• Members – Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, France, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Eritrea, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Timor 
• Observer – China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Netherlands, Russia and Spain.
• The symposium was first held in 2008 with India as host

·        Chairmanship rotates for every 2 years.

·        operates from its regional early warning centre located at campus of Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand.

·        seeks to establish regional early warning system within multi-hazard framework for generation and communication of early warning information and capacity building for preparedness and response to trans-boundary hazards.

·        provides information related to Tsunami and extreme weather conditions. It also acts as a test bed for emerging technologies and help to enhance performance

• India is current chair of the body.

·        started in 1989, in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world;

·        it aimed to establish new markets for agricultural products and raw materials beyond Europe

·        Headquartered in Singapore

·        three official observers: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

·        21 Members countries are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Peru, Russian and Vietnam.

·        50% of world’s trade and about 57% of GDP

·        India is not a member state

·        The FATF is not a part of the UN system,

·        Functions out of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

·        Headquarters in Paris,

·        Started in 1989 after a decision by members of the G-7 and the European Commission.

·        The FATF runs differently from other multilateral agencies, as its primary focus is on reviewing all actions through a “technical” not a political prism, and frowns upon countries bringing bilateral issues to the forum.

·        It is not an enforcement agency itself

·        Composed of 39 member governments who fund the FATF and agree on its mandate.

·        This means that FATF depends on voluntary implementation of its reports by member countries.

·        At present, only Iran and North Korea are on the blacklist

·        18 countries, including Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Iceland, Jamaica and Mauritius, are on the grey list.

·        India became an observer in the grouping in 2006, and was inducted as a full member in 2010.

How does FATF work and what do ‘grey lists’ and ‘black lists’ refer to?

·       The 39-member body that was set up in 1989 out of a G-7 meeting of developed nations, is today made up of 37 countries and two regional organisations: the European Commission, the European Union’s executive body, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. India joined with ‘observer’ status in 2006 and became a full member of FATF in 2010.

·       According to its mission statement, FATF members meet regularly to monitor various countries, “review money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures; and promote the adoption and implementation of the FATF Recommendations globally”.

·       The decision-making body of the FATF or Plenary meets thrice a year, in February, June and October, to take stock of “Mutual Evaluation Reports” (MERs) of the countries they review.

·       If a country appears to have major deficiencies in its AML/CFT regime, it is put on a list of “jurisdictions under increased monitoring” or what is called the “grey list”, and if it fails to address FATF concerns it is put on a “high-risk jurisdictions” list, called the “black list”.

·       Countries on both lists are subject to increasing levels of financial strictures, as the listing is like a global rating, and makes it difficult to procure loans from financial organisations like the IMF/World Bank, ADB etc., as well as to invite investment from private companies and other countries. 

What are countries on the grey list expected to do?

• FATF calls these countries “jurisdictions under increased monitoring”. Basically, these countries have to comply with certain conditions laid down by the FATF, failing which they run the risk of being “black listed” by the watchdog. Their compliance is periodically reviewed by the FATF.
• According to the FATF, when a jurisdiction is placed under increased monitoring, “it means the country has committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes and is subject to extra checks”.

·        Specifically, these jurisdictions are now “actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing”.

·        It is headquartered in Lyon, France.

• The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body and meets once a year to take key decisions related to its functioning.

·        The Interpol, or International Criminal Police Organization, is an inter-governmental organisation comprising 195 member countries, which helps police forces in all these countries to better coordinate their actions.

·        According to the Interpol website, the organisation enables member countries to share and access data on crimes and criminals, and offers a range of technical and operational support.

·        The Interpol general secretariat coordinates the organisation’s day-to-day activities.

·        It is run by a secretary general (currently Jurgen Stock of Germany, who has been Interpol’s chief executive since 2014), with its headquarters in Lyon, France, with a global complex for innovation in Singapore, and several satellite offices in different regions.

·        Interpol has a National Central Bureau (NCB) in each member country, which is the central point of contact for both the general secretariat and the other NCBs around the world.

·        Each NCB is run by police officials of that country, and usually sits in the government ministry responsible for policing. (Home Ministry in India.)

·        Each of the member countries hosts an INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB).

·        This connects their national law enforcement with other countries and with the General Secretariat.

·        The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is designated as the National Central Bureau of India.

·        Interpol manages 19 police databases with information on crimes and criminals (from names and fingerprints to stolen passports), accessible in real-time to countries.

·        It also offers investigative support such as forensics, analysis, and assistance in locating fugitives around the world.

What is a Red Notice?

·        Criminals or suspects often flee to other countries to evade facing justice.

·        A Red Corner Notice, or Red Notice (RN) alerts police forces across the world about fugitives who are wanted internationally.

·        Interpol says “Red Notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence.

·        A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.”

·        RNs contain information that helps identify wanted persons, such as their names, dates of birth, nationality, and physical attributes such as the colour of their hair and eyes, as well as pictures and biometric data such as fingerprints, if they are available. RNs also mention the crime(s) they are wanted for.

·        An RN is published by Interpol at the request of a member country.

o   The fugitives may be wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.

o   The country issuing the request need not be the home country of the fugitive; Interpol acts on the request of a country where the alleged crime has been committed.

