General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2018

Oct 2018

Jan 09, 2024

In a First, India to Chair, Host UNESCO World Heritage Committee

In a first, India is set to chair and host UNESCO's World Heritage Committee from July 21 to 31, 2024 in New Delhi, Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Vishal V. Sharma informed.
With New Delhi decided to be the epicenter of global discussions on heritage preservation, the opportunity will mark a momentous occasion for the India's cultural and historical legacy. Notably, this is the first time a country will lead and host the committee.
As per the official statement released by UNESCO, "At the 19th extraordinary session (UNESCO, 2023), the World Heritage Committee had decided that its 46th session will take place in India.
The UNESCO'S World Heritage Committee, which meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 member states plays an important role in bringing new additions to the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Established under the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its seventeenth session on November 16, 1972. The Rules of Procedure were last revised by the World Heritage Committee at its thirty-ninth session (Bonn, 2015). The Rules of Procedure are periodically revised to reflect the decisions of the World Heritage Committee.

Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey Assumes Charge of BIMSTEC Secretary General

Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey, a senior diplomat of India, assumed charge of Secretary General (SG) of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Dhaka. Pandey, succeeded Tenzin Lekphell of Bhutan, is the 4th SG of BIMSTEC and will remain in office for a period of three years.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations.
The BIMSTEC member states are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
On June 6, 1997, a new sub-regional grouping was formed in Bangkok under the name BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Following the inclusion of Myanmar on December 22, 1997 during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed 'BIMST-EC' (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). In 1998, Nepal became an observer. In February 2004, Nepal and Bhutan became full members.

US Designates China, Pakistan as 'Countries of Particular Concern'

The US designated China, North Korea and Pakistan as 'Countries of Particular Concern' for engaging in and tolerating particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
Announcing the Religious Freedom Designations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that advancing the freedom of religion or belief has been a core objective of US foreign policy ever since Congress passed and enacted the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998.
In addition, Algeria, Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam were designated as Special Watch List countries for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.

French PM Elisabeth Borne Resigns

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne resigned as President Emmanuel Macron prepared to unveil a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle in a bid to give new momentum to the final three years of his presidency.
She has served as Prime Minister since May 2022. She is a member of President Emmanuel Macron's party Renaissance. Borne is the second woman to hold the position of Prime Minister after Édith Cresson, who served from 1991 to 1992.
After days of intense behind-the-scenes manoeuvring, Education Minister Gabriel Attal was emerging as the favourite to succeed Borne.
If appointed, Gabriel Attal would be France's youngest ever and first openly gay Prime Minister.

Jan 08, 2024

Sheikh Hasina Wins Re-elected as Bangladesh PM

Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was re-elected to parliament from the Gopalganj-3 constituency after a landslide victory in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who participated in the 2018 vote but kept away in 2014, boycotted the polls after Hasina refused their demands to resign and allow a neutral authority to run the general election.
The daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding father of Bangladesh who was killed in an army coup in 1975 along with most members of the family, Hasina, first became Prime Minister in 1996. This is her fifth term overall.
Hasina herself bagged 249,962 votes from her constituency Gopalganj, about 165 kilometres (103 miles) south of the capital Dhaka, while her nearest rival secured just 469 votes.

EU Council President Charles Michel to Step Down Early

Michel, a former Belgian Prime Minister, announced that he had decided to run in the EU's parliamentary elections in June. That would see him leave his role as chief of the European Council, the group of government leaders of the 27 EU member states, before his term expires at the end of November.
The next European Council president must be elected by a majority of the EU's 27 leaders.
If no successor is found in time, Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, would temporarily hold the presidency.

Kyrgyzstan Declares Snow Leopard as National Symbol

Kyrgyzstan, a country nestled in the heart of Central Asia, officially declared the snow leopard as its national symbol, signifying a profound commitment to conservation and ecological balance. President Sadyr Zhaparov, through a signed decree, emphasised the snow leopard's role not only as a symbol of natural wealth and cultural prosperity but also as a vital indicator of the stability and health of the mountain ecosystems that cover a substantial portion of the global territory.
Kyrgyzstan has emerged as a global leader in snow leopard conservation efforts. The country hosted the inaugural Global Snow Leopard Forum in 2013 in its capital, Bishkek, where the Bishkek Declaration on Snow Leopard Protection was unanimously adopted. Additionally, Kyrgyzstan played a pivotal role in initiating the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (GSLEP) in collaboration with representatives from 12 snow leopard range countries and the global environmental community.

Jan 07, 2024

Uganda to Host 19th NAM Summit

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to represent India at the upcoming 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda's capital Kampala from January 17 to 20, 2024.
Additionally, the African country will host the Third South Summits and G77 meeting from January 21 to 23.
At the 2019 NAM summit in Azerbaijan, and the 2016 NAM Venezuela summit, India was represented at the Vice President level.

Jan 06, 2024

South Africa Releases Former Paralympic Star Oscar Pistorius on Parole

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was released from jail on parole, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend. Popularly known as 'Blade Runner', for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, Pistorius was convicted of killing his girlfriend and model Reeva Steenkamp.
As per the order by the parole board, a monitoring official will keep an eye on Pistorius until his sentence expires in December 2029. He is also required to inform the authorities in case he seeks job opportunities or moves to a new address.

Jan 05, 2024

Nadia Calvino Appointed as New President of the European Investment Bank

Nadia Calvino took office as the new president of the European Investment Bank. She succeeded Werner Hoyer and became the eighth president of the EU bank. Notably, Calvino is the first woman and the first Spaniard to lead this prestigious institution, marking a significant milestone in the bank's history.

France Becomes First European Country to Issue Digital Schengen Visas

France became the first European Union member to introduce fully digital Schengen visas for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Commencing on January 1, 2024, the newly launched "Olympic Consulate" system operates through the France-Visas portal, streamlining the application process for 15,000 international athletes, 9,000 journalists, and foreign delegations.
Applications for the 70,000 visas will be exclusively processed online, preventing them from being inundated among other visa requests. This groundbreaking initiative aligns with the EU's digitalization plans for Schengen visas, marking a significant shift in visa application procedures.
In an innovative approach, approved visas will not be affixed to passports. Instead, they will be seamlessly integrated into accreditation cards, a move aimed at enhancing efficiency and convenience for participants.

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