I. India in the UN
- India chairs 62nd Session of Commission for Social Development
- India at the C34 debate
- India makes three significant financial commitments
- India’s GIDH initiative takes off
II. Plurilateral Developments
- BRICS working group on nuclear medicine meets
- BRICS finance track priorities laid out
- First ever meeting of G20 Social and Finance track held
- IBSA receives an impetus at G20
- 3rd meeting of AITIGA held
- SCO working group on investment cooperation meets
- US House of Representatives votes to strengthen QUAD
III. Multilateral Institutions
- 13th WTO Ministerial Conference commences
- Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement finalized
- Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund launched
- World Bank Group moves to increase guarantees for private finance
IV. Peace and Security
- Security Council deadlocked on humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
- CTED publishes assessment of gaps in countering terrorism finance
V. Miscellaneous
India in the UN
India chairs 62nd Session of Commission for Social Development
The 62nd session of the Commission for Social Development was held from 5-14 February. Under the Chair of the Commission, India’s PR Ruchira Kamboj, the session focused on the theme of “The Influence of Digital Transformation on Inclusive Growth and Development: A Path to Achieving Social Justice.” The Commission adopted four resolutions by consensus: two on the priority themes for 2023 and 2024, one to promote care and support systems and one on social dimensions of NEPAD. Click here to read...
India at the C34 debate
At C34 debate on strengthening peacekeeping operations, India emphasised the need for peacekeeping missions to render compassionate care to civilians affected by conflict given the lack of resources for ‘protection of civilians’ mandate. The requirement of sprucing up legal protection for peacekeepers was also underlined. Finally, India offered to assist with renewable energy transitions of troop contributing countries. Click here to read...
India makes three significant financial commitments
Government of India contributed US Dollar one million to the India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation Fund (IBSA Fund). India’s contribution to the IBSA Fund has cumulatively exceeded US$ 18 million since the Fund was established in 2004 and became operational in 2006. Second, as part of its efforts to support Small Island Developing States, India has pledged a contribution of $300,000 to support Antigua and Barbuda for hosting the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States on 27-30 May 2024. Third, as requested by the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, India will provide a grant of US$ one million from the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for the project “Strengthening Community Resilience within the Kalinago Territory.” Click here to read...
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India’s GIDH initiative takes off
The WHO formally launched Global Initiative on Digital Health on February 20, 2024. As early as May 2018, India had tabled a Digital Health resolution at the 71st World Health Assembly. WHO took upon itself the promotion of the process and published the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025. India’s G20 Presidency last year had also prioritised the creation of this ‘Global Initiative on Digital Health’. India’s PR Arindam Bagchi referred to the most recent inittives of the government to provide inclusive health, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and e-Sanjeevani. Click here to read...
Plurilateral Developments
BRICS working group on nuclear medicine meets
The BRICS Working Group on Nuclear Medicine held its first meeting on 13 February 2024 on the sidelines of the 2nd Future Technologies Forum in Moscow. The BRICS Working Group on Nuclear Medicine was created according to the decision made at the 15th BRICS Summit in 2023. The first meeting of the working group addressed such issues as the development of nuclear medicine in BRICS countries and the mechanism needed for more effective interaction to achieve the common goal of improving people’s quality of life and increasing life expectancy. The meeting participants formulated and agreed on the working group’s Terms of Reference. Click here to read...
BRICS finance track priorities laid out
The first meeting of BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under Russia’s BRICS Chairmanship took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil on February 27, 2024. It was said that the Ministry of Finance of Russia and the Bank of Russia will work with BRICS partners to prepare a report by the end of the year for BRICS countries’ leaders with a list of initiatives and recommendations on ways to improve the international monetary and financial system. The report is to be followed by a number of practical initiatives, which include the creation of a multilateral digital settlement and payment platform known as the “BRICS Bridge”. It would help to bridge the gap between the financial markets of BRICS member countries and increase mutual trade. Click here to read...
First ever meeting of G20 Social and Finance track held
The first of five meetings between the between the G20 Finance Track and civil society took place in São Paulo on February 8, 2024. Tatiana Berringer, responsible for the Finance Track's relationship with civil society, gave the opening speech, indicating the importance of the meeting. Social movements and representatives of G20 Social engagement groups (GE) were able to share their main concerns and ask questions. Click here to read...
IBSA receives an impetus at G20
Among Brazil's expectations for the G20 presidency, in addition to the high-level discussions around the three main priorities established for this mandate, is the revitalization and strengthening of the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum (IBSA). As a result, foreign affairs ministers from the three Global South countries—who also make up the current G20 Troika—met to strengthen ties and align common agendas on February 24, 2024. The ministers decided to strengthen the IBSA Fund, a South-South cooperation initiative; and to hold a first meeting of authorities belonging to the forum on food security and nutrition. Click here to read...
