Across the globe there are many regional or international organizations. A regional organization is a formal institution, established by agreement of the affiliated members that created it. These organizations are designed to serve the need of the member states and the citizens of the member states. The two major classifications of regional organization are governmental and nongovernmental. The difference between the two types is that governmental regional organizations are set up by a treaty between the member states, whereas a nongovernmental regional organization is not set up by a treaty. A regional organization involves preferential trade, free-trade areas, customs unions, common markets, and economic unions. Regional organizations are important in that they will help the member states economically by eliminating the barriers to trade and increase the flow of goods and services within the organization. They also help to promote fair competition in free trade areas and substantially increase investment opportunities among the member states.
             The Organization of American States (OAS) is just one of many regional organizations. The OAS is also the oldest regional organization in the world. The OAS was founded on April 30, 1948. Twenty One nations met in Bogotá, Colombia to adopt the Charter of the Organization of American States. This document declared their commitment to common goals and for each nation's sovereignty. Since then, the organization has expanded to include the nations of the Caribbean and Canada. The original member states that met in Colombia are as follows: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela. The member states that have been added since the adoption of the charter are as follows: Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaic...