General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2018

Oct 2018

Feb 26, 2023

CAG Girish Chandra Murmu Selected as External Auditor of ILO in Geneva

Comptroller and Auditor General, Girish Chandra Murmu was selected as External Auditor of the International Labour Organization in Geneva for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027. The decision was taken after a rigorous selection process. CAG will take over from the incumbent External Auditor of ILO, Supreme Audit Institution of Philippines. CAG's appointment is a recognition of its standing among the international community as well as its professionalism, high standards, global audit experience and strong national credentials.
ILO had formed a Selection Panel for appointment of External Auditor and invited bids from the Supreme Audit Institutions. Based on the technical experience and other criteria, ILO shortlisted three Supreme Audit Institutions - India, Canada and United Kingdom - for technical presentations. In Geneva, a three-member team from CAG of India presented the strengths, approach and skill set and the vast experience of auditing International Organizations to the tripartite selection panel of ILO.

UN Approves Resolution Calling for Russia to Leave Ukraine

The UN General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution that calls for Russia to end hostilities in Ukraine and demands the withdrawal of its forces, sending a strong message on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion that Moscow's aggression must end.
The 141-7 vote with 32 abstentions was slightly below the highest vote for the five previous resolutions approved by the 193-member world body since Russia sent troops and tanks across the border into its smaller neighbour on Feb. 24, 2022.
The General Assembly has become the most important UN body dealing with Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, is paralyzed by Russia's veto power. Its resolutions are not legally binding, unlike Security Council resolutions, but serve as a barometer of world opinion.

Feb 25, 2023

India Joins Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate

India joined the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C). It was started by UAE and USA in November 2021. The main objective of the initiative is to address hunger and climate change.
AIM4C seeks to increase investment in and support innovation in climate-smart agriculture and food systems. The AIM4C initiative has successfully increased these investments to more than 8 billion US dollars globally.

Ex-Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga Nominated by US President to Lead World Bank

US President Joe Biden nominated former Mastercard Chief Executive Ajay Banga to lead the World Bank, after its current chief David Malpass announced plans to step down early.
The development lender has just started accepting candidate nominations in a process set to run until March 29, with the bank saying that women candidates would be strongly encouraged.
The president of the World Bank is typically American, while the leader of the International Monetary Fund is customarily European.
Banga's nomination came amid a push for development lenders to revamp and address global problems like environmental issues more effectively.
The United States is the World Bank's largest shareholder.

Feb 24, 2023

India, Seychelles Sign Pact on Information Sharing in Maritime Security

Expanding the network of information sharing to further the existing cooperation in maritime safety and security, the Indian Navy-affiliated IFC-IOR signed an MoU with the Seychelles-based Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC).
The IFC-IOR (Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region) is a regional maritime centre hosted by the Navy. As per the Indian Navy, the MoU signed by Capt Rohit Bajpai, Director, IFC-IOR and Capt Sam Gontier, Director, RCOC aims to promote collaboration between the two Centres towards enhancing maritime domain awareness, information sharing and expertise development.

Amid South China Sea Conflict, Indian Submarine Docks in Indonesia for First Time

An Indian submarine has, for the first time ever, docked in Indonesia, which is among the countries locked in a maritime dispute with China in the contentious South China Sea, as part of the continuing overall diplomatic-military outreach to ASEAN countries.
The 3,000-tonne diesel-electric submarine, INS Sindhukesari, reached Jakarta for its first 'operation turnaround' after transiting through the Sunda Strait.
INS Sindhukesari was rolled out in 2018 after it underwent upgrades and repairs in Russia at the Zvyozdochka Shipyard workshop in Severodvinsk. The upgrade gave INS Sindhukesari an extended service life of 10-35 years.

Feb 23, 2023

Indo-American Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy Announces 2024 Presidential Bid

Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy launched his 2024 presidential bid with a promise to put merit back and end dependence on China, becoming the second community member to enter the Republican Party's presidential primary after Nikki Haley.
A second-generation Indian American, Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in 2014 and led the largest biotech IPOs of 2015 and 2016, eventually culminating in successful clinical trials in multiple disease areas that led to FDA-approved products.
He founded other successful healthcare and technology companies, and in 2022, he launched Strive Asset Management, a new firm focused on restoring the voices of everyday citizens in the American economy by leading companies to focus on excellence over politics.

