The International Seabed Authority is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Authority is the organization through which States Parties to the Convention shall, in accordance with the regime for the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (the Area) established in | Part XI and the Agreement, organize and control activities in the Area, particularly with a view to administering the resources of the Area.
TheAuthority, which has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, came into existence on 16 November 1994, upon the entry into force of the 1982 Convention. The first Secretary-General of the Authority, Satya Nandan (Fiji) was elected in March 1996, and the Authority became fully operational as an autonomous international organization in June 1996, when it took over the premises and facilities in Kingston, Jamaica previously used by the United Nations Kingston Office for the Law of the Sea. Meetings of the Authority are held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.
The International Seabed Authority web site contains detailed information on the organs of the Authority, including the Assembly, Council, Legal and Technical Commission, Finance Committee and the Secretariat. The site also includes a full list of documents issued by the Authority at each of its sessions, and the full text of selected documents. Press releases are available for the latest session and links are provided to some of the most important law of the sea documents. The web site will be updated on a regular basis and it is the intention of the Authority eventually to provide access to non-confidential information relating to deep seabed exploration through these web pages.
http://www.isa.org.jm/en/default.htm
TheInter-American Development Bank (IDB) is the principal source of multilateral financing for economic, social and institutional development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. These include policy and sector reform programs and support for public and private investment. The Bank provides loans and technical assistance using capital provided by its member countries, as well as resources obtained in world capital markets through bond issues. The Bank also promotes and participates in a significant number of project cofinancing arrangements with other multilateral, bilateral and private organizations. In its four decades of operations, the Bank has helped to transform Latin America and the Caribbean. Although much remains to be done, the region's social and economic indicators have improved significantly in such areas as literacy, nutrition and life expectancy.
http://www.iadb.org/info/bfingles/overview1.htm
About IICA
What is IICA?
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is the specialized agency for agriculture and rural well-being of the inter-American system.
Founded 60 years ago, it has 34 Member States, offices in every one of them and Headquarters in Costa Rica.
How is the Institute governed?
The Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), IICA’s governing body, is made up of its Member States. It holds regular meetings every two years. The General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), at its Thirtieth Sessions, gave the IABA a new dimension and recognized it as the primary ministerial forum for analyzing and building consensus on policies and strategic priorities for the improvement of agriculture and rural life in the hemisphere.
In addition, in the Declaration and the Plan of Action adopted at the Third Summit of the Americas, the Heads of State and Government extended the Institute’s role beyond that of providing technical cooperation services, asking it to promote dialogue and consensus building on issues that are critical to agricultural development, the environment and the rural milieu, within the framework of efforts to promote integration and hemispheric prosperity.
The auxiliary organ of the IABA is the Executive Committee. It is composed of representatives of 12 Member States, chosen on the basis of a system of partial rotation and equitable geographic distribution to serve two-year terms. The Executive Committee holds regular yearly meetings.
The General Directorate is the Institute’s executive organ. It comprises all the executive, technical and administrative units of the organization, and is headed by the Director General. Dr. Chelston W. D. Brathwaite, a native of Barbados, is serving in that capacity for the 2002-2006 period.
To provide its cooperation services, IICA works in strategic partnerships with national, regional and international institutions, both public and private, linking its Northern, Caribbean, Central, Andean and Southern Regions through its network of offices in 34 countries in the hemisphere.
When was IICA founded?
The Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IICA) was founded on October 7, 1942. Its headquarters were situated in the city of Turrialba, Costa Rica; its first Director General was Dr. Earl N. Bressman and its first Secretary, Mr. Jose L. Colom.
On March 19, 1943, Henry Wallace, Vice President of the United States of America, placed the first stone of the building in Turrialba, before an audience that included Dr. Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia, the President of Costa Rica.
Which are its member countries?
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas (Commonwealth of), Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela.
IICA currently has a permanent office for Europe in Madrid. Spain is an Associate Member of the Institute.
What are the strategic areas of IICA’s cooperation?
What is IICA’s Vision and Mission?
Vision:
To transform the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) into a development agency that promotes the sustainable development of agriculture, food security and the prosperity of rural communities in the Americas.
Mission:
To support the efforts of the Member States to achieve progress and prosperity in the hemisphere, through the modernization of the rural sector, the promotion of food security and the development of an agricultural sector that is competitive, technologically prepared, environmentally managed and socially equitable for the peoples of the Americas.
