The Bureau of International Organization Affairs, domestically and through its seven missions, develops and implements U.S. policy in the United Nations, its specialized and voluntary agencies, and other international organizations. Our mission is to enhance U.S. leadership and influence throughout the multilateral system, advance U.S. interests through multilateral diplomacy, and help shape multilateral institutions into more efficient and effective instruments to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

  • Office of Economic and Development Affairs (IO/EDA): Ensures that U.S. interests are effectively advanced in negotiations and debates on economic and development issues throughout the United Nations system. In doing so IO/EDA works closely with U.S. Missions to the UN in New York, Geneva, Rome, and Nairobi. IO/EDA core issues include those related to economic growth, sustainable development, financing for development, international development goals (such as the Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 development agenda), food security, global health and population, the wellbeing of children, and urbanization.
  • Office of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs (IO/HRH): Advances U.S. human rights policy through the United Nations, including the Human Rights Council, UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, ECOSOC, and across its specialized agencies. IO/HRH also reflects U.S. policy and objectives in the UN’s humanitarian system, which includes the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA); it coordinates multilateral humanitarian assistance and addresses global humanitarian crises, including those caused by political conflict. Through its work with the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), IO/HRH coordinates multilateral responses to both natural and manmade disasters, as well as efforts to mitigate risks of natural disasters. IO/HRH also coordinates U.S. participation in the UN Democracy Fund, an initiative supporting civil society organizations carrying out democratization projects worldwide that the United States helped to create in 2005.
  • Office of International Conferences (IO/C): Accredits, instructs, and manages some 4,000 U.S. delegates to almost 400 multilateral conferences each year, ensuring that U.S. Government representation consists of those whose presence and participation reflect the highest possible value to U.S. foreign policy. The dedicated staff of 15 provides preparatory and on-site logistical support for nearly two dozen large conferences annually, and is committed to conscientious stewardship of the resources funded by America’s taxpayers.
  • Office of Management Policy and Resources (IO/MPR): Develops, coordinates, and implements U.S. policies within the UN system and in a broad range of non-UN organizations as they relate to financial, budgetary, administrative, and management issues. IO/MPR also promotes U.S. citizen employment in international organizations through public outreach and diplomatic engagement.
  • Office of Peace Operations, Sanctions & Counter-terrorism (IO/PSC): Leads the coordination and formulation of U.S. policy on UN peacekeeping operations, UN Security Council sanctions, and UN counter-terrorism activities. This includes active engagement on issues ranging from protecting civilians from lethal violence to counter-terrorism sanctions.
  • Office of Public Affairs, Planning, and Congressional Outreach (IO/PPC): Advances U.S. interests by communicating with global publics about U.S. priorities in international organizations, supporting outreach to Congress on U.S. multilateral activities, furthering the effectiveness of international organizations, and acting as the Bureau’s strategic planning element.
  • Office of Regional Policy and Coordination (IO/RPC): Ensures policy coherence and coordination in U.S. engagement in the multilateral system as a whole, including the UN and regional organizations; supports U.S. engagement in certain global and regional multilateral groupings (e.g. G-7); coordinates U.S. diplomacy on key Israeli-Palestinian multilateral issues; and oversees the bureau’s “Multilateral Moneyball” quantitative analysis initiative.
  • Office of Specialized and Technical Agencies (IO/STA): Handles U.S. participation in over 40 international organizations in order to enhance national security, build economic prosperity, and promote democracy. These organizations include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Universal Postal Union) UPU, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN’s other environmental activities, and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
  • Office of United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization Affairs (IO/UNESCO): Formulates and implements U.S. policy in UNESCO to contribute to building peace, eradicating poverty, sustainable development, and intercultural dialogue. The office also serves as the headquarters of the executive secretariat of the U.S. National Commission to UNESCO.
  • Office of United Nations Political Affairs (IO/UNP): Provides guidance and support to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) in New York on political matters before the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly (UNGA), and coordinates the State Department’s participation in the annual opening of UNGA.