Current Affairs - International

The 2024 Pravasi Parichay event was inaugurated by Ambassador Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan in Riyadh, highlighting India's rich linguistic heritage through a unique play, quiz, and painting exhibition ¹. This cultural celebration, launched in partnership with Indian diaspora associations, aims to promote India's diversity abroad. Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, hosted this significant event, demonstrating the country's efforts to engage with the Indian diaspora and foster cultural exchange. The event showcased performances in all 11 classical languages recognized by India, including Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.

Egypt achieved a significant milestone in public health by being declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2024. This certification underscores Egypt's successful efforts in eliminating malaria, making it the fifth African nation and third in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this status. Following Morocco's certification in 2010, Egypt joins an elite group of 44 countries and one territory recognized by the WHO for eradicating malaria. This accomplishment demonstrates Egypt's commitment to combating infectious diseases and improving the health and well-being of its citizens.

The Kartarpur Corridor agreement, originally signed in 2019, has been extended by India and Pakistan until 2029. This agreement allows Indian pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan, fostering cross-border religious connectivity despite the two countries' tense relations. While India requested the removal of the $20 service fee charged to pilgrims, no consensus was reached on this matter during the renewal of the agreement.

Israel joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as its 69th member, following approval by the ADB Board of Governors through Resolution No. 414. This membership expansion highlights ADB's growing global presence and cooperation. Headquartered in Manila, Philippines, ADB aims to promote economic growth and development in Asia through financing and technical assistance. Israel's membership is expected to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, contributing to regional development and economic integration. This move also underscores ADB's commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth across its member countries.

Colombia hosts the pivotal United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16), convening representatives from nearly 200 countries to tackle the pressing issue of biodiversity loss. This global gathering focuses on implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, signed by 196 nations. COP16 aims to accelerate progress through National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, ultimately seeking to reverse the loss of nature. By hosting COP16, Colombia demonstrates its commitment to environmental leadership and multilateral cooperation, fostering international collaboration to protect the world's biodiversity.