General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - February 2017

Feb 2017

Jun 26, 2024

NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as its Next Secretary-general

NATO appointed Mark Rutte as its next secretary-general, putting the outgoing Dutch Prime Minister in charge of the world's biggest security organization at a critical time for European security as war rages in Ukraine.
The outgoing Dutch premier will take over from the current secretary general, Norway's Jens Stoltenberg, on Oct. 1. Stoltenberg spent more than a decade at the helm. His mandate was repeatedly extended, in part to provide continuity after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

European Union Launches Membership Negotiations with Ukraine

The European Union launched membership talks with Ukraine, a decade after Russian troops seized Crimean Peninsula to deter the country from moving closer to the West, part of a chain of events that set the two neighbours on the path to war.
Ukraine's accession negotiations were set in motion at an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg.
In opening remarks presented via video-link, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal described it as "a historic day" that marks "a new chapter" in his country's ties with the bloc. The talks could take years to conclude.

Jun 25, 2024

US Designates Kenya as Major Non-NATO Ally, Enhancing Defence & Security Cooperation

The United States of America designated Kenya as its major non-NATO ally, MNNA.
As per a memorandum published by the White House, the MNNA status is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defence trade and security cooperation. President Biden had pledged to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally during Kenyan President William Ruto's three-day visit to the US in May 2024.
According to the US Department of State, the MNNA designation is a powerful symbol of the close relationship the United States shares with those countries. While the MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments to the designated country.

Jun 24, 2024

Nepal Nominates 8 New Ambassadors, Including For India

A little over two weeks after recalling the incumbents, Nepal nominated ambassadors for eight countries, including India.
According to the Cabinet sources, former Chief Secretary and Nepal's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Lokdarshan Regmi, was nominated as the new Nepalese ambassador to India.
Earlier on June 6, the Nepal government had recalled ambassadors from 11 countries, including those serving in India and the US and appointed under the Nepali Congress' quota, three months after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' terminated his alliance with the party and joined hands with former prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli.
The development came three months after the coalition was formed with the support of CPN-UML.
The government named former Commerce and Industry Secretary Chandra Ghimire as Nepal's new ambassador to the United States replacing the incumbent ambassador, Sridhar Khatri while Bijan Pant was named Nepal's new ambassador to the United Kingdom. All the ambassador nominees need to undergo parliamentary hearings before the president appoints them to their respective positions.

Jun 23, 2024

Micheal Usi Sworn in as Malawi's Vice President

Top comedian-turned-politician Micheal Usi was sworn in as Malawi's Vice President at a ceremony held in parliament in the capital, Lilongwe.
He replaced Saulos Chilima, who died in a plane crash earlier this month (June 2024), along with eight other people.
Usi received a standing ovation when he spoke after his inauguration, saying he accepted the role with a mixture of sadness and gratitude.
He promised to honour his predecessor's memory and thanked President Lazarus Chakwera for believing in him as he took up his position as Vice President in the power-sharing government.

Jun 22, 2024

US Adds Japan to Currency 'Monitoring List'

The US Treasury Department added Japan to its 'monitoring list' for foreign-exchange practices, but stopped short of labelling it or any other trade partner as a 'currency manipulator'.
According to the Treasury, Japan met two of the three criteria for 'nhanced analysis'. These included 'having a material current account surplus and a significant bilateral trade surplus with the United States'.
However, Japan did not meet the third criterion: being 'engaged in persistent one-sided intervention in the foreign exchange market'.
Alongside Japan, the monitoring list includes China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Germany. Previously, India was also a part of this list.

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