United Nations General Assembly observers

In addition to the current 193 member states, the United Nations welcomes many international organizations, entities, and non-member states (currently only one) as observers. Observer status is granted by a United Nations General Assembly resolution. The status of a Permanent Observer is based purely on practice, and there are no provisions for it in the United Nations Charter.¹

Observers have the right to speak at United Nations General Assembly meetings, participate in procedural votes, and to sponsor and sign resolutions,^{clarification needed} but not to vote on resolutions and other substantive matters. Various other rights (e.g. to speak in debates, to submit proposals and amendments, the right of reply, to raise points of order and to circulate documents, etc.) are given selectively to some observers only. So far, the EU is the only international organisation to hold these enhanced powers.²

There is a distinction between state and non-state observers. Non-Member States of the United Nations, which are members of one or more specialized agencies, can apply for the status of Permanent Observer state.¹ The non-state observers are the international organizations and other entities.

Non-member observer states are arranged for seating in the General Assembly Hall immediately after the Member States and before the other observers.³

Non-member states

Non-member observer states are recognized as sovereign states, and are free to submit a petition to join as a full member at their discretion. For example, Switzerland was a permanent observer state from 1948 to 2002, until becoming a full member on September 10, 2002. Currently, the only such state, the Holy See, is described as a "Non-member State having received a standing invitation to participate as observer in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly and maintaining permanent observer mission at Headquarters".⁴

Non-member state	Date observer status was granted
Holy See (sovereignty over the territory of Vatican City)	April 6, 1964: became a permanent observer state July 1, 2004 (A/RES/58/314)³: gained all the rights of full membership except voting and putting forward candidates

Notes

The Cook Islands and Niue—both states in free association with New Zealand—are treated as non-member states.⁵
The Republic of China, or Taiwan, in addition to applying for full membership, has also applied variously for non-member⁶ or observer^{citation needed} status in the UN since 1991.⁷ Such requests have been consistently denied due to the UN's recognition of the People's Republic of China as the "legitimate representative of China to the United Nations"; this resulted in the 1971 replacement of the Republic of China with the People's Republic as the official representative of China.
Palestine is not recognised as a non-member state, but its people's representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, holds observer status as an entity and its territory is regarded as occupied by Israel.⁸
Other countries are recognized by the United Nations as not being self-governing and appear on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, but are represented in the UN by their respective administering member state.⁸

Former non-member observer states

Sixteen former non-member states were also granted observer status.⁹¹⁰ Fourteen of those states eventually became members of the United Nations. The other two, South Vietnam and North Vietnam, united to form a single state which later became a UN member.

State	Granted	Ended
Austria	1952	1955
Bangladesh	1973	1974
Democratic People's Republic of Korea	1973	1991
Democratic Republic of Viet Nam	1975	1976
Federal Republic of Germany	1952	1973
Finland	1952	1955
German Democratic Republic	1972	1973
Italy	1952	1955
Japan	1952	1956
Kuwait	1962	1963
Monaco	1956	1993
Republic of Korea	1949	1991
Republic of Viet Nam	1952	1976
Spain	1955	1955
Switzerland	1946	2002
Viet Nam	1976	1977

Entities and International organizations

Many intergovernmental organizations and a few other entities (non-governmental organizations and others with various degrees of statehood or sovereignty), are invited to become observers at the General Assembly. 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 does not imply differences in their status.¹¹

Palestine

Since 1998 the Palestine Liberation Organization has been assigned seating in the General Assembly Hall immediately after non-member States and before the other observers.¹²¹³

Organization or entity	Date observer status was granted	Entity type
Palestine Liberation Organization	November 22, 1974 (A/RES/3237 (XXIX))¹⁴: observer status December 9, 1988 (A/RES/43/160): right to circulate communications without intermediary December 15, 1988 (A/RES/43/177): designation "Palestine" July 7, 1998 (A/RES/52/250)¹²: right to participate in general debate and additional rights	October 28, 1974: Recognized as "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," by states of the seventh Arab summit (and later by over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations and by Israel).¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸ November 22, 1974: Recognized as competent on all matters concerning the question of Palestine by the UN General Assembly in addition to the right of the Palestinian people in Palestine to national independence and sovereignty. November 15, 1988: Unilaterally declared the State of Palestine. May 4, 1994: Established the Palestinian National Authority territorial administration as result of the Oslo Accords signed by the PLO itself, Israel, United States and Russia.

