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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. United Nations & Its Specialized Agencies .........................................................................5

1.1 United Nations General Assembly .............................................................................................................. 5

1.2 United Nations Security Council .................................................................................................................. 6

1.3 UN Economic and Social Council ............................................................................................................... 7

1.4 International Court of Justice ....................................................................................................................... 7

1.5 UNESCO....................................................................................................................................................................... 8

1.6 UN Food and Agricultural Organisation ................................................................................................. 9

1.7 World Bank ............................................................................................................................................................... 9

1.8 World Trade Organization ............................................................................................................................... 11

1.9 International Telecommunication Union............................................................................................... 11

1.10 International Labour Organization ......................................................................................................... 12

1.11 International Atomic Energy Agency ...................................................................................................... 12

1.12 International Fund for Agricultural Development .......................................................................... 13

1.13 United Nations Commission on International Trade Law ......................................................... 14

1.14 International Monetary Fund ...................................................................................................................... 14

1.15 World Health Organisation .......................................................................................................................... 15

1.16 World Meteorological Organization ....................................................................................................... 15

1.17 World Intellectual Property Organization ............................................................................................16

1.18 United Nations Development Programme .........................................................................................16

1.19 United Nations Environment Programme ........................................................................................... 17

2. UN Initiatives.......................................................................................................................... 18

2.1 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ...........................................................18

2.2 United Nations Human Rights Council ..................................................................................................18

2.3 UN Country Team ...............................................................................................................................................19

2.4 United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress ..........................................................19

2.5 UN Ocean Conference .................................................................................................................................. 20

2.6 UN-Habitat ........................................................................................................................................................... 20

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3. Intergovernmental Organizations......................................................................................21

3.1 Asian Development Bank ............................................................................................................................... 21

3.2 Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank ......................................................................................... 21

3.3 International Energy Agency ...................................................................................................................... 22

3.4 Indian Ocean Naval Symposium ............................................................................................................ 23

3.5 Global Environment Facility Council ..................................................................................................... 23

3.6 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ....................................................................... 23

3.7 Global Alliance for Industry Decarbonization ................................................................................. 24

3.8 International Criminal Police Organization ...................................................................................... 25

3.9 UN Commission on Status of Women ................................................................................................. 25

3.10 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ..................... 26

3.11 New Development Bank................................................................................................................................ 27

3.12 World Forestry Congress ............................................................................................................................. 27

3.13 World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022 .......................................................... 28

3.14 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species................................................ 28

4. International Groups ............................................................................................................ 29

4.1 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ................................................. 29

4.2 Collective Security Treaty Organization ............................................................................................. 29

4.3 Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation . 30

4.4 Munich Security Conference..................................................................................................................... 30

4.5 Commonwealth of Nations ......................................................................................................................... 31

4.6 Eastern Economic Forum .............................................................................................................................. 31

4.7 Financial Action Task Force......................................................................................................................... 32

4.8 Association of Southeast Asian Nations ............................................................................................. 32

4.9 Paris Club ...............................................................................................................................................................33

4.10 BRICS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 34

4.11 G-33 ......................................................................................................................................................................... 34

4.12 G20........................................................................................................................................................................... 35

4.13 BASIC group of countries ........................................................................................................................... 35

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4.14 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation .................................................................................................. 36

4.15 Digital Atlantic Charter Initiative ........................................................................................................... 36

4.16 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ................................................................................................. 37

4.17 G7 (Group of 7) ................................................................................................................................................. 38

4.18 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ............................................................. 38

4.19 North Atlantic Treaty Organization ...................................................................................................... 39

4.20 Indian Ocean Dialogue .............................................................................................................................. 39

4.21 Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) ............................................................................. 40

4.22 Gulf Cooperation Council ......................................................................................................................... 40

4.23 Indo-Pacific Economic Forum ................................................................................................................. 41

4.24 Group of Four(G4) ......................................................................................................................................... 41

4.25 Council of Europe ............................................................................................................................................ 41

4.26 Group of Friends............................................................................................................................................. 42

4.27 Partners in the Blue Pacific ...................................................................................................................... 43

4.28 Nuclear Suppliers’ Group .......................................................................................................................... 43

4.29 I2U2 ......................................................................................................................................................................... 44

4.30 International North-South Transit Corridor ................................................................................... 44

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 United Nations & Its
1 Specialized Agencies

1.1 United Nations General Assembly

Context:
Recently, the Prime Minister of India (PM) addressed the 76th United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA).

About United Nations General Assembly:

❖ The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative
organ of the UN.
❖ All 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it
the only UN body with universal representation.
❖ Each year in September, the full UN membership meets in the General Assembly Hall
in New York for the annual General Assembly session, and general debate, which
many heads of state attend and address.
❖ UNGA appoints the Secretary General of the UN based on the recommendations of
the Security Council.
❖ It also elects:
➢ Non-Permanent members in the Security Council
➢ Members to the Social and Economic Council
➢ Judges to International Court of Justice (With Security council)
❖ It considers reports from four organs of the United Nations and assesses the financial
situations of member states, also approves the UN budget.
❖ Roles:
➢ Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security,
admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority
of the General Assembly.
➢ Decisions on other questions are by simple majority.
❖ The President of the General Assembly is elected each year by assembly to serve a
one-year term of office.

About 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA):

❖ Theme for this year: “Building Resilience through hope to recover from Covid-19,
rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people,
and revitalize the United Nations".

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❖ The PM spoke about a range of topics from the Covid-19 pandemic, threat of
terrorism, India's actions to combat climate change and the need to protect the
freedom of navigation in the oceans.

1.2 United Nations Security Council

Context:
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN addressed a United Nations Security Council
(UNSC) meeting on the topic ‘Promote Common Security Through Dialogue and
Cooperation.

About United Nations Security Council:

❖ It was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
❖ It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.Other 5 organs are—the
General Assembly (UNGA), the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council,
the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.
❖ The UNSC, with a mandate to maintain international peace and security, is the
centerpiece of global multilateralism.
❖ It selects the UN Secretary-General and plays a co-terminus role with the UN General
Assembly in electing judges to the International Court of Justice.
➢ Its resolutions, adopted under chapter VII of the UN charter, are binding on all
countries.
❖ Composition:
➢ The UNSC is composed of 15 members, 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent.
➢ Five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United
Kingdom, and the United States.
➢ Ten non-permanent members: Elected for two-year terms by the General
Assembly.
✓ Five from African and Asian States,
✓ One from Eastern European States,
✓ Two from Latin American States,
✓ Two from Western European and other States.
❖ Voting Powers:
➢ Each member of the Security Council has one vote and it is very rigid. Decisions
of the Security Council on matters are made by an affirmative vote of nine
members including the concurring votes of the permanent members.
➢ A "No" vote from one of the five permanent members blocks the passage of the
resolution.
❖ G4 Nations (Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan) are 4 countries that bid for permanent
seats in UNSC.

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 1.3 UN Economic and Social Council

Context:
India has abstained from the U.N. Economic and Social Council on a draft resolution to
oust Iran from its principal global intergovernmental body (Commission on the Status
of Women) dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment.

About U.N. Economic and Social Council:

❖ It was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
❖ It is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and
recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as
implementation of internationally agreed development goals.
❖ It has 54 members, elected by the UN General Assembly for overlapping three-year
terms.
❖ It is the UN's central platform for reflection, debate and innovative thinking on
sustainable development.
❖ It coordinates the work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, ten functional commissions
and five regional commissions, receives reports from nine UN funds and programmes
and issues policy recommendations to the UN system and to member states.
❖ Few Important Bodies under the Purview of ECOSOC:
➢ International labour Organization (ILO)
➢ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
➢ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
➢ World Health Organization (WHO)
➢ Bretton Woods Twins (World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund)
➢ United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
➢ Apart from these there are various Functional and Regional Commissions,
Standing Committees, Ad Hoc and Expert Bodies as well.

