UN Bioweapons Convention (UNBWC) Topic: IR Context: A report in The Australian claims US state department has accessed a document that shows the Chinese military was discussing weaponising coronaviruses in 2015. Concept: The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons. It […]
IP WAIVER ON COVID VACCINES Subject : Economy / IR Context: Recently, the United States has announced support for waiving intellectual property protection for Covid-19 vaccines. Concept : The US will pursue “text-based negotiations” on the waiver at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The text-based negotiations involve negotiators exchanging texts with their preferred […]
VACCINE MAITRI PROGRAMME Subject: Governance / IR Context: India is unlikely to resume its Vaccine Maitri programme for the neighbourhood, including Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, until at least July, given the sudden crunch in the availability of vaccines amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases, and the government’s plan for universal vaccination set […]
WORLD MILITARY SPENDING Subject: Defence / IR Context: Total global military expenditure rose to $1981 billion last year, an increase of 2.6 per cent in real terms from 2019, according to new data published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Concept: The five biggest spenders in 2020, which together accounted […]
TRIPS AGREEMENT Subject: Economics / IR Context: Even an unprecedented pandemic can do little, it appears, to upset the existing global regime governing monopoly rights over the production and distribution of life-saving drugs. Concept: On October 2 last year, India and South Africa submitted a joint petition to the World Trade Organization (WTO), […]
SOMALIA Subject : Geography / IR Context: Somalia, already fragile after decades of civil war and an Islamist insurgency, is facing its worst political crisis in recent years after the failure to hold planned elections in February. Concept: President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, best known by his nickname Farmajo, has faced harsh criticism from […]