1. India to take over Chairmanship of the Global Partnership on AI from France
Tags: place in news Science and Technology Summits
India will take over the Chairmanship of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) from France during the third edition of the annual Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) being held in Tokyo, Japan on 21 November 2022. India will be chairman for the 2022-23 period.
France will symbolically hand over the chairmanship to the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar who is representing India at the 2day (21-22 November) Tokyo summit meet.
AI which stands for artificial intelligence refers to systems or machines that mimic human intelligence to perform tasks and can iteratively improve themselves based on the information they collect.
Artificial Intelligence is expected to contribute 450 to 500 billion US dollars to India’s GDP by 2025 accounting for 10 per cent of the country’s 5 trillion dollar GDP target. It is expected to contribute 967 billion US dollars to the Indian economy by 2035.
What is Global Partnership in Artificial Intelligence?
It was launched on June 15, 2020, with fifteen members as its founding member. India is one of the founding member country of Global Partnership in Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).
The initiative facilitates international cooperation on artificial technology by bringing together on a single platform, experts from fields such as science, industry, civil society, governments, international bodies, and academia.
At present, GPAI has twenty-five member Countries. They are : Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union (EU).
2. Amit Shah proposes a permanent secretariat for counter terror financing at the ’No Money for Terror' conference iin New Delhi
Tags: place in news Summits Person in news
The Indian Home Minster Amit Shah proposed a permanent secretariat for institutions focused on countering terror financing built on the ‘No Money for Terror’ conference initiative. He was speaking at the closing session of the third 'No Money for Terror' conference in New Delhi on 19 November 2022.
The two day (18 and 19) conference was organized by India’s premier anti-terrorism agency, National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Amit Shah said that ‘India has sensed the need for permanency of this unique initiative of NMFT (no money for terror), in order to sustain global focus on countering the financing of terrorism.’ He offered India as the host of such a proposed secretariat.
Quoting the International Monetary Fund and World Bank report he said that “criminals across the world launder close to $2 trillion to $4 trillion every year. A major part of this goes in fuelling terrorism.”
However many of the delegates which participated in the conference feels that it will duplicate the other International anti-terror body Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
A total of 72 countries and close to 15 multilateral anti-terror organisations attended the third edition of the conference. China did not attend the conference, while Pakistan was not invited.
Sri Lanka and Jamaica have called for institutionalizing the conference annually.
The first meeting of this kind took place in Paris, France, in 2018, and the second one took place in Melbourne, Australia, in 2019.
3. 21st World Congress of Accountants starts in Mumbai
Tags: place in news Economy/Finance Summits
The Institute of Chartered Accountant of India (ICAI) is hosting the 21st World Congress of Accountants 2022(WCOA) at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai, from November 18-21, 2022 in a Hybrid mode. WCOA 2022 is being held in hybrid mode for the first time ever in the Congress’s history.
The Theme of the 21st World Congress of Accountants 2022 is: Building Trust Enabling Sustainability”.
The Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla addressed the Congress on 18 November 2022 and described chartered accountants as "saints of the new economic order". They are the engines and architects of the economic world.
ICAI
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949.
- It was set up on 1 July 1949.
- The ICAI is the second largest professional body of Chartered Accountants in the world after the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
- It is the regulator of the Chartered Accountancy profession in India.
- It comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
Headquarters: New Delhi
President: Dr. Debashish Mitra
4. BASIC group ministerial meeting held at the COP27 in Egypt
Tags: Environment place in news Summits
The Ministers of Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC group) met on 15 November 2022 at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP 27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
The meeting was chaired by the South African Environment minister Barbara Creecy and was attended by the Indian Environment minister Bhupendra Yadav, Brazilian Environment minister Joaquim Leite, Chinese special envoy on Climate change XIE Zhenhua.
Currently South Africa is the chairman of the BASIC group and it rotates annually amongst the member countries.
The ministers pledged their full support to the Egyptian COP27 Presidency for a successful conference. They emphasised the principle of common but different responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of national circumstances.