1.4 International Court of Justice

Context:
Delivering its judgement, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has awarded the DRC
$225 million for damage to persons, which includes loss of life, rape, recruitment of child
soldiers and displacement of civilians.

About International Court of Justice:

❖ The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United
Nations (UN).
❖ It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and started to
work in April 1946.

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❖ The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands).
❖ Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in New
York (United States of America).
❖ All UN members are its members.
❖ The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years
by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
❖ Its official languages are English and French.
❖ Functions:
➢ The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes
submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred
to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
➢ The Court can only hear a dispute when requested to do so by one or more States.
❖ Subject matters which it undertakes are Sovereignty, boundary disputes, maritime
disputes, trade, natural resources, human rights, treaty violations, treaty
interpretations and more.
❖ The Court has no jurisdiction to deal with applications from individuals, non-
governmental organizations, corporations or any other private entity.
❖ Article 94 of the United Nations Charter, Judgments delivered by the Court are
binding upon the parties concerned. Judgments are final and without appeal.

1.5 UNESCO

Context:
❖ Recently, Gujarat’s Vadnagar town and the Sun Temple at Modhera, and the Rock-
cut Sculptures of Unakoti in Tripura have been added to the tentative list of United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage
Sites.
❖ About UNESCO:
❖ Through worldwide collaboration on educational, scientific, and cultural initiatives,
the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization is in charge of advancing
peace, social justice, human rights, and global security.
❖ Its headquarter is in Paris, France, and it has 195 member states.
❖ It is a global development agency with missions that encourage sex education,
literacy, clean water and equality for women.
❖ It is in charge of advancing social justice, human rights, peace, and international
security through collaboration on initiatives in education, science, and culture.
❖ It publishes the Global Education Monitoring report and the Gender Parity Index.
❖ It motivates governments to protect sites with important cultural and natural
heritage.

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❖ It is in charge of the Man and Biosphere Programme, which safeguards biosphere
reserves all around the world.
❖ Both Israel and the US had stopped supporting the UN organization since Palestine's
membership was approved in 2011.

1.6 UN Food and Agricultural Organisation

Context:
The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation’s Food Price Index (FPI) averaged 135.9 points
in October, marginally lower compared to the previous month’s 136 points.

About Food and Agriculture Organization:

❖ It was founded on 16 October 1945.
❖ It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to
defeat hunger and improve nutrition and standards of living.
❖ Its Headquarter is in Rome, Italy.
❖ Their goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular
access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
❖ It strives to provide information and support sustainable agriculture through
legislation and national strategies, with a goal of alleviating hunger.
❖ It works to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular
access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
❖ It has adopted three Codex standards for black, white and green pepper, cumin and
thyme owing to India’s efforts for global spices trade.
❖ Major Publications released:
➢ The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA).
➢ The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO).
➢ The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)

1.7 World Bank

Context:
The World Bank (WB) in its India Development Report titled ‘Navigating the Storm’,
upgraded its growth forecast for India’s economy in 2022-23 to 6.9%.

About World Bank:

❖ It was created at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, as the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) along with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF).
❖ The IBRD later became the World Bank.
❖ The World Bank is one of the United Nations' specialized agencies.
❖ It has 189 member countries. India is also a member country.

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❖ These members are represented by a Board of Governors (BOG), who are the ultimate
policymakers.
❖ IBRD and IDA are collectively known as the World Bank, which provides loans to
countries for capital programs.
❖ The aim of the World Bank is to End extreme poverty, Promote shared prosperity and
provide sustainable development.
❖ Major Reports: Ease of Doing Business (Stopped publishing), Human Capital Index,
World Development Report, Global Economic Prospects, Global Financial
Development Report, International Debt Statistics, World Development Indicators,
Poverty and Shared Prosperity.

World Bank Group

❖ The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions working for
sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing
countries.
❖ Its Five Development Institutions:
➢ International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
➢ International Development Association (IDA)
➢ International Finance Corporation (IFC).
➢ Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
➢ International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
✓ India is not a member of this.
❖ IBRD, IFC and IDA are Specialized Agencies of the UN. ICSID and MIGA are not
Specialized Agencies.
❖ The IBRD and IDA provide loans to member countries at preferential rates and grants
to the poorest countries.
❖ IFC, MIGA, and ICSID mainly focus on the private sector in developing countries by
providing financing, technical assistance, political risk insurance, and settlement of
disputes.
❖ IFC, founded in 1956 which provides financing without sovereign guarantees, primarily
to the private sector.
❖ ICSID, established in 1966, works with governments.
❖ MIGA, established in 1988, provides insurance against risks like political risk, primarily
to the private sector.
❖ Each member country get voting power according to the shares held in the
organization’s capital.

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 1.8 World Trade Organization

Context:
India opposed the continuation of a moratorium on Customs Duties on electronic
transmission (E-Transmission) at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 12th Ministerial
Conference (MC12).

About World Trade Organization:

❖ The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that is
concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations.
❖ The WTO officially commenced in 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement signed by
124 nations, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
❖ Currently, it has 164 members and 23 observer governments (like Iran, Iraq, Bhutan,
Libya etc) are signed.
❖ Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
❖ This operates a global system of trade rules, negotiating trade agreements, settles
trade disputes between its member countries and supports the needs of developing
countries.
❖ The member countries need not have to be fully independent states. e.g.: Hong Kong.
❖ Principles of WTO are non-discrimination, reciprocity, binding and enforceable
commitments, transparency, and safety values.
❖ The General Council takes care of day-to-day decision-making.
❖ It meets under different rules, as the Dispute Settlement Body.
❖ The Ministerial Conference is the top decision-making body, where members of trade
ministers are represented and it meets every 2 years.

1.9 International Telecommunication Union

Context:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) have commenced India-ITU Joint Cyber Drill 2021.

About International Telecommunication Union:

❖ ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication
technologies – ICTs.
❖ It was established in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union.
❖ It is one of the oldest international organizations in operations.
❖ It has 193 member states and Headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland.

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❖ It is mainly for the allocation of radio spectrum and satellite orbits, and
standardization and development 0f ICTs.
❖ It has more than 700 private-sector entities membership now.
❖ ITU has recently reported that by the end of 2018, the world will surpass the half of the
global population milestone for internet use.

1.10 International Labour Organization

Context:
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour
Organization (ILO) recently released a report “Renewable Energy and Jobs-Annual
Review 2022”, that around 700,000 new jobs were created in the Renewable Energy Sector
in just one year

About International Labour Organization:

❖ The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the United Nations agency for the world
of work.
❖ Its mandate is to advance social and economic justice through setting international
labour standards.
❖ ILO’s mandate as the basis for peace is expressed today as Decent Work for all.
❖ It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.
❖ Its parent organization is the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
❖ It is also a member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), a coalition of
UN organizations aimed at helping meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
❖ It was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, to
reflect the belief that universal and lasting peace can be accomplished only if it is
based on social justice.
❖ In 1946, the ILO became a specialized agency of the newly formed United Nations.
❖ The ILO has 187 member states: 186 out of 193 UN member states plus the Cook Islands.
❖ It is the only tripartite U.N. agency that brings together governments, employers and
workers’ representatives of 187-member States.

1.11 International Atomic Energy Agency

Context:
Rafael Grossi, Director-General of IAEA, will head an assistance mission to the now-
defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine aimed at stepping up efforts to help
prevent the danger of a nuclear accident in the wake of the ongoing Moscow-Kiev war.

About International Atomic Energy Agency:

❖ Set up as the world’s “Atoms for Peace and Development” organization in 1957 within
the United Nations family.