·        The number of valid RNs which are not public is several times more. These RNs are restricted for use by law enforcement authorities only.

·        An RN is published on Interpol’s website only in cases where the help of the public is needed to locate an individual, or if those individuals pose a threat to public safety.

Is an RN a warrant of arrest?

·        An RN is only an international wanted persons’ notice; it is not an international arrest warrant. Interpol itself does not want individuals; they are wanted by a country or an international tribunal.

·        This means the Interpol cannot compel law enforcement authorities in any country to arrest the subject of an RN.

·        It is up to individual member countries to decide what legal value to give to an RN, and the authority of their national law enforcement officers to make arrests.

·        The Interpol says that an RN must comply with its constitution and rules. It says on its website that “every Red Notice request is checked by a specialised task force to ensure it is compliant with (Interpol) rules”.

·        The Interpol argues that an RN is issued only after a competent court has taken cognisance of a chargesheet against the fugitive.

·        Coalition of solar-resource-rich countries (that lie entirely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) to address their special energy needs.

·        Aims to deploy 1,000 giagwatts (GW) of solar installations globally by 2030

·        Key strategies-Strive for the establishment of a $300 billion Global Risk Mitigation Fund, in persuasion of the UN Millennium Development Goal of Universal Energy Access.

·        instituted to connect 121 solar-resource-rich nations for research, low-cost financing and rapid deployment of clean energy

·        a treaty-based inter-governmental organization

·        Countries that do not fall within the Tropics can join the alliance and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting rights

·        After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states world-wide

·        The alliance has partnered with World Bank to launch Global Solar Atlas

·        Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STARC) project was approved in its first assembly

·        seeks to “provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry

• In 1982 the IWC adopted a moratorium on commercial whaling and is binding on all the members.
• Through the “Florianópolis Declaration” of 2018, members of the organization concluded that the purpose of the IWC is the conservation of whales and that they would now safeguard the marine mammals in perpetuity and would allow the recovery of all whale populations to pre-industrial whaling levels. 
• International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling is an international environmental agreement which governs the commercial, scientific, and aboriginal subsistence whaling practices. This Convention is the legal framework which established the IWC in 1946.
• HQ – Impington, near Cambridge, England.
• Members:88 Nations
• India is a member of IWC.
• Japan recently announced its withdrawal from IWC and resumes commercial whaling.

·        An outgrowth of the Bandung Conference

·        48 countries comprising almost all the major States from Asia and Africa are presently the Members of the Organization.

·        H.Q- India

·        multilateral developmental investment bank, the EBRD uses investment as a tool to build market economies.

·        Initially focused on the countries of the former Eastern Bloc it expanded to support development in more than 30 countries from Central Europe to Central Asia.

·        members from all over the world (North America, Africa, Asia and Australia)

·        biggest shareholder the United States, but only lends regionally in its countries of operations.

·        Headquartered in London,

·        owned by 69 countries and two EU institutions, the 69th being India since July 2018.

·        Despite its public sector shareholders, it invests in private enterprises, together with commercial partners.

·        not to be confused with the European Investment Bank (EIB), which is owned by EU member states and is used to support EU policy

·        distinct from the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)

·        first multilateral development bank to have an explicit environmental mandate in its charter (since 1995)

·        will not finance thermal coal mining and coal-fired electricity generation due to their environmental impact

·        does not finance “defence-related activities, the tobacco industry, selected alcoholic products, substances banned by international law and stand-alone gambling facilities

·        companies are able to invest in EBRD projects, but do not receive financing for domestic projects

·        investment by Indian firms in a range of sectors from solar to utilities, providing them access to fast growing markets

·        enable Indian citizens to work for the organisations

·        In 2017, the EBRD signed a pact with the International Solar Alliance

·        a platform which facilitates the use of space-based technologies for disaster management and emergency response.

·        under the auspices of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

·        ensures that all countries and international and regional organizations have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle.

·        established in 1991 to strengthen the international response to complex emergencies and natural disasters

·        successor to the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO)

·        mandate was subsequently broadened to include coordinating humanitarian response, policy development and humanitarian advocacy

·        sitting observer in the United Nations Development Group.

·        headquarters is based in two locations (New York and Geneva)

·        First legally-binding instrument which “creates a comprehensive legal framework and approach to combat violence against women”

·        Focused on preventing domestic violence, protecting victims and prosecuting accused offenders.

·        Only European countries have signed this convention

·        signed by 45 countries and the European Union (EU).

·        Turkey became the first country to ratify the Convention.

·        Under the leadership of Italy, it aims to counter the bids for permanent seats proposed by G4 nations (Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan) and is calling for a consensus before any decision is reached on the form and size of the Security Council.

·        The covenant commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial.

·        As of September 2019, the Covenant has 173 parties and six more signatories without ratification.

·        It is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

·        It is monitored by the UN Human Rights Committee (a separate body to the UN Human Rights Council).

·        The CSTO’s purpose is to ensure the collective defence of any member that faces external aggression.

·        It has been described by political scientists as the Eurasian counterpart of NATO, which has 29 member states, while the CSTO has just six.