3rd meeting of AITIGA held
The 3rd meeting of AITIGA Joint Committee for undertaking the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was hosted by India in New Delhi from 16-19 February 2024. 9 Sub-Committees reported the progress and outcome of their discussions related to market access, Rules of Origin and Standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures to the Joint Committee. Following intense discussions, the Joint Committee outlined the focus areas for further deliberations and updated the work programme for the Review while providing necessary guidance to the Sub-committees to carry forward the negotiations. Click here to read...
SCO working group on investment cooperation meets
The Special Working Group on Promoting Investment of the SCO Member States held its eighth meeting in Tehran on 20-22 February, 2024. The event was chaired by the Republic of Tajikistan and co-chaired by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The meeting was attended by representatives from the SCO member states’ ministries and agencies responsible for investment cooperation. The delegation heads reported on the investment climate in their respective countries and measures undertaken to improve it. Click here to read...
US House of Representatives votes to strengthen QUAD
The US House of Representatives passed the Quad bill which instructs the Biden administration to establish a Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer cooperation between the US, Australia, India and Japan on February 15, 2024. The ‘Strengthen US-Australia-India-Japan Cooperation' or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) bill was passed by a roll call vote of 379 to 39 votes. Under the bill, the group would be required to submit an annual report to the congressional foreign affairs committees. Click here to read...
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Multilateral Institutions
13th WTO Ministerial Conference commences
The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) opened in Abu Dhabi on February 26, 2024 with a call to WTO members to seize the full potential of the multilateral trading system so that it delivers for the people it serves, accelerating the green transition and fostering socio-economic inclusion around the world. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala recalled the successful outcome of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022 in Geneva, where ten consensus multilateral outcomes with tangible benefits for people and the planet were achieved. She urged countries to achieve much more during the 13th Ministerial. Click here to read...
Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement finalised
Ministers representing 123 WTO members issued a Joint Ministerial Declaration on February 25, 2024, marking the finalisation of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement and made it available to the public. Ministers also issued a submission asking for the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), taking place in Abu Dhabi on 26-29 February, to incorporate the IFD Agreement into Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO. Click here to read...
Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund launched
The WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) launched a USD 50 million global fund to help women tap into opportunities in international trade and the digital economy on February 25, 2024 on the sidelines of the 13th Ministerial Conference taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund will help women-led businesses and women entrepreneurs in developing economies and least-developed countries adopt digital technologies and expand the online presence of their enterprises. Click here to read...
World Bank Group moves to increase guarantees for private finance
On February 28, 2024, the World Bank Group announced a major overhaul, the first significant change in 15 years, to its guarantee business that will deliver simplicity, improved access, and faster execution through a new, convenient marketplace. The new reforms are critical to achieving the goal of tripling annual guarantee issuance to $20 billion by 2030. Currently, the World Bank Group offers 20 guarantee solutions spread across the institution. The overhaul and one-stop-shop will be available to all World Bank Group clients on July 1, 2024. Click here to read...
Peace and Security
Security Council deadlocked on humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
On February 20, 2024, the Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza owing to a negative vote of the United States — a permanent member of the Council — marking the second time Washington, D.C., has blocked such a text since early December 2023. Despite being blocked by a permanent member, the text garnered support from 13 Council members, including three permanent members (China, France and the Russian Federation), with one permanent member (United Kingdom) abstaining. Click here to read...
CTED publishes assessment of gaps in countering terrorism finance
The Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) published its third annual thematic summary assessment of gaps in implementing key countering the financing of terrorism provisions of Security Council resolutions on February 16, 2024. The report emphasizes that failing to ensure that the offence is investigated and prosecuted effectively and in a timely manner – while ensuring full compliance with international law – renders even perfectly compliant legislation a “dead letter” and falls short of States’ obligation to bring terrorists and their financers to justice. The report was prepared based on, in particular, the outcomes of eight assessment visits conducted by CTED on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2023, and FATF/FSRB mutual evaluation reports and follow-up reports published during that year. Click here to read...
Miscellaneous
COP14 unveils report on wildlife conservation
The first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report was launched on February 12, 2024, by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a UN biodiversity treaty, at the opening of a major UN wildlife conservation conference (CMS COP14). The main focus of the report is the 1,189 animal species that have been recognized by CMS Parties as needing international protection and are listed under CMS, though it also features analysis linked to over 3,000 additional non-CMS migratory species. Click here to read...