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❖ Headquarters at Vienna, Austria
❖ It reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
❖ Functions:
➢ Works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the
safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
➢ Seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any
military purpose, including nuclear weapons.
❖ Programs:
➢ Program of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT).
➢ Human Health Program.
➢ Water Availability Enhancement Project.
➢ International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles, 2000.
❖ Board of Governors:
➢ 22 member states (must represent a stipulated geographic diversity) — elected
by the General Conference (11 members every year) – 2 year term
➢ At least 10 member-states — nominated by the outgoing Board.
➢ Board members each receive one vote.

1.12 International Fund for Agricultural Development

Context:
Recently ,the work of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in India
was highlighted.

About International Fund for Agricultural Development:

❖ IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency
working in the field of poverty eradication in the rural areas of developing countries
providing grants and loans with low interest for allied projects.
❖ It was created in 1977, which is the outcome of the World Food Conference of 1974.
❖ Headquarters at Rome, Italy and It has 177 member countries.
➢ India is also a member country.
❖ Objectives:
➢ To increase the productive capacity of poor people.
➢ To increase benefits for them from market participation.
➢ To strengthen the environmental sustainability & climate resilience of their
economic activities.
❖ Reports: Rural Development Report (every year).
❖ It has been working in India for more than 30 years. The current country strategic
opportunities programme is fully aligned with the government’s policy framework
of doubling farmers' incomes in real terms by 2022.

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 1.13 United Nations Commission on International Trade Law

Context:
The Economic Survey 2021-22 mentioned the report of the Insolvency Law Committee,
which had recommended the adoption of the United Nations Commission on
International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) with certain modifications to bring the foreign assets
under the insolvency process.

About United Nations Commission on International Trade Law:

❖ It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966.
❖ It provides a legislative framework that can be adopted by countries with
modifications to suit the domestic context of the enacting jurisdiction.
❖ It has been adopted by 49 countries, including Singapore, UK, US and South Africa.
❖ UNCITRAL allows foreign professionals and creditors direct access to domestic courts
and enables them to participate in and commence domestic insolvency proceedings.
❖ It allows recognition of foreign proceedings and enables courts to determine relief
accordingly.
❖ The Commission carries out its work at annual sessions which are held in alternate
years at United Nations Headquarters in New York and at the Vienna International
Centre at Vienna.

1.14 International Monetary Fund

Context:
Recently, Sri Lanka has reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) for a loan of about $2.9 billion.

About International Monetary Fund:

❖ It was established in 1944 in the aftermath of the Great Depression of the 1930s.
❖ IMF and the World Bank are also known as the Bretton Woods twins because both
were agreed to be set up at a conference in Bretton Woods in the US.
❖ It is governed by and accountable to the 190 countries that make up its near-global
membership.,
❖ India became a member in December 1945.
❖ Aim: To ensure the stability of the international monetary system (the system of
exchange rates and international payments) which enables countries and their
citizens to transact with each other.
❖ The IMF's resources mainly come from the money that countries pay as their capital
subscription (quotas) when they become members.

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 ➢ Each member is assigned a quota, based on its relative position in the world
economy.
➢ Countries can then borrow from this pool when they fall into financial difficulty.
❖ Publications: World Economic Outlook, Global Financial Stability Report, Fiscal Monitor,
Global Policy Agenda.

1.15 World Health Organisation

Context:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the first-ever Fungal Priority
Pathogens List (FPPL).
About World Health Organisation:
❖ It is the first global health organization which replaced a number of regional and
national health organizations.
❖ There are 194 members, and Geneva, Switzerland, serves as the organization's
secretariat.
❖ It is qualified to direct and oversee activities pertaining to global health.
❖ Delegations from all WHO member states are present in the World Health Assembly,
the highest decision-making body.
❖ The World Health Assembly's resolutions and directives are put into effect by the WHO
Executive Board.
❖ This is the top body in the world for establishing health policy.
❖ Every year, in May, in Geneva, the members of the World Health Assembly convene.
❖ The World Health Assembly's primary responsibilities include setting the
Organization's policy, selecting the Director-General, regulating financial practices,
and reviewing and approving the proposed programme budget.
❖ To ensure that the world reaches the Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs) aim of
universal health coverage (UHC), the World Health Assembly recently agreed on three
resolutions (SDGs).

1.16 World Meteorological Organization

Context:
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a report titled “2021 State of
Climate Services Report”. It focuses on Terrestrial Water Storage.

About World Meteorological Organization (WMO):

❖ WMO is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 192 Member
States and Territories.
❖ It originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was
established after the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.
❖ Established by the ratification of the WMO Convention on 23 March 1950.

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❖ WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology
(weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.
❖ Headquartered : Geneva, Switzerland.
❖ Functions: Dedicated to meteorology (weather), climatology (climate), operational
hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography
and atmospheric chemistry.
❖ Other Reports: Status of the World Climate

1.17 World Intellectual Property Organization

Context:
The Global Innovation Index 2022 has been released by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO).

About World Intellectual Property Organization:

❖ WIPO is one of the oldest specialized agencies of the United Nations.
❖ It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
❖ It promotes the protection of both industrial property (inventions, trademarks, and
designs) and copyrighted materials (literary, musical, photographic, and other
artistic works).
❖ Its predecessor United International Bureaux for the Protection of Intellectual Property
(BIPRI) administered two conventions:
➢ Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Berne
Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. BIRPI is thus
transformed to become WIPO.
❖ Marrakesh Treaty facilitates access to published works for persons who are blind,
visually impaired and print disabled.
➢ India is the First country to sign a treaty.

1.18 United Nations Development Programme

Context:
The Union Environment ministry in association with the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) has been implementing the ‘Secure Himalaya’ project to conserve
the habitats of snow leopards.

About United Nations Development Programme:

❖ UNDP was formed in 1965, which is to help countries to eliminate poverty and achieve
sustainable human development.
❖ UNDP’s executive board is within the United Nations General Assembly.

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❖ It protects human rights and the empowerment of women in all of its programmes.
❖ The UNDP publishes an annual Human Development Report to measure and analyze
developmental progress and also publishes regional, national, and local Human
Development Reports.

1.19 United Nations Environment Programme

Context:
About United Nations Environment Programme:

❖ UNEP is the highest global environmental authority, it sets the global environmental
agenda.
❖ Its Headquarters is in Nairobi, Kenya
❖ It works on 7 areas: Climate change, Disasters and conflicts, Ecosystem management,
Environmental governance, Chemicals and waste, Resource efficiency, and
Environment under review.
❖ Mission: Work is made possible by partners who fund and champion.
❖ It depends on voluntary contributions.
❖ It gives the ‘Champions of the Earth’ award in the leadership category for pioneering
work in environmental issues in the world.
❖ Reports: Global Environment Outlook, Emission Gap Report, Actions on Air Quality &
Rise of Environmental Crime Report.

❖❖❖

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 2 UN Initiatives

2.1 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Context:
❖ Recently, according to the forecast by the UNCTAD, India's economic growth is
expected to decline to 5.7 per cent this year from 8.2 per cent in 2021.
❖ About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development:
❖ It was established in 1964 to promote trade, investment, and development in
developing countries.
❖ It is a permanent organ of the United Nations General Assembly.
❖ It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
❖ UNCTAD has approximately 190 members.
❖ The highest policy-making body of UNCTAD is the Conference, which meets once
every four years to set policy guidelines and to formulate a program of work.
❖ Functions:
➢ Comprehend options to address macro-level development challenges
➢ Achieve beneficial integration into the international trading system
➢ Diversify economies to make them less dependent on commodities
➢ Limit their exposure to financial volatility and debt.
❖ Flagship reports: Trade and Development Report, World Investment Report, The Least
Developed Countries Report, Economic Development in Africa Report, Information
Economy Report, Technology and Innovation Report, Review of Maritime Transport.

2.2 United Nations Human Rights Council

Context:
The United Nations Human Rights Council has unanimously voted for recognising a
clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a universal right in Geneva, Switzerland.

About United Nations Human Rights Council:

❖ It is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for
strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
❖ It was founded in 2006.
❖ Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
❖ It is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UNGA.
➢ India was elected in January 2019 for a period of three years.

18
❖ Procedures and Mechanisms:
➢ Universal Periodic Review à UPR serves to assess the human rights situations in
all United Nations Member States.
➢ UN Special Procedures à These are made up of special rapporteurs, special
representatives, independent experts and working groups that monitor,
examine, advise and publicly report on thematic issues or human rights situations
in specific countries.

2.3 UN Country Team

Context:
Recently, The Union Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change addressed the
special meeting of the UN Country Team (UNCT) on CoP 27.

About UN Country Team:

❖ The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) exists in 132 countries, covering all of the
162 countries where there are United Nations programmes.
❖ The UNCT includes all the UN entities working on sustainable development,
emergency, recovery and transition in programme countries.
❖ The UNCT is led by the UN Resident Coordinator, who is the representative of the UN
Secretary-General in a given country.
❖ The UNCT ensures interagency coordination and decision-making at the country
level.
❖ The goal is to plan and work together, as part of the Resident Coordinator system, to
ensure the delivery of tangible results in support of the development agenda of the
Government, including the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework—
which guides the UN country team’s development programme cycle, in joint
agreement with the host government.

About The Resident Coordinator System:

❖ It ensures the coordination of all organizations of the United Nations dealing with
operational activities for development at the country level.
❖ It encompasses the UN Resident Coordinator, the UN Country Team and Resident
Coordinator’s Office and is served by the UN Development Coordination Office.

2.4 United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress

Context:
PM Narendra Modi recently addressed the 2nd UN World Geospatial International
Congress (UNWGIC). It is being held in Hyderabad.

19
 About United Nations Global Geospatial Information Congress:
❖ The United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) convened
the conference on UNWGIC 2022.
❖ It was organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
❖ It is conducted every four years with the objectives of enhancing international
collaboration among the Member States and relevant stakeholders in Geospatial
information management and capacities.
❖ The first UNWGIC was organized by China in October 2018.

2.5 UN Ocean Conference

Context:
The 5-day UN Ocean Conference took off with the Governments of Kenya and Portugal
being the co-hosts.

About UN Ocean Conference:

❖ Leaders from over 130 countries from across the world will deliberate for five days to
find an international agreement on protecting the world’s oceans, seas and marine
resources.
❖ Conference comes at a crucial juncture as the world is seeking to address many of
the challenges requiring structural transformations and Innovative and Green
solutions to achieve the SDG Goal 14.
❖ The Seabed 2030 project was launched at the United Nations (UN) Ocean
Conference.

2.6 UN-Habitat

Context:
UN-Habitat has identified various pressing issues posing challenges for urban planners
of Jaipur City. Issues highlighted include: Rapid expansion of cities, Weak urban mobility
etc.

About UN-Habitat:
❖ The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN–Habitat) is the United
Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
❖ Objectives: To promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns & cities with
the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.
❖ It was established in 1978 and Headquarters is in Nairobi, Kenya.
❖ It reports to the UN General Assembly.
❖ It is also a member of the United Nations Development Group.

❖❖❖

20
 Intergovernmental
3 Organizations

3.1 Asian Development Bank

Context:
Recently, India and ADB signed a $125 million loan to improve Urban Services in Tamil
Nadu.

About Asian Development Bank:

❖ It is a regional development bank established on 19th December 1966.
❖ It envisions a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific
while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty in the regions of the world.
❖ Other non-regional member countries are Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany etc.
❖ Headquarters is in Manila, Philippines.
❖ It has 68 members, 49 from within Asia.
➢ Japan holds the largest proportion of shares in ADB followed by the USA.
➢ Japan is one of the largest shareholders of the bank, and the president has
always been Japanese.
❖ ADB is an official United Nations Observer.
❖ ADB finances projects like:
➢ Public sector (sovereign) financing
➢ Private sector (non- sovereign) financing
➢ ADB funds and resources
➢ Co-Financing partnerships

3.2 Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank

Context:
The Union Minister of Finance participated in the 6th Annual Meeting of the Board of
Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

About Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank:

❖ It is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic
outcomes in Asia and beyond.
❖ The Parties (57 founding members) to agreement comprise the Membership of the
Bank.

21
❖ It is headquartered in Beijing and began its operations in January 2016.
❖ Aim: By investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors today, it
aims to connect people, services and markets that over time will impact the lives of
billions and build a better future.
❖ There are more than 100 members now.
❖ Voting Rights:
➢ China is the largest shareholder with 26.61 % voting shares in the bank followed
by India (7.6%), Russia (6.01%) and Germany (4.2 %).
➢ The regional members hold 75% of the total voting power in the Bank.
❖ Various organs of AIIB:
➢ Board of Governors: It consists of one Governor and one Alternate Governor
appointed by each member country. Governors and Alternate Governors serve
at the pleasure of the appointing member.
➢ Board of Directors: Non-resident Board of Directors is responsible for the direction
of the Bank’s general operations, exercising all powers delegated to it by the
Board of Governors.
➢ International Advisory Panel: The Bank has established it to support the President
and Senior Management on the Bank’s strategies and policies as well as on
general operational issues.

3.3 International Energy Agency

Context:
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2022
report, which stated that global emissions will peak in 2025.

About International Energy Agency:

❖ International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental
organization established in 1974, in the framework of the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD).
❖ Only OECD member states can become members of the IEA and India is an associate
member of IEA.
❖ The IEA acts as a policy adviser to its member states, but also works with non-member
countries, especially China, India, and Russia.
❖ Its mission is guided by four main areas of focus, energy security, economic
development, environmental awareness and engagement worldwide.
❖ Roles and functions: The IEA was initially dedicated to responding to physical
disruptions in the supply of oil, as well as serving as an information source on
statistics about the international oil market and other energy sectors.
➢ It is best known for the publication of its annual World Energy Outlook.

22
 3.4 Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

Context:
The maiden edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Maritime Exercise 2022
(IMEX-22) was conducted at Goa and in the Arabian Sea.

About Indian Ocean Naval Symposium:

❖ It was established in 2007.
❖ It is a premier forum and voluntary initiative for cooperation and collaboration among
navies of littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
❖ It has enabled discussions on regional maritime issues, promoted friendly
relationships, and significantly improved maritime security cooperation in the Indian
Ocean Region.
❖ The inaugural edition of IONS was held in Feb 2008 at New Delhi, with the Indian Navy
as the Chair for two years.
❖ Its members are 23 permanently held territory nations that lie within the Indian Ocean,
and 9 observer nations.
➢ Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Iran, Oman, Saudi
Arabia, UAE, France, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Eretria,
Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Timor
➢ China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Netherlands, Russia and
Spain are observer countries.

3.5 Global Environment Facility Council

Context:
The 62nd GEF meeting will be the final council of the GEF Trust Fund (GEF-7). It is closing
the four-year funding cycle, and commencing the GEF-8 cycle.

About Global Environment Facility Council:

❖ It is the main governing body of the Global Environment Facility.
❖ It comprises 32 members appointed by constituencies of GEF member countries.
➢ 14 from developed countries, 16 from developing countries, and 2 from economies
in transition.
❖ Every constituency decides how frequently its members rotate.
❖ India currently belongs to a group that includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the
Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
❖ It convenes twice a year to create, approve, and assess the operational policies and
plans for GEF-financed projects.
❖ It examines and accredits the work schedule and decides by consensus.

