Regional Migration Analysis

860 Words4 Pages

Thus, in order to gain perspective on the challenges facing the current administrative processes and governmental institutions, this chapter aims to provide an historical analysis of regional integration efforts in South America. We will explore the pre-existing institutional foundations upon which the innovations and challenges introduced by UNASUR are built. The formation of UNASUR was considered by some states to be a mechanism of fragmentation against the existing processes of integration in the continent, in particular, those involving the macro-regional organizations ALADI, OAS and CELAC. However, the reality is that UNASUR focuses on pursuing alliances across all of Latin …show more content…

It is important to recognize that most of the alliances created by these institutions are backed by economic interests. Integration in the fields of health, education, and security has also established steady bearings (Marin 2000). This section will elaborate on how the negotiation processes and achievements implemented by MERCOSUR and CAN represent real factors that amplify the social dimension of the Union. UNASUR´s proposal might best be described as “an integral integration”, whose objective is to harness, channel, and harmonize the varied experiences and outcomes of the pre-existing subregional processes. Fulfilling this description means facing several challenges, the first of which is to enable the Free Trade Agreement between the subregional blocs, followed by the implementation of infrastructural integration, and finally settling on mechanisms that will effectively reduce inequalities and poverty (Díaz & Cano 2007). 1. The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) The Southern Common Market was formed in 1991 with the signing of the Treaty of Asunción by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Its main objective is to …show more content…

The powerful nations also tend to maintain individual external policies that weaken the southern alliance on the whole, as exemplified by the Brazilian project to obtain a permanent seat on the Security Council (Hirst 1999). MERCOSUR accurately conforms to the criteria developed by the trade integration theories; it is an alliance that aims at reaching a unique market to reinforce economic growth through productive specialization, scale economies, exchange complementary processes and externalize negotiating power (MERCOSUR 1991). Successful results include the increase of intra-regional trade and investment flows, an operational Common External Tariff structure, and a harmonized macroeconomic policy (Ibid). As opposed to other regions, MERCOSUR possesses an aggressive bloc negotiating power; it maintains bilateral and multilateral negotiations with countries such as Chile, Japan, China, and with blocs such as ASEAN and the European Union. MERCOSUR differs from CAN, the other South America subregional

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