ALBA
- Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda
- Bolivia Bolivia
- Dominica Dominica
- Ecuador Ecuador
- Cuba Cuba
- Nicaragua Nicaragua
- Saint Lucia St. Lucia
- Saint Vincent Grenadines St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Venezuela Venezuela
English, Spanish
Nationally different, general billing currency SUCRE
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America - Trade Agreement of Peoples ( Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos Spanish de Nuestra América - Tratado de Comercio de los Pueblos, ALBA -TCP) is an economic and political alliance of currently nine countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Alliance should represent an alternative to the planned by the United States of the Americas FTAA.
The name of the Latin American independence fighter against Spanish colonial rule Simón Bolívar was chosen for symbolic reasons. Also Bolívar pursued plans to build a common Latin America, which is independent of Europe and the United States. The abbreviation Alba is also the Spanish word for dawn.
Member States
Members of the ALBA are:
- Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda
- Bolivia Bolivia
- Dominica Dominica
- Ecuador Ecuador
- Cuba Cuba
- Nicaragua Nicaragua
- Saint Lucia St. Lucia
- Saint Vincent Grenadines St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Venezuela Venezuela
A member of ALBA was:
- Honduras Honduras (2008-2010)
Observers of the ALBA are:
- Grenada Grenada
- Haiti Haiti
- Paraguay Paraguay
- Suriname Suriname
- Uruguay Uruguay
- Iran Iran
Principle
The aim of ALBA is to become less dependent on the U.S. and Europe in Latin America and the Caribbean through economic cooperation between the countries of the region.
For this purpose between the States dedicated cooperation agreements, for example in the energy sector, completed. Here, one tries to solidary trade relations. Frequently, for example, the trade partners of Venezuela have the option to pay supplies of crude oil with goods or services ( barter ). An independent free trade zone is initially not foreseen in the framework of ALBA.
Structure
History
The idea of an alternative to the planned by the United States of the Americas FTAA, which would have been dominated by the U.S., Hugo Chavez presented for the first time in December 2001 at the III. Summit of Caribbean leaders on Margarita Island in Venezuela before.
The Alliance was created in late 2004 as a cooperation between Venezuela and Cuba under the name Alternativa Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América. In April 2006, Bolivia joined the alliance. This was followed by Nicaragua (March 2007), Dominica (January 2008), Honduras (August 2008) and in June 2009, Ecuador, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
In June 2009, the new name Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América was accepted for the Alliance.
First agreement between Venezuela and Cuba
The first agreement in the framework of ALBA was signed between Venezuela and Cuba on 14 December 2004 and included, inter alia, the supply of oil to Cuba, which was paid by the posting of Cuban doctors to Venezuela, as well as the creation of the submarine cable ALBA 1
Accession of Bolivia in 2006
On April 29, 2006 Bolivia joined the agreement with the signing of the Trade Agreement of Peoples ( Tratado de Comercio de los Pueblos, TCP) at. The contract between Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia agreements include inter alia assistance in establishing a national Bolivian airline and support for Bolivian literacy programs and health care. Venezuela and Cuba also pledged Bolivian soybeans to buy, thus attenuating the negative effects of free trade agreements for Bolivia, the Peru and Colombia had signed with the United States.
Increased collaboration and expansion
2007
In February 2007, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed a political declaration in support of the ALBA.
On 27 March 2007 the Nicaraguan parliament ratified the accession to ALBA in Nicaragua.
The 5th Summit of ALBA was held in Barquisimeto, Venezuela on April 28 and 29, 2007. Participants were, inter alia, the leaders of the four member countries Hugo Chávez ( Venezuela), Carlos Lage (Cuba) as a proxy for Fidel Castro, Evo Morales ( Bolivia ) and Daniel Ortega ( Nicaragua). In addition, the leaders of the Caribbean countries of Haiti, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were present. Uruguay and Ecuador also sent delegates.
Numerous cooperation agreements have been signed at this summit between the countries, in particular in the energy sector. Venezuela was ready to supply the other countries of the alliance with oil and that price discounts of up to 50 percent compared to the world market price. In addition, to be expanded existing in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica and new refineries built or. As part of an energy policy alliance is also the energy efficiency is improved and the use of natural gas, which is funded in Bolivia and Venezuela, to be expanded.
Between Venezuela and Cuba, it was agreed that a joint state steel company based in Venezuela is to be established, which will be able to produce 500 million tons of steel. With another joint venture, the nickel inventories of Cuba should be promoted more and put on the market.
