UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on Pacific Islands Forum, Atacama salt flat and more (Week 73)

1. It is an intergovernmental organisation which consists of 48 member states located in the Pacific and Indian Ocean region.

2. The forum was founded in 1971.

3. The countries of this grouping are among the world’s worst-affected countries due to rising sea levels.

4. Recently, Australia has left the PIF.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— The annual meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) began on Monday (August 26) in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga. At this year’s week-long meeting, climate change and the China-US battle for influence over the strategic region are dominating the discussions.

— PIF is an intergovernmental organisation which consists of 18 member states located in the Pacific region. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It was formed in 1971. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Pacific Island countries: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

— The countries of this grouping are among the world’s worst-affected countries due to rising sea levels. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Australia and New Zealand are among the wealthiest and largest countries which are part of the organisation. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The PIF aims to push for economic growth, enhance political governance and security for the region, and strengthen regional cooperation.

— The organisation discusses priority issues at its annual meeting, where decisions made by the member states are reached by consensus. The decisions are implemented by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Consider the following:

1. Under SOSA, the two countries will provide reciprocal priority support to each other for goods and services that promote national defence.

2. The Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers is a progression on a decision taken earlier to increase information-sharing between the two countries.

The two countries discussed above are:

(a) India-Russia

(b) India-Ukraine

(c) India-Italy

(d) India-United States

Explanation

— India and the US have signed a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers.

— During Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s four-day official visit that concluded on Sunday (August 25), the partner nations agreed to advance priority co-production projects including jet engines, unmanned platforms, munitions, and ground mobility systems under the 2023 US-India Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation.

Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA)

— SOSA requires the United States and India to offer reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence. The US Department of Defence (DoD) stated that it will “enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs”.

— India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US.

MoU on Liaison Officers

— The Memorandum of Agreement on the Assignment of Liaison Officials builds on an earlier decision to boost intelligence cooperation between India and the US, as well as to station Indian armed services officials in critical strategic US commands. India will send its first liaison officer to the US Special Operations Command headquarters in Florida.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Atacama salt flat is sinking at a rate of 1 to 2 centimetres per year due to lithium brine extraction. It is located in:

(a) Argentina

(b) Peru

(c) Chile

(d) Bolivia

Explanation

— According to a new study, Chile’s Atacama salt flat is sinking at a pace of 1 to 2 cm per year as a result of lithium brine extraction, a process in which salt-rich water is pumped to the surface and into a series of evaporation ponds to extract lithium.

— For their study, researchers at the University of Chile examined satellite data acquired between 2020 and 2023 to detect deformations in the Earth’s crust of the Atacama salt flat, one of the world’s major lithium sources.

— This is happening because pumping occurs quicker than aquifer recharge, resulting in subsidence, or downward vertical displacement of the Earth’s surface.

— According to the report, the affected area is around 8 kilometres north and south by 5 kilometres east and west.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Which among the following African countries is facing a food crisis and struggling due to insecurity and rising costs?

(a) South Africa

(b) Namibia

(c) Nigeria

(d) Ghana

Explanation

— According to recent research conducted by many international development partners, more than 31.8 million Nigerians are currently experiencing severe food shortages.

— According to the Nigerian government, the problem is exacerbated by continued security concerns and the elimination of fuel subsidies.

— The data, presented in meetings with government officials, show a substantial increase in food insecurity, with the number of affected individuals rising from 18.6 million in October to December 2023, as previously estimated by the UN World Food Programme.

— “The rise in food prices, caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and compounded by security issues, has left millions of Nigerians vulnerable,” the Ministry of budget and economic planning noted, according to Reuters.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following countries is recently affected by the typhoon Shanshan?

(a) Philippines

(b) Japan

(c) China

(d) Malaysia

Explanation

— Typhoon Shanshan has devastated Japan, delivering torrential rain and high winds that have prompted predictions of flooding and landslides.

— The storm hit the southwestern province of Kyushu causing havoc far from its centre.

— Shanshan has produced gusts powerful enough to overturn lorries, with speeds of up to 180 km/h (112 mph). This typhoon’s path is constantly altering, making it unpredictable.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 73)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 73)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 73)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 73)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 71)

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