Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations - Wikisource, the free online library Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations From Wikisource Jump to: navigation , search Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations Source: Ministry of External Relations of Brazil: Text of the Treaty 202884Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations The Republic of Argentina, the Republic of Bolivia, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Chile, the Republic of Colombia, the Republic of Ecuador, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the Republic of Paraguay, the Republic of Peru, the Republic of Suriname, the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Contents PREAMBLE[ edit ] BASED on the shared history and solidarity of our multiethnic, multilingual and multicultural nations, which have fought for the emancipation and unity of South America, honouring the vision of those who forged our independence and freedom in favour of that union and the building of a common future; INSPIRED by the Cusco Declaration (December 8th, 2004), the Brasilia Declaration (September 30th, 2005) and the Cochabamba Declaration (December 9th, 2006); AFFIRMING their determination to build a South American identity and citizenship and to develop an integrated regional space in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, energy and infrastructure dimensions, for the strengthening of Latin America and Caribbean unity; CONVINCED that the South American integration and South American unity are necessary to promote the sustainable development and wellbeing of our peoples, and to contribute to the solution of the problems which still affect our region, such as persistent poverty, social exclusion and inequality; CERTAIN that integration is a decisive step towards the strengthening of multilateralism and the rule of law in international relations in order to achieve a multipolar, balanced and just world, in which

 the sovereign equality of States and a culture of peace prevail and in a world free of nuclear weapons and of weapons of mass destruction; CONFIRMING that both South American integration and the South American union are based on the guiding principles of: unlimited respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and inviolability of States; self-determination of the peoples; solidarity; cooperation; peace; democracy, citizen participation and pluralism; universal, interdependent and indivisible human rights; reduction of asymmetries and harmony with nature for a sustainable development; UNDERSTANDING that South American integration should be achieved through an innovative process, which would include the progress achieved so far by the MERCOSUR and CAN processes, as well as the experiences of Chile, Guyana and Suriname, and which goes beyond the convergence among them; CONSCIOUS that the process of building a South American integration and union is ambitious in its strategic objectives and will be flexible and gradual in its implementation, ensuring that each State honour its commitments according to its own reality; RATIFYING that fully functioning democratic institutions and the unrestricted respect for human rights are essential conditions for building a common future of peace, economic and social prosperity and for the development of integration processes among the Member States; AGREE: Article 1 Constitution Of UN

ASUR[ edit ] The States Party to this Treaty decide to constitute the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) as an entity with international juridical character.

Article 2 Objective[ edit ] The objective of the South American Union of Nations is to build, in a participatory and consensual manner, an integration and union among its peoples in the cultural, social, economic and political fields, prioritizing political dialogue, social policies, education, energy, infrastructure, financing and the environment, among others, with a view to eliminating socioeconomic inequality, in order to achieve social inclusion and participation of civil society, to strengthen democracy and reduce asymmetries within the framework of strengthening the sovereignty and independence of the States.

Article 3 Specific Objectives[ edit ] The South American Union of Nations has the following objectives: bb) The strengthening of the political dialogue among Member States to guarantee a space for consultation in order to reinforce South American integration and the participation of UNASUR in the international arena; cc) The inclusive and equitable social and human development in order to eradicate poverty and overcome inequalities in the region; dd) The eradication of illiteracy, the universal access to quality education and the regional recognition of courses and titles; ee) Energy integration for the integral and sustainable use of the resources of the region, in a spirit of solidarity; ff) The development of an infrastructure for the interconnection of the region and among our peoples, based on sustainable social and economic development criteria; gg) Financial integration through the adoption of mechanisms compatible with the economic and fiscal policies of Member States; hh) The protection of biodiversity, water resources and ecosystems, as well as cooperation in the prevention of catastrophes and in combating the causes and effects of climate change; ii) The development of concrete and effective mechanisms to overcome asymmetries, thus achieving an equitable integration; jj) The consolidation of a South American identity through the progressive recognition of the rights of nationals of a Member State resident in any of the

 other Member States, with the aim of attaining a South American citizenship; kk) Universal access to social security and health services; ll) Cooperation on issues of migration with a holistic approach, based on an unrestricted respect for human and labour rights, for migratory regularisation and harmonisation of policies; mm) Economic and commercial cooperation to achieve progress and consolidation of an innovative, dynamic, transparent, equitable and balanced process focused on an effective access, promoting economic growth and development to overcome asymmetries by means of the complementarities of the economies of the countries of South America, as well as the promotion of the wellbeing of all sectors of the population and the reduction of poverty; nn) Industrial and productive integration, focusing especially on the important role that small and medium size enterprises, cooperatives, networks and other forms of productive organisation may play; oo) The definition and implementation of common or complementary policies and projects of research, innovation, technological transfer and technological production, aimed at enhancing the region’s own capacity, sustainability and technological development; pp) The promotion of cultural diversity and the expression of the traditions and knowledge of the peoples of the region, in order to strengthen their sense of identity; qq) Citizen participation through mechanisms for interaction and dialogue between UNASUR and the various social

 actors in the formulation of South American integration policies; rr) Coordination among specialised bodies of the Member States, taking into account international norms, in order to strengthen the fight against corruption, the global drug problem, trafficking in persons, trafficking in small and light weapons, terrorism, transnational organised crime and other threats as well as for disarmament, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, and elimination of landmines; ss) The promotion of cooperation among the judicial authorities of the Member States of UNASUR.

tt) The exchange of information and experiences in matters of defence; uu) Cooperation for the strengthening of citizen security; vv) Sectoral cooperation as a mechanism to deepen South American integration, through the exchange of information, experiences and capacity building. Article 4 Bodies[ edit ] The Bodies of UNASUR are: 1. The Council of Heads of State and Government 2. The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs 3. The Council of Delegates 4. The General Secretariat Article 5 Institutional Development[ edit ] Sectoral Ministerial Meetings, and meetings of the Councils at Ministerial level, Working Groups and other institutional levels may be convened as required on a permanent or temporary basis, in order to fulfil the mandates and recommendations of the competent bodies. These bodies will report on their activities through the Council of Delegates, which will present its findings to the Council of Heads of State and Government or to the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, as appropriate. The agreements adopted by the Sectoral Ministerial Meetings, Councils at Ministerial level, Working Groups and other institutional levels will be submitted for consideration by the competent body which has summoned or created them.

The Energy Council of South America, created by the Declaration of Margarita (April 17th, 2007), is part of UNASUR. Article 6 The Council of Heads of State and Government[ edit ] The Council of Heads of State and Government is the highest organ of UNASUR. Its responsibilities are: a) To establish policy guidelines, plans of action, programmes and projects of the South American integration process and to decide on the priorities to be implemented; b) To summon Sectoral Ministerial Meetings and to create Councils at Ministerial level; c) To decide on the proposals presented by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs; d) To adopt the political guidelines for relation with third parties; The ordinary meetings of the Council of Heads of State and Government will be held annually. Upon the request of a Member State, extraordinary meetings may be summoned through the Pro Tempore Presidency, subject to the consensus of all Member States of UNASUR. Article 7 The Pro Tempore Presidency[ edit ] The Pro Tempore Presidency of UNASUR will be held successively by each of the Member States, in alphabetical order, for periods of one year.

