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By admin: Feb. 19, 2022

India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) Signature 2022 inaugurated by Piyush Goyal

Tags: Popular Summits

The Minister for Commerce & Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution Shri Piyush Goyal inaugurated the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) Signature at Mumbai on 18 February 2022.

• The IIJS Signature event is being organised by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). 

• The event will be held from 18 to 21 February 2022.

• The Minister said that the Gems and Jewellery sector is likely to achieve the export target of $40 billion in 2021-22.

• The total export of the Gems and Jewellery sector in 2021-22(April to January ) was $32.13 billion(source PIB)

• The United States of America is the  largest market for Indian Gems and Jewellery .

FACTS

• India share in the total world export of Gems and Jewellery in 2020 was 3.5%

• India was ranked the 7th Largest exporter of Gems and Jewellery in the world  in 2020.

• Switzerland is the largest exporter of Gems and Jewellery in the world.

• India is the largest exporter of diamonds in the world 

• India is the largest exporter of cut and polished diamonds in the world . Surat in Gujarat processes about 90% of the cut and polished diamonds of the world .

• India is the 4th largest exporter of Gold Jewellery in the world 

• India is the largest exporter of silver jewellery in the world 

Source  : Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)

Note : Gems & Jewellery include Gold, Silver & Pearls, precious & Semi-precious stones. 

Know this also 

• Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)

• It was set by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 1966

• It was set up to promote the export of Gems and Jewellery in India Its Headquarters : Mumbai 

India UAE virtual summit

Tags: National News

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 18 February 2022. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the deputy   Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces. 

• Both the leaders issued “Advancing the India and UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: New Frontiers, New Milestone".

• Both countries have identified future areas of cooperation in new trade, investment and innovation dynamics in diverse sectors, including economy, energy, climate action, emerging technologies, skills and education, food security, healthcare and defence and security.  

Important highlights of the agreement 

Trade and Investment   

• Both countries have signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to promote trade and investment between the two countries.

• To further cooperation in financial services and projects, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by India's Gujarat International Financial Tech City (GIFT) City and Abu Dhabi Global Market.

Food security 

• Both sides have also decided to establish a dedicated IndiaMart in Jebel Ali Free Zone, a dedicated investment zone for UAE companies and joint ventures which would focus on establishing a food corridor and promote food security of the UAE and increase in food exports from India.

• To explore and  implement the “Food Security Corridor Initiative” a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India  (APEDA) and DP World & Al Dahra of the UAE. 

Energy cooperation 

In energy cooperation, UAE’s participation in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves Programme will expand.

Defence and counter terrorism 

Both sides agreed to expand maritime cooperation and will jointly  fight extremism and terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, in all forms, at both regional and international levels.

• The two Leaders also released the Joint Commemorative Stamp on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's independence and 50th year of UAE's foundation. 

• Two other MOUs - one on cooperation in Climate Action and the other on Education were also signed between the two countries.

World Bank to provide $115 million loan for REWARD project

Tags: Economics/Business

• The World Bank  arm International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will provide a $115 million (Rs 869 crore) loan to India for the implementation of Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through the Innovative Development (REWARD) Programme.

• Out of this, Karnataka will get  $60 million (INR 453.5 crore), Odisha will get  $49 million (INR 370 crore), and the remaining $6 million (INR 45.5 crore) will be for the central government’s Department of Land Resources.

IBRD 

• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)  is a World Bank Group which provides loans to its 189 member countries for development purposes .

• Its Headquarters is in Washington D.C, United States of America .

 Full form for exam 

• REWARD : Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development

• IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

India Signs CEPA with United Arab Emirates

Tags: International News

India signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates during a Virtual summit meeting held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 18 February 2022. 

• The agreement was signed by Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and Minister of Economy of UAE, H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri in the virtual presence of the two Leaders.  

• This is the first such agreement India has signed with a MENA / WANA country. Middle East North African Countries (MENA) or they are also called West Asia North Africa Countries (WENA).

• Under the CEPA the tariff between the two countries will be reduced or eliminated on goods and services traded between the two countries. This will boost trade between the two countries.

• The bilateral trade target between the two countries has been set up at $100 billion in the next five years from the present $60 billion.

• India expects creation of 10 lakhs new jobs in labour-intensive sectors, like gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, footwear, furniture, agriculture and food products, etc.

India- UAE Trade Facts 

• UAE is the third largest trading partner of India after China and the United States.

• UAE is the second largest export market for India after the United States. China is the third largest export market for India. 

