GUUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova) Group was formally founded as a political, economic and strategic alliance designed to strengthen the independence and sovereignty of these former Soviet Union republics.
During the five years of cooperation GUUAM group became an important structure, which looking to enhance regional economic cooperation through development of an Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor. It has also become a forum for discussion on various levels of existing security problems, promoting conflict resolution and the elimination of other risks and threats.
Cooperation among delegations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine started in 1996 in Vienna, Austria, at the CFE Treaty Conference, where four states issued joint statements and proposed common initiatives.
On October 10, 1997, the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine met in Strasbourg during summit of the Council of Europe and stated their mutual interest in developing bilateral and regional cooperation, European and regional security, political and economic contacts.
In the Joint Communiqué issued, the Presidents stressed the importance of the four nations cooperation in establishing a Eurasian, Trans-Caucasus transportation corridor (TRACECA), and underscored the importance of strengthening the four-lateral cooperation “for the sake of a stable and secure Europe guided by the principles of respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of state frontiers, mutual respect, cooperation, democracy, supremacy of law and respect for human rights.” The leaders of the countries agreed to undertake joint efforts in order to overcome the difficulties that Europe faces on the threshold of the 21st century.
On April 24, 1999, GUUAM was enlarged by one more member – Uzbekistan, who joined the group at GUUAM summit, which was held during NATO/EAPC Summit in Washington D.C., on April 23-25, 1999.
On September 6, 2000, at the meeting in New York in connection with the UN Millennium Summit, the Presidents of GUUAM countries pledged to intensify multilateral cooperation within the framework of GUUAM by giving it a multilevel character. To this aim, it was deemed expedient to convene regular summits at the level of Heads of State at least once a year, and meetings at the level of Ministers for Foreign Affairs at least twice a year. The Committee of National Coordinators (CNC) shall hold regular sessions on a quarterly basis.
To foster favorable conditions conducive to economic growth among the participating states, mutually beneficial trade relations, and implementing complex multilateral programs and projects in the fields of production, commerce, energy, transport, the economy, international credit and financial cooperation, border, customs and fiscal services, communications, science, technology education and culture, direct contacts between different state bodies and departments of the respective agencies of the GUUAM Group Member States will be established.