Its responsibilities are: a) To prepare, summon and preside over the meetings of the bodies of UNASUR; b) To present to the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and to the Council of Delegates the annual program of activities of UNASUR, with dates, venues and agenda of the meetings of its bodies in coordination with the General Secretariat; c) To represent UNASUR in international events, with the prior authorization of the Member States; d) To undertake commitments and to sign Declarations with third parties, with prior consent of the appropriate bodies of UNASUR.

Article 8 The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs[ edit ] The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs has the following functions: a) To adopt Resolutions in order to implement the Decisions of the Council of Heads of State and Government; b) To propose draft Decisions and prepare the meetings of the Council of Heads of State and Government; c) To coordinate positions on central themes of South American integration; d) To develop and promote political dialogue and coordination on themes of regional and international interest; e) To oversee and evaluate the integration process as a whole; f) To approve the annual Programme of activities and the annual working budget of UNASUR; g) To approve the financing of the common initiatives of UNASUR; h) To implement the policy guidelines for relations with third parties; i) To approve resolutions and regulations of an institutional nature or on other themes falling within its jurisdiction; j) To create Working Groups based on the priorities established by the Council of Heads of State and Government. The ordinary meetings of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be held every semester and may be convened by the Pro Tempore Presidency on an extraordinary basis at the request of half of the Member States.

Article 9 The Council of Delegates[ edit ] The Council of Delegates has the following functions: a) To implement, through the adoption of the appropriate Provisions, the Decisions of the Council of Heads of State and Government, and the Resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Pro Tempore Presidency and the General Secretariat; b) To prepare the meetings of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs; c) To prepare draft Decisions, Resolutions and Regulations for the consideration of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs; d) To ensure the compatibility and to coordinate the initiatives of UNASUR with other existing regional and subregional integration processes in order to promote the complementarity of efforts; e) To establish, coordinate and oversee the Working Groups; f) To oversee the political dialogue and consultation and coordination on issues of regional and international interest; g) To encourage the opportunities for dialogue so as to facilitate citizen participation in the South American integration process; h) To propose to the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, for its consideration and approval, the draft ordinary annual working budget. The Council of Delegates is composed of one accredited representative of each Member State.

It will meet preferably every two months, in the territory of the State which occupies the Pro Tempore Presidency or another agreed venue. Article 10 The General Secretariat[ edit ] The General Secretariat is the body that, under the leadership of the Secretary General, executes the mandates conferred upon it by the organs of UNASUR and represents them accordingly. Its headquarters shall be the city of Quito, Ecuador.

Its responsibilities shall be: a) To support the Council of Heads of States and Government, the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Delegates and the Pro Tempore Presidency in the fulfilment of their duties; b) To propose initiatives and to oversee the implementation of the directives of the organs of UNASUR; c) To participate with the right to speak and to perform the role of secretary in the meetings of the organs of UNASUR; d) To prepare and submit the Annual Report and the respective reports to the corresponding organs of UNASUR; e) To serve as depository of the Agreements in the framework of UNASUR and to arrange for their respective publication; f) To prepare the draft Annual Budget for the consideration of the Council of Delegates and to adopt the necessary measures for its proper management and execution; g) To prepare the draft Regulations for the functioning of the General Secretariat and to submit them for the consideration and approval of the corresponding organs; h) To coordinate with other integration and cooperation entities of Latin America and the Caribbean with a view to developing those activities requested by the bodies of UNASUR; i) To execute, according to the regulations, all the legal acts necessary for the proper administration and management of the General

 Secretariat; The Secretary General shall be appointed by the Council of Heads of State and Government, following a proposal by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, for a term of two years, renewable only once.

The Secretary General shall not be succeeded by a person of the same nationality. During the exercise of his or her functions, the Secretary General and the staff of the General Secretariat shall be exclusively dedicated to UNASUR and will not request, neither accept, instructions from any Government nor any authority other than UNASUR, and will refrain from acting in a manner inconsistent with their status as international civil servants with sole responsibility to this international organisation. The Secretary General shall be the legal representative of the General Secretariat. In the selection of the employees of the General Secretariat, an equitable representation for each Member State will be guaranteed, taking into account, as far as possible, criteria of gender, language, ethnicity and others. Article 11 Juridical Sources[ edit ] The juridical sources of UNASUR are the following: 1. The Constitutive Treaty of UNASUR and other additional instruments; 2. The Agreements concluded by the Member States of UNASUR as a consequence of the instruments mentioned in the item above; 3. The Decisions of the Council of Heads of State and Government; 4. The Resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs; 5. The Provisions of the Council of Delegates.

Article 12 Approval of the Legislative Measures[ edit ] All the norms of UNASUR will be adopted by consensus. The Decisions of the Council of Heads of State and Government, the Resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Provisions of the Council of Delegates may be adopted with the presence of at least three quarters (3/4) of the Member States. The Decisions of the Council of Heads of State and Government, the Resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs adopted without the presence of all Member States, shall be forwarded by the Secretary General to the absent States, which shall make known their position within thirty (30) days after receipt of the document in the appropriate language. In the case of the Council of Delegates, that deadline shall be fifteen (15) days. The Working Groups shall hold sessions and make proposals as long as they have a quorum of half plus one of the Member States. The legislative measures emanating from the organs of UNASUR will be binding on the Member States once they have been incorporated into each Member State’s domestic law, according to its respective internal procedures.

Article 13 Adoption of Policies and Creation of Institutions, Organizations and Programmes[ edit ] One or more Member States may submit for the consideration of the Council of Delegates a proposal for adoption of policies, creation of common institutions, organisations and programmes which will be adopted in a consensual manner, on the basis of a flexible and gradual criteria of implementation according to the objectives of UNASUR and the provisions of Articles 5 and 12 of this Treaty. Programmes, institutions and organisations in which Member States participate prior to the entry into force of this Treaty may be considered as UNASUR programmes, institutions or organisations, in accordance with the procedures outlined in this article and in accordance with the objectives of this Treaty. The proposals will be submitted to the Council of Delegates. Once approved by consensus, they will be forwarded to the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and, subsequently, to the Council of Heads of State and Government, for approval by consensus. When a proposal has not obtained consensus, it may only be submitted to the Council of Delegates six months after its last inclusion in the agenda.

