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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - February 2017

Feb 2017

Aug 25, 2023

Norway to Become Third Country to Give F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine

Norway will donate U.S.-made F-16 combat aircraft to Ukraine, the Norwegian Prime Minister announced during a visit to Kyiv, joining an effort led by the Netherlands and Denmark.
F-16s have been on Ukraine's wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. The fighter jet is equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.

BRICS Bank signs $173 mn Loan Agreement for Lesotho Water Project

The New Development Bank (NDB), which was established by the BRICS bloc, and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) inked a loan agreement for the implementation of phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
The NDB will provide a project loan of 3.2 billion South African Rand (USD 173 million) to TCTA under the sovereign guarantee of South Africa.
Lesotho is a small landlocked country bordered on all sides by South African provinces. The LHWP is a multi-phased project to provide water to the Gauteng region of South Africa and to generate hydroelectricity for Lesotho.
The loan agreement was signed by Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NDB and Percy Sechemane, Chief Executive Officer of TCTA, on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.

Aug 24, 2023

BRICS Paves Way for Expansion, Agrees on Framework to Add New Member Nations

Leaders of the BRICS bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, reached an agreement to establish mechanisms for evaluating potential new member nations, revealed South Africa's Foreign Minister.
This significant accord on expansion sets the stage for numerous interested countries to present their case for joining BRICS, an alliance dedicated to championing the interests of the developing 'Global South.'
The expansion of BRICS was a central focus at the summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The initial meeting of leaders from BRIC nations, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, took place in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the G8 Outreach Summit in July 2006. Following this, in September 2006, the group was formally established as BRIC during the inaugural BRIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which convened alongside the UN General Assembly's General Debate in New York City.
After a series of high-level gatherings, the first-ever BRIC summit was convened in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on June 16, 2009.
Subsequently, the BRIC group underwent a transformation and was renamed as BRICS, with the inclusion of South Africa as a full member on December 24, 2010.

Srettha Thavisin Elected As Thailand Prime Minister

Thai property tycoon Srettha Thavisin was elected as the new Prime Minister of Thailand following a decisive win in a parliamentary vote. Thavisin's victory in the parliamentary vote, with the support of two-thirds of the assembly, ended weeks of political uncertainty that followed an election held 100 days ago.
Srettha Thavisin's election as Prime Minister ushers in a new era of coalition politics. He faces the challenging task of holding together a potentially fragile coalition government, which includes parties affiliated with the royalist military. The military, notorious for orchestrating coups in 2006 and 2014 that toppled Pheu Thai (a major Thai political party) governments, holds a significant stake in this coalition. Thavisin's ability to navigate the intricacies of this coalition will play a pivotal role in determining the stability and direction of Thailand's government.

Russia Hosts Army 2023, the 9th International Military-Technical Forum

India, China, and Iran had pavilions at the Army 2023, the 9th International Military-Technical Forum hosted by Russia. The Indian pavilion featured stalls from the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and three Defense Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
This pavilion was inaugurated by India's Ambassador to Russia, Pavan Kapoor, and garnered attention from Russian government officials, including Defense Minister General Sergei Shoigu. The DPSUs present were Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). BrahMos Corporation, a joint venture between India and Russia, was also part of the expo.

Aug 23, 2023

Former Thailand Leader Jailed Immediately After Return from 15-Year Exile

Thailand's former PM Thaksin Shinawatra was jailed upon returning to the country after 15 years in exile.
The Supreme Court ordered the 74-year-old billionaire to serve eight years on old graft charges, though it is not clear how much time he will serve behind bars, as his Pheu Thai party forms the government and rumours swirl of a deal for leniency.

Aug 22, 2023

First Foreign Office Consultations between India and Samoa Held in Apia

The first Foreign Office Consultations FOC between India and Samoa was held in Apia. Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs Saurabh Kumar and Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Samoa Ms. Peseta Noumea Simi co-chaired the meeting.
Both sides discussed their wide-ranging bilateral relations including their development partnership covering areas such as health, Information and Communications Technology ICT, Education, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises SME, and capacity building. They also discussed follow-up on Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation FIPIC III Summit, as well as regional and global issues, and cooperation in the framework of the Pacific Islands Forum PIF, Commonwealth, and United Nations. Samoa will host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting CHOGM on 21st of October next year.

Aug 21, 2023

WHO South-East Asia Region Commits to Enhancing Efforts to End Tuberculosis, Adopts Gandhinagar D...

The WHO South-East Asia Region, which bears a disproportionate burden of nearly half of the global TB cases and deaths committed to further accelerate efforts to end tuberculosis by 2030 with its member countries adopting the Gandhinagar Declaration. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia, said in her address to a ministerial meeting on "Sustain, Accelerate, and Innovate to end TB in the South-East Asia Region".
The Gandhinagar Declaration was adopted at the end of the two-day meeting held to follow-up on the progress made to end TB, a flagship priority in the region, and in the run-up to the UN High Level Meeting on TB on September 22 in New York.
The declaration calls for establishing high-level multi-sectoral commission reporting to the highest political level in each country for synergy of efforts among various stakeholders, and to monitor progress towards ending TB and other priority diseases. The WHO regional director said, adding that during the COVID-19 pandemic, TB infrastructure was rapidly deployed for infection diagnosis and containment.
The declaration calls for ensuring appropriate adoption and use of science and technology for equitable and human rights-based TB services that are accessible to all, irrespective of any social, cultural, or demographic divide, through an integrated, primary health care approach.

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