ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the
signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the
Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand


"One Vision, One Identity, One
Community"
ASEAN Aims
Accelerating economic growth

Social progress, socio-cultural evolution

Protection of regional peace and stability

Opportunities for member countries to discuss differences
peacefully

ASEAN Charter
The ASEAN Charter entered into force on 15 December 2008

The ASEAN Charter serves as a firm foundation in achieving
the ASEAN Community by providing legal status and
institutional framework for ASEAN

It also codifies ASEAN norms, rules and values; sets clear
targets for ASEAN; and presents accountability and
compliance

ASEAN Communities
I. ASEAN Political - Security Community

II. ASEAN Economic Community

III. ASEAN Socio - Cultural

What is NAFTA?
NAFTA is short for the North American Free Trade
Agreement. NAFTA covers Canada, the U.S.
and Mexico making it the worlds largest free trade
area (in terms of GDP). NAFTA was launched 20 years
ago to reduce trading costs, increase business
investment, and help North America be more
competitive in the global marketplace.

As of January 1, 2008, all tariffs between the three
countries were eliminated. Between 1993-2009, trade
tripled from $297 billion to $1.6 trillion.

When is NAFTA Started?


NAFTA was signed by President George H.W. Bush, Mexican
President Salinas, and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in
1992. It was ratified by the legislatures of the three countries in
1993.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved it by 234 to 200 on
November 17, 1993. The U.S. Senate approved it by 60 to 38 on
November 20, three days later.

It was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 8,
1993 and entered force January 1, 1994. Although it was signed by
President Bush, it was a priority of President Clinton's, and its
passage is considered one of his first successes.

Why was NAFTA Formed?

Article 102 of the NAFTA agreement outlines its
purpose: Grant the signatories Most Favored
Nation status.
Eliminate barriers to trade and facilitate the
cross-border movement of goods and services.
Promote conditions of fair competition.
Increase investment opportunities.
Provide protection and enforcement of
intellectual property rights.

Advantages
NAFTA increased trade in all goods and
services
Boosted U.S. farm exports
Created trade surplus in services
Reduced oil and grocery prices
Stepped up foreign direct investment

Disadvantages
U.S. jobs were lost
U.S. wages were suppressed
Mexico's farmers were put out of business
Maquiladora workers were exploited
Mexico's environment deteriorated

COMESA Membership
Angola
Burundi
Comoros
Congo, DR
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Kenya
Madagascar

Malawi
Mauritius
Rwanda
Seychelles
Sudan
Swaziland
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Aims and Objectives
To generate self-sustaining economic growth
through collective action in all fields of social and
economic activity.

To create a fully integrated and internationally
competitive region where goods, services, capital,
labour and persons move freely.
Vision of COMESA
To attain a fully integrated and internationally
competitive regional economic community with high
standards of living of its people and where goods,
services, capital and labour freely move across borders.
STRATEGY OF COMESA
Strategy:- regional integration through trade and
investment: creating a single market for goods
and services and a common investment area.


Approach: - open-regionalism i.e. integrating
regionally without crowding-out the global
economy (the multilateral framework).


COMESA PROGRAMMES
Trade Liberalisation

The main objective of the trade liberalisation programme
is to create a single economic space in which there is
free movement of goods, services, capital & labour.
Instruments used include:

Tariff Reduction
Removal of Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade
Rules of Origin