Once a proposal is approved by the highest body of UNASUR, three or more Member States may begin to implement it, provided that the possibility of inclusion of other Member States in such a common initiative is guaranteed and periodical reports of its implementation are presented to the Council of Delegates. Any Member State may completely or partially refrain from implementing an approved policy, be it for a period defined beforehand, or for an indefinite period, without preventing it from later joining the total or partial implementation of that policy. In the case of institutions, organisations or programmes which are created, any Member State may participate as an observer, or refrain from participating fully or partially for a definite or indefinite period. The adoption of policies and the creation of institutions, organisations and programmes will be regulated by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, following a proposal by the Council of Delegates. Article 14 Political Dialogue[ edit ] The political consultation and coordination among the Member States of UNASUR will be based on harmony and mutual respect, strengthening regional stability and supporting the preservation of democratic values and the promotion of human rights. Member States will reinforce the practice of consensus-building on the central themes on the international agenda and will promote initiatives that affirm the identity of the region as a dynamic factor in international relations.

Article 15 Relationship with Third Parties[ edit ] UNASUR will promote initiatives for dialogue on themes of regional or international interest and will seek to strengthen cooperation mechanisms with other regional groups, States and other entities with international legal character, focusing on projects in the areas of energy, financing, infrastructure, social policies, education and others to be identified. The Council of Delegates with the support of the Pro Tempore Presidency and the General Secretariat is responsible for overseeing the implementation of activities. For the purpose of achieving proper coordination, the Council of Delegates shall be informed of and consider the positions that UNASUR will adopt in its relationship with third parties. Article 16 Financing[ edit ] The Council of Delegates will propose to the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, for consideration and approval, the draft Annual Ordinary Budget for the functioning of the General Secretariat. The financing of the ordinary budget for the functioning of the General Secretariat will be based on differentiated contribution quotas of the Member States to be determined by a Resolution of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, following a proposal by the Council of Delegates, taking into account the economic capacity of the Member States, shared responsibility and the principle of equity.

Article 17 Parliament[ edit ] The creation of a South American Parliament, whose seat shall be the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, will be the subject of an Additional Protocol to the present Treaty. Article 18 Citizen Participation[ edit ] Full citizen participation in the process of South American integration and union will be promoted by means of dialogue and interaction in a broad, democratic, transparent, pluralistic, diverse and independent manner with the various social actors, establishing effective channels of information, consultation and supervision in the different bodies of UNASUR. The Member States and organs of UNASUR will promote innovative mechanisms and spaces to encourage discussion of various issues ensuring that the proposals submitted by civil society receive adequate consideration and response. Article 19 Associate States[ edit ] Other Latin American and Caribbean States that request participation as Associate States of UNASUR may be admitted with the approval of the Council of Heads of State and Government. The rights and obligations of the Associate States will be regulated by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Article 20 Accession of New Members[ edit ] After the fifth year of the entry into force of the present Treaty and taking into account the aim of strengthening Latin American and Caribbean unity, the Council of Heads of State and Government may consider requests for accession as Members States by Associate States, that have held such a status for four years, by means of a consensual recommendation by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The respective Protocols of Accession will enter into force 30 days after the completion of the ratification process by all Members States and the acceding State. Article 21 Dispute Settlement[ edit ] Any dispute that may emerge between States Parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the provisions of this Constitutive Treaty will be settled through direct negotiations. In the case where a solution is not reached through direct negotiation, the Member States involved will submit the dispute for the consideration of the Council of Delegates, which will formulate within 60 days, the appropriate recommendations for the settlement of the dispute. If a solution is not reached by the Council of Delegates, the dispute will be taken to the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which will consider it at its next meeting.

Article 22 Privileges and Immunities[ edit ] UNASUR shall enjoy in the territory of each of its Member States, the privileges and immunities necessary for the fulfilment of its functions. The representatives of the Member States of UNASUR and the international employees of UNASUR will therefore benefit from the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their functions with relation to this Treaty. UNASUR shall establish with the Republic of Ecuador the corresponding Headquarters Agreement which will establish the specific privileges and immunities. Article 23 Languages[ edit ] The official languages of the Union of South American Nations will be English, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. Article 24 Validity and Denunciation[ edit ] This treaty will have an indefinite validity. It may be denounced by any of the Member States by means of a written notification to the Depositary, which shall communicate such notification to the other Member States. The denunciation will have effect six (6) months after the date in which the notification is received by the Depositary. The notification of the denunciation shall not exempt the Member State of the obligation to pay outstanding ordinary contributions. Article 25 Amendments[ edit ] Any Member State may propose amendments to this Constitutive Treaty.

The proposed amendments will be communicated to the General Secretariat which shall notify the other Member States for its consideration by the bodies of UNASUR. The amendments approved by the Council of Heads of State and Government will follow the procedure established in article 26 for entry into force. Article 26 Entry Into Force[ edit ] The present Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations will enter into force thirty days after the date of receipt of the 9th instrument of ratification. The instruments of ratification will be deposited before the Government of the Republic of Ecuador, which will communicate the date of deposit to the other States, as well as the date of entry into force of this Constitutive Treaty. For the Member State which ratifies the Constitutive Treaty after the deposit of the 9th instrument of ratification, the Treaty will enter into force 30 days after the date in which that State deposits its instrument of ratification.

Article 27 Registration[ edit ] Transitory Article[ edit ] The Parties agree to appoint a Special Commission, coordinated by the Council of Delegates and composed of representatives of the National, Regional and Subregional Parliaments, with the objective of preparing a draft of an Additional Protocol which will be considered in the IV Summit of Heads of State and Government. This Commission will meet in the city of Cochabamba. Such an Additional Protocol will determine the composition, attributions and functioning of the South American Parliament. Done in the city of Brasilia, Brazil, on the 23rd day of the month of May of the year 2008, in original copies in the English, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch languages, the four texts being equally authentic.

The 2014 Draft Constitutive Agreement of the Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes of the UNASUR by Maria Gabriela Sarmiento :: SSRN December 14, 2015 Abstract: This document contains an unofficial translation in English of the 2014 draft Constitutive Agreement of the Centre for the settlement of investment disputes of the UNASUR being discussed since 2009 by a High-Level Experts Group of the UNASUR.The document is still under negotiations. The twelve member-states of the UNASUR have not yet reached an agreements on the 30 provisions contained in the agreement. The agreement will be opened for signature by member and non-member states of the UNASUR. The initiative of the Centre has been thought as an alternative to the Washington-based ICSID. The original Agreement was prepared in Spanish.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 37 Keywords: Unasur, South-America, Settlement of Investment Disputes Date posted: December 22, 2015 ; Last revised: February 28, 2016 Suggested Citation Sarmiento, Maria Gabriela, The 2014 Draft Constitutive Agreement of the Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes of the UNASUR (December 14, 2015). Available at SSRN: or Contact Information UNASUR and Security in South America | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses UNASUR and Security in South America October 30, 2012 Introduction The South American region has been experiencing various local as well as transnational security challenges including illegal drug trafficking, increased crime rates, illegal firearms, extreme levels of social inequality and poverty. It is in order to develop a cooperative mechanism for resolving these challenges that the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) was created. The UNASUR is a regional organisation formed by 12 South American states that are united by shared history, religion, common culture and language.