In the political declarations, the Heads of State and Government to support the right of Venezuela to the sovereign decision on the use of the electromagnetic spectrum and not to renew the license of the channel RCTV so far. In this context, trying to escape from the Organization of American States ( OAS) President Chavez explained if the human rights court of this organization speaks Venezuela guilty in this matter.
In addition, the member countries of the ALBA agreed, at the suggestion of Bolivia from the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, an organization of the World Bank to withdraw.
For the first time fixed structures were in 2007 for the ALBA created: A Presidential Council, a Council of Foreign Ministers, numerous working groups, a permanent commission and an Assembly of Social Movements.
During a visit by Chavez in July 2007 in Tehran, it was announced that Iran will participate as observers in the future of ALBA.
2008
After the President of Panama and Honduras next to Hugo Chavez appeared at the celebration of the 28th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution in Managua, Chavez had provided them with a membership of ALBA in view.
On the 6th Summit of ALBA, which until January 26, 2008 held from 24 in Caracas, the island nation of Dominica acceded to the Community. Here also the first projects on the small island were approved. At this meeting also has its own development bank, the Banco del ALBA was established to promote the development of member countries. It is intended to finance the resulting under the ALBA transnational corporations contribute to the synchronization of the savings of the ALBA countries, promote the establishment of an internal market of the States Alliance and enable a higher level of investment. The Bank is managed at two levels: by a Council of Ministers, in which the Member States are represented, and by an Executive Committee, whose presidency rotated regularly. According to the agreement, approximately 53 million people are beneficiaries of social and productive projects will be financed by the Bank. The Statute of the Bank was decided in late March 2008 in Caracas. On this occasion, it was also decided that 10 social projects and 5 companies to be financed in a first phase. The start-up capital amounts to 2 billion U.S. dollars. The Bank is headquartered in Caracas and a branch in Havana.
On 25 August 2008 Honduras joined ALBA. The accession was ratified by the Honduran Parliament on 9 October 2008. Beneficiaries of accession were the Honduran small farmers for Venezuela loans totaling $ 30 million awarded and 100 tractors supplied. In addition, Venezuela supported the Honduran programs in education and health as well as in residential construction.
Against the backdrop of the financial crisis from 2007, Member States of the Alliance decided on 26 November 2008 on their third summit to establish its own currency zone with a common currency, the SUCRE, to achieve greater independence from the international financial markets and before crises and protect its consequences. In this framework, a joint fund for the stabilization of monetary reserves and a long-term continuous investment policy should be established. The day after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev of the ALBA offered that Russia wants to join the confederation as " associate member or in any other way ." Russian news agencies also reported that Russia could become a full member.
2009
Immediately prior to the Summit of the Americas in April 2009 in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, the Member States of the ALBA arrived in Cumana to a special summit together. In this case, most notably the invitation of Cuba to future summits and the resumption of this country in the Organization of American States, the common positions were discussed. The establishment of the regional currency SUCRE has been officially decided. Ecuador and Paraguay participated as observers.
On the VI. Summit in June 2009 in Maracay States Ecuador, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were accepted as new members. It was decided to replace the word Alternativa on behalf of the organization by the word Alianza.
On 15 December 2009 coup president Roberto Micheletti told the outlet Honduras from ALBA. The next day he handed the corresponding decree of the Congress of the country to confirm. The parliament ratified the exit on 12 January 2010. Resistance movement against the coup, declared, however, continue to remain part of ALBA.
2010
Since 27 January 2010, the regional currency SUCRE exists as an intergovernmental monetary unit to facilitate the economic integrity. First financial transactions with this currency were first completed on 3 February 2010. Venezuela had received 108,000 SUCRE of Cuba for the export of rice. The conversion rate U.S. $ 1.25 per SUCRE has been set.
2012
At the eleventh Ordinary Summit of ALBA on February 5, 2012, the Heads of State and Government of the Member States unanimously adopted a resolution to begin by the Santa Lucia and Suriname the process of obtaining full membership in the community of solidarity Petrocaribe, to then be full members of the ALBA. Just like Haiti they are now available as " Guest of Honor Members ".
Other initiatives
Also initiated by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez projects such as Telesur, Petrosur, Petrocaribe and Banco del Sur serve the goal of intensifying the cooperation between the countries of Latin America. Here also other countries of this continent are involved in addition to the ALBA members, including Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
In May 2008, the Union of South American Nations was founded ( UNASUR ), a confederation of all 12 South American countries.