What is a Permanent Observer?
Non-Member States of the 51³Ô¹Ï, which are members of one or more specialized agencies, can apply for the status of Permanent Observer. The status of a Permanent Observer is based purely on practice, and there are no provisions for it in the 51³Ô¹Ï Charter. The practice dates from 1946, when the Secretary-General accepted the designation of the Swiss Government as a Permanent Observer to the 51³Ô¹Ï. Observers were subsequently put forward by certain States that later became 51³Ô¹Ï Members, including Austria, Finland, Italy, and Japan. Switzerland became a UN Member on 10 September 2002.
Permanent Observers have free access to most meetings and relevant documentation.
Many regional and international organizations are also observers in the work and annual sessions of the General Assembly.