The 1990 election victory of President Violeta Chamorro placed Nicaragua in the ranks of Latin American democracies. Nicaragua pursues an independent foreign policy. President Chamorro was instrumental in obtaining considerable international assistance for her government's efforts to improve living conditions for Nicaraguans--the country is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Her administration also negotiated substantial reductions in the country's foreign debt burden. A participant of the Central American Security Commission (CASC), Nicaragua also has taken a leading role in pressing for regional demilitarization and peaceful settlement of disputes within states in the region. Nicaragua has submitted two territorial disputes, one with Honduras and the other with Colombia, to the International Court at The Hague for resolution. Nicaragua and Costa Rica also dispute jurisdiction over the Rio San Juan , which delimits the boundary between the two countries. At the 1994 Summit of the Americas, Nicaragua joined six Central American neighbors in signing the Alliance for Sustainable Development , known as the Conjunta Centroamerica-USA or CONCAUSA, to promote sustainable economic development in the region.

Nicaragua belongs to the United Nations and several specialized and related agencies, including:

• World Bank
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• World Trade Organization (WTO)
• UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• International Labor Organization (ILO)
• UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC)
• Organization of American States (OAS)
• Non-aligned Movement (NAM)
• International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA)
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
• Central American Common Market (CACM)
• Central America Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).

Nicaragua maintains relations with the Republic of China instead of the People's Republic of China.

International Disputes

Territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank ; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Honduras in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

Alleged trans-shipment point for cocaine destined for the US and trans-shipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing.

See also

Nicaragua