INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. FRANCE ENDS OPERATION BARKHANE
THE CONTEXT: France ended the decade-long Operation Barkhane in Africa. This comes amid the deteriorating ties between France and countries in the Sahel –Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea – following a series of military coups.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is Operation Barkhane?
- France launched Operation Serval in January 2013 in the Sahel in North Africa. The operation was limited to countering Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaeda, who have taken up control of northern Mali.
- In 2014, this Operation Serval was scaled up and renamed as Operation Barkhane. The upgraded operation’s objective is to assist local armed forces in preventing resurgence of non-state armed groups across the Sahel region. It launched counter-terror operations in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Chad. As part of this mission, some 4,500 French personnel were deployed alongside the local joint counter-terrorism force.
Has France achieved the objectives of the Operation Barkhane?
The French military operation in Sahel had two goals:
- Liberate Mali from the insurgents in the north
- Neutralize key terrorists in West Africa using counter-terrorism operations
Some of the major successes of Operation Serval are:
- In 2014, the French-led forces were able to regain northern parts of Mali from the extremists.
- In 2020, two key leaders of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and al-Qaeda-affiliate Groupe de Soutien à l’Islam et aux Musulmans were neutralized.
Due to the success of Operation Serval, Operation Barkhane was launched. This operation saw a series of failures such as:
- Emergence of new groups linked to terrorist organizations like the Islamic State
- Humanitarian crisis emerged because of the operation’s failure to combat terrorism. Violence resulted in 5,450 deaths across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in just the first half of 2022. This is a significant increase when compared with the previous years.
- Over 2,000 incidents of Islamist violence were recorded in the Sahel in 2021. The previous year recorded over 1,180 incidents.
- Due to the failure to resolve the region’s insurgency, civilian support has increased to the military. This has contributed to the political uncertainty in the Sahel.
2. NEW ENTRANTS TO AGREEMENT ON PORT STATE MEASURES (PSMA)
THE CONTEXT: Four African countries recently backed the Food and Agricultural Organization’s (FAO) Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA). With this, the number of signatories to the PSMA has risen to 100.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is PSMA?
The Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) is the first internationally binding instrument that specifically aims to prevent and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by denying port access to foreign vessels that are engaged in or supporting such practices. The Agreement came into force in June 2016.
Why is PSMA needed?
- The IUU fishing refers to fishing or fishing-related activities that are:
- Against national, regional and international laws
- Non-reporting, misreporting or underreporting of information on fishing operations and their catches
- Fishing aboard stateless vessels
- Non-party vessels fishing in areas that are under the mandate of the regional fisheries management organizations.
- Fishing activities that are not regulated by the government and cannot be monitored.
- One in every five fish caught across the world every year originates from IUU fishing. The IUU fishing is responsible for the loss of over 11 to 26 million tonnes of fish each year, having economic value of 10 billion to 23 billion USD.
- Sustainable fishing is required to maintain the fish stock and preserve the environment and livelihoods of communities that rely on fishing activities.
- The 2030 SDG goals mandate the effective regulation of fishing and the elimination of overfishing, IUU fishing and destructive fishing practices by 2020. This target was never achieved.
- Therefore, the implementation of the PSMA is one of the cost effective ways to bring down IUU fishing instances.
Who are the signatories of the PSMA?
- Four African countries – Angola, Eritrea, Morocco and Nigeria – became the new entrants of the PSMA. According to the IUU Fishing Index 2021, Nigeria is among the top 10 worst-performing countries.
- Currently, over 60 per cent of port countries are globally committed to the PSMA to combat IUU fishing. Around 100 countries that have endorsed the agreement are currently able to exchange information via the PSMA Global Information Exchange System, which was launched by FAO in December 2021.
ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
3. KORONIVIA JOINT WORK ON AGRICULTURE
THE CONTEXT: India opposed the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture that sought to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture?
- The Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA) is a special decision under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to recognize the unique potenti al of the agriculture sector in addressing the climate change.
- It addresses 6 interrelated topics on soil, nutrient usage, livestock, water, methods for gauging adaptation and socio-economic and food security dimensions of climate change across the agriculture sector.
- This decision is in line with the core mandate of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – elimination of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; reduction of rural poverty; and increase productivity and sustainability of agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors.
- The KJWA proposes many approaches that have a high potential for adaptation, adaptation co-benefits, and mitigation related to land and food systems. These include the conservation and restoration of ecosystems, improving the sustainability of agricultural practices, and minimizing food wastage and losses.
Why has India opposed the KJWA?
- India held that emissions from the agricultural sectors are not “luxury” emissions but “survival emissions” of the poor. It blamed the developed countries’ historic emissions for the current climate crisis.
- Currently, agricultural tasks are the livelihood of small and marginal farmers who will find it difficult to make a rapid transition to sustainable agricultural practices. Developed countries are proposing sustainable agriculture to become a site for countering their excessive emissions.
- India pointed out that developed countries owe the world a carbon debt of 790 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide, which is worth 79 trillion USD even at the modest pricing of 100 USD per tonne. South Asia’s historic total carbon emissions from the pre-industrial period until 2019 are less than 4 per cent despite hosting a quarter of the global population. India’s per capita yearly emissions are about one-third of the global average. If the entire world emits carbon at the same per capita level as India, climate crisis can be addressed.
PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE
4. UNESCO-MADANJEET SINGH PRIZE FOR THE PROMOTION OF TOLERANCE AND NON-VIOLENCE
THE CONTEXT: Recently,Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong won the 2022 edition of the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize.
THE EXPLANATION:
About UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize
- The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural and communication fields aimed at the promotion of a spirit of tolerance and non-violence.