1 Over the years, UNASUR has had some significant achievements to its credit: limiting defence expenditure, reducing crime, promoting democratic institutions, integrating energy and financial systems, handling constitutional crises in Ecuador and Paraguay, and settling dispute between Venezuela and Colombia. But at the same time, there are some other challenges that are testing its credibility. This Backgrounder details the various security challenges faced by South America and UNASUR’s role in addressing them. Precursors to UNASUR in South America Regional integration is not a new phenomenon to South America. In fact, efforts were made to integrate these nations into a single bloc as early as the 19th century after their liberation from Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule. However, nationalist sentiments and divergent interests between liberals and conservatives prevented these efforts from attaining fruition. The interference of the United States in South American affairs to promote its own interests in the region further complicated the integration process. As a result, the region had to wait until the middle of the 20th century when three regional groupings emerged. The Andean Community of Nations (CAN) was formed in 1969 as a customs union to allow the free movement of people and build institutions for South American integration.

MERCOSUR was formed in 1991 to promote economic and political goals such as free trade and movement of goods, people, and currency. And in 2004 the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) was formed to offer an alternate approach, devoid of US influence, for socio-economic and political integration between Latin America and the Caribbean. However, these efforts yielded little success because of overlapping membership and clash of economic interests. Thereafter, UNASUR was envisioned as an overarching entity to remove duplication of purposes, conflicting interests, overlapping memberships and to achieve coordination at various levels so that integration is taken to its highest manifestation. Formation of UNASUR It took nearly a decade for UNASUR to finally come into legal force since the integration strategy of creating an institution that would cater to achieve overall development of the continent rather than simple economic integration was first mooted by Brazil during the first South American Summit at Brasilia in August 2000. 2 This intention was reiterated during the second South American Summit held in Guayaquil (Ecuador) in July 2002.

However, it was during the third South American Summit in Cusco (Peru) on December 8, 2004 that the presidents of all 12 South American nations signed the Cusco Declaration, formally announcing the decision to form a South American Community of Nations (CSN) by gradually merging the Andean Community and MERCOSUR along with Chile, Guyana and Suriname. 3 At the same time, the formation of a South American community was viewed with scepticism since it was perceived as another “rhetorical flourish about the supposed ties that bind the nations of the region together”. 4 Following the Cusco Declaration, two successive meetings were held in which the South American community focused on socio-economic inequalities of the region, especially removal of poverty. Meantime, during the Margarita Island Summit in April 2007, the name of the community was changed from CSN to UNASUR. Finally, it was during the third Summit of Heads of State in Brasilia on May 23, 2008 that the South American nations signed the Constitutive Treaty to constitute UNASUR as “an entity with international juridical character”.

5 Institutional Structure The Constitutive Treaty elaborates the structure and different organs of the union. According to the treaty, UNASUR is structured around four main organs: the Council of Heads of State and Government, Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Council of Delegates, and the General Secretariat. Apart from these organs, UNASUR has several Sectoral councils dealing with specific issues such as energy, social development, health, education, drug trafficking, etc. In addition, the South American Parliament is proposed to be created in Cochabamba, Bolivia and a Permanent Secretariat is to be established in Quito, Ecuador. The Constitutive Treaty required at least nine ratifications to enter into legal force, which was achieved on March 11, 2011 after it was ratified by Uruguay. Experience of UNASUR Since its establishment, UNASUR has achieved remarkable progress in different areas of cooperation like security and defence, democratic stability, energy and financial integration, and institution building. It was also successful in restoring strained ties between Colombia and Venezuela, upholding the sovereign rights of Ecuador against interference by the United Kingdom and monitoring the democratic process in member countries such as Guyana and Venezuela. These achievements are elaborated in following paragraphs. 1.

Defence Cooperation Defence cooperation is the most significant aspect of any cooperative security architecture. It is particularly important in South America given the vastness of area, high demand for regional resources, huge population and multiple security challenges. Accordingly, the need to create a regional security architecture for South America was reinforced in different declarations like the 2002 Guayaquil Declaration and the 2006 Bogota Declaration. But a concrete proposal in this regard came only during the third South American Summit in Brasilia in 2008, when Brazil formally proposed the creation of a South American Defence Council (CDS/SADC) to promote defence cooperation and coordination among the countries of the region. At the same time, one of the specific objectives of the Constitutive Treaty signed that year pertained to exchange of information and experiences in matters of defence. Accordingly, SADC was created as one of the key sectoral councils of UNASUR. The SADC was formed based on the principles of “non-intervention, sovereignty and territoriality”. 6 It was constituted by the Ministers of Defence of the member countries and meets annually.

The Statute of the SADC, which defines its nature, objectives and main goals, was signed at an extraordinary summit held in Brazil and additional details were adopted during the first meeting of the Defence Ministers in Santiago on March 10, 2009. It was stated in these meetings that the SADC was created as part of the UNASUR for promoting political dialogue and cooperation in defence matters among member states; “it is neither a military alliance nor a defence organisation”. 7 It was further added that the SADC would strive to achieve objectives such as establishing a zone of peace in South America free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction; creating an independent identity for the region in defence matters; and reinforcing regional cooperation for the sovereign control of natural resources. 8 At the same time, it was realized that suspicion among the member countries regarding each other’s military intentions, modernisation plans and alliances resulted in limited collaboration in this critical sector. 9 Therefore, the 2009-2010 Action Plan, adopted during the first meeting of the Defence Ministers in 2009, also emphasized on guaranteeing transparency in military spending by sharing defence information such as expenditure on defence procurement and military training.

The Action Plan also stated that the SADC would enhance cooperation by taking a collective regional position in multilateral defence forums, coordination in mine removal and other activities, and providing assistance for peace missions and also during natural disasters. Besides, the 2012 Action Plan, endorsed by the Defence Ministers in November 2011, includes specific initiatives for cooperation such as “feasibility studies for a South American built basic training aircraft, led by Argentina; an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), led by Brazil; the armoured vehicles “Gaucho” and “Guaraní”; and further cooperation for the future Brazilian Embraer C-390 military transport aircraft”. 10 In order to create a regional military doctrine and develop common mechanisms for transparency in defence policy and spending, UNASUR created a think-tank called Center for Strategic Defence Studies (CEED) during the summit in Guayaquil (Ecuador) in May 2010. Each member country of the CDS was permitted to send up to two delegates to CEED, appointed by their respective ministries of defence.

