UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on African Union, Rakhine state, AIAM and more (Week 86)

1. It is an intergovernmental organisation of the 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.

2. It was officially launched in 2022 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity.

3. The AU’s secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Nairobi.

4. The official languages of the Union and all its institutions are only Arabic and French.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— The African Union (AU) is an intergovernmental organisation of the 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It was officially established in 2002 as the successor of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The African Union Commission, the organization’s secretariat, is headquartered in Addis Ababa. The organisation has a combined GDP of $3 trillion and 1.4 billion people. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— However, its primary goal was to assist in the liberation of the continent’s colonial countries. To accomplish this, the OAU mobilised diplomatic support and gave logistical assistance to liberation movements throughout Africa.

— The official languages of the Union and its institutions will be Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Kiswahili, and any other African language. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: au.int)

QUESTION 2

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon based Hezbollah was brokered by:

(a) United States

(b) Russia

(c) Turkey

(d) Jordan

Explanation

— The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon based Hezbollah began as both the warring factions accepted the ceasefire agreement which was brokered by the United States, to end the 13-month long hostilities which turned into a full fledged war in September.

— US President Joe Biden announced the confirmation of the agreement from the White House and said the deal “is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities”.

— According to a joint statement issued by President Biden and his French colleague Emmanuel Macron, “the ceasefire agreement will create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line.”

— The cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah calls for a 60-day pause in hostilities during which the Hezbollah militant group is expected to retreat approximately 40 kilometres from the Israel-Lebanon border, while the Israeli military is expected to withdraw entirely from Lebanese territory.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Association of Indian American Minorities (AIAM), consider the following statements:

1. It is a newly formed non-governmental organisation which was launched in New Delhi.

2. The initiative aims to unite and promote the welfare of all the communities within India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Association of Indian American Minorities (AIAM), a new non-governmental organisation, was founded at the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The effort seeks to unite and improve the lives of minority populations in the Indian American diaspora. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— During the ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Global Peace Award for Minority Upliftment” in his absence. Washington Adventist University and AIAM jointly presented the award, which recognised his contributions to inclusive development and minority welfare.

— AIAM is set to foster unity among Indian Americans in the United States.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Rakhine state was in the news recently. It is located in:

(a) Bangladesh

(b) Myanmar

(c) Thailand

(d) Philippines

Explanation

— Thousands of Rohingya terrorists have emerged from camps holding over a million migrants in Cox’s Bazar, where militant recruitment and violence have increased this year, according to four sources familiar with the situation.

— The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim group and the world’s largest stateless population, began migrating to Bangladesh in 2016 to escape what the United Nations has described as a genocide by Myanmar’s Buddhist-majority military.

— A long-running uprising in Myanmar has gathered traction after the military conducted a coup in 2021. It involves a complicated network of armed factions, with Rohingya fighters joining the fray. Many have joined groups loosely affiliated with their former military persecutors to fight the Arakan Army ethnic militia, which has captured much of the western Myanmar state of Rakhine, from which many Rohingya fled.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following countries borders the Red Sea?

1. Yemen

2. Egypt

3. Oman

4. Djibouti

5. Ethiopia

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5

(d) 1, 2 and 4

Explanation

— At least 17 people are missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea early Monday, following warnings about high waves and turbulent weather, Egyptian officials reported.

— Rescue workers rescued 28 individuals from the yacht that capsized south of Marsa Alam. Some survivors required medical attention and were evacuated to safety, according to Amr Hanafy, the governor of the Red Sea region.

— The Red Sea, an sea inlet of the Indian Ocean located between Africa and Asia. It connects to the ocean in the south via the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden.

— The six countries bordering the Red Sea are: Saudi Arabia and Yemen on the eastern side while Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti on the western side.

— Oman and Ethiopia does not share border with the Red Sea.

Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. (Source: US Energy Information Administration)

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 86)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 86)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 86)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 86)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 86)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 85)

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