• UAE was the second largest source of imports for India after China. The US is the third largest source of imports.

• India ranks as the UAE’s number one trading partner for non-oil exports, accounting for nearly 14 percent of the UAE’s total non-oil exports globally. 

Source : Economic Survey  2021-22 

All the figures are for April to December 2021-22.

Fact Files UAE 

• It is a federation of seven Emirates of  Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Khaimah, Ajmain, Fujairah, Umm -Al-Quwain. It is an Arabian country.

• Abu Dhabi is the largest of the emirates and is the centre of UAE oil business.

• It is situated in the West Asia /Middle East region of the world in the Arabian Peninsula.

• UAE in its present form came into existence in 1971. 

Capital of UAE : Abu Dhabi 

Currency : Emirati Dirham 

President of UAE : Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He is the king of Abu Dhabi and the supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

First case of Polio in Africa

Tags: International News

The African country of Malawi has declared a wild polio outbreak after a case was identified in a three-year-old girl. This is the first case of wild polio in Africa for more than five years.

• The continent was declared free of all forms of wild polio in 2020. For a country to be certified polio-free, it must have had no wild polio cases for three consecutive years.

• Only two countries in the world have wild polio strains, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

• The strain detected in Malawi is linked to the one found in Pakistan. 

There will be no change in the status of Africa as a polio free continent because this was an imported case where the virus was brought from Pakistan.

 Know about  Polio:  

• Polio is a highly transmissible virus most often spread via the stool of an infected person, usually through contaminated water or food. It can also be spread via oral or nasal secretions. 

• The virus mainly affects children under five years of age.

• There is no cure for the symptoms of polio.

Polio  Vaccine 

There are two types of Polio Vaccines, IPV and OPV 

• IPV or Inactivated Polio Vaccine  

The first inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) was developed by American scientist  Jonas  Salk using a  dead virus  in 1953.

• OPV or Oral Polio Vaccine 

It was developed by Polish American scientist Albert Sabin. He used a weakened live polio virus to produce a vaccine.

Malawi 

• It is a landlocked country in South East Africa . It was earlier called Nyasaland.

• Capital: Lilongwe

• Currency :Malawian kwacha

• President: Lazarus Chakwera 

Six African countries to get mRNA vaccine technology in WHO project

Tags:

The World Health Organisation(WHO) has selected  six African countries  Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia  to receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines against covid-19.

• The technology transfer project was launched by the WHO in Cape Town, South Africa to help low- and middle-income countries manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards.

• This was done by WHO after wealthy countries and companies sold vaccines to countries that could pay the highest price.

• The low and middle income countries were unable to afford the vaccine. 

• The vaccine will be initially  manufactured by the South African vaccine manufacturer Biovac.

World Health Organisation (WHO)

• The World Health Organisation is a specialised agency of the United Nations which was founded on 7 April , 1948.

• Every year 7 April is celebrated as “World Health Day”.

•  It was set up to further international cooperation  for improved public health conditions.   WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of  disease .”

• Headquarters of WHO : Geneva ,Switzerland 

• Director General of WHO :  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus  of Ethiopia .

• He was elected as WHO director General  in 2017 and later re-elected in 2022 for a period of 5 years .

 Full Form for Exam 

WHO: World Health Organisation 

mRNA :  messenger ribonucleic acid  (RNA)

World Health Day : 7 April 

Atlantic storm Eunice pummels Europe

Tags: International News

An Atlantic storm with a speed up to 196 Km battered North -Western Europe on 18 February 2022 killing at least 9 people .

• The storm named Eunice developed in the Atlantic ocean and struck England, and created havoc there  . It led to the  closure of airports, rail and road networks and death of people .

•  The storm also affected Wales, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands ,and Germany.

•  The storm is now headed towards Scandinavian countries and Northern Europe.

• The name Eunice was coined by the United Kingdom Meteorological office and the next storm which will hit the United Kingdom will be called Franklin .

What is the United Kingdom/Scandinavia/Nordic  Countries 

England , Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are together called the United Kingdom. 

While England , Wales and Scotland are part of Great Britain.

The Queen of England is the head of the United Kingdom and Great Britain.

Scandinavia 

It is a part of Northern Europe which consists of Norway, Sweden and Denmark . These countries were once part of a common Kingdom . 

Greenland, which is a Danish territory, and the Faroe Islands, which is a self-governing part of Denmark, are also included in the list.

Nordic countries 

The term Norden refers to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. These form a group of countries having  similarities with one another and are distinct from the rest of Europe . They are also called Norse countries .