Continental union
This article possibly contains original research. (February 2010) |
A continental union is a
Existing continental unions
African Union
The African Union (AU), at a size of 29,757,900 square kilometres (11,489,589 sq mi) and a population of 1 billion, is by far the largest of the existing continental unions in terms of both land mass and population.[5] It includes all African countries.
The African Union was formed as a successor to the
The African Union is made up of both political and administrative bodies. The highest decision-making organ of the African Union is the Assembly, made up of all the heads of state or government of member states of the AU. As of 2017, the Assembly is chaired by Alpha Condé. The AU also has a representative body, the Pan-African Parliament, which consists of 265 members elected by the national parliaments of the AU member states. The current president of the Pan-African Parliament is Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi. Other political institutions of the AU include the Executive Council, made up of foreign ministers, which prepares decisions for the Assembly; the Permanent Representatives Committee, made up of the ambassadors to Addis Ababa of AU member states; and the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), a civil society consultative body.
European Union
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union
The EU has developed a
Union of South American Nations
The
The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty was signed on May 23, 2008, at the Third Summit of Heads of State, held in Brasília, Brazil. In accordance with the Treaty, the Secretariat is located in Quito, Ecuador and the seat of the planned South American Parliament is to be located in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The headquarters of the planned Bank of the South (BancoSur) were to be located in Caracas, Venezuela but have been delayed for numerous reasons.[17]
The South American Defence Council was formed on July 20, 2008, and had its first meeting on March 10, 2009. On May 4, 2010, the Heads of State of the
In early 2019, the majority of South America had left UNASUR and formed a second continental union, the
Similar political entities
Asia Cooperation Dialogue
The
Council of Europe
Although generally not considered a traditional continental union, the Council of Europe is an
Eurasian Economic Union
The Eurasian Economic Union was founded in January 2015, consisting of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and observer members Moldova, Uzbekistan, and Cuba; all of them (except Cuba) being previous constituent states of the Soviet Union. The Eurasian Union is a transcontinental union as members include states from both Europe and Asia.
Organization of American States
Although generally not considered a traditional continental union, the Organization of American States (OAS) is an
among the states of the Americas.Pacific Islands Forum
Although generally not considered a traditional continental union, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is an
Union for the Mediterranean
Although generally not considered a traditional continental union, the Union for the Mediterranean is an
Geopolitical terminology
In Canadian usage
In Canadian history and political science, the term "Continental Union" refers to the idea of creating a union between Canada and the United States, either by forming a new, super-national body in which both countries would become equal members, or by the United States annexing Canada. The ideology which favours Canadian integration with the United States, economically or politically, is known as "
Additionally, the concept of a North American Union between Canada, the United States, and Mexico has been discussed in policy and academic circles since the concluding of the North American Free Trade Agreement.[20][21]
See also
- Continentalism
- International organisation
- List of military alliances
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
- Supranational union
- Trade bloc
Notes
References
- ^ Benelux customs and economic reforms greatly foreshadowed those of the EU
- ^ "Benelux social reforms greatly foreshadowed those of the EU". Archived from the original on 2009-11-09. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
- ^ Benelux parliamentary reforms greatly foreshadowed those of the EU
- ^ "Country profiles". european-union.europa.eu. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ Reuters Article referring to the African Union as a "Continental Union" Reuters
- ^ Thabo Mbeki (July 9, 2002). "Launch of the African Union, 9 July 2002: Address by the chairperson of the AU, President Thabo Mbeki". ABSA Stadium, Durban, South Africa: africa-union.org. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
- ^ "Africa | AU summit extended amid divisions". BBC News. 2009-02-04. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
- ^ "Oxford Dictionary of English: European 5 b. spec. Designating a developing series of economic and political unions between certain countries of western (and later also eastern) Europe from 1952 onwards, as European Economic Community, European Community, European Union". Retrieved 27 October 2010.
- . Activities of the European Union. Europa web portal. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
- ^ "World Economic Outlook Database, April 2009 Edition". International Monetary Fund. April 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
Gross domestic product, current prices; U.S. dollars, Billions;
2007=16,927.173
2008=18,394.115
2009=15,342.908 [projection]
Gross domestic product based on purchasing-power-parity (PPP) valuation of country GDP; Current international dollar, Billions;
2007=14,762.109
2008=15,247.163
2009=14,774.525 [projection]
GDP based on PPP share of world total
2007=22.605%
2008=22.131% 2009=21.609% [projection]
World "GDP", current prices; U.S. dollars, Billions;
2007=54,840.873
2008=60,689.812
2009=54,863.551 [projection]
These data were published in 2009. Data for 2009 are projections based on a number of assumptions. - ^ European Commission. "The EU Single Market: Fewer barriers, more opportunities". Europa web portal. Retrieved 27 September 2007."Activities of the European Union: Internal Market". Europa web portal. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
- ^ "Common commercial policy". Europa Glossary. Europa web portal. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Agriculture and Fisheries Council". The Council of the European Union. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Overview of the European Union activities: Regional Policy". Europa web portal. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Abolition of internal borders and creation of a single EU external frontier". Europa web portal. 2005. Archived from the original on 2008-01-13. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
- ^ Fox News Report calls the Union of South American Nations the formation of a "Continental Union" Fox News
- ^ "Rafael Correa: El Banco del Sur no ha podido despegar". El Universo (in Spanish). 5 May 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ Warner, Frederic, The Idea of Continental Union: Agitation for the Annexation of Canada to the United States, 1849-1893, (University of Kentucky Press, 1960), passsim.
- ^ Carl Berger, The Sense of Power. Studies in the ideas of Canadian imperialism, 1867-1914, (University of Toronto Press, 1970), passim.
- ^
Pastor, Robert A.; Hills, Carla A.; Jones, James R.; Manley, John P.; Niles, Thomas M.T.; Cunningham, Nelson W.; Weld, William F.; Yzaguirre, Raul H. (May 2005). Building a North American Community (Task Force Report #53) (PDF). Council on Foreign Relations Press. ISBN 0-87609-348-9. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
- ^ Hiltz, Robert (2 June 2011). "Leaked U.S. cable lays out North American 'integration' strategy". National Post. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
External links
- African Union (archived 15 April 2012)
- European Union
- Union of South American Nations (archived 5 October 2009)