During its meeting in Quito, Ecuador on May 10, 2012, CEED released its latest report, detailing each country's military spending for the period 2006-2010. The report concluded that defence spending in the region is one of the lowest in the world, constituting 0.91 per cent of GDP on average. 11 It mentioned that during 2006-2010, UNASUR countries spent a total of US$ 126 billion on defence. Further, the report indicated that Brazil had the highest share of 43 per cent of the region’s defence spending, followed by Colombia with 17 per cent and Venezuela with 11 per cent. The report also detailed expenditure under various headings: 58.7 per cent was spent on personnel, 23.5 per cent on operations, 17.3 per cent on investment, and 0.5 per cent on research. At the same meeting, the ministers pledged for further military integration and proposed the creation of a Citizen Security Council. 12 These measures indicate that security in defence matters was provided the highest priority in South American integration with increased mutual trust. 2.

Crime and Security Crime is a major security challenge for South America as the region is vulnerable to local as well as transnational criminal activities flowing from illegal drug trafficking, illegal arms trade and human trafficking across borders. Countries such as Colombia, Peru and Bolivia are the primary producers and consumers of narcotics while Ecuador is known for the production of poppy and marijuana. Of late, there is increased concern for a fresh look at the whole issue of how to combat trade in these illegal activities which have become more violent and highly rewarding, with some suggesting decriminalisation of certain drugs. 13 The ways and means of fighting crime and other security issues in South America was essentially discussed during a meeting of foreign, defence, justice and interior ministers in Cartagena, Colombia on May 3, 2012, and it was agreed to create a security council for the same, especially transnational organized crime. It needs to be seen how the new council would perform, given the past record which was highlighted by former Secretary General of UNASUR, María Emma Mejía, who considers that “the war on drugs has failed”, adding that “Drug trafficking is something which requires more than a war to be solved”. 14 3.

Democratic Stability In the past, South America was mostly ruled by military and undemocratic regimes which denied political education and rights to a majority of their citizens. This affected the development of a healthy political culture. Therefore, democracy as a political system was given special importance in the current integration process. To guard against repeated assaults on democracy, UNASUR has devised a response mechanism using which it has intervened in member countries on a number of occasions to prevent non-democratic attempts at overthrowing democracy such as during the Bolivian crisis of August 2008, the Honduran coup in June 2009 and the Ecuador coup in September 2010. Especially after the coup in Ecuador, UNASUR convened an emergency meeting in Argentina and adopted a "democracy clause" to the Constitutive Treaty, which affirmed the union’s "strong commitment for the preservation of democratic institutions, rule of law, constitutional order, social peace and full respect for human rights".

15 Later, in November 2010, UNASUR convened a meeting in Georgetown (Guyana) where the member states threatened to apply sanctions against nations violating democratic principles, measures ranging from suspension of membership and closing of border to suspending specific services like air traffic, trade, energy and other essential supplies. 16 Despite these threats, a “parliamentary coup” was hatched in Paraguay in June 2012, when the National Congress replaced the democratically elected President, Fernando Lugo, with Federico Franco. Reacting strongly to this development, UNASUR immediately suspended Paraguay's membership and clarified that suspension would not be revoked until constitutional order and the rule of law are restored in Paraguay. Member states like Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay also withdrew their ambassadors from Paraguay. 17 Further, Ecuador suggested the closing of borders while Venezuela stopped oil supplies to Paraguay. However, economic sanctions were not imposed against Paraguay because of opposition from Argentina on humanitarian grounds. Since the conduct of free and fair elections is an essential mechanism by which the roots of democracy can be strengthened in the region, an Electoral Council of UNASUR was created in 2011 to observe elections in member countries and report abuses.

The Council sent its first observation mission to Guyana to oversee its November 2011 elections. Recently, the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of UNASUR, held in Bogota on June 11, 2012, adopted an agreement signed between the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela and the UNASUR, inviting UNASUR as an official international accompanier to monitor the October 7, 2012 presidential elections in Venezuela. 18 Accordingly, UNASUR sent a 40-member technical observers’ mission under former Argentine Vice-president Carlos Alvarez and general coordinator Alejandro Tullio to monitor the elections. These measures indicate that there is a strong commitment towards strengthening democratic regimes and institutions in South America. 4. Economic Security Security is viewed from the economic perspective as well to include the movement of goods, people and currency across borders in a free and secure environment. The free movement of goods, people and currency across borders enables greater understanding of each others’ requirements and provides a sense of belonging. That is why it is argued that integration in any region cannot be complete without linking economic systems of the member countries.

As a result, UNASUR is promoting a broader agenda of financial and economic integration in South America. In this regard, Venezuela suggested the creation of an exclusive “Bank of the South” for the region to prevent “South American de-capitalisation” by harmonizing accounts of the member countries to promote simplified and uniform trade practices, and creating an emergency fund to balance fluctuations in the monetary system. 19 At the same time, the bank would finance various developmental projects in member countries. The bank was officially started in September 2009 in Caracas with seven members: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela and a paid-in capital of US$ 20 billion to be used for funding social and economic infrastructure projects and also for responding to emergency situations such as natural disasters. 20 In order to further integrate South American economies, UNASUR formed an Economic and Finance Council at a meeting in Lima, Peru in August 2011 and a Board of Economy and Finance during its summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 5. Energy Security Energy is a crucial sector of South America because of ever-increasing demand and corresponding instability in oil markets.

There already exists energy cooperation among South American states: Guyana and Suriname have signed PetroCaribe agreements with Venezuela; and the Brazilian state of Roraima is buying hydro-electricity from neighbouring Venezuela. There is also in-principle approval for the planned joint gas pipeline among Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela. 21 However, there is growing concern about energy security in South America, especially after Brazil’s energy crisis in 2001, the Argentine crisis during the past few years, and the bilateral dispute between Argentina and Chile over supply contracts. As a result, the Energy Council of South America was created by the Declaration of Margarita on April 17, 2007 to enhance energy collaboration among South American countries; it was later brought under the auspices of the UNASUR. It was also proposed in 2009 to create a mechanism under UNASUR to resolve energy disputes involving member states. Recently, the third UNASUR Energy Council meeting was held in Caracas on May 18, 2012 wherein it was agreed to constitute an ad hoc group for working out the modalities of the proposed South American Energy Treaty to protect energy resources of the region.

22 The Energy Council also agreed to continue its cooperation with the Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE) in activities aimed at energy integration. It was further agreed to assess the possibility of creating an Investigations' Institute of UNASUR, as a common platform for sharing of knowledge in matters related to energy, to enhance technological training and development of the region. 6. Initiatives associated with Security In addition, there are certain incidents in which UNASUR took a proactive role to enhance overall security of the region. These incidents are Recognising that free movement of people across borders without any requirement of visa and other documents is an essential component of human security, UNASUR, in its meeting of Foreign Ministers held in Quito in May 2011, examined an Agreement for the exemption of visas and the use of Identification Cards for South American citizens. However, nothing substantial emerged out of this meeting. UNASUR also played a role in restoring diplomatic relations between Colombia and Venezuela, which were severed after the latter’s supposed sheltering of rebel groups fighting against Colombian authorities. 23 Following the breakdown of relations in July 2010, the foreign ministers of UNASUR met in Quito to find a peaceful solution to the dispute.

