Union of South American Nations
- Quito (Secretariat)
- Cochabamba ( General Assembly )
- Argentina Argentina
- Bolivia Bolivia
- Brazil Brazil
- Chile Chile
- Ecuador Ecuador
- Guyana Guyana
- Colombia Colombia
- Paraguay Paraguay
- Peru Peru
- Suriname Suriname
- Uruguay Uruguay
- Venezuela Venezuela
- English
- Dutch
- Portuguese
- Spanish
4.12 trillion U.S. $ (nominal, 2013)
U.S. $ 10,522 per capita (2013 )
August 23, 2008
- Argentine Peso
- Boliviano
- Real ( Brazil)
- Chilean Peso
- U.S. dollar ( Ecuador)
- Guyanese dollar
- Colombian Peso
- Guaraní (Paraguay )
- New Sol (Peru )
- Suriname Dollars
- Uruguayan Peso
- Bolívar (Venezuela )
- South American Parliament
- Bank of the South ( BANSUR )
- Initiative for Regional Infrastructure Integration in South America ( IIRSA )
The Union of South American Nations ( Unión de Naciones Suramericanas UNASUR Spanish, Portuguese União Sul - Americanas the Naçoes UNASUL, English Union of South American Nations, Dutch Unie van Zuid- Amerikaanse Naties ) is an international organization of the twelve South American countries. The founding treaty was signed in Brasilia ( Brazil) on 23 May 2008. The main office of the State Union has its headquarters in Quito ( Ecuador), the general meeting in Cochabamba (Bolivia ). Observer status have Mexico and Panama.
Member States
The founding treaty was signed by all twelve independent countries of South America: The members of the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru), the members of Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela ), the two members of the Caribbean Community ( Guyana and Suriname) and Chile, which previously belonged to none of these communities. Paraguay was temporarily excluded from the UNASUR due to the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo. French Guiana and the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are therefore not engaged Euro- dependent territories.
Objectives
In the Memorandum states aim of the agreement was to combat " inequality, social exclusion, hunger, poverty and insecurity."
By the year 2025 the European Union similar integration is to be achieved. Are planned common currency ( " Sucre " ), Parliament and passports. The first project is the construction of 2,600 kilometers of road link " Transoceanica " of Brazil's Atlantic coast to the Pacific Ocean in Peru. In addition to economic integration, the majority of Member States wants to establish with the Union's common foreign and security policy.
Currently, it is however unlikely that the medium with an intergovernmental cooperation is similar to that expected of the European Union since the willingness to integrate in some countries is still low. The recent South American countries alliances Mercosur, the Andean Community, Caribbean Community have been suffering for many years from a lack of willingness of its members to assign extensive powers to the supranational alliances.
History
Even before the founding of the community, there were South American integration efforts. The former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso had already tried unsuccessfully to bring the countries of the continent to negotiate, among other things, to push back the influence of the United States.
On 16 December 2003, the member countries of Mercosur and the Andean Community signed an agreement on a common free trade zone.
Preceded the cooperation were three summits that took place in the years 2000, 2002 and 2004. At the Third Summit on 8 December 2004 in the Peruvian Cusco, the 180th anniversary of the Battle of Ayacucho, which had in 1824 marked the end of Spanish colonial rule, the presidents or representatives from twelve South American nations signed the Cuzco Declaration. This was a two-page decision in which they pledged to harmonize their policies and liberalize trade. The existing agreements of Mercosur and the Andean Pact should be merged to form a large free trade zone. The formally founded loose confederation of states operated under the name South American Community of Nations ( Comunidad Sudamericana de Naciones Spanish, Portuguese Comunidade Sul - Americana de Naçoes, English South American Community of Nations, Dutch Zuid- Amerikaanse Statengemeenschap, abbreviated as CSN).
In April 2007 it was decided that the main Secretariat of the Union in Quito ( Ecuador) to set up and customize the name of the intensive cooperation.
The May 2007 provided for the Office of the Secretary former Ecuadorian President Rodrigo Borja moved back one day before the signing of the Memorandum his candidacy, since it was not sufficient that provided for the office decision-making powers.
On 10 March 2009 a joint Defence was established, but does not see itself as a conventional military alliance, but as a discussion forum of defense ministers of the member countries.
On 4 May 2010 the Argentine ex-president Néstor Kirchner was at a summit in Campana (Argentina ), elected for two years for the first official performing Secretary General of UNASUR. However, he died a short time later, on October 27, 2010. Successor is since 9 May 2011, the former Colombian Foreign Minister María Emma Mejía.
Indicators
In the Member States of the Union of South American Nations about 390 million inhabitants living in an area of approximately 17.5 million square kilometers. With a Human Development Index of over 0.81 Chile and Argentina have a very high level of development, most states as those of the former major of Colombia are in the global midfield and Guyana is at 0.63 the least developed nation in South America dar.
1The data in Africa are roughly estimated.
The member countries of UNASUR have over the world's largest crude oil reserves, the largest water reserves, taking second place in the natural gas reserves, and three Member States falls under a quarter of the global Zinnvorkommens. In addition, extending around the Amazon (yet ) largest area of tropical rain forests.
Organs
In addition to a general secretary and a parliament, the establishment of three councils is provided:
- A council of heads of state, once scheduled to meet in the year,
- A Council of Foreign Ministers and
- A council of delegates from the various countries.
Meanwhile, a total of twelve other councils in the development phase in the following areas:
- Defense
- Economy and Finance
- Energy
- Infrastructure and Planning
- Science, Technology and Innovation
- Social Development
- Health
- Education
- Culture
- Security, Justice and coordinating action against organized transnational crime
- Solution of the global drug problem
The presidency rotates on an annual basis between the Member States. In support of the other decisions cooperation was founded by seven UNASUR States on 26 September 2009, the Bank of the South. This is not yet fully established, but will in future form the financial foundation of the Union.
Quotes
"We are witnessing a historic event, with the dream of the Liberator Simón Bolívar after 180 years to become reality. Today, we are creating a new country with 361 million inhabitants. "
" With the establishment of a community is a step in the right direction has been made to realize the dream of Bolívar and our liberators. "