What are IICA’s objectives?
Some of its objectives are:
The Hopes of a New Century
The nations of the Americas are working more closely together than ever before – strengthening democracy, advancing human rights, promoting peace and security, expanding trade and tackling complex problems caused by poverty, drugs and corruption. Together we are building a better future for the next generation.
At the outset of a new century and a new millennium, the challenge is how to turn citizens’ high expectations into reality. The Organization of American States (OAS) is playing a central role in working toward many of the goals that are shared by the countries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Through the Summit of the Americas process, the hemisphere’s heads of state and government have given the OAS important responsibilities and mandates, including:
The OAS also brings together government leaders from member states to focus on education, justice, security and other issues that that touch people’s lives in tangible ways.
A Shared Vision
This is a time of unprecedented opportunity in the Americas. In the 1990s the region left behind the divisions of the Cold War and moved toward greater agreement and closer cooperation. The OAS Charter was reformed to reflect the hemisphere’s strengthened commitment to representative democracy. In recent years the Organization has adopted landmark conventions against corruption, illegal arms trafficking and violence against women. Here are some of the Organization’s priorities:
Strengthening democracy -- The OAS has sent electoral observation missions to monitor more than 45 elections around the hemisphere, helping to ensure transparency and integrity of the voting process. It helps member states strengthen their electoral, municipal and legislative institutions and carry out education programs to promote democratic values and practices.
Building on peace -- Special OAS missions have supported the peace process in Nicaragua, Suriname, Haiti and Guatemala. The OAS is also leading the effort to remove land mines in Central America, with the technical support of the Inter-American Defense Board. The program, which has received funding, equipment and personnel support from 19 OAS member or observer states, has resulted in the destruction of thousands of antipersonnel mines in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Defending human rights -- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, based in Washington, D.C., and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, located in San José, Costa Rica, together provide recourse to people who have suffered human rights violations. The Commission also reports on the status of human rights in member countries and focuses attention on specific issues such as freedom of expression, the rights of indigenous peoples and women’s rights.
Fostering free trade -- The OAS is providing technical support in economic integration efforts, working with the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement by 2005, as mandated under the Summit of the Americas process. The OAS has paid special attention to ensuring that the concerns of smaller economies are taken into account.
Combating drugs -- The Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission works with member countries to strengthen laws, provide training in prevention programs, promote alternative development, improve law enforcement and stem the illegal trafficking of narcotics and related chemicals and arms. Acting on a mandate from the Summit of the Americas, the Commission has been developing a multilateral evaluation tool to measure the progress that individual countries and the region as a whole are making in meeting anti-drug goals.
Promoting sustainable development -- The OAS, supported by substantial outside funding, carries out technical cooperation programs to address the needs of members states in such areas as river basin management, biodiversity conservation, planning for global climate change and natural disaster mitigation. The OAS is also working to improve the exchange of information and citizen participation in decision-making about how to protect the environment and manage natural resources.
An Effective Partnership
Made up of 35 member states, the OAS is the region’s premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and action. With four official languages -- English, Spanish, French and Portuguese -- the Organization reflects the rich diversity of peoples and cultures across the Americas.
Each member state has one vote. Major policies and directions are established by the General Assembly, which once a year brings together the hemisphere’s foreign ministers. The Permanent Council, which meets regularly at OAS headquarters in Washington, handles ongoing political and administrative issues. Each member country appoints an ambassador to sit on the Permanent Council. The Inter-American Council for Integral Development focuses on promoting economic development and combating poverty.
The OAS General Secretariat carries out the programs and policies set by the General Assembly and the councils. Specialized units focus on such areas as trade, sustainable development, education and promotion of democracy. The Office of Summit Follow-Up was created to coordinate tasks assigned to the Organization by the hemisphere’s leaders.
At OAS headquarters, the Art Museum of the Americas and the Columbus Memorial Library promote culture and education. Also under the OAS umbrella are several specialized organizations: the Inter-American Children's Institute; the Inter-American Commission of Women; the Pan American Institute of Geography and History; the Inter-American Indian Institute; the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture; and the Pan American Health Organization.
OAS History at a Glance
On April 30, 1948, 21 nations of the hemisphere met in Bogota, Colombia, to adopt the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), which affirmed their commitment to common goals and respect for each nation’s sovereignty. Since then, the OAS has expanded to include the nations of the Caribbean, as well as Canada.
