Information is a strategic dimension of the actions of international organizations (IOs). In IOs as in other types of institutions, information and knowledge are required as a basis for sound decision making. But because of their global mandates and institutional reach, IOs are in a special situation. They occupy a specific niche in the global policy picture, both as aggregators of data produced by others and as producers of specific information, in particular at the global level, relating to subjects that are truly global in nature (for example, trade, peace and security, development and global environmental issues). Arguably, globalization and greater interconnectedness have contributed to increased policy demands for comprehensive and timely data and information on the part of IOs.