They expressed concern that the developed countries are not keeping up their promise of providing USD 100 billion per year financial aid to the Developing countries to deal with the adverse effect of climate change. In the 15th Conference of Parties meeting at Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009. The developed countries had promised such aid to the developing countries.
BASIC Group
The BASIC Group of countries was formed by India, Brazil, South Africa and China in November 2009 just before the 15th Conference of Parties (COP) meeting at Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009.
The group was formed so as to collectively bargain with the Developed countries on issues such as reduction of greenhouse gasses and need of climate financing.
Brazil, South Africa, India and China together have one-third of the world's geographical area and nearly 40% of the world’s population.
China is the largest emitter of Carbon dioxide in the world and India is the third largest .The United States is the second largest emitter of Carbon dioxide in the world.
5. India participates in ‘4th meeting of Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan’ held in Russia
Tags: place in news Summits International News
India participated in the fourth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan held in Moscow on 16 November 2022. Special Envoys and Senior Officials from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also participated in the meeting.
According to the External Affairs Ministry, the participants discussed issues related to Afghanistan. These include the current humanitarian situation and the ongoing efforts of various stakeholders to provide assistance, intra-Afghan talks, formation of an inclusive and representative government, efforts to counter threats of terrorism and ensuring regional security.
Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan
The Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, launched in 2017, is a regional platform on Afghanistan involving the special envoys of Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, and Pakistan.
Its mandate is to facilitate political reconciliation between the then-internationally backed Kabul government and the Taliban, establish peace, and ensure regional security.
6. APEC summit disrupted in Bangkok due to North Korean ICBM test
Tags: Summits International News
The 29th summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) being held in Bangkok, Thailand was briefly interrupted on 18 November 2022 as they condemned the North Korea for its fresh test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). ICBM is a land based nuclear capable ballistic missile with a range of 5,600 Km or more.
The two-day (18 & 19 November) summit meeting was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Thailand Prayuth Chan-ocha on 18 November 2022.
The U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called an emergency gathering of leaders from Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and New Zealand on the sidelines of the summit after North Korea carried out the missile test just an hour before its inauguration.
This is the third summit level meeting in the Asia Pacific region within a month after the East Asia Summit in Cambodia and G-20 summit at Bali, Indonesia.
Russia is a member of both G20 and APEC but President Vladimir Putin has stayed away from the summits. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov is representing him at APEC.
The next Summit meeting will be held in the United States of America in 2023.
India is not a member of APEC.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum with 21 member economies across Asia-Pacific region.
It was set up in 1989 to promote regional economic integration under a non-legally binding manner and friendly environment.
APEC group countries account for 38% of the global population, 62% of world’s gross domestic product and 48% of the world trade.
21 Member of APEC are:
Australia; Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand; United States, China; Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei(Taiwan), Mexico ,Papua New Guinea ,Chile , Peru; Russia; and Vietnam.
Headquarters: Singapore
7. Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurates Geo Smart India 2022 Summit in Hyderabad
Tags: Summits National News
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the Geo Smart India 2022 Summit in Hyderabad on 15 November, 2022.
Important facts
He said the country is leading the way in socio-economic prosperity driven by state-of-the-art technology and innovation.
He said the country is moving towards an era of sustainable development from the grassroots level and aims to eradicate poverty, combat climate change and improve business and living standards.
He said that the government has issued guidelines to pave the way for the use of geospatial data in various sectors of the economy.
He said that the country is facing a severe water crisis which is becoming an important issue and the government has taken several steps to solve the issue.
The three-day summit was attended by around 2500 delegates from around 500 government, private, organisations working on geospatial technology and so on.
About Geo Smart India Summit
GeoSmart India is the largest conference of Geospatial experts across the globe.
It is an interactive and collaborative platform that reflects the collective and shared vision of the Indian geospatial community.
The conference showcases how geospatial and emerging technologies can have a disruptive impact on Indian businesses.
It also serves as a meeting place for global businesses to understand the ease of doing business in India by connecting with relevant authorities and potential business partners across sectors.