23
 3.6 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Context:
The fourth Intergovernmental Conference (IGC-4) meeting is convened under the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

About United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:

❖ The ‘Law of the Sea Treaty’, formally known as the United Nations Convention on the
Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) was adopted in 1982 to establish jurisdictional limits over
ocean areas.
❖ The convention defines a distance of 12 nautical miles from the baseline as
Territorial Sea limit and a distance of 200 nautical miles distance as Exclusive
Economic Zone limit.
❖ It provides for technology and wealth transfer from developed to underdeveloped
nations and requires parties to implement regulations and laws to control marine
pollution.
❖ India became a signatory to the UNCLOS in 1982.

3.7 Global Alliance for Industry Decarbonization

Context:
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and 13 companies across all
industry sectors have launched the Global Alliance for Industry Decarbonization.

About Global Alliance for Industry Decarbonization:

❖ It was formed under the Bali Declaration adopted during IRENA’s Investment Forum
on Energy Transitions held in Bali, Indonesia.
❖ Aim: To accelerate net-zero ambitions and decarbonisation of industrial value
chains in pursuit of the 2015 Paris Agreement climate goals.
❖ The alliance is intended to provide a platform for the industry to exchange and
collaborate to contribute towards the achievement of countries’ net zero goals.
❖ It will strengthen dialogue and coordinate action by industrial stakeholders from
across the public and private sectors.
❖ Siemens Energy, Enel Green Power, TAQA Arabia, JSW (India), Tata Steel (India),
Sable Chemicals, Repsol, Equinor among others are the founding members.
❖ Around 25% of global GDP is produced by the industrial sector, but it also emits
around 28% of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
❖ The industrial sector is also the second-largest emitter. Hence, this alliance was
launched as it will help the Industrial Sector in rapid decarbonisation.

24
 3.8 International Criminal Police Organization

Context:
The Interpol has launched an online campaign to apprise people of major cyberthreats
to help them protect their computer systems, networks and personal information from
cybercriminals.

About International Criminal Police Organization:

❖ The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is an intergovernmental
organization that helps coordinate the police force of 194 member countries.
❖ Headquartered at Lyon, France.
❖ Formed in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission, and started calling
itself Interpol in 1956.
❖ India joined the organization in 1949, and is one of its oldest members.
❖ Each of the member countries hosts an INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB).
❖ The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is designated as the National Central
Bureau of India
❖ Interpol General Assembly:
➢ It is Interpol’s supreme governing body, and comprises representatives from all
its member countries.
➢ It meets annually for a session lasting approximately four days, to vote on
activities and policy.
➢ Each country is represented by one or more delegates at the Assembly, who are
typically chiefs of law enforcement agencies.

3.9 UN Commission on Status of Women

Context:
Iran was removed from the UN Commission on status of Women by the resolution
adopted by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

About UN Commission on Status of Women:

❖ It is the principal global intergovernmental body mainly for the promotion of gender
equality and empowerment of women.
❖ It was established in June, 1946 by ECOSOC.
❖ It has a main role in implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action.
❖ It consists of 45 Member States elected by ECOSOC on the basis of equitable
geographical distribution.

25
❖ India was elected for the period of 4 years (2021 to 2025).
❖ It promotes women’s rights, reports the reality of women’s lives throughout the world
and helps on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

3.10 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural

Resources

Context:
Three medicinal plant species found in the Himalayas have made it to IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species.

About International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural

Resources:
❖ In October 1948, the International Union for the Protection of Nature (also known as
IUPN) was established as a result of an international conference held in
Fontainebleau, France.
❖ In 1956, the group changed its name to become the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources with the abbreviation IUCN (or UICN),
and its headquarters is in Gland, Switzerland.
❖ Its goal is to advocate equitable and environmentally sound use of all natural
resources while also influencing, energizing, and assisting civilizations around the
world.
❖ IUCN collaborates with governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses,
United Nations agencies, and local communities to formulate and implement policy,
coordinate fieldwork programmes globally, and promote scientific research.
❖ States and non-governmental organizations are both IUCN Members.
❖ An unbiased platform where governments, NGOs, scientists, industry, and local
communities may come together to find answers to the problems of development
and conservation.
❖ Any species that is at risk of going extinct in the near future is considered a threatened
species.
❖ Depending on how seriously they are threatened, threatened species are divided into
three categories by the International Union for Conservation of Nature: vulnerable,
endangered, and severely endangered.
❖ Every four years, IUCN convenes the IUCN World Conservation Congress to set the
global conservation agenda.
❖ IUCN Publications:
➢ The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assesses risk of species extinction
➢ The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems assesses risk of ecosystem collapse
➢ The IUCN World Heritage Outlook assesses World Heritage sites over time
➢ The World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas assesses sites important for
biodiversity

26
 ➢ Protected Planet assesses protected areas
➢ ECOLEX provides a gateway to environmental law
➢ PANORAMA

3.11 New Development Bank

Context:
Recently, the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) admitted three new members as part
of its extensive membership expansion program. They are Bangladesh, UAE, and
Uruguay.

About New Development Bank:

❖ New Development Bank is a multilateral development bank, founded by the BRICS
countries.
❖ Its headquarters is in Shanghai, China.
❖ The first regional office of the NDB is in Johannesburg, South Africa.
❖ Its main focus is to finance infrastructure and sustainable development in emerging
markets and developing countries.
❖ It supports through loans, guarantees, equity participation and other financial
instruments to sovereign and non-sovereign projects.
❖ The initial capital is equally distributed amongst the founding members.
❖ Voting power is based on the equally shared among the members.
❖ All members of the UN can be members of the NDB.

3.12 World Forestry Congress

Context:
The Seoul Forest Declaration was an outcome of the discussions held at the recently
concluded XV World Forestry Congress in Seoul, South Korea.

About World Forestry Congress:

❖ The Congress is not an intergovernmental meeting; it has no formal constituencies
nor country delegations.
❖ The Congress is a forum for the exchange of views and experiences on all aspects of
forests and forestry, which may lead to the formulation of broad recommendations
applicable at national, regional and global levels.
❖ The World Forestry Congress is held approximately once every six years.
❖ The first Congress was held in Italy in 1926.
❖ The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has helped host countries organize the
Congress since 1954.
❖ Responsibility for the organization and financing of each Congress lies with the host
country.
❖ Theme for 2022: Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests.

27
 3.13 World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022

Context:
The forum was held recently in Geneva, Switzerland.

About World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022:

❖ It represents the United Nations’s first and largest annual gathering of the
Communication Technologies (CT) for development community.
❖ Co-organized by International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UNESCO, UNDP and
UNCTAD in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line facilitators.
❖ Theme for 2022: “ICTs for Well-Being, Inclusion and Resilience: WSIS Cooperation for
Accelerating Progress on the SDGs”.
❖ It is a unique two-phase United Nations (UN) summit that was initiated in order to
create an evolving multi- stakeholder platform.
❖ It aimed at addressing the issues raised by information and communication
technologies (ICTs) through a structured and inclusive approach at the national,
regional and international levels.

3.14 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Context:
Recently, UNEP-managed CITES database reveals red sanders smuggling

About Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species:

❖ CITES(the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to
protect endangered plants and animals.
❖ It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of
the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
❖ The convention was opened for signature in 1973 and CITES entered into force on 1 July
1975.
❖ It is an international agreement between governments, whose aim is to ensure that
international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the
survival of the species.
❖ CITES is legally binding on state parties to the convention, which are obliged to adopt
their own domestic legislation to implement its goals.

❖❖❖

28
 4 International Groups

4.1 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Context:
Recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), have launched the Tax Inspectors
Without Borders (TIWB) Programme in Seychelles.

About Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development:

❖ It was formed in 1961.
❖ It has 38 member countries.
➢ India is not a member but one of the signatory of the organization.
❖ At the time of its starting, it started with 18 European countries plus the US and
Canada.
❖ The European Commission, China, India, Brazil and South Africa also work closely with
it, through "Enhanced Engagement" programmes.
❖ It is an international organization, having a goal to shape policies that foster
prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all.
❖ Its headquarter is in Paris, France.
❖ The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Secretariat is located at OECD headquarters.

4.2 Collective Security Treaty Organization

Context:
The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) marked its 30th year at an anniversary
summit hosted by Moscow recently.

About Collective Security Treaty Organization:

❖ It is an intergovernmental military alliance (six countries) that came into effect in
2002.
❖ Its origin can be traced to the Collective Security Treaty, 1992 (Tashkent Treaty).
❖ The headquarters is located in the Russian capital of Moscow.
❖ Its current members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian
Federation and Tajikistan.

29
❖ Its objective is to strengthen peace, international and regional security including
cybersecurity and stability, the protection on a collective basis of the independence,
territorial integrity and sovereignty of the member states.

4.3 Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic

Cooperation

Context:
Sri Lanka is gearing up to host the Fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical
and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

About Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and

Economic Cooperation:
❖ BIMSTEC is a regional multilateral organization comprising 7 Member States lying in
the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal.
❖ This sub-regional organization came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok
Declaration.
❖ The seven Member States are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar
and Thailand.
❖ It has its secretariat at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
❖ Initially, the economic bloc was formed with 4 Member States with the acronym ‘BIST-
EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
❖ BIMSTEC Centres: BIMSTEC Energy Centre, BIMSTEC Centre on Weather and Climate.
❖ The BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.5 billion people which constitute around 22%
of the global population with a combined GDP of 2.7 trillion economy.
❖ In the last five years, BIMSTEC member states have been able to sustain an average
6.5% economic growth trajectory despite global financial meltdown.
❖ BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organization focussing on agriculture, public
health, poverty alleviation, counter-terrorism, environment, culture, climate change,
etc.

4.4 Munich Security Conference

Context:
The Munich Security Conference is being held in Germany. India is taking part in it.

About Munich Security Conference:

❖ The Munich Security Conference is an annual conference on international security
policy that has been held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany since 1963.
❖ The conference is held annually in February.

30
❖ Over the past four decades the Munich Security Conference has become the most
important independent forum for the exchange of views by international security
policy decision-makers.
❖ Each year it brings together about 350 senior figures from more than 70 countries
around the world to engage in an intensive debate on current and future security
challenges.

4.5 Commonwealth of Nations

Context:
At the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, all 54
Commonwealth members have officially adopted the Living Lands Charter: A
Commonwealth Call to Action on Living Lands (CALL).

About Commonwealth of Nations:

❖ Commonwealth is an international intergovernmental organization of 56 countries.
❖ It is headquartered in London.
❖ It was established by the London Declaration in 1949.
❖ It is headed by Queen Elizabeth II and the monarch of 16 members of the
Commonwealth, known as Commonwealth realms.
❖ The 56 member countries are mostly former territories of the British Empire and
dependencies.
❖ But today any country can join the modern Commonwealth. The membership is
based on free and equal voluntary cooperation.
❖ Members are united by language, history, culture and their shared values of
democracy, free speech, human rights, and the rule of law.
❖ Every 2 years, they meet to discuss issues affecting the Commonwealth and the wider
world at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
❖ The two African countries, Gabon and Togo, were admitted to the Commonwealth of
Nations, as its members at the CHOGM 2022.

4.6 Eastern Economic Forum

Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Plenary Session of 7th Eastern Economic
Forum being held in Vladivostok through video conferencing.

About Eastern Economic Forum:

❖ Eastern Economic Forum is an international forum held each year in Vladivostok,
Russia, for the purpose of encouraging foreign investment in the Russian Far Eastern
Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia.
❖ The objective is to support the economic development of Russia’s Far East and to
expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

31
❖ It was established by a decree of the President of Russia in 2015.
❖ It is also a platform for the discussion of key issues in World economy, regional
integration and the development of new industrial and technological sectors.
❖ It is the easternmost part of Russia, which borders 2 oceans, the Pacific and the Arctic,
and 5 countries, China, Japan, Mongolia, the United States and N. Korea.
❖ This region has rich natural resources like diamonds, stannary, gold, tungsten, fish and
seafood.
❖ India has made significant investments in the Russian Far East in the fields of pharma
and diamond.

4.7 Financial Action Task Force

Context:
Pakistan is hoping for some reprieve as the international watchdog Financial Action Task
Force (FATF) will begin meetings in Berlin ahead of its plenary session.

About Financial Action Task Force:

❖ It is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7.
❖ The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective
implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money
laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the
international financial system.
❖ The FATF Secretariat is housed at the OECD headquarters in Paris.
❖ It consists of thirty-seven member jurisdictions. India is one of the members.
❖ FATF has two lists:
➢ Grey List: Countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding
and money laundering are put in the FATF gray list. This inclusion serves as a
warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.
➢ Black List: Countries known as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories
(NCCTs) are put in the blacklist. These countries support terror funding and
money laundering activities. The FATF revises the blacklist regularly, adding or
deleting entries.
❖ The FATF Plenary is the decision-making body of the FATF. It meets three times per
year.

4.8 Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Context:
24th ASEAN-India Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) was hosted in Delhi.

32
 About Association of Southeast Asian Nations:
❖ ASEAN is an international organization that was established on August 8, 1967 in
Thailand.
❖ ASEAN’s headquarter is in Jakarta (Indonesia).
❖ ASEAN aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural
development in the region.
❖ It has 10 member countries in Southeast Asia:
➢ The five founding members included Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore
and Thailand.
➢ Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia later joined.
❖ It is a regional grouping that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation.
❖ It was established in August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN
Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN, namely
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
❖ Mechanism of the Institution: Its chairmanship rotates annually, based on the
alphabetical order of the English names of Member States.
❖ ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – into
one organization.
❖ ASEAN countries have a total population of 650 million people and a combined Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 2.8 trillion. It is India’s 4th largest trading partner with
about USD 86.9 billion in trade.

4.9 Paris Club

Context:
The Paris Club has proposed a 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt and another 15
years of debt restructuring as a formula to resolve the Sri Lankan debt crisis.

About Paris Club:

❖ The Paris Club is an informal group of creditor nations whose objective is to find
workable solutions to payment problems faced by debtor nations.
❖ The club has 22 permanent members including most of the western European and
Scandinavian nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
➢ India is not a member of the club
❖ The origin of the club is traced to a meeting that happened in Paris between officials
from Argentina, which had trouble paying back its debt with a group of lenders in
1956.

33
 4.10 BRICS

Context:
Leading media groups from the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa) have put together a three-month long training programme for journalists. The
programme was an initiative of the BRICS Media Forum.

About BRICS:
❖ BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies,
namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
❖ In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four
emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
❖ The grouping was formalized during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in
2006.
❖ South Africa was invited to join BRIC in 2011, after which the group adopted the
acronym BRICS.
❖ The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in
accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S.
❖ India is the chair for 2021.
❖ It together represents about 42% of the population, 23% of GDP, 30% of the territory
and 18% of the global trade.
❖ During the Sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza (Brazil) in 2014, the leaders signed the
Agreement establishing the New Development Bank (NDB headquarters - Shanghai,
China).
❖ They also signed the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement to provide short-term
liquidity support to the members.