Regional organizations allowed to speak

In the resolution adopted in May 2011 granting additional rights to the European Union the UNGA decided that similar arrangements may be adopted for any other regional organization that is allowed to speak on behalf of its member states.¹⁹

Organization or entity	Date observer status was granted	Entity type
European Union^{note 1}	October 11, 1974 (A/RES/3208 (XXIX)): observer status May 10, 2011 (A/RES/65/276)¹⁹: additional rights	The only observer that operates through a hybrid system of intergovernmentalism and supranationalism, giving it some state like qualities. See: European Union and the United Nations.

Intergovernmental organizations

Organization	Date observer status was granted
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States	October 15, 1981 (A/RES/36/4)
African Development Bank	October 28, 1987 (A/RES/42/10)
African Union (formerly the Organisation of African Unity)	October 11, 1965 (A/RES/2011(XX)) 15 August 2002 (General Assembly decision 56/475)
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean	October 17, 1988 (A/RES/43/6)
Andean Community of Nations	October 22, 1997 (A/RES/52/6)
Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (formerly the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee)	October 13, 1980 ( A/RES/35/2)
Asian Development Bank	November 19, 2002 (A/RES/57/30)
Association of Caribbean States	October 15, 1998 (A/RES/53/17) ²⁰
Association of Southeast Asian Nations	December 4, 2006 (A/RES/61/44)
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization	October 8, 1999 (A/RES/54/5)
Caribbean Community	October 17, 1991 (A/RES/46/8)
Central American Integration System	October 19, 1995 (A/RES/50/2)
Collective Security Treaty Organization	December 2, 2004 (A/RES/59/50)
Common Fund for Commodities	November 23, 2005 (A/RES/60/26)
Commonwealth of Independent States	March 24, 1994 (A/RES/48/237)
Commonwealth Secretariat	October 18, 1976 (A/RES/31/3)
Community of Portuguese Language Countries	October 26, 1999 (A/RES/54/10)
Community of Sahelo-Saharan States	December 12, 2001 (A/RES/56/92)
Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia	December 6, 2007 (A/RES/62/77)
Council of Europe	October 17, 1989 (A/RES/44/6)
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf	December 6, 2007 (A/RES/62/78)
East African Community	December 9, 2003 (A/RES/58/86)
Economic Community of Central African States	December 12, 2000 (A/RES/55/161)
Economic Community of West African States	December 2, 2004 (A/RES/59/51)
Economic Cooperation Organization	October 13, 1993 (A/RES/48/2)
Eurasian Economic Community	December 9, 2003 (A/RES/58/84)
Energy Charter Conference	December 6, 2007 (A/RES/62/75)
Eurasian Development Bank	December 6, 2007 (A/RES/62/76)
GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development	December 9, 2003 (A/RES/58/85)
Hague Conference on Private International Law	November 23, 2005 (A/RES/60/27)
Ibero-American Conference	November 23, 2005 (A/RES/60/28)
Indian Ocean Commission	December 4, 2006 (A/RES/61/43)
Inter-American Development Bank	December 12, 2000 (A/RES/55/160)
International Centre for Migration Policy Development	November 19, 2002 (A/RES/57/31)
International Conference on the Great Lakes Region of Africa	December 16, 2009 (A/RES/64/123)
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)	October 15, 1996 (A/RES/51/1)
International Development Law Institute	December 12, 2001 (A/RES/56/90)
International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea	December 11, 2008 (A/RES/63/133)
International Hydrographic Organization	December 12, 2001 (A/RES/56/91)
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance	December 9, 2003 (A/RES/58/83)
International Organization for Migration	October 16, 1992 (A/RES/47/4)
International Organization of la Francophonie ^{note 2}	November 10, 1978 (A/RES/33/18)²¹ December 18, 1998 (General Assembly decision 53/453)
International Seabed Authority	October 24, 1996 (A/RES/51/6)
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea	December 17, 1996 (A/RES/51/204)
International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (or the World Conservation Union)	December 17, 1999 (A/RES/54/195)
Islamic Development Bank Group	March 28, 2007 (A/RES/61/259)
Italian-Latin American Institute	December 6, 2007 (A/RES/62/74)
Latin American Economic System (SELA)	October 13, 1980 (A/RES/35/3)
Latin American Integration Association	November 23, 2005 (A/RES/60/25)
Latin American Parliament	October 13, 1993 (A/RES/48/4)
League of Arab States	November 1, 1950 (A/RES/477 (V))
OPEC Fund for International Development	December 4, 2006 (A/RES/61/42)
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development	October 15, 1998 (A/RES/53/6)
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States	December 2, 2004 (A/RES/59/52)
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe	October 13, 1993 (A/RES/48/5)
Organization of American States	October 16, 1948 (A/RES/253 (III))
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference)	October 10, 1975 (A/RES/3369 (XXX))
Pacific Islands Forum	October 17, 1994 (A/RES/49/1)
Partners in Population and Development	November 19, 2002 (A/RES/57/29)
Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean	December 16, 2009 (A/RES/64/124)
Permanent Court of Arbitration	October 13, 1993 (A/RES/48/3)
Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States	December 6, 2007 (A/RES/62/73)
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation	December 2, 2004 (A/RES/59/48)
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation	December 2, 2004 (A/RES/59/53)
Southern African Development Community	December 2, 2004 (A/RES/59/49)
South Centre	December 11, 2008 (A/RES/63/131)
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria	December 16, 2009 (A/RES/64/122)
University for Peace	December 11, 2008 (A/RES/63/132)
World Customs Organization (formerly the Customs Cooperation Council)	March 23, 1999 (A/RES/53/216)