8. A two day 4th Indian Chemicals Council Sustainability Conclave is being held at New Delhi
Tags: place in news Summits
A two-day (17-18 November) 4th edition of Indian Chemicals Council Sustainability Conclave being held at New Delhi was inaugurated by the Secretary Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals Arun Baroka on 17 November 2022 .
The conclave has been organised jointly by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and International Council of Chemical Associations. The conference is being supported by the Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
The Theme of the 4th edition of Indian Chemicals Council (ICC) Sustainability Conclave: Boardrooms to Community-ESG, Carbon Neutrality, Operational Safety, Greener Solutions’.
The two-day event promotes sustainability in the management of the entire life cycle of chemicals.
9. First Global Media Congress held in Abu Dhabi;Apurva Chandra represents India
Tags: place in news Summits Person in news
The three day (15-17 November) first World media Congress opened on 15 November 2022 at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The conference-cum-exhibition Congress is organised by ADNEC Group in partnership with Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Theme of the World Media Congress: Shaping the Future of the Media Industry
Over 10,000 delegates and media-related companies are participating in the launch edition of the Global Media Congress.
India was represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Information Broadcasting Apurva Chandra. Addressing the Global Media Congress Apurva Chandra said that India is a country with a traditional media comprising 897 television channels, of which over 350 were news channels, and over 80 thousand newspapers coming out in various languages.
United Arab Emirate (UAE)
It is a federation of seven Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Khaimah, Ajmain, Fujairah, and 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 Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He is the king of Abu Dhabi and the supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
10. Indonesian President Joko Widodo handed over the G-20 presidency to Modi as the G 20 summit concludes in Bali
Tags: place in news Summits
The Indonesian President Joko Widodo formally handed over the G-20 presidency to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 November 2022 at the conclusion of the two-day (15-16 November) 17th G-20 Summit in Bali.
Prime Minister Modi said that India's presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented. He said that the country is taking the charge at a time when the world is grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown and rising food and energy prices.
India will officially assume the G-20 Presidency from 1 December 2022.
The 18th G-20 Leaders' Summit at the level of heads of state/government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi.
Modi also listed India's priorities for the G-20.
- Over the next one year, India will strive to ensure that the G-20 acts as a global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action,"
- The sense of ownership over natural resources is giving rise to conflict today, and has become the main cause of the plight of the environment. For the safe future of the planet, the sense of trusteeship is the solution.
- Modi noted that LiFE that is a 'Lifestyle for Environment' campaign can make a big contribution to this. "Its purpose is to make sustainable lifestyles a mass movement." The prime minister emphasised that the benefits of development are universal and all-inclusive.
- Modi said the G-20 has to convey a strong message in favour of peace and harmony.
- "All these priorities are fully embodied in the theme of India's G-20 Chairmanship -- 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'," he said.
During the G-20 summit meeting the Prime Minister held meetings with various world leaders like British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Macron, the American president Joe Biden and had a brief interaction with the Chinese President Xi Jingping. It was the first face to face between the Indian and Chinese leaders after the Galwan clash in June 2020 which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and many Chinese soldiers.
Issue of Russia and Ukraine and call for “This Era is not of War”
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attended the meeting where the issue of Russia-Ukraine conflict divided the member countries of G-20. Western countries want an outright condemnation of Russia while others notably Indian and China are not in favour of condemning Russia.
However the final G-20 document which was issued later condemned “in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and demanded “its complete and unconditional withdrawal” from Ukrainian territory.
It also used the phrase “ This Era is not of War '' and called for an end to the war . This phrase was used by Prime Minister Modi while meeting Valdimir Putin during the SCO meeting in Uzbekistan in September 2022. The statement was well received in Europe, which regards India as a close strategic partner of Russia.
G-20 Group
- Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation which was set up in 1999.
- It consists of the world's major developed and developing countries.
- It consists of 19 countries and the European Union. The member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
- Italy was the President of the G-20 in 2021. Indonesia is the President for 2022 and India will be the President in 2023.
- The first Summit meeting of the leaders of the G-20 was held in 2008 at Washington, United States.
- The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
- G-20 members constitute 60% of the world population, 80% of the World economy and 75% of world trade.
