UN Organs and Special Agencies

These are the special agencies in the United Nations, 17 in all:

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

-Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO's mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

-An intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the field of nuclear technology. It seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

-It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation.

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

-IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries.

International Labour Organization (ILO)

-ILO deals with labour issues.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

-Coordinate international maritime safety and related practices. the IMO promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to prevent marine pollution.

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

-Established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. Its main tasks include standardization, allocation of the radio spectrum, and organizing interconnection arrangements between different countries to allow international phone calls

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

-Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the UN Charter.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

-The Organization's primary objective is the promotion and acceleration of industrial development in developing countries and countries with economies in transition and the promotion of international industrial cooperation. The Organization works towards improving the quality of life of the world's poor by drawing on its combined global resources and expertise in the following three interrelated thematic areas:

1) Poverty reduction through productive activities

2) Trade capacity-building

3) Energy and environment.

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

-Coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. Each member country agrees to the same set of terms for conducting international postal duties.

World Bank (WB)

-The World Bank, a part of the World Bank Group (WBG), makes loans to developing countries for development programmes with the stated goal of reducing poverty. The World Bank differs from the World Bank Group in that the first only comprises the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association, while the latter incorporates these entities in addition to three others (i.e.IFC, MIGA & ICSID).

-see Annie's for more information

World Food Programme (WFP)

-The food aid branch of the UN, and the world's largest humanitarian organization. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children, WFP works to help people who are unable to produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families.

World Health Organization (WHO)

-Acts as a coordinating authority on international public health.

-ex. Deals with H1N1

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

-Its purpose is to encourage creative activity and to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world. The organization administers several treaties concerning the protection of intellectual property rights.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

-The specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO or WToO)

-Serves as a forum for tourism policies and acts as a practical source for tourism know-how.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

-It provides monetary cooperation and financial stability and acts as a forum for advice, negotiation and assistance on financial issues.

Informations from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Organization#Organization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:United_Nations_specialized_agencies