Bhutan - International cooperation

Bhutan joined the Colombo Plan organization in 1962 and became a UN member on 21 September 1971; it participates in ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, ITU, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, and WHO. Bhutan also belongs to the Asian Development Bank and G-77 and is a signatory to the Law of the Sea. In addition, Bhutan is a member of the nonaligned movement and was a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). In 1978, its office in New Delhi was accorded the status of an embassy. Bhutan maintains full diplomatic relations with all of the South Asia countries, as well as several countries in the Middle East and Europe.