During the meeting, Colombia insisted that it needs the support of member countries for preventing rebel groups from taking refuge abroad and fighting a proxy war. When this was assured, peaceful relations between Colombia and its neighbours, Ecuador and Venezuela, were restored. The replacement of Alvaro Uribe with Juan Manuel Santos as President of Colombia further contributed to the improvement in relations. Upholding the sovereign rights of member countries to manage their affairs independently during an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers on August 19, 2012, UNASUR unanimously supported the Ecuadorian government’s decision to provide asylum to the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, against the wishes of the UK. 24 The meeting also condemned the UK Foreign Minister William Hague’s threats to the Embassy of Ecuador in London and interference in the sovereign right to manage the asylum policy of a South American country. Challenges for UNASUR From the above discussion, it can be concluded that UNASUR was successful in addressing various security challenges efficiently when compared with other former institutions of the region. However, there are certain issues, which UNASUR needs to address in order to be a relevant body for South American integration in the 21st century.

One of the major challenges that has tested the credibility of UNASUR is the conflicting strategic interests pursued by the region’s major countries – Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Venezuela. These clashes of interests have undermined the level of cooperation and integration in the region. Therefore, the Union needs to devise methods for accommodating these conflicting interests in a mutually beneficial manner in order to prevent tensions. This can be achieved by emphasizing upon shared values, cultural ties and security linkages. The influence of extra-regional powers, chiefly the United States, on regional developments is another challenge. The United States has been interfering in regional affairs over years through both bilateral agreements as well as through regional organisations like the Organization of American States (OAS). This has resulted in the externalisation of domestic issues and delayed their peaceful resolution. It is therefore imperative that these extra-regional influences be kept in check. Though the role of the United States cannot be ignored in South American politics because of its geo-political location and historical factors, it has to be reduced to the minimum extent possible by finding regional solutions for regional problems and encouraging regional players to take a proactive role in regional issues. Another challenge for UNASUR is the lack of sufficient infrastructure to help improve communication and connectivity in the region.

The creation and integration of regional infrastructure was given due attention to begin with through the Initiative of the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) in 2000 during the first South American summit. However, when UNASUR was formed, it was conceived that instead of creating duplicate infrastructure, existing infrastructure would be utilised to perform various tasks of the union. Nevertheless, in reality, inadequate infrastructure has compelled the union to underperform its responsibilities. It is to be mentioned here that the proposed South American Parliament and the Permanent Secretariat have not been established as yet, which would have taken integration to new heights altogether. Other challenges for UNASUR include reducing the prevalent high levels of poverty in South America by productively using natural resources like oil, water, mineral and agricultural resources. There is also a need to expand internal markets in member countries so that regional trade is improved and economic complementarities are achieved. To address these issues collectively, it is necessary to build confidence among member nations by avoiding political or strategic controversies. At the same time, the integration process should be given an international dimension by linking the process with the international community as was done in October 2011 when UNASUR joined the United Nations as an observer.

To conclude, UNASUR constitutes, as Argentinean Defence Minister, Arturo Puricelli, feels, "a thorough expression of a new multilateralism that progressively consolidates the South American space". 25 1. The 12 countries are Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, which are members of a customs union called the Andean Community of Nations (CAN); Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, which formed a southern common market, the MERCOSUR; and, Chile, Guyana and Suriname. 2. Petr Kašpar (2011), The Logic of UNASUR: Its Origins and Institutionalization, Aalborg University, Denmark, at accessed October 3, 2012. 3. “Cusco Declaration on the South American Community of Nations”, Comunidad Andina, at accessed October 3, 2012. 4. Joseph S. Tulchin, Thinking Ahead on UNASUR, Harvard University, at accessed October 7, 2012. 5. “South American Union of Nations Constitutive Treaty”, Comunidad Andina, at accessed October 3, 2012. 6.

Petr Kašpar (2011), no. 2. 7. José Antonio Sanahuja (2012), “Post-liberal regionalism in South America: the case of UNASUR”, EUI Working Paper RSCAS 2012/05, European University Institute, Italy, at accessed October 4, 2012. Union of South American Nations formed | History of Modern Humanity | Builtvisible Read more... Union of South American Nations formed The Union of South American Nations, USAN; (Spanish: Unión de Naciones Suramericanas, UNASUR; Portuguese: União de Nações Sul-Americanas, UNASUL; Dutch: Unie van Zuid-Amerikaanse Naties, UZAN) is an intergovernmental union integrating two existing customs unions – Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) – as part of a continuing process of South American integration. The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty was signed on 23 May 2008, at the Third Summit of Heads of State, held in Brasília, Brazil. According to the Constitutive Treaty, the Union's headquarters will be located in Quito, Ecuador.

On 1 December 2010, Uruguay became the ninth state to ratify the UNASUR treaty, thus giving the union full legality. As the Constitutive Treaty entered into force on 11 March 2011, UNASUR became a legal entity during a meeting of Foreign Ministers in Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador, where they had laid the foundation stone for the Secretariat Headquarters. The South American Parliament will be located in Cochabamba, Bolivia, while the headquarters of its bank, the Bank of the South are located in Caracas, Venezuela. On 4 May 2010, at an extraordinary heads of state summit held in Campana, 75 km (47 mi) north of Buenos Aires, former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner was unanimously elected the first Secretary General of UNASUR for a two-year term. This new office was conceived as a first step towards the establishment of a permanent bureaucratic body for the supranational union, eventually superseding Mercosur and CAN political bodies.

Guyana hands over UNASUR’s Chairmanship to Paraguay – Kaieteur News Nov 05, 2011 News 0 Guyana has formally handed over the Pro Tempore Chairmanship of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) to the Republic of Paraguay. During a forum last Saturday at the Fifth Meeting of the Council of Heads of State and Government of UNASUR held in Asuncion, Paraguay, Prime Minister Sam Hinds represented President Bharrat Jagdeo at this event. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Pro Tempore Chairmanship of UNASUR rotates on a yearly basis in alphabetical order. Guyana assumed the Chairmanship on November 26, 2010 at the Fourth Summit of the Council of Heads of State and Government held in Georgetown, Guyana. During the period of Guyana’s Chairmanship, several advances were made, the Ministry said yesterday. “The Constitutive Treaty which was signed in May 2008 entered into force on March 11, 2011 and the organization attained international legal status with the registration of the Treaty at the United Nations on May 3.