4.11 G-33

Context:
Recently, while addressing the G-33 Virtual Informal Ministerial Meeting, India’s
Commerce and Industry Minister pointed out the imbalances in the Agreement on
Agriculture at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

About G-33:
❖ The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in agriculture) is a coalition of developing
countries.
❖ It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference.
❖ The group has coordinated during the Doha Round of WTO negotiations, specifically
in regard to agriculture.
❖ Dominated by India, the group seeks to limit the degree of market opening required
of developing countries, especially with regard to agriculture.
❖ There are currently 47 member nations.

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 4.12 G20

Context:
The Prime Minister will unveil the logo, theme and website of India’s G20 Presidency on
8th November 2022.

About G20:
❖ G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around
85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the
world population.
❖ The G20 was formed in 1999 in the backdrop of the financial crisis of the late 1990s
that hit East Asia and Southeast Asia in particular. Its aim was to secure global
financial stability by involving middle-income countries.
❖ The first G20 Summit took place in 2008 in Washington DC, US.
❖ The members of the G20 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the
European Union.
❖ Organizational Structure of G20:
➢ The G-20 operates without a permanent secretariat or staff.
➢ The chair rotates annually among the members and is selected from a different
regional grouping of countries.
➢ The chair is part of a revolving three-member management group of past,
present and future chairs referred to as the
❖ The preparatory process for the G20 Summit is conducted through the established
Sherpa and Finance tracks that prepare and follow up on the issues and
commitments adopted at the Summits.
➢ The Sherpas’ Track focuses on non-economic and financial issues, such as
development, anti-corruption and food security, while addressing internal
aspects such as procedural rules of the G20 process.
❖ The Finance Track focuses on economic and financial issues.

4.13 BASIC group of countries

Context:
The Union Environment Minister has delivered the statement on behalf of the BASIC group
of countries at the UN Climate Change Conference underway at Glasgow.

About BASIC group of countries:

❖ The BASIC group was formed as the result of an agreement signed by the four
countries on November 28, 2009.

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❖ They are a bloc of four large newly industrialized countries – Brazil, South Africa, India
and China.
❖ The four countries committed:
➢ To act together at the Copenhagen Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009.
➢ Stand at a common position on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and raising
the massive funds that are needed to fight climate change.
❖ The BASIC countries also constituted one of the main parties in the Copenhagen
Accord reached with the US-led grouping. However, the accord was not legally
binding.

4.14 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Context:
New Zealand is hosting this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

About Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation:

❖ It is a regional economic forum to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-
Pacific, Which was established in 1989.
❖ Aim: To create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting
balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth and by accelerating
regional economic integration.
❖ Functions:
➢ APEC works to help all residents of the Asia-Pacific participate in the growing
economy. APEC projects provide digital skills training for rural communities and
help indigenous women export their products abroad.
➢ Recognizing the impacts of climate change, APEC members also implement
initiatives to increase energy efficiency and promote sustainable management
of forest and marine resources.
❖ Members: 21 - Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan,
South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States.
➢ India is not a Member.
❖ In all, APEC members account for nearly 3 billion people and about 60% of the world’s
GDP. They span the Pacific rim, from Chile to Russia to Thailand to Australia.

4.15 Digital Atlantic Charter Initiative

Context:
U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Robert Spalding has announced the Digital Atlantic
Charter initiative, a public-private effort focused on safeguarding democracies
worldwide.

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 About Digital Atlantic Charter Initiative:
❖ It is created in the spirit of the Atlantic Charter and following the recent AUKUS
trilateral security partnership between Australia, U.K. and the U.S.
❖ The initiative supports countries in every region of the world as they work to protect
and ensure the resilience of their critical infrastructure.
❖ The initiative provides policy advice, an investment vehicle and a technology
development platform to help government agencies and commercial entities counter
digital authoritarianism.
❖ About Atlantic Charter:
❖ It was a joint declaration issued during World War II (1939-45) by the United States
and Great Britain that set out a vision for the postwar world.
❖ First announced on August 14, 1941, a group of 26 Allied nations eventually pledged
their support by January 1942.
❖ Among its major points were a nation’s right to choose its own government, the
easing of trade restrictions and a plea for postwar disarmament.
❖ The document is considered one of the first key steps toward the establishment of
the United Nations in 1945.

4.16 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Context:
Recently, the 20th SCO Council of Heads Meeting was held in Nur-Sultan in virtual format
under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation:

❖ It is a permanent intergovernmental international organization. It was created in
2001.
❖ It’s a Eurasian political, economic and military organization aiming to maintain
peace, security and stability in the region.
❖ It was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism.
❖ Official Languages: Russian and Chinese.
❖ SCO Secretariat in Beijing
❖ Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.
❖ Its chairmanship is by rotation for a year by Member States.
❖ Eight member states: India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
❖ Four observer states: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia.
❖ Heads of State Council:
➢ The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the
SCO.
➢ It meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important
matters of the organization.

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 4.17 G7 (Group of 7)

Context:
China has announced USD 1.5 billion development assistance for the ASEAN besides the
elevation of the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership to strengthen security
cooperation with the 10-nation bloc.

About G7 (Group of 7):

❖ The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the
leaders of the world’s leading industrial nations.
❖ The summit gathers leaders from the European Union (EU) and the following
countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United
States.
❖ The major purpose of the G-7 is to discuss and deliberate on international economic
issues.
❖ It sometimes acts in concert to help resolve other global problems, with a special
focus on economic issues.
❖ Russia was formally inducted as a member in the group in 1998, which led G7 to
become G8.
➢ However, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnable act of moving
Russian troops into eastern Ukraine and conquering Crimea in 2014 led to
suspension of Russia from the G8.

4.18 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Context:
Five permanent United Nations Security Council members (China, France, Russia, the UK
and US) have pledged to prevent atomic weapons from spreading and to avoid nuclear
conflict.

About Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons:

❖ It is an international treaty signed in 1968 and came into force in 1970.
❖ The NPT is a multilateral treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons
including three elements: (1) non-proliferation, (2) disarmament, and (3) peaceful
use of nuclear energy.
❖ These elements constitute a “grand bargain” between the five nuclear weapon states
and the non-nuclear weapon states.
❖ Implications:
➢ States without nuclear weapons will not acquire them.
➢ States with nuclear weapons will pursue disarmament.
➢ All states can access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, under
safeguards.

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❖ The Treaty defines nuclear weapon states (NWS) as those that had manufactured
and detonated a nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967. All the other states
are therefore considered non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS).
❖ The five nuclear weapon states are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and
the United States.
❖ The Treaty does not affect the right of state parties to develop, produce, and use
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
❖ Nuclear weapon states are not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear
weapons and not to assist, encourage, or induce any NEWS to manufacture or
otherwise acquire them.
❖ India, Israel and Pakistan have not joined the treaty. Further, North Korea and South
Sudan have also not signed the treaty.

4.19 North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Context:
Russia has stationed more than 1,00,000 troops at its border with aspiring NATO member
Ukraine.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization:

❖ It is an intergovernmental military alliance between North American and European
countries.
❖ It constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its independent member states
agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.
❖ Its Headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium.
❖ The alliance is based on the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed in 1949.
Established by Washington treaty.
❖ Since its founding, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance
from the original 12 countries to 30. The most recent member state to be added to
NATO was North Macedonia on 27 March 2020.
❖ NATO membership is open to “any other European state in a position to further the
principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.”
❖ Three former Soviet states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) are members of NATO.

4.20 Indian Ocean Dialogue

Context:
Hosting the 8th edition of Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD), India highlighted the region's
importance and the need to keep it safe and secure.

About Indian Ocean Dialogue:

❖ IOD is a track 1.5 forum (where government officials who participate in unofficial
capacity and non-official actors work together) of Indian Ocean Rim Association.

