The modern geopolitical situation and integration associations

After the bipolar world ended in the late 20th century, several geopolitical centres and strong regional cooperation bodies emerged. Economic integration is the development of long-term, stable economic ties between states on the basis of agreements. The European Union (EU) grew from the 1951 Coal and Steel Community and the 1957 Treaties of Rome; it has been called the European Union since 1993, has a single market, and many members use a single currency (the euro); the United Kingdom left in 2020 and the Union now has 27 states. The CIS was founded in December 1991 and Uzbekistan is a member. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation began in 1996 as the “Shanghai Five” and took its present name in 2001 with Uzbekistan's participation; it focuses on security and economic cooperation and its members include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Other associations: ASEAN (Southeast Asia), the African Union and Mercosur (South America). Uzbekistan is also an observer in the Eurasian Economic Union and a member of the Organisation of Turkic States, and is in the process of accession to the World Trade Organization.