Other entities

Organization or entity	Date observer status was granted	Entity type
International Committee of the Red Cross	October 16, 1990 (A/RES/45/6)²²	private Swiss association with some special privileges and legal immunities equating to defacto sovereignty.^{note 3} Entrusted responsibilities under the Geneva Conventions.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies	October 19, 1994 (A/RES/49/2)	federation of national societies
International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission	December 16, 2009 (A/RES/64/121)	commission with impartial members.²³ Entrusted responsibilities under the Geneva Conventions.
Inter-Parliamentary Union	November 19, 2002 (A/RES/57/32)²⁴	organization of national parliaments
International Criminal Court	September 13, 2004 (A/RES/58/318)	international court
International Olympic Committee	October 20, 2009 (A/RES/64/3)	sports federation of national committees
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta	August 24, 1994 (A/RES/48/265)²⁵	a sovereign entity not claiming statehood

Former observer entities

South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO),²⁶ in the period of 1976²⁷ - 1990^{citation needed} (observer with right to circulate communications without intermediary, formerly a liberation movement in Namibia, currently a political party)

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

European Union

Main article: European Union and the United Nations

While the EU is an observer, it is party to some 50 international UN agreements as the only non-state participant. It is a full participant on the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization. It has also been a full participant at certain UN summits, such as the Rio and Kyoto summits on climate change, including hosting a summit. Furthermore, the EU delegation maintains close relations with the UN's aid bodies.²⁸ In 2011 the EU was granted enhanced powers in the General Assembly; the right to speak in debates, to submit proposals and amendments, the right of reply, to raise points of order and to circulate documents. These rights were also made open to other international organizations who requested them.²⁹²

Notes

^ Originally under the designation of European Community. The EC formally became EU in 2010 and was acknowledged by 2011.
^ Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique became observer in 1978 and its observer status was transferred to its successor, the International Organization of la Francophonie in 1998.
^ The ICRC is private association registered in Switzerland, that is enjoying various degrees of special privileges and legal immunities in many countries^which? and in cases like Switzerland these are considered^{by whom?} to constitute a de facto sovereignty.

