News in Shorts

Posted 15 Mar 2024

5 min read

UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES (UNRWA)

UN officials urged countries to reconsider their decision to suspend the funding for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).
About UNRWA
- Genesis: Established as a subsidiary organ of United Nations General Assembly in 1949.
- Objective: To provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA.
  - Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem achieve their full human development potential.
- Funding: Funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN Member States.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from West African bloc ECOWAS.
About ECOWAS (HQ: Abuja, Nigeria)
- Regional group of 15members (including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) established in 1975 through Treaty of Lagos.
  - Other members: Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sénégal and Togo.
- Aim: Promote co-operation and integration, leading to establishment of an economic union in West Africa to raise living standards of its people, enhance economic stability, foster relations-among Member States and, contribute to progress and development of African continent.

Foreign Ministers of Germany, Poland, and France have met recently to revive the Weimar Triangle.
Weimar Triangle is a regional group created in 1991, to develop a shared vision for Europe and forge closer ties between these three countries’ societies.
- The Triangle was initially the key forum for supporting German-Polish reconciliation after World War II.
- The group takes its name from the city of Weimar, Germany, where the initial meeting took place.

European Union launches ‘Mission Aspides to protect Red Sea vessels from Iran-backed Houthi attacks.
- It aims to preserve freedom of navigation, provide maritime situational awareness, accompany ships and protect them from possible multimodal attacks at sea.
- Its area of operation will include Bab Al Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz, as well as international waters in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Gulf.

India slipped to 85^th position in the recently released Henley Passport Index for 2024.