Guyana in its capacity as Pro Tempore Chair has since made a formal application for Observer Status at the UN General Assembly.” The eventual acceptance of UNASUR’s Observer status will place its future engagement with the UN on a firm and sustainable footing allowing for an enhanced profile of the body’s integration movement in the international community. At the Georgetown Summit, the Heads of State and Government had also signed an additional protocol for member countries to show commitment to democracy as a demonstration of their pledge to the promotion, defence, and protection of democratic order and the rule of law and its institutions. Guyana, Bolivia and Peru have since ratified that Protocol. On May 9, Colombia’s former Foreign Minister, Maria Emma Mejia, was also formally installed as Secretary General of UNASUR by President Jagdeo, in his capacity as Pro Tempore Chair of UNASUR. The Secretary General has since commenced operations at a temporary location provided by the Government of Ecuador in Quito, the Foreign Ministry disclosed yesterday. “Considerable achievements have also been made in the various Councils and Working Groups of UNASUR in keeping with the mandates of the Council of Heads and in accordance with the objectives established in the Constitutive Treaty.

Noteworthy among these were: the conclusion of the Headquarters Agreement for the Centre of Strategic Studies on May 27, 2011 and the inauguration of the South American Government Institute on Health (ISAGS) on July 25 in Rio de Janeiro.” Peru will take over the Pro Tempore Chairmanship of UNASUR on the completion of Paraguay’s one year term. UNASUR was established on May 23, 2008, when Constitutive Treaty was signed by the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela, during the third Summit of Heads of State in Brasilia, Brazil. The body aims at promoting integration among South American countries. Presidents of UNASUR nations will meet once every year, and the foreign ministers will meet once every six months. Share this: I. Introduction With modern concern for concepts such as transparency and human rights, the notion of democratic government is championed worldwide. Throughout the world, Western nations stress the importance of the development of democratic structures and institutions through international and supranational organizations.

For example, the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the World Bank all emphasize the importance of democracy in developing nations. 1 Institutions with the purpose of regional integration have also recently embraced the notion of democratic government. In the Treaty on European Union (also known as the TEU or Treaty of Maastricht), the European Union (EU) declared "democracy" a fundamental value. 2 The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) also promotes the concept of democratic government, signing the Additional Protocol to the Constitutive Treaty on Commitment to Democracy on November 26, 2010. 3 Both the TEU and the Democratic Protocol require member states to maintain democratic governments, or certain sanctions may be imposed by the supranational organization. 4 This Comment will explore the democracy clauses of both the TEU and the Democratic Protocol to the Constitutive Treaty. First, it will explore the historical development of the EU and the drafting of the TEU in 1992. Next, this Comment will trace the history of regional integration in South America, discuss the language of UNASUR's Constitutive Treaty, and explain the 2010 addition to the treaty, the Democratic Protocol.

Third, this Comment will distinguish key language from ... If you are interested in obtaining a lexis.com® ID and Password, please contact us at 1-(800)-227-4908 or visit us at . Search Documents United States Institute of Leadership and Diplomacy - UNASUR 6.1 Participating non-South American territories 6.2 Non-participating South American states and territories 7 Summits Overview At the Third South American Summit on 8 December 2004, presidents or representatives from 12 South American nations signed the Cusco Declaration , a two-page statement of intent announcing the foundation of the South American Community. Panama and Mexico attended the signing ceremony as observers. The group announced their intention to model the new community after the European Union including a common currency, parliament, and passport. According to Allan Wagner Tizón , former Secretary General of the Andean Community, a complete union like that of the EU should be possible by 2019. The mechanics of the new entity came out of the First South American Community of Nations Heads of State Summit, which was held in Brasília on 29–30 September 2005.

An important operating condition of UNASUR is that no new institutions will be created in the first phase, so as not to increase bureaucracy , and the community will use the existing institutions belonging to the previous trade blocs. History Background Simón Bolívar , hailed in Spanish speaking South American countries as The Liberator and directly responsible for the independences of Venezuela , Colombia , Ecuador , Peru and Bolivia (all current members of the Andean Community except Venezuela which withdrew in 2006), had envisioned in the early 19th century the establishment of a federation of Hispanic American nations with the goal of prosperity and security after independence, fearing Brazilian imperialism. Bolívar never accomplished that objective and at the time of his death had become an unpopular figure due to authoritarian attempts at the establishment of strong, centralized governments in the countries he had led to independence. Formation Main article: Cuzco Declaration The complete integration between the Andean Community and the Mercosur nations was formalized during the meeting of South American heads of state that took place on May 23, 2008 in Brasília .

[9] In the 2004 South American Summit , representatives of twelve South American nations signed the Cuzco Declaration , a two-page letter of intent announcing the establishment of the then-named "South American Community of Nations". Panama and Mexico were present as observers. The leaders announced the intention of modeling the new community in the mold of the European Union , including a unified passport, a parliament and, eventually, a single currency. The then Secretary General of the Andean Community Allan Wagner speculated that an advanced union such as the EU should be possible within the next fifteen years. Name change On 28 December 2005, Chilean former foreign minister Ignacio Walker proposed that the Union's former designation, the South American Community of Nations, abbreviated as CSN, be changed to South American Union; nevertheless, many members stated to him that that proposal had already been rejected to prevent confusion since its acronym of U.S.A. (Spanish: Unión Sudamericana) would be easily confused for the United States of America. The name was finally changed on 16 April 2007 to Union of South American Nations.

The new name was jointly agreed by all member states during the first day of meeting at the First South American Energy Summit , [10] held at Isla Margarita , Venezuela . Structure At the moment, the provisional structure of the UNASUR is as follows: A permanent Secretariat is to be established in Quito, Ecuador. The Secretary General, with a two-year mandate, is to be elected on a consensual basis among the Heads of State of the member states. Former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner was designated the first Secretary General on 4 May 2010. [11 ] The presidents of the member nations will have an annual meeting, which will have the superior political mandate. The first meeting was in Brasília (Brazil) on 29–30 September 2005. The second meeting was in Cochabamba (Bolivia) on 8–9 December 2006. The third meeting was held in Brasília on 23 May 2008. Néstor Kirchner , first Secretary General. Extraordinary Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Union of South American Nations, held in Brasília.

The Presidency Pro Tempore , is exercised for a one-year period on a pro tempore basis by one of the heads of state of each UNASUR Member State, the succession following alphabetical order. The first leader to occupy this position was Chilean President Michelle Bachelet . According to Decisions Reached in the Political Dialogue [12 ] which was signed during the I South American Energy Summit. The ministers of foreign affairs of each country will meet once every six months. They will formulate concrete proposals of action and of executive decision. The President of the Mercosur's permanent representatives committee and the director of the Mercosur's department, the Andean Community's general secretary, ALADI 's general secretary and the permanent secretaries of any institution for regional cooperation and integration, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization among others, will also be present at these meetings. Sectorial Ministers' meeting will be called upon by the presidents. The meetings will be developed according to Mercosur's and CAN's mechanisms. On 9 December 2005, a special commission was established in charge of advancing the process of South American Integration. It consists of 12 members, whose function is to elaborate proposals that will help the process of integration between the South American nations.