References

^ ^a ^b United Nations - About Permenant Observers
^ ^a ^b Phillips, Leigh (3 May 2011) EU wins new powers at UN, transforming global body, EU Observer
^ ^a ^b United Nations General Assembly Resolution 314 session 58 (retrieved 2010-09-21)
^ UN site on Permanent Missions
^ UN THE WORLD TODAY (PDF) and Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs Supplement No. 8; page 10
^ U.N. again throws out Taiwan bid for recognition:"This time, Taiwan was not applying for membership, just to take part in unspecified U.N. "activities"."
^ Taiwan drops annual U.N. bid as China relations warm
^ ^a ^b UN THE WORLD TODAY (PDF) showing UN member states (blue), non-member states (green and yellow), non-self-governing territories (red) and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (gray).
^ Connie L. McNeely (1995). Constructing the nation-state: international organization and prescriptive action. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-0-313-29398-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=8JKEj94TsP4C&pg=PA44. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
^ "Status of Palestine at the United Nations". Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations. http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/pid/11550. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
^ United Nations http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/INF/63/6&Lang=E
^ ^a ^b United Nations General Assembly Resolution 250 session 52 (retrieved 2010-09-21)
^ UN observers: Non-member States and Entities Palestine is listed immediately after non-member States (on the same page) and before the other observers (that are on the next page).
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3237 session -1 (retrieved 2010-09-23)
^ http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Israel-PLO+Recognition+-+Exchange+of+Letters+betwe.htm
^ "At the threshold of peace Mutual recognition ends 3 decades of strife between Israel and PLO ISRAELI-PLO PEACE TALKS". http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-09-10/news/1993253104_1_israel-and-plo-palestinians-israeli-plo. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
^ Madiha Rashid al Madfai, Jordan, the United States and the Middle East Peace Process, 1974-1991, Cambridge Middle East Library, Cambridge University Press (1993). ISBN 0-521-41523-3. p. 21:"On 28 October 1974, the seventh Arab summit conference held in Rabat designated the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and reaffirmed their right to establish an independent state of urgency."
^ Geldenhuys, Deon (1990). Isolated states: a comparative analysis. Cambridge University Press. p. 155. ISBN 0-521-40268-9, 9780521402682http://books.google.ca/books?id=dVmhhVHvTAMC&pg=PA155&dq=PLO+observer+UN+sole+legitimate&lr=#v=onepage&q=PLO%20observer%20UN%20sole%20legitimate&f=false.
^ ^a ^b United Nations General Assembly Resolution 276 session 65 Participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 5 session 53 Observer status for the Association of Caribbean States in the General Assembly
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 18 session 33 (retrieved 2010-09-23)
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 6 session 45 (retrieved 2010-09-21)
^ Members of the IHFFC
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 32 session 57 Observer status for the Inter-Parliamentary Union in the General Assembly
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 265 session 48 Observer status for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in the General Assembly
^ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 160 session 43 (retrieved 2010-08-31)
^ UNGA Resolution A/RES/31/152 Observer status for the South West Africa People's Organization
^ Description of the European Union Delegation in New York, EU Delegation to the UN
^ Phillips, Leigh (15 July 2010) EU reaches out for new powers at United Nations, EU Observer

External links

[19] Originally under the designation of European Community. The EC formally became EU in 2010 and was acknowledged by 2011.