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❖ Half of the world’s container ships and two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments pass
through this.
❖ Has some of the world’s most important choke points- Straits of Hormuz, Malacca,
and the Bab el Mandeb (strategically important for global trade and energy flow).
❖ Contains roughly 1/3 of the world's population, 25% of its landmass and around 40%
of world’s oil and gas reserves.

4.21 Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA)

Context:
The Minister of State for External Affairs has recently rejected Pakistan’s statement on
the Kashmir issue at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in
Asia (CICA) held in Astana.

About Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA):

❖ It is a multinational forum for strengthening cooperation towards promoting peace,
security and stability in Asia.
❖ It was founded by Kazakhstan’s First President in 1992.
❖ First summit was held in 2002.
❖ Location of CICA Secretariat is Almaty (Kazakhstan).
❖ The CICA Summit is convened every four years in order to conduct consultations,
review the progress of, and set priorities for CICA activities.
❖ The Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs is required to be held every two years.
❖ To be a member of CICA, a state must have at least a part of its territory in Asia. So
far the CICA has 27 member countries, 9 observer states, and 5 international
organizations.
❖ India is one of the founding members of CICA.

4.22 Gulf Cooperation Council

Context:
India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) decided to pursue resumption of Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) Negotiations.

About Gulf Cooperation Council:

❖ It is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. The GCC was
established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 1981.
❖ The purpose of the GCC is to achieve unity among its members based on their
common objectives and their similar political and cultural identities, which are rooted
in Arab and Islamic cultures. The Presidency of the council rotates annually.

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❖ The Supreme Council is the highest authority of the organization. It is composed of
the heads of the Member-States. Its presidency rotates periodically among the
Member States in alphabetical order.
❖ The Ministerial Council: It is composed of the Foreign Ministers of all the Member
States or other ministers deputizing for them. It meets every three months to
implement the decisions of the Supreme Council and to propose new policies.
❖ The Secretariat General : It is the administrative arm of the alliance, which monitors
policy implementation and arranges meetings.

4.23 Indo-Pacific Economic Forum

Context:
The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry attended the first in-person Ministerial
meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF).

About Indo-Pacific Economic Forum:

❖ IPEF was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific
region in May 2022 in Tokyo, Japan.
❖ Its aim is to strengthen economic partnership among participating countries with
the objective of enhancing resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth,
fairness and competitiveness in the region.
❖ The 14 members of the IPEF are — Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the
US.
❖ IPEF would work to ensure that the Indo-Pacific Region would remain secure and open
for business.

4.24 Group of Four(G4)

Context:
On the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, the G-4 countries
highlighted the ‘urgent need’ for reform in the U.N. Security Council (UNSC).

About Group of Four(G4):

❖ Group of Four(G4) was formed in 2005.
❖ The group is primarily focused on U.N Security Council (UNSC) reform and
permanent membership of the body for G4 members among others.
❖ Members of G4 are India, Germany, Brazil and Japan.

About Uniting for Consensus(UFC) group

❖ The Uniting for Consensus(UFC) group nicknamed the Coffee Club is an informal
club that developed at the UN in the 1990s.

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❖ The group developed in opposition to the possible expansion of permanent seats in
the United Nations Security Council.
❖ Under the leadership of Italy, the group aims to counter the bids for permanent seats
proposed by G4 nations and is calling for a consensus before any decision is reached
on the form and size of the Security Council.
❖ Some of the members of the group include – Italy, Spain, Malta, San Marino,
Pakistan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia & Turkey.

4.25 Council of Europe

Context:
The Council of Europe has suspended Russia from its rights of representation in the
Council. However, Russia was not permanently removed from the council, thus obligated
to follow its human rights provisions.

About Council of Europe:

❖ It was established in 1949 by the Treaty of London. The council is distinct from the
European Union(EU).
❖ It is an international organization founded in the wake of World War II to uphold
human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
❖ It includes 47 member states (27 of which are EU members).
❖ The Council cannot make binding laws, but it does have the power to enforce select
international agreements reached by European states on various topics.
❖ The Council is also an official United Nations Observer.
❖ Headquarters is in Strasbourg, France.

4.26 Group of Friends

Context:
India has launched the ‘Group of Friends’ to promote accountability for crimes against
peacekeepers.

About Group of Friends:

❖ This group was launched during India’s current presidency of the U.N. Security Council.
❖ Co-chairs of the ‘Group of Friends’ - India, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco and
Nepal.
❖ Aim: To Promote Accountability for Crimes against Peacekeepers, seek facilitation
of capacity building and technical assistance to the host state authorities.
❖ Functions:
➢ Actively engage and share information with the Secretary-General.
➢ Assist the member states hosting or have hosted peacekeeping operations, in
bringing to justice the perpetrators of such acts.

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❖ For this, India will soon launch a database that will record all crimes against the Blue
Helmets.
❖ The Group of Friends will convene 2 meetings of its members per year, organize and
host one event per year involving Permanent Missions and other stakeholders.

4.27 Partners in the Blue Pacific

Context:
Recently, The US and its allies — Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United Kingdom
— have launched the ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ Initiative.

About Partners in the Blue Pacific:

❖ It was launched by the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United Kingdom.
❖ It is an “informal mechanism” to support Pacific islands and to boost diplomatic, and
economic ties in the pacific region.
❖ Its Objectives are:
➢ To deliver results for the Pacific more effectively and efficiently
➢ To expand cooperation between the Pacific and the rest of the world
➢ To focus on bolstering “Pacific regionalism”.
❖ The areas where PBP aims to enhance cooperation with the pacific islands include
climate crisis, connectivity and transportation, maritime security and protection,
health, prosperity, and education.

4.28 Nuclear Suppliers’ Group

Context:
France has reiterated its commitment to support India’s bid for permanent membership
in a reformed UN Security Council and New Delhi’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group.

About Nuclear Suppliers’ Group:

❖ Brought in 1974– in response to the Indian nuclear test (operation smiling Buddha).
❖ The 48-member NSG is an elite club of countries that deals with the trade-in nuclear
technology and fissile materials besides contributing to the non-proliferation of
nuclear weapons.
❖ It is a Group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation
by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to
manufacture nuclear weapons.
❖ The NSG first met in November 1975 in London, and is thus popularly referred to as the
“London Club”.
❖ Its guidelines are not binding.
❖ Benefits associated with NSG membership- Once admitted, an NSG member state
gets: Timely information on nuclear matters, Contributes by way of information,
Has confirmed credentials, Can act as an instrument of harmonization and
coordination, Is part of a very transparent process.

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 4.29 I2U2

Context:
Recently, the first I2U2 leaders' Summit was held virtually.

About I2U2:
❖ I2U2 stands for India, Israel, the UAE, and the US, and was also referred to as the ‘West
Asian Quad’.
❖ I2U2 was initially formed in October, 2021 following the Abraham Accords, to deal with
issues concerning maritime security, infrastructure and transport.
❖ The Abraham Accord is the first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years mediated by the
USA.
❖ Objectives:
➢ Its stated aim is to discuss “common areas of mutual interest, to strengthen the
economic partnership in trade and investment in our respective regions and
beyond”.
➢ Six areas of cooperation have been identified by the countries mutually, and the
aim is to encourage joint investments in water, energy, transportation, space,
health, and food security.

4.30 International North-South Transit Corridor

Context:
Iran started the transfer of Russian goods to India by using the International North-South
Transit Corridor (INSTC).

About International North-South Transit Corridor:

❖ INSTC is a multi-modal transportation network, first envisaged in 2000 by Russia,
India and Iran, to promote transportation cooperation among the Member States.
❖ INSTC connects the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to Caspian Sea via Iran and is then
connected to Saint Petersburg and North European via Russia.
❖ Currently, it has 13 members: India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan,
Belarus, Turkey, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Ukraine and Syria.

❖❖❖

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