RES/51/1 (15 October 1996)
• International Development Law Institute: A/RES/56/90 (12 December 2001)
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: A/RES/49/2 (19 October 1994)
• International Hydrographic Organization: A/RES/56/91 (12 December 2001)
• International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance: A/RES/58/83 (9 December 2003)
• International Organization for Migration: A/RES/47/4 (16 October 1992)
• International Organization of la Francophonie: A/RES/33/18 (10 November 1978) & General Assembly decision 53/453 (18 December 1998)
• International Seabed Authority: A/RES/51/6 (24 October 1996)
• International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: A/RES/51/204 (17 December 1996)
• International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (or the World Conservation Union): A/RES/54/195 (17 December 1999)
• Latin American Economic System (SELA): A/RES/35/3 (13 October 1980)
• Latin American Integration Association: A/RES/60/25 (23 November 2005)
• Latin American Parliament: A/RES/48/4 (13 October 1993)
• League of Arab States: A/RES/477 (V) (1 November 1950)
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development: A/RES/53/6 (15 October 1998)
• Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States: A/RES/59/52 (2 December 2004)
• Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe: A/RES/48/5 (13 October 1993)
• Organization of American States: A/RES/253 (III) (16 October 1948)
• Organization of the Islamic Conference: A/RES/3369 (XXX) (10 October 1975)
• Pacific Islands Forum: A/RES/49/1 (17 Oct. 1994)
• Palestine Liberation Organization: A/RES/3237 (XXIX) (22 November 1974) [= observer status]; A/RES/43/160 (9 December 1988) [= designation "Palestine"]; A/RES/43/177 (15 December 1988) [= right to circulate communications without intermediary]; A/RES/52/250 (7 July 1998) [= right to participate in general debate and additional rights]
• Partners in Population and Development: A/RES/57/29 (19 November 2002)
• Permanent Court of Arbitration: A/RES/48/3 (13 October 1993)
• Shanghai Cooperation Organization: A/RES/59/48 (2 December 2004)
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation: A/RES/59/53 (2 December 2004)
• Southern African Development Community: A/RES/59/49 (2 December 2004)
• Sovereign Military Order of Malta: A/RES/48/265 (24 August 1994)
• World Customs Organization (formerly the Customs Cooperation Council): A/RES/53/216 (23 March 1999)

[edit] References

• Organizations granted observer status in the General Assemby (last updated 30 November 2005)
• List of non-Member States, entities and organizations having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly (last updated 30 November 2005)
• Permanent Missions to the United Nations (Blue Book) (last updated April 2006)

[edit] External links

• UN General Assembly
• United Nations missions in New York City