An Executive Commission, which was created by the II CSN meeting, was transformed in the Political Commission or Delegates Council, according to Decisions Reached in the Political Dialogue. [12 ] Organs edit Electoral Monitors UNASUR has also initiated the creation of electoral monitor teams that could replace the monitors from the OAS. [17] Single market One of the initiatives of UNASUR is the creation of a single market , beginning with the elimination of tariffs for non-sensitive products by 2014, and for sensitive products by 2019. The process is to be developed upon the progressive convergence of the procedures of pre-existing Mercosur and CAN subregional economic blocks.[ citation needed ] Economic development Presidents of the seven founding countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Venezuela and Uruguay) officially launched the South American Bank in Buenos Aires in December 2007. The heads of all the founding countries were at the ceremony, with the exception of President Tabaré Vázquez of Uruguay. The capital will be US$7b, with Venezuela responsible for US$3b and Brazil US$2b. The headquarters will be located in Caracas with offices in Buenos Aires and La Paz.

[18 ] [19] The Bank of the South will finance economic development projects to improve local competitiveness and to promote the scientific and technological development of the member states. The founding chart affirms that the Bank will promote projects in "stable and equal" manner and priorities will be pointed to reinforce South American integration, to reduce asymmetries, and to promote egalitarian distribution of investments. The Brazilian Minister, Guido Mantega, stated that the bank is not similar to the International Monetary Fund ; it will be a credit institution similar to the World Bank . Defence policy Presidents and other members of UNASUR at the First Brasília Summit on 29 September 2005. Presidents of UNASUR member states at the Second Brasília Summit on 23 May 2008. The South American Defence Council (CDS) was proposed by Venezuela and Brazil to serve as a mechanism for regional security, promoting military co-operation and regional defence. From the beginning Brazil, Argentina and Chile, the countries that took the leadership of the project, made clear that they did not intend to form a NATO-like alliance, but a cooperative security arrangement, enhancing multilateral military cooperation, promoting confidence and security building measures and fostering defense industry exchange.

Colombia initially refused to join the defence council due to the strong military ties it has with the United States through the Plan Colombia . However after reviewing the proposal they decided to join on 20 July 2008. [20 ] [21] Shortly following the signing by Colombia's President, President of Chile Michelle Bachelet appointed a working group to investigate and draft a plan for the new council. Finally, on 10 March 2009, the 12 nation members held, in Chile, the first meeting of the newly formed council. [22] In mid-2010 UNASUR played a key role in mediating the 2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis . On 1 September 2010, the agency "UnasurHaití" was created to provide US$ 100 million in help to Haiti . [23] Infrastructure cooperation There is an Initiative for Infrastructure Integration of South America (IIRSA) underway, which has received the support of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Andean Development Corporation .

UNASUR started plans of integration through infrastructure cooperation with the construction of the Interoceanic Highway , a road that intends to more firmly link the Pacific Coast countries, especially Chile and Peru with Brazil and Argentina by extending highways through the continent, allowing better connections to ports from Bolivia and the inner parts of Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. The first corridor, between Peru and Brazil, began construction in September 2005, financed 60% by Brazil and 40% by Peru, was expected to be ready by the end of 2009. The South American Energy Ring is intended to interconnect Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay with natural gas from several sources, such as the Camisea Gas Project in Peru and Tarija Gas Deposits in Bolivia. Though this proposal has been signed and ratified, economic and political difficulties in Argentina and Bolivia have delayed this initiative, and to date, this agreement remains more like a protocol than an actual project, since Chile and Brazil are already building LNG terminals to import gas from overseas suppliers. Free movement of peoples Visits by South American citizens to any South American independent country of up to 90 days only require an identification document issued by the traveler's country.

In November 24, 2006, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela abolished visa requirements for tourists between any of those nations. Mercosur, Bolivia and Chile established that their territories together form an "area of free residence with the right to work" to all its citizens, with no additional requirements other than nationality. The Free Movement and Residence Agreement was established in the Brasília summit based in a previous document signed in December 6, 2002. [24] Citizens of any Mercosur countries will have a simplified process in temporary residence visa of up to 2 years in any other member countries, with the requirements of a valid passport , birth certificate , and no criminal record. Temporary residence can become permanent if a licit means of living can be verified. [25] Immigration Brazil has introduced a new temporary residency program for citizens of Argentina , Bolivia , Chile , Paraguay , and Uruguay . Under the new program, eligible citizens of these countries will benefit from a simplified application process, which can be completed from within Brazil.

If successful, they will receive a two-year residency status , after which they will be eligible for permanent residency. Eligible citizens of the Mercosur member countries (Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and two Mercosur "associated countries" (Chile and Bolivia) can now apply for a special two-year temporary residency program in Brazil using a simplified application process. The new program was introduced by a government decree published on 8 October 2009, but administrative delays prevented the new program from being implemented until now.[ when? ] Under the new program, natural-born citizens of these countries, or individuals who have held citizenship in these countries for at least five years, plus their legal dependents (regardless of nationality), may obtain temporary residency status in Brazil that will remain valid for two years. The temporary residency program is not linked to a specific employer, and from an immigration perspective, these residents are eligible to work for any employer in Brazil. After the first two years, the candidate is eligible for permanent residency. Nationals of these five countries may apply for this residency program abroad at a Brazilian consular post or from within Brazil to the Brazilian Federal Police .

Applicants must demonstrate their identity, citizenship and good character by presenting documents requested by immigration authorities, such as: passports, identity cards, or nationality certificates issued by their country of origin's consular post; birth certificates; marriage certificates (if applicable); declarations of criminal clearance or criminal clearance certificates; and registration fees. [26] According to Brazilian Labour Department, between 2005 and July, 2009: 3,083 Argentines , 1,303 Venezuelans, 1,168 Chileans, 476 Bolivians, 314 Uruguayans, 159 Paraguayans entered Brazil to work. [27] Participating nation states Countries member of the Andean Community trade bloc. Countries member of the Mercosur trade bloc. Countries members of neither Andean Community nor Mercosur. Participating non-South American territories The following territories situated outside South America are part of member states and therefore participate: Easter Island (Rapa Nui), a Chilean territory situated in Oceania Isla Aves , a Venezuelan territory situated in the Antilles .

Argentine and Chilean Antarctic bases in their Antarctic territorial claims Non-participating South American states and territories C Panama (once part of Colombia) The following parts of South America are territories of non-South American states and therefore do not participate: Aruba , Bonaire and Curaçao are either part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands or overseas countries of the same nearby the South American coastline French Guiana , which is an overseas department of France and is therefore part of the European Union 1 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are commonly associated with Antarctica. Summits

Question: The Unasur Constitutive Treaty, signed on 23 May 2008 in Braslia, Brazil, founded what international body?
Answer: Union of South American Nations