GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:24, 5 June 2023

Revision as of 16:34, 19 June 2023

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Conceived in 1997 to harmonize and integrate commercial, diplomatic and democratic relations among its member states, the GUAM treaty charter was signed in 2001 and today covers a population of over 57 million people. [[Uzbekistan]] was also a member of GUAM in the 1999–2005 period. In 2003, GUAM became an observer in the [[United Nations General Assembly|UN General Assembly]]. In 2007, GUAM also established a military [[peacekeeping]] force and organized joint military exercises. Such increasingly deepened integration and relationships led to GUAM playing an important role in the region's diplomatic and commercial affairs.

The officialagreement negotiatingon languagea ofFree GUAMTrade was Russian, but itArea was scrappedsigned in favor of English in 20142002. In 2017, additional agreements on a [[free-trade area]] were establishedannounced, forbut the firstFTA timehas not been ratified and has not entered into force.<ref>https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/guam-2-0-can-free-trade-revive-the-forgotten-regional-bloc/</ref>

The official negotiating language of GUAM was Russian, but it was scrapped in favor of English in 2014.

==History==

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{{Supranational PostSoviet Bodies|size=250px|align=right}}

== Free Trade Area negotiations ==

An Agreement on Establishment of Free Trade Area between the GUUAM Participating States was signed on July 20, 2002. <ref>https://guam-organization.org/en/protocol-on-rules-for-determining-the-country-of-origin-of-goods-to-the-agreement-on-establishment-of-free-trade-area-between-the-guuam-participating-states/</ref>

In 2017 Ukraine announced agreements on a [[free-trade area]] and harmonization of customs procedures among its member states.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kmu.gov.ua/en/news/249849049|website=[[Government of Ukraine]]|access-date=13 November 2020|date=27 March 2017|title=In the framework of the GUAM summit governments of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova signed protocols on the establishment of the FTA and mutual recognition of results of customs control procedures

}}</ref>

At the 77th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly held in New York on September 20, 2022, the Foreign Ministers of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) members came together on the sidelines and held the 39th Cabinet meeting of GUAM. After the meeting, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova signed a protocol on the determination of the country of origin of the goods. In addition, it was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine that a free trade zone was established between the GUAM countries.<ref>https://www.ankasam.org/free-zone-developed-in-the-shadow-of-the-russia-ukraine-war-economies-of-guam/?lang=en</ref><ref>https://guam-organization.org/en/protocol-on-rules-for-determining-the-country-of-origin-of-goods-to-the-agreement-on-establishment-of-free-trade-area-between-the-guuam-participating-states/</ref>

The Free Trade Area has not been ratified and has not entered into force. It is too soon to be sure whether GUAM member states will ratify the free trade area soon or if the project will be placed on hiatus. There is also the question about to what extent an FTA could help financially GUAM countries compared to other projects, such as European Union membership or the Middle Corridor. GUAM is a regional bloc that has not demonstrated its usefulness to its member states compared to other organizations or projects that GUAM member states are part of.<ref>https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/guam-2-0-can-free-trade-revive-the-forgotten-regional-bloc/</ref>

== Members ==