23 July 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding Freedom of navigation (FON):

• Freedom of navigation (FON) is a principle of customary international law that ships flying the flag of any sovereign state shall not suffer interference from other states, without any exceptions.
• This right to Freedom of navigation is codified under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• Not all UN member states have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Which of the above statements is/are correct:

1. 1, 2
2. 1, 3
3. 2, 3
4. 1, 2, 3

• Solution:

(C)

• Freedom of navigation (FON) is a principle of customary international law that ships flying the flag of any sovereign state shall not suffer interference from other states, apart from the exceptions provided for in international law.
• In the realm of international law, it has been defined as “freedom of movement for vessels, freedom to enter ports and to make use of plant and docks, to load and unload goods and to transport goods and passengers.
• This right is now also codified as Article 87(1)a of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Not all UN member states have ratified the convention.

Q2. Which of the following countries are the members of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN):

• Vietnam
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Papua New Guinea
• Laos

Select the correct answer code:

1. 1, 3, 4, 5
2. 1, 2, 4, 5
3. 1, 2, 3, 5
4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

• Solution:

(C)

• Members of ASEAN are Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore and Brunei. Observers are East Timor and Papua New Guinea.

Q3. MARPOL Convention, sometimes seen in news is related to:

1. Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
2. Control the use of chemical weapons and their precursors.
3. Prevention of Pollution from Ships
4. Safety, security, and sustainability of airspace.

• Solution:

(C)

• There has been a huge increase in the use of open-loop scrubbers in ships, even as a debate about their viability in mitigating sulphur emissions from ships has also escalated.
• The International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI in 2008 that regulates the prevention of air pollution from ships and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone-depleting substances such as sulphur oxides and nitrous oxides.
• Following the adoption, exhaust scrubbers have become one of the most preferred ways of reducing sulphur exhaust as they ‘scrub’ pollutants out of emissions.

Q4. Which of the following are the members of BASIC countries:

• Brazil
• Australia
• South Africa
• Indonesia
• China

Select the correct answer code:

1. 1, 2, 3, 5
2. 1, 3, 4, 5
3. 1, 3, 5
4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

• Solution:

(C)

• The BASIC countries are a bloc of four large newly industrialized countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – formed by an agreement on 28 November 2009.
• BASIC countries broadly have common position on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and raising the massive funds that are needed to fight climate change.

Q5. The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. In this context WHO’s work focus on:

• Support people’s participation in national health policies for universal health coverage.
• Prepare for health emergencies by identifying, mitigating and managing risks.
• Health and well-being, prioritize health in all policies and healthy settings.

Which of the above statements is/are correct:

1. 1, 2
2. 1, 3
3. 2, 3
4. 1, 2, 3

• Solution:

(D)

• WHO works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.
• Its goal is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.

For universal health coverage, WHO:

• focus on primary health care to improve access to quality essential services
• work towards sustainable financing and financial protection
• improve access to essential medicines and health products
• train the health workforce and advise on labour policies
• support people’s participation in national health policies
• improve monitoring, data and information.

For health emergencies, WHO:

• prepare for emergencies by identifying, mitigating and managing risks
• prevent emergencies and support development of tools necessary during outbreaks
• detect and respond to acute health emergencies
• support delivery of essential health services in fragile settings.

For health and well-being, WHO:

• address social determinants
• promote intersectoral approaches for health
• prioritize health in all policies and healthy settings. Through our work, we address: • human capital across the life-course
• noncommunicable diseases prevention
• mental health promotion
• climate change in small island developing states
• antimicrobial resistance
• elimination and eradication of high-impact communicable diseases.

Q6. Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) focuses on:

• Maritime security
• Women’s Economic Empowerment
• Disaster risk reduction
• Tourism promotion and cultural exchanges

Select the correct answer code:

1. 1, 2, 3
2. 2, 3, 4
3. 1, 3, 4
4. 1, 2, 3, 4

• Solution:

(D)

• Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) has identified six priority areas, namely:
• maritime security
• trade and investment facilitation
• fisheries management
• disaster risk reduction
• academic and scientific cooperation and
• tourism promotion and cultural exchanges.
• In addition to these, two focus areas are also identified by IORA, namely Blue Economy and Women’s Economic Empowerment.

Q7. Consider the following statements regarding Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN):

• The East Asia Summit (EAS) involves all the ASEAN members.
• It has an observer status at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• The ‘ASEAN Way’ refers to a multi-modal trade corridor developed by ASEAN along the old Silk Route.

Which of the above statements is/are correct:

1. 1, 2
2. 1 only
3. 2, 3
4. 1, 3

• Solution:

(A)

• The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a pan-Asian forum held annually by the leaders of eighteen countries in the East Asian region, with ASEAN in a leadership position.
• Membership was initially all ten members of ASEAN plus China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand, but was expanded to include the United States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011.
• In 2006, ASEAN was given observer status at the United Nations General Assembly.
• In response, the organisation awarded the status of “dialogue partner” to the UN.
• The ‘ASEAN Way’ refers to a methodology or approach to solving issues that respects the cultural norms of Southeast Asia.
• It is described as a working process or style that is informal and personal.

Q8. Consider the following statements regarding UN peacekeeping forces:

• According to UN Charter every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping.
• Peacekeeping forces are contributed by UN member states on a mandatory basis.

Which of the above statements is/ are correct:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(A)

• United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support.
• Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council.
• The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States.
• According to UN Charter every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping.
• UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.
• Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis.
• Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat.

Q9. Consider the following statements regarding Compulsory licensing:

• Compulsory licensing is when a government allows someone else to produce a patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner.
• It is included in the WTO’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement.
• India grants compulsory licenses frequently for the production of generic drugs.

Which of the above statements is/are correct:

1. 1, 3
2. 1, 2
3. 2 only
4. 1, 2, 3

• Solution:

(B)

• Compulsory licensing is when a government allows someone else to produce a patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner or plans to use the patent-protected invention itself.
• It is one of the flexibilities in the field of patent protection included in the WTO’s agreement on intellectual property — the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement.
• For compulsory licensing, it’s when the generic copy is produced mainly for the domestic market, not for export.
• The patent owner still has rights over the patent, including a right to be paid compensation for copies of the products made under the compulsory licence.
• The TRIPS Agreement does not specifically list the reasons that might be used to justify compulsory licensing.
• However, the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health confirms that countries are free to determine the grounds for granting compulsory licences, and to determine what constitutes a national emergency.
• In March 2012, India granted its first compulsory license ever.
• The license was granted to Indian generic drug manufacturer Natco Pharma for Sorafenib tosylate, a cancer drug patented by Bayer.

Q10. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law on data protection and privacy in:

1. United States of America
2. China
3. European Union (EU)
4. Australia

• Solution:

(C)

• WhatsApp is legally bound to not share data with Facebook in the European Region because it’s a contravention of the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• GDPR is a regulation in the European Union law on data protection and privacy in the European Union and the European Economic Area.