The principles that embody the OAS grew out of a history of regional cooperation dating back to the 19th century.
The transition from the Pan American Union to the OAS was smooth. The Director General of the former, Alberto Lleras Camargo, became the first Secretary General of the OAS.
UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. That makes us unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with the young.
We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.
We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.
We promote girls’ education – ensuring that they complete primary education as a minimum – because it benefits all children, both girls and boys. Girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents to their own children.
We act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases, and are well nourished, because it is wrong for a child to suffer or die from a preventable illness.
We work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people because it is right to keep them from harm and enable them to protect others. We help children and families affected by HIV/AIDS to live their lives with dignity.
We involve everyone in creating protective environments for children. We are present to relieve suffering during emergencies, and wherever children are threatened, because no child should be exposed to violence, abuse or exploitation.
UNICEF upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We work to assure equality for those who are discriminated against, girls and women in particular. We work for the Millennium Development Goals and for the progress promised in the United Nations Charter. We strive for peace and security. We work to hold everyone accountable to the promises made for children.
We are part of the Global Movement for Children – a broad coalition dedicated to improving the life of every child. Through this movement, and events such as the United Nations Special Session on Children, we encourage young people to speak out and participate in the decisions that affect their lives.
We are more than 7,000 people working in 158 countries around the world. We are UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.
History
UNICEF was established on 11 December 1946 by the United Nations to meet the emergency needs of children in post-war Europe and China. Its full name was the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.
In 1950, its mandate was broadened to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries everywhere. UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations system in 1953, when its name was shortened to the United Nations Children's Fund. However, UNICEF retained its original acronym.
http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index.html
WHAT IS PAHO?
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an international public health agency with 100 years of experience working to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas. It enjoys international recognition as part of the United Nations system, serving as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization, and as the health organization of the Inter-American System.
PAHO is based in Washington, D.C., and has scientific and technical experts at its headquarters, in its 27 country offices, and its eight scientific centers, all working with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in dealing with priority health issues. The health authorities of PAHO's Member States set PAHO's technical and administrative policies through its Governing Bodies. PAHO Member States include all 35 countries in the Americas; Puerto Rico is an Associate Member. France, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are Participating States, and Portugal and Spain are Observer States.
The Organization's essential mission is to strengthen national and local health systems and improve the health of the peoples of the Americas, in collaboration with Ministries of Health, other government and international agencies, nongovernmental organizations, universities, social security agencies, community groups, and many others.
PAHO promotes primary health care strategies, which reach people in their communities, to extend health services to all and to increase efficiency in the use of scarce resources. It assists countries in fighting old diseases that have re-emerged, such as cholera, dengue and tuberculosis, and new diseases such as the spreading AIDS epidemic, providing technical cooperation including education and social communications support, promoting work with non-governmental organizations, and support for programs to prevent transmission of communicable diseases. The Organization is also involved in prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, which are increasingly affecting the populations of developing countries in the Americas.
In its efforts to improve health, PAHO targets the most vulnerable groups including mothers and children, workers, the poor, the elderly, and refugees and displaced persons. It focuses on issues related to equity for those who lack access to health, and on a Panamerican approach encouraging countries to work together on common issues.
PAHO and its Member Countries are committed to improving the safety of blood in the Americas, launching a blood safety initiative designed to ensure that all blood for transfusion is free of disease and to increase the number of volunteer blood donors.
A major priority for the Americas is cutting infant mortality, and PAHO is mobilizing new political, institutional and financial resources to prevent an additional 25,000 infant deaths every year through application of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness strategy, a simple and practical approach in which primary health care workers are taught a complete process to evaluate the health status of children brought to a health post or clinic. They learn to recognize signs of disease and evaluate and treat them. They learn to give parents information on how to prevent disease in the home. If they see danger signs indicating the infant could die, they are taught to treat the child immediately or take him or her to a hospital.
Its Governing Bodies have mandated PAHO to move aggressively in the fight to reduce the use of tobacco, emphasizing the health aspects and the high cost to the countries of tobacco use. It also continues to emphasize the approach of health promotion as applied to people and not an abstract construct.
Improvement of drinking water supplies, adequate sanitation, and increased access to health care for the poor are still top priorities for PAHO, with a focus on equity. The Organization is intensifying its efforts to have countries know the true state of health of their populations and where the inequalities lie. Program efforts focus on correcting inequality, taking into account decentralization and change of state functions, on showing that health has a role to play in the success of other sectors, and on how attention to health affects positively other aspects of human development. Advocacy in this area is also directed to reducing pernicious gender inequity, which reflects in some health problems of women.