[21] Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique became observer in 1978 and its observer status was transferred to its successor, the International Organization of la Francophonie in 1998.

[24] The ICRC is private association registered in Switzerland, that is enjoying various degrees of special privileges and legal immunities in many countries^which? and in cases like Switzerland these are considered^{by whom?} to constitute a de facto sovereignty.

[partlist-0] United Nations - About Permenant Observers

[win-1] Phillips, Leigh (3 May 2011) EU wins new powers at UN, transforming global body, EU Observer

[UN_ARES58314-2] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 314 session 58 (retrieved 2010-09-21)

[3] UN site on Permanent Missions

[4] UN THE WORLD TODAY (PDF) and Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs Supplement No. 8; page 10

[5] U.N. again throws out Taiwan bid for recognition:"This time, Taiwan was not applying for membership, just to take part in unspecified U.N. "activities"."

[6] Taiwan drops annual U.N. bid as China relations warm

[world00-7] UN THE WORLD TODAY (PDF) showing UN member states (blue), non-member states (green and yellow), non-self-governing territories (red) and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (gray).

[8] Connie L. McNeely (1995). Constructing the nation-state: international organization and prescriptive action. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-0-313-29398-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=8JKEj94TsP4C&pg=PA44. Retrieved 1 May 2011.

[9] "Status of Palestine at the United Nations". Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations. http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/pid/11550. Retrieved 1 May 2011.

[10] United Nations http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/INF/63/6&Lang=E

[UN_ARES52250-11] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 250 session 52 (retrieved 2010-09-21)

[12] UN observers: Non-member States and Entities Palestine is listed immediately after non-member States (on the same page) and before the other observers (that are on the next page).

[UN_ARES3237XXIX-13] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3237 session -1 (retrieved 2010-09-23)

[14] ttp://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Israel-PLO+Recognition+-+Exchange+of+Letters+betwe.htm

[baltimoresun-15] "At the threshold of peace Mutual recognition ends 3 decades of strife between Israel and PLO ISRAELI-PLO PEACE TALKS". http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-09-10/news/1993253104_1_israel-and-plo-palestinians-israeli-plo. Retrieved 6 April 2010.

[al_-Madfai-16] Madiha Rashid al Madfai, Jordan, the United States and the Middle East Peace Process, 1974-1991, Cambridge Middle East Library, Cambridge University Press (1993). ISBN 0-521-41523-3. p. 21:"On 28 October 1974, the seventh Arab summit conference held in Rabat designated the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and reaffirmed their right to establish an independent state of urgency."

[Geldenhuysp155-17] Geldenhuys, Deon (1990). Isolated states: a comparative analysis. Cambridge University Press. p. 155. ISBN 0-521-40268-9, 9780521402682http://books.google.ca/books?id=dVmhhVHvTAMC&pg=PA155&dq=PLO+observer+UN+sole+legitimate&lr=#v=onepage&q=PLO%20observer%20UN%20sole%20legitimate&f=false.

[UN_ARES65276-18] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 276 session 65 Participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations

[UN_ARES535-20] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 5 session 53 Observer status for the Association of Caribbean States in the General Assembly

[UN_ARES3318-22] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 18 session 33 (retrieved 2010-09-23)

[UN_ARES456-23] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 6 session 45 (retrieved 2010-09-21)

[25] Members of the IHFFC

[UN_ARES5732-26] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 32 session 57 Observer status for the Inter-Parliamentary Union in the General Assembly

[UN_ARES48265-27] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 265 session 48 Observer status for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in the General Assembly

[UN_ARES43160-28] United Nations General Assembly Resolution 160 session 43 (retrieved 2010-08-31)

[29] UNGA Resolution A/RES/31/152 Observer status for the South West Africa People's Organization

[delegation-30] Description of the European Union Delegation in New York, EU Delegation to the UN

[reach-31] Phillips, Leigh (15 July 2010) EU reaches out for new powers at United Nations, EU Observer

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