Western European and Others Group

WEOG Member States

The Western European and Others Group (WEOG) is one of several unofficial Regional Groups in the United Nations that act as voting blocs and negotiation forums. Regional voting blocs were formed in 1961 to encourage voting to various UN bodies from regional groups. Almost all members are in Western Europe, but the WEOG is unusual in that geography is not the sole defining factor; Europe is divided between the WEOG and the Eastern European Group, and the WEOG also contains Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, which are culturally and politically descended from Western European states but are located far away from them. The group also contains one observer, United States (which cannot vote but can put forward candidates for the General Assembly), and one temporary full member, Israel (on a basis of "permanent renewal of temporary full membership").

There are 28 member states, as of 2010.

WEOG Member States

Western European permanent members, belonging to WEOG exclusively

• Andorra
• Austria
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece

• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• Netherlands

• Norway
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom

Other permanent members, belonging to WEOG exclusively

• Australia
• Canada
• New Zealand

Permanent Members belonging to WEOG not on an exclusive basis

• Turkey participates fully in both WEOG and the Asian Group, but for electoral purposes is considered a member of WEOG only.

Members belonging to WEOG exclusively, on a basis of permanent renewal of temporary full membership

• Israel: In May 2000, Israel, though naturally a part of the Asian Group in geographical terms but with membership blocked by Arab countries, became a WEOG full member, on a temporary basis (subject to renewal), in WEOG's headquarters in the US, thereby enabling it to put forward candidates for election to various UN General Assembly bodies. In 2004, Israel obtained a permanent renewal to its membership (in WEOG's headquarters in US, while remaining an observer at the UN offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Rome and Vienna). On June 14, 2005, Dan Gillerman was elected to the position of Vice-President of the 60th UN General Assembly. The last Israeli to hold this position was UN envoy Abba Eban in 1952. Israel's candidacy was put forward by the United Nations Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG). In this position, Gillerman played a central role during the initial negotiation stages of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

WEOG Observers

• United States: Voluntarily chooses not to be a member, and attends meetings as an observer only. However, it is considered to be a member for putting forward candidates for electoral purposes in the United Nations General Assembly.

Suggestions to re-arrange the group

In 2000, the first anniversary of Nauru's UN membership in the Asian Group prompted a call by that country for a new Oceania regional grouping including Australia and New Zealand within the United Nations regional voting system.

WEOG and elections

Quotas for the five regional groups ensure that for most elections to UN bodies the number of seats available to members of the WEOG is set. For example, two of ten non-permanent seats of the Security Council are reserved for states from the Western European and Others Group. Similarly, 13 of ECOSOC's 54 members come from the WEOG.

See also

• United Nations Regional Groups
• Eastern European Group
• Israel, Palestine, and the United Nations
• List of members of the United Nations Security Council
• List of members of the United Nations Economic and Social Council

Official external links

• UN-HABITAT's Global Report on Human Settelments, 2007 (pp. 330, 335); PDF document at UN-HABITAT website.
• UNAIDS, The Governance Handbook, January 2010 (p. 29); PDF document at UN-AIDS website.
• Official list of regional groups (p. 2); PDF document at UN website.