The Pan American approach is a part of PAHO history and the spirit of Panamericanism continues to stimulate technical cooperation among countries in health. PAHO has helped countries work together toward common goals, and to initiate multi-country health ventures in Central America, the Caribbean, the Andean Region, and the Southern Cone. Experience has shown practical benefits such as the solidarity that helped Central America after hurricane Mitch, and there are numerous other examples. Health collaboration found expression at the highest political level when American heads of state in their Summit in Santiago accepted a health initiative called "Health Technology Linking the Americas."
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean joined together over 20 years ago to buy vaccines through a revolving fund, bringing them tangible benefits and helping advance PAHO's efforts to eliminate or control vaccine-preventable diseases. These are among the Organization's most notable successes, starting with the eradication of smallpox from the Americas in 1973; a triumph followed five years later by global eradication of the dreaded disease.
A major effort committing the Americas to embark on polio eradication in 1985 succeeded in September 1994, when a distinguished International Commission declared the Americas officially polio-free. The last case of polio in the Americas was identified August 23, 1991 in a young boy named Luis Fermín Tenorio Cortez, in Junín, Peru. Since then, despite intensive surveillance, no cases of polio have been detected anywhere in the Americas, and the World Health Organization is now working toward the goal of eradicating polio globally. PAHO assists the countries in mobilizing the necessary resources to provide immunization and treatment services for all vaccine-preventable diseases. PAHO is close to accomplishing the goal of eliminating measles from this hemisphere and is pressing on with the introduction of new vaccines that are currently available, such as Haemophilus influenza B. to reduce meningitis and respiratory infections. PAHO works to reduce the toll of death and illness from diarrheal diseases, including cholera, through case management and oral rehydration therapy to prevent deaths from dehydration, and to provide adequate diagnosis and treatment of acute respiratory infections, thus saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of children each year.
PAHO disseminates scientific and technical information through its publications program, its Internet site, and a network of academic libraries, documentation centers, and local health care libraries.
The Organization provides technical collaboration in a variety of specialized public health fields, and organizes emergency preparedness and disaster relief coordination. It supports efforts to control malaria, Chagas' disease, urban rabies, leprosy, and other diseases that affect the people of the Americas. PAHO collaborates with governments, other agencies, and private groups to address major nutritional problems including protein-energy malnutrition, and is now working to eliminate iodine and vitamin A deficiencies.
It expedites health promotion to help countries deal with health problems typical of development and urbanization, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, accidents, smoking, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and others.
The Organization also executes projects for other United Nations agencies, for international organizations such as the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, for official development cooperation agencies of various governments, and for philanthropic foundations.
PAHO strengthens the health sector capacity in the countries to advance their priority programs through intersectoral action, promoting an integral approach to health problems. It also works to improve women's health, promoting the greater integration of women in society, as well as awareness of their importance as both recipients and providers of health services.
PAHO trains health workers at all levels, through fellowships, courses and seminars, and the strengthening of national training institutions. It leads in the use of advanced communications technologies for information, health promotion, and education, working with journalists in many countries.
The Organization recognizes the role of the private sector in the delivery of services, and fosters dialogue and partnerships with the Ministries of Health. In addition to its core budget financed by quota contributions from its Member Governments, PAHO also seeks outside funding to help implement special programs and initiatives in response to vital health needs. Voluntary tax-deductible contributions for PAHO health and education projects in the Americas may be made to the Pan American Health Organization and Education Foundation (PAHEF).
http://www.paho.org/english/paho/what-paho.htm
Overview of WHO
The World Health Organization, the United Nations specialized agency for health, was established on 7 April 1948. WHO's objective, as set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
WHO is governed by 192 Member States through the World Health Assembly. The Health Assembly is composed of representatives from WHO's Member States. The main tasks of the World Health Assembly are to approve the WHO programme and the budget for the following biennium and to decide major policy questions.
The Secretariat is headed by the Director-General, who is nominated by the Executive Board and elected by Member States for a period of five years. Dr LEE Jong-wook took office as Director-General of the World Health Organization on 21 July 2003.
