Organization for Democracy and Economic Development

Name of the organization

Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)

General information about the organization

  • Establishment day: 10 th October, 1997
  • Member States: Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova. On 23rd May, 2006, the name of the organization was changed from GUUAM to GUAM.
  • Purpose: recognition of democratic values, ensuring the rule of law and human rights, sustainable development, deepening integration with Europe to create a common security environment, as well as expanding economic and humanitarian cooperation
  • Areas of activity: human rights and freedoms, ensuring sovereignty, territorial integrity and freedom, implementation of democratic reforms, economic development of the region, joint fight against international terrorism, extremism and aggressive separatism, deepening of cooperation in the field of economy, trade and transport and establishment of Free Trade Zone
  • Structure:

o Council: at the level of heads of state, foreign ministers, national coordinators and permanent representatives;

o Secretariat: provides organizational and technical support of the organization's activities

o Parliamentary Assembly: operates in 3 directions: (i) politics, (ii) trade and economy, (iii) science, culture and education

o Working Council: its main purpose is to control the execution of documents signed within the organization, to strengthen economic relations, to prepare proposals for improving national legislation.

Information about cooperation between Azerbaijan and the organization

· Azerbaijan as a coordinator of working groups

o on transport in 2011-2012, 2019-2020

o on energy in 2011-2018

o on information technologies in 2011-2012, 2015-2016

o on culture and tourism in 2013-2014

· Last signed documents:

o In 2017: i) Protocol on the establishment of the Working Body coordinating the activities of the Contracting Parties and approval of its Activity Rules of the "Agreement on the establishment of a trade zone among the GUUAM Participating States", ii) Protocol between the customs authorities of the GUAM member states on mutual recognition of certain results of customs procedures on goods and means of transport crossing the state borders of the GUAM member states

o In 2019: i) Protocol on cooperation between the customs administrations of the GUAM member states in the field of combating customs offenses related to the air transportation of goods from the state borders of the GUAM member states, ii) Memorandum of Intent on the use of blockchain technologies between customs administrations of GUAM member states, iii) Protocol of Intent on mutual recognition of authorized economic operators between customs administrations of GUAM member states;

o In 2022: Protocol on the Rules for Determining the Country of Origin of Goods of the "Agreement on the establishment of a free trade zone among the GUUAM Participating States" was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on 21st September during the 39th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers held on 20-22nd September within the framework of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City.