UAE to Host First I2U2 Vice-ministerial Meeting

The United Arab Emirates hosted the first vice-ministerial meeting of the I2U2 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It was attended by senior officials from the four countries India, Israel, the United States and the UAE.
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez led the US delegation at the meeting in Abu Dhabi.
It was the first vice-ministerial meeting since the grouping was jointly announced by President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Lapid, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the forum, partner countries discussed opportunities to advance regional cooperation and investment opportunities to build partnerships that address some of the region's most pressing issues, including management of the energy crisis and food insecurity.

UN Appoints Indo-Canadian Coordinator for Scaling Up Nutrition Movement

United Nations Secretary-General Antnio Guterres announced the appointment of Indo-Canadian Afshan Khan as the coordinator of the 'Scaling Up Nutrition Movement'.
The Scaling Up Nutrition or SUN Movement is a country-driven initiative led by 65 nations and four Indian states united in their mission to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030.
Afshan Khan succeeded Gerda Verburg of the Netherlands.
Khan started her work for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Mozambique in 1989 and is currently serving as the regional director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
She also has extensive knowledge of international civil society organisations, having served as the CEO of Women for Women International.

Feb 22, 2023

Bangladesh Demands Bangla be Adopted as UN's Official Language

A senior Bangladesh minister exhorted the United Nations to formally adopt Bangla as one of its official languages, on the day when the country celebrated the Language Martyrs Day to commemorate the pioneers of the Bengali language movement.
The UN has six official languages -- English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic.
During the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly held last year, it adopted Bangla, Hindi and Urdu as the non-official languages following an India-sponsored resolution.
We are again demanding that Bangla be given the status of an official language of the UN, the ruling Awami League general secretary and senior government minister Obaidul Quader said.

Mukaab Indoor Super-City is Saudi Arabia's Next Mega-Project in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince unveiled The Mukaab, which is a 400-meter-high, wide, and long indoor super city in the centre of Riyadh. The Mukaab, the super city, will be large enough to hold 20 empire state buildings and it is aimed that the PIF-backed giga-project will become a new global icon of technology, sustainability, mobility, and Saudi Innovation.
The Mukaab will be in the center of the Wider New Murabba Development created by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) to bring the project to fruition. The Mukaab, the super city, is based on the Najdi architecture with more futuristic approach. The building will enclose a tower on top of a spiral base. The structure will feature two million square meters of floor space that will be a hospitality destination with retail, cultural, and tourist attractions, featuring residential and hotel units, commercial space, and recreational facilities.
The Mukaab, a new Murabba project will feature 1,04,000 residential units, 9000 hotel rooms, 9,80,000 square meters of retail space, and 1.4 million square meters of office space. It will also include a green area and walking paths to promote a healthy lifestyle.

As G20 Chair and Ahead of SDG Summit, India to Host Series of Roundtables at UN

As chair of G20 and ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit later this year in New York, India's Permanent Mission to the United Nation will host roundtables at the UN headquarters.
A series of roundtables have been lined up for the next few months. The 2023 SDG Summit will be convened in September 2023, during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week.
A roundtable titled 'Gandhian Trusteeship: A panel discussion on Sustainable Lifestyles and Enduring Pace' will be held.
Next on March 9, a roundtable on 'A world we women and girls want: Technology enabled social and economic advancement' is being scheduled.
On March 16, a roundtable on 'Grassroots leadership and transformation: Charting the path of empowerment through technology and skill development' will take place.
On April 14, a special event commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar is being planned.
Focus will be on India's growth story and achievements and how these might be scaled for the potential benefit of the global South.

Putin Walks Out of Nuclear Pact

Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended Russia's participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States.
Putin, while announcing Russia's exit from the last remaining arms reduction pact between the Washington and Moscow, accused the West of being directly involved in attempts to strike its strategic air bases.
The New START treaty is a nuclear arms reduction treaty that came into force in 2011. Signed between the two former Cold war rivals, United States of America and the Russian Federation, on "Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms", the treaty puts legally binding strategic offensive limits on both Russia and US.

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