- The Prize was established in 1995 on the occasion of the United Nations Year for Tolerance and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. The same year UNESCO Member States adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance. The creation of the Prize has been inspired by the ideals of UNESCO’s Constitution that proclaims that “peace if it is not to fail, must be founded on the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind”.
- The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence is conferred every two years by UNESCO. The award was created based on the ideals of UNESCO’s Constitution, which states that “peace if it is not to fail, must be founded on the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind”.
Who is Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong?
- Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong, with 7-year experience as a journalist, strived to change the perception related to mental illness.
- With training in art therapy and psychology, she founded two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – Afrogiveness Movement and Positive Youths Africa (PYA).
- These two NGOs are peace education initiatives that aim to help traumatized survivors of interfaith and intercultural conflicts in African countries to heal using the universal language of the arts.
- They operate in nine African countries – Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, and Togo.
- Through these NGOs, Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong is promoting tolerance and non-violence by reintegrating survivors from opposing sides of war and conflicts into their host communities.
- She is providing psycho-social and educational support (art therapy), socio-economic aid (distribution of university scholarship, diploma training, hygienic products, and books), and legal assistance.
- She is also combating online hate speech by promoting digital citizenship education.
5. KEEN SWORD MILITARY EXERCISE
THE CONTEXT: The Japanese Self-Defence Forces and the US Military launched a joint military exercise, titled ‘Keen Sword’, to boost their operational capabilities and readiness with an eye on China.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is the Keen Sword exercise?
- Exercise Keen Sword is a joint and bilateral field training exercise between the US military and the Japan Self-Defence Force.
- It is held once in two years to boost the preparedness and interoperability between the military personnel of Japan and the United States.
- This biennial exercise has been held since 1986.
- This exercise provides opportunities for the US military and the JSDF to train together across various mission areas in realistic scenarios.
- Its ultimate goal is to build credible deterrence amid growing Chinese aggression in the region.
- It aims to create comprehensive scenarios to challenge the critical capabilities required to support the security of Japan and the stability of the Indo-Pacific.
About Exercise Keen Sword 2023
- The two-week-long exercise was held around Tokunoshima Island, situated southwest of Japan. It includes the participation of 26,000 personnel from JSDF and another 10,000 personnel from the US military. A total of 4 warships and 2 aeroplanes from Australia, Canada and Britain also participated in the military exercise.
- The exercise includes several anti-submarine warfare and surface gunnery events that will help the Pacific partners to improve their joint and advance multilateral tactics. It also focuses on responding to ballistic missiles and new threats like operations in space and cyberspace. Simulations drills on remote islands is a major focus area of the exercise Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Why is this exercise significant?
- The exercise comes amid the Chinese military’s growing presence near Taiwan, the neighbouring country of Japan. Also, the Chinese vessels are continuously trespassing into the Japanese territorial waters close to the Senkaku Islands in the Indo-Pacific. The Senkaku Islands are Japanese-controlled, uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. China is currently claiming that these islands are part of its territory.
MISCELLANEOUS
6. GLOBAL MEDIA CONGRESS
THE CONTEXT: Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company is set to host the first edition of the Global Media Congress, in partnership with Emirates News Agency.
THE EXPLANATION:
About the World Media Congress
- The Global Media Congress (GMC) was organized by the ADNEC Group in collaboration with the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
- The GMC’s theme is “Shaping the Future of the Media Industry”.
- It is a conference-cum-exhibition Congress that sought to provide a platform for international-level discussions about the present-day challenges and opportunities in the media sector.
- The conference and workshops for young media persons provided the platform for journalists, tech firms, content creators, digital marketing professionals, streaming giants, entertainment executives, regulators and important media stakeholders to share ideas and exchange experiences.
- As part of this event, an exhibition was also be organized. It hosted more than 170 famous media establishments and companies from across 29 countries. These exhibitions showcased the latest international technologies specializing in media-related sectors.
- Some 10,000 delegates and media companies took part in the event.
- Discussions were held on topics like digital communications, impact of artificial intelligence on contemporary media and the integration of advanced technology and innovation in the media sector.
- The event provided networking opportunities for facilitating business connections globally and fostering brand reinvention in the new media landscapes.
Key outcomes of the event
- Short-from video content is preferred by people across the world because of their short duration and concise information delivery. The importance of media organizations and media influencers was also recognized during this conference. They are playing a major role in keeping pace with the changing trends in the content industry and satisfying the taste of diverse customer base.
- During the event, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) unveiled the “Tolerance Charter for News Agencies and Media Outlets” which seeks to unite media entities from across the world to promote tolerance, coexistence, and intercultural dialogue via global cooperation.
THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Q1. Two-time national award-winning space startup, Skyroot, has launched India first private rocket named –
a) Sky-S
b) Vikram-S
c) Prarambh
d) Kalam-S
Answer: B
Explanation:
- Vikram-S, India’s first privately-developed rocket, lifted off precisely from Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) launchpad in Sriharikota.
- Developed by Hyderabad-based start-up Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, six-metre-tall vehicle hit a peak altitude of 89.5 km and then splashed into Bay of Bengal about five minutes after the launch. This mission was titled Prarambh.
- The rocket Vikram-S is a single-stage solid fuelled, sub-orbital rocket developed over two years by incorporating advanced technologies including carbon composite structures and 3D-printed components.
- This was a technology demonstration flight to showcase capabilities of company. Rocket will help validate technologies that will be used in subsequent Vikram-1 orbital vehicle of Skyroot that is planned for launch next year.
- Founded in June 2018 Skyroot Aerospace is a two-time national award-winning space startup.
