South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation
South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation | |
|---|---|
 Logo
| |
| Official language | English |
| Demonym(s) | South Asian |
| Membership | |
| Leaders | |
• Chair |  Arsal Abbas Mirza |
• Secretary General |  Dinesh Rajagopalan |
| Establishment | 2 October 2024 |
| Time zone | UTC+5 to +6 (BST, IST, PST) |
The South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation (SAAMC) is a regional intermicronational organisation and geopolitical union of micronations of South Asia. Its member states are Arsalania, Creek and Lake, Imruland, Mayursia, and Vishwamitra.
SAAMC was founded on 2 October 2024 following the adoption of the SAAMC Declaration by the member states, who thus became the founding members of the association. It is a successor to the Association of South Asian Micronations which existed between 2020 and 2023.
History
The predecessor of SAAMC was the Association of South Asian Micronations (ASAM), formed on 28 August 2020 by Varuna Sriraya and Vishwam Khandelwal, and later of several member states. ASAM was dissolved on 19 September 2023 following months of inactivity. Deliberations on the foundation of SAAMC began in mid-2023 and was formally established much later, on 2 October 2024, when the heads of state of five states–People's Republic of Arsalania, Creek and Lake, Imruland, Mayursia, and Vishwamitra–signed the SAAMC Declaration[1]. According to the declaration, SAAMC seeks to foster closer diplomatic and bilateral ties among the South Asian micronations and to further the shared goals of peace, prosperity, and mutual respect. The key objectives of the SAAMC Declaration include diplomatic cooperation, bilateral and multilateral agreements, cultural exchange, economic collaboration, sustainable development, and conflict resolution. While Yata was also expected to join the association as a founder member, the nation did not ascend to the SAAMC Declaration within the stipulated time and thus could not become a founding member. Yata is expected to join the association later.
The SAAMC Charter, authored by King Suryadeva I of Mayursia, is primarily modeled on the Charter of the Association of Asian Micronational States, which was drafted by Varuna Sriraya. Due to his seniority among the heads of state, Varuna Sriraya, the Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra, was offered the inaugural chair of the association and the position was acccepted. However, on 17 October 2024, the Vishwamitran delegation nominated Dinesh Rajagopalan for the role of Secretary-General and Arsal Abbas Mirza of Arsalania for the chairmanship. Following a unanimous election, both individuals were officially elected to their respective positions on 19 October 2024.
Charter
The Charter of the South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation (SAAMC) is the highest and sole legal document of the organization which describes the aims, objectives, principles, and provisions of the organization.
Preamble
The Preamble of the Charter lays down the vision of the member countries to work towards fostering peace, stability, and development in the South Asian Region, reinforcing the principles of respect for sovereignty, equality, non-aggravation of territorial boundaries, and non-interference in the domestic issues of each other. The preliminaries also pursue the scope of relations among states with similar histories and cultures and the interdependence of their activities for improving the welfare and quality of life of the peoples of South Asia.
Objectives
The objectives of the SAAMC include creating an environment of peace and security through dialogue, accelerating economic growth and social progress, and promoting cultural exchanges among member nations. The organization aims to enhance collaboration in science and technology to address common challenges. Additionally, the SAAMC seeks to foster cooperation with international partners and organizations that share similar goals.
States ratified the Charter
The Charter of the organization was made official by the Assembly of Member States on 21 October 2024.
Structure
Chairmanship
The Chairmanship of the organization is a rotating position held by member states, responsible for guiding the organization and hosting summits during their term. Each chairing nation (called "host nation") is tasked with organizing the biannual summit, coordinating discussions, and setting the agenda for the meeting. No member state can consecutively host two summits within the same year. The Chair (head of state or head of government) serves as the primary point of contact for the organization, facilitating communication and collaboration between member states.
List of chairs
| No. | Portrait | Name | State | Term start | Term end | Term length | Summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Arsal Abbas Mirza (born 2006) |
Arsalania
|
19 October 2024 |
Incumbent | 4 days |
Secretariat
The Secretariat serves as the administrative body of the association, headed by the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General is elected by the Assembly of Member States for a renewable six-month term and is responsible for the overall administration of the organization. Candidates for this position must be citizens of member states and possess Asian heritage.
List of secretaries-general
| No. | Portrait | Name | State | Term start | Term end | Term length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Dinesh Rajagopalan (born 2006) |
Vishwamitra
|
19 October 2024 |
Incumbent | 4 days | Inaugural office-holder. Formerly minister in the government of Vishwamitra. |
Membership
Requirements
In order to qualify for membership in the SAAMC, a nation must
- have principal territories in South Asia
- have a stable, functional government, democratically constituted and not governed by systems deemed inappropriate by other members
- provide evidence of its history and claims, respecting the sovereignty of other member states.
Admission of new states
A nation fulfilling the requirements laid forth in Clause 1 of Article III and has ratified the Charter is eligible to become a member state of the association provided that their application is supported and endorsed by not less than two other member states of the association and decided upon by a simple majority vote by the member states.
Dismissal of member states
A member state may be dismissed if found in violation of the Charter or if it disrupts regional peace. Dismissal requires a proposal from at least two member states and a two-thirds majority vote. A member state may also cease membership voluntarily or if it ceases to exist legally.
Current members
| Flag | Coat of Arms | State | Capital | Official languages | System of government | Leaders | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head of state | Head of government | ||||||
|
.png){kind=spacer}
|
People's Republic of Arsalania | Arsal City | English, Urdu, Punjabi | One-party federal parliamentary people's republic | Arsal Abbas Mirza | |
|
|
United Kingdom of Creek and Lake | City of Creek and Lake | English | Unitary parliamentary constitutional semi-elective monarchy | Arthur | Flint Lockwood |
|
|
Kingdom of Imruland | Shagorika | Bengali | Unitary constitutional monarchy under parliamentary republic | Imrul I | Mohammad Noyon |
| Showib Ahmmed | |||||||
|
|
Kingdom of Mayursia | Dharmapur | English, Odia | Decentralized absolute monarchy under democracy | Suryadeva I | |
|
|
Vishwamitra | Rajagriha | English, Hindi | Federal elective semi-constitutional executive monarchy | Varuna Sriraya | Klarissa Sriraya |
Among the five member states, only two–Arsalania and Vishwamitra–were full members of the Association of South Asian Micronations, the predecessor to SAAMC.
Prospective future members
Non members
The provisions for non-members and observers are mentioned under Article IV of the Charter. Two types of non-member observership have been mentioned, one for nations and one for organizations.
References
- ↑ Sriraya, Varuna (2 October 2024). "SAAMC Declaration".
- ↑ Kapei, Suryadeva (21 October 2024). "Mayursia's Ratification of the Charter of the SAAMC". Retrieved 21 October 2024.