Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Polity & International Relations) – August 26, 2020

The G4 nations of Brazil, Germany, Japan and India have asserted that the mandate of the United Nations’ Inter-Governmental Negotiations is to achieve the long-pending reforms of the UNSC and not endlessly debate it.

• The Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) format has long outlived its sell-by date and must be made transparent to ensure progress on the reform discussions, they said.
• India has been calling for the reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) along with Brazil, Germany and Japan for long, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.
• The G4 nations support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the UNSC.

NOTE: In 2008 the General Assembly adopted Decision 62/557 “to commence intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) in informal plenary of the General Assembly”.

• Up until the 22008 Decision was adopted, discussions on Security Council reform were nothing more than an oral exchange of views.
• With the creation of the IGN, the aim was have a text on which discussions could be based.
• The first round of the IGN was held on 19 February 2009.
• The General Assembly has renewed its mandate annually, and it remains the principal vehicle for Council reform discussions today.
• To date, the IGN has not been able to agree on a text to be negotiated

According to the UN Security Council Resolution 47 adopted on April 21, 1948, both India and Pakistan were asked to resolve the crisis (Jammu & Kashmir) through a multi-step process.

Accordingly, Pakistan was to withdraw all its nationals from the territory under its control and India was to reduce forces in its part of Kashmir which was to be followed by a plebiscite.

NOTE: Under Resolution 39 on January 20, 1948, the UNSC set up a three-member UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP).

• Disagreement between India and Pakistan led to the first failure as the commission failed to materialize.
• The commission was finally reconstituted with five members on April 21, 1948 and it was mandated to plan a mechanism to ensure a plebiscite in the State. (This was part of the UNSC Resolution 47).

The UN Charter envisioned a symbiotic relationship between the Security Council and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the UN.

• However, the Council has scarcely made use of the ICJ as an instrument, or “tool”, in the exercise of its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• In its latest research report on the rule of law of 20 December 2016, Security Council Report examines the relationship between the Security Council and the ICJ, including options for enhancing that relationship to assist the Council in its work.
• The ICJ was established in 1945 by the same constitutive instrument as the Security Council, the UN Charter, to act as the principal judicial organ of the UN.
• The Statute of the Court is annexed to the Charter itself, meaning that all UN member states are automatically parties to the Statute.
• The ICJ is mandated to settle contentious legal disputes submitted by states against other states in accordance with international law.
• Judgments given in contentious cases between states are binding on the parties.
• The Court also gives advisory opinions to the Council, the General Assembly and other authorized bodies on legal questions referred to it by these entities.

NOTE: Chapter VI of the UN Charter deals with the pacific settlement of disputes and Article 33 states that parties to any dispute, which if continues is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.

• It also states that the Security Council shall, when it deems necessary, call upon the parties to settle their dispute by such means.
• In certain situations, the Security Council authorizes sanctions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and in such cases; sanctions could serve as an important tool in the maintenance of peace and security.

The IMF is a quota-based institution. Quotas are the building blocks of the IMF’s financial and governance structure. An individual member country’s quota broadly reflects its relative position in the world economy. Quotas are denominated in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), the IMF’s unit of account.

The World Bank on Sunday said its board of executives has approved a new project worth $500 million to improve learning outcome and governance of government schools in six Indian states.

• The project, named STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Program), will be implemented through the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the flagship central scheme, in partnership with Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan.
• “STARS will help improve learning assessment systems, strengthen classroom instruction and remediation, facilitate school-to-work transition, and strengthen governance and decentralized management,” the World Bank said.
• STARS will support India’s renewed focus on addressing the ‘learning outcome’ challenge and help students better prepare for the jobs of the future – through a series of reform initiatives”.
• The STARS program builds on the long partnership between India and the World Bank, since 1994, for strengthening public school education and to support the country’s goal of providing ‘Education for All’.
• Prior to STARS, the Bank had provided a total assistance of more than $3 billion towards this goal.

Led by India, South Asia is moving towards becoming the center of global growth and could contribute about one-third of the world’s growth by 2040, according to a latest research by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

• Notably, under the IMF’s geographical division of the world, South Asia does not include Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• For IMF, South Asia includes India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives.

Violence and harassment in the world of work deprives people of their dignity, is incompatible with decent work, and a threat to equal opportunities and to safe, healthy, and productive working environments.

• It remains a widespread phenomenon, present in all countries and disregarding sectors, occupations and work arrangements.
• The adoption of Convention No. 190 and Recommendation No. 206 recognizes the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has offered to collaborate with Telangana for South-South Cooperation in the development of seed sector in African countries.

Hyderabad has now been officially designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and Mumbai in Film Category.

These 2 cities are among 66 cities named by the UNESCO in the list of new Creative Cities which aims at pushing the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action.

It is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.

• Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.
• It is the only UN special agency to have its headquarters in the United Kingdom. It is the first ever international organization devoted exclusively to maritime matters.
• The objective of IMO is the improvement of Maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution.
• IMO measures cover all aspects of international shipping including ship design, construction, equipment, manning, operation and disposal.
• It covers accidental and operational oil pollution along with different types of pollution by chemicals, goods in packaged form, sewage, garbage and air pollution.