WHO's Secretariat is staffed by health professionals, other experts and support staff working at headquarters in Geneva, in the six regional offices and in countries. WHO's regional offices are:
In carrying out its activities, WHO's secretariat focuses its work on the following six core functions:
http://www.who.int/about/overview/en/
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations.
Today, FAO is one of the largest specialized agencies in the United Nations system and the lead agency for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development. An intergovernmental organization, FAO has 183 member countries plus one member organization, the European Community.
Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - defined as the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life.
Food production has increased at an unprecedented rate since FAO was founded in 1945, outpacing the doubling of the world’s population over the same period. Since the early 1960s, the proportion of hungry people in the developing world has been reduced from more than 50 percent to less than 20 percent. Despite these gains, however, more than 790 million people in the developing world - more than the total population of North America and Western Europe combined - still go hungry.
A specific priority of the Organization is encouraging sustainable agriculture and rural development, a long-term strategy for increasing food production and food security while conserving and managing natural resources. The aim is to meet the needs of both present and future generations by promoting development that does not degrade the environment and is technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.
Development assistance
FAO gives practical help to developing countries through a wide range of technical assistance projects. The Organization encourages an integrated approach, with environmental, social and economic considerations included in the formulation of development projects.
Information
FAO collects, analyses, interprets and disseminates information relating to nutrition, food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The Organization serves as a clearing-house, providing farmers, scientists, government planners, traders and non-governmental organizations with the information they need to make rational decisions on planning, investment, marketing, research and training.
Advice to governments
Drawing on its widespread information networks and the skills and experience of its technical staff, FAO provides independent advice on agricultural policy and planning, and on the administrative and legal structures needed for development. The organization also advises on national strategies for rural development, food security and the alleviation of poverty.
Neutral Forum
FAO provides a neutral forum where all nations can meet to discuss and formulate policy on major food and agriculture issues. FAO approves international standards and helps frame international conventions and agreements. It also hosts major conferences, technical meetings and consultations of experts.
http://www.fao.org/UNFAO/e/wmain-e.htm
The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of funding for the developing world. Its primary focus is on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries. It uses its financial resources, its staff, and extensive
experience to help developing countries reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve their quality of life.
The World Bank Group consists of five organizations:
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)" the International Development Association (IDA)" the International Finance Corporation (IFC)" the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)" and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)!
Established: July 1, 1944 by a conference of 44 governments in Bretton Woods" New Hampshire" USA
Membership: 184 countries
WHAT DOES THE WORLD BANK DO?
The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. Its primary focus is on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries. It uses its financial resources, its staff, and extensive experience to help developing countries reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve their quality of life.
Evaluating the impact of Bank-supported projects is critical in developing countries. Resources are scarce and must be channeled where they can have the largest effect. Monitoring helps project managers know if programs are reaching their intended beneficiaries or if these programs are ineffective and wasteful. The emphasis on monitoring and evaluation is part of the World Bank’s focus on actual results for poor people and on continuous learning about what does and does not work for future advice and support.
Over the past six decades, the Bank has learned that development
solutions need to be designed by countries to suit their own circumstances-one size does not fit all. The Bank brings a mix of money and knowledge to spur economic and social development, and helps put countries on track to reach the
internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals.
Working in partnership with more than 100 developing countries, the Bank is involved in a variety of different areas. Bank-supported projects help these countries invest in health and education, fight corruption, boost agricultural production, construct roads and ports, and protect the environment. Other programs are aimed at rebuilding war-torn countries or regions, providing basic services such as clean water, or encouraging investments that create jobs. In the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2002, the World Bank’s Board approved $19.5 billion in loans and grants for 229 projects.
HOW DOES THE BANK WORK?
All five agencies of the Bank play different, complementary roles.
BANKER
Over the years, the Bank has developed a variety of lending instruments to meet its borrowers’ needs. There are two main lending arms of the Bank - IBRD and IDA.
IBRD offers middle-income countries a cheap alternative for raising the funds they need to back reforms and public services. Countries that borrow from the IBRD have more time to repay than if they borrowed from a commercial Bank – 15 to 20 years with a three-to-five-year grace period before the repayment of principal begins. Developing country governments borrow money for specific programs, including poverty reduction efforts, delivery of social services, protection of the environment, and promotion of economic growth that will improve living standards. In fiscal 2002 IBRD provided loans totaling $11.5 billion in support of 96 projects in 40 countries.