·        Current CSTO members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan.

·        Afghanistan and Serbia hold observer status in the CSTO.

·        Also referred to as the “Tashkent Pact” or “Tashkent Treaty”

·        It is the only global body with a mandate for all modes of transport.

·        It acts as a think tank for transport policy issues and organises the annual global summit of transport ministers.

·        The ITF’s motto is “Global dialogue for better transport”.

·        India has been a member of ITF since 2008.

·        India is NOT a member of OECD.

·        GPAI will be supported by a Secretariat, to be hosted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, as well as by two Centers of Expertise- one each in Montreal and Paris.

·        India joined the league of leading economies including USA, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore to launch the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI or Gee-Pay).

·        The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in response to a number of tanker accidents in 1976–1977.

·        It is one of the most important international marine environmental conventions.

·        It was developed by the IMO with an objective to minimize pollution of the oceans and seas, including dumping, oil and air pollution.

·        The Convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing pollution from ships – both accidental pollution and that from routine operations – and currently includes six technical Annexes.

·        India is a signatory to MARPOL.

·        It has six annexes (I to VI) and it deals with prevention of (1) Pollution from ships by Oil, (2) Noxious liquid substances, (3) Dangerous goods in packaged form, (4) Sewage, (5) Garbage and (6) Air pollution from ships respectively.

·        Negotiated in the aftermath of the Second World War

·        Extensively defined

·        Basic rights of wartime prisoners (civilians and military personnel),

·        established protections for the wounded and sick, and

·        established protections for the civilians in and around a war-zone

·        Defines the rights and protections afforded to non-combatants

·        Treaties of 1949 were ratified, in their entirety or with reservations, by 196 countries

·        The Conventions are about soldiers in war; they do not address the use of weapons of war, which are the subject of the Hague Conventions, and the bio-chemical warfare Geneva Protocol.

·        India became a signatory to the Geneva Convention but refused to sign the Additional Protocols, which expanded the scope of the Conventions to arenas of International Armed Conflict and Non-International Armed Conflict.

·        India also ratified Protocol III but is not a signatory to the Additional Protocols I and II.

·        EDISON stands for Essential Digital Infrastructure and Services Network.

·        An international organisation for public-private partnership and WEF will serve as the secretariat and platform for the EDISON Alliance.

·        Alliance aims to work towards ensuring global and equitable access to the digital economy.

·        Prime goal is to ensure an unprecedented level of cross-sectoral collaboration between the technology industry and other critical sectors of the economy

·        The Accords were signed by the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.

·        Ukraine became the ninth signatory.

·        India is not a part of the accord

·        Comprises 15 of the world’s leading city networks and technology governance organisations

·        World Economic Forum (WEF) serves as the secretariat

·        The Internet of Things, Robotics and Smart Cities team in the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network will take the lead and ensure accountability throughout the alliance’s members

·        India has joined the league of 15 of the world’s leading city networks and technology governance organisations in 2019

·        In News➖Four Indian cities Bengaluru, Faridabad, Indore and Hyderabad figure feature among the 36 others from across the globe that have been selected as a pioneer for adopting the new technology safely as a part of the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance.

·        The co-operative programme was formally established in 2011 and is also an initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).

·        Co-operates with Mission Innovation, a global initiative that promotes the acceleration of the clean energy transition.

·        India is a member country of the Agency

·        India, Japan and Australia.

·        response to Chinese political behaviour and disruption to supply chain.

·        aim is to attract foreign direct investment in the Indo-Pacific region.

·        to turn the region to an economic powerhouse.

·        Membership is open to the ASEAN countries as well.

·        an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where members have agreed to act as one.

·        Maastricht Treaty established the European Union in 1993 and introduced European citizenship

·        5.8% of the world population

·        Nobel Peace Prize in 2012

·        To become a member, a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, of the European Council which requires a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU law.

• On 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom became the first member state to leave the EU.
• Schengen Agreement (1985) paved the way for the creation of open borders without passport controls between most member states. It was effective in 1995.

·        comprises of the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.

·        High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also takes part in its meetings

·        decisions of its summits are adopted by consensus

·        responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.

·        Commission operates as a cabinet government, with 28 members of the Commission. There is one member per member state. These members are proposed by member countries and European Parliament gives final approval on them.

• One of the 28 members is the Commission President proposed by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament.
• European Economic Community (EEC)

·        Regional organization that aimed to bring about economic integration among its member states

·        created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957

·        EEC was incorporated into the EU and renamed the European Community (EC).

·        four EFTA countries are not part of the EU

·        promote economic ties between the countries

·        founding member states, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia established the union by treaty and entered into force on January 1, 2015

·        created in part in response to the economic and political influence of the European Union and other Western countries.

·        Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia

·        Cooperation and economic competitiveness for the member states, and the promotion of stable development in order to raise the standard of living in member states.

·        Platform for the discussion of key issues in, world economy, regional integration and the development of new industrial and technological sectors.

·        “Far East‟ is the easternmost part of Russia which is rich in natural resources like diamonds, stannary, gold, tungsten, fish and seafood.