IDA helps the world’s poorest countries reduce poverty by providing grants and “credits", which are loans at zero interest with a 10 year grace period and maturities of 35 to 40 years. These countries lack the financial ability to borrow from IBRD or from commercial markets. At present, 81 countries are eligible to borrow from IDA. Together these countries are home to 2.5 billion people, comprising half of the total population of the developing countries.
BROKER
Other sources of development funding include loans or grants from wealthier nations through bilateral agreements (ie., a borrowing agreement between two countries), from international organizations or groups of countries through multilateral agreements (ie., agreements among multiple countries), from export credit agencies, or from private business.
To help countries facing immediate budget crises, the major supporters of development established several trust funds administered by the Bank. Trust funds may be used to support critical investment operations, debt relief, emergency reconstruction, or technical assistance.
Finally, by covering noncommercial risks that the private sector and financial institutions are not normally prepared or willing to take on, MIGA guarantees encourage private investment in developing countries. The IFC works with the private sector in developing countries in order to encourage private investment.
DONOR
Although primarily a lending Institution, the World Bank Group oversees a number of grant facilities. The Development Grants Facility, for example, funds pilot projects that test innovative approaches and technologies in the solution of development problems. Bank grants have supported projects in the areas of
rural development, health, education economic policy, environmental protection, and private-sector development.
ADVISOR
World Bank advice draws on years of development experience, analysis, and research. In fact, the Bank is one of the world’s largest centers for research in the area of development economics, studying poverty, trade, globalization, and the environment. Additionally, each project has a research phase when Bank staff and their partners examine many factors that are important to a country’s economic and social health. These factors range from economic and trade prospects to poverty levels and whether safety nets are working. The Bank also has specialized departments that advise in areas of health, education, nutrition, financial services, justice, law, and environment.
KNOWLEDGE RESOURCE
In line with the Bank’s goal of helping countries help themselves, the World Bank Institute, the training arm of the Bank, offers teaching and informational programs, often in conjunction with local research and teaching institutions, to enhance members’ development skills. The World Bank Institute also develops
and maintains databases and networks for sharing knowledge on international development.
PARTNER
The World Bank’s main partners in development are its client country governments. However, the Bank also partners with organizations that are equally experienced or better placed to secure participation from stakeholders and local communities in developing countries. It has built, and continues to strengthen, partnerships with other multilateral development banks, United
Nations agencies, bilateral donors, and civil society organizations. The Bank is also developing more robust ties with academic institutions and the private sector.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTABOUTUS/Resources/
wbgroupbrochure.pdf
The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute was established in 1967 as a means of forging a regional approach to the solution of the nutrition problems of the Caribbean. The Institute is a specialized Centre of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). The total population served by Caribbean Food & Nutrition Institute is about six (6) million, a third of whom live in Jamaica.
Goal
The goal of CFNI is to attain food security and achieve optimal nutritional health for all peoples of the Caribbean.
Mission
The mission of CFNI is to work with Caribbean countries* to enhance describe, manage and prevent the key nutritional problems and to increase their capacity in providing effective nutritional services.
To carry out its mission, CFNI employs five strategies: Planning, Human Resource Development, Promotion and Information Dissemination, Resource Mobilization and Applied Research. The strategy of CFNI is based on the realities of:
- A changing epidemiologic pattern of nutritional disease
- An increasing demand by member countries for information and advice on the management and control of diet-related chronic diseases.
*Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Christopher-Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands.
Collaboration with CARICOM
The CFNI collaborates closely with the CARICOM secretariat in ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life in the Caribbean. This through the implementation of activities emanating from the Regional Food and Nutrition Strategy (RFNS) particularly through activities in health care delivery system and the training programmes in food economics and food and nutrition policy and planning.
Fundamental Purpose
The fundamental purpose of the CFNI is to improve the food and nutrition situation in its member countries through five types of activities, namely: service, education and training, information dissemination, coordination, and research. Each activity is carried out in collaboration with member governments.
STRUCTURE
Governing Bodies
The CFNI is a specialized centre of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) which represents the World Health Organization (WHO) in the region of the Americas. In addition to its parent body (PAHO/WHO), the institute is also responsible to an Advisory Committee on Policy which the member governments form the majority. Technically it is guided by Scientific Advisory Committee the members of which are selected on the basis of their technical expertise in the field of food and nutrition.
Budget
The Institute has an annual budget made up of funds from: the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) which contributes more than fifty percent; Government quotas; and external funding.