UN DE V E LOPME NT SY STE M
Why in news?
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution on the repositioning of the UN development system.
More on the resolution
• The “repositioning” process began with an ECOSOC dialogue series in 2014-2015 on positioning the UN development system for a post-
2015 era.
• Repositioning is required in order to align the development system with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially to support developing countries.
• It calls for UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs) to better reflect country priorities and country needs as they would be
Certain principles for repositioning of UN development system
• The countries of operation should develop their own plans regarding how to maximize the contribution by the UN development system (UNDS) in support of their own plans. In this, the role of UNDS in mobilising means of implementation (including finance & capacity building) should be sufficiently emphasised.
• UNDS should prioritize economic structural transformation in the programming and work of the UN Country Teams.
• The participation of countries of operation should be there in the early stages of the selection of the new RCs.
• For those sustainable developmental challenges which can be better addressed at regional level, regional capacities should be strengthened through the work of Regional Commissions.
• The role of member states with respect to managing risks and ensuring oversight should be clear.
16 ©Vision IAS
prepared in full consultation and agreement with national governments, through an open and inclusive dialogue
• In repositioning, an implementation plan for the inception of the reinvigorated Resident Coordinator (RC) system is presented. The functions of the Resident Coordinators (RCs) of the UN system in each country are separated from those of the resident representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
• It also endorses the transformation of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) as a stand- alone coordination office within the Secretariat to assume managerial and oversight functions of the RC system.
• It also presents an implementation plan for operationalization of the funding arrangements for the new RC system – hybrid funding, i.e., through the United Nations regular budget as well as voluntary contributions by UN Member states.
• It stresses on national ownership with strong focus on accountability and results.
2.7. CASPI AN SE A BR E AK THR OUGH TR E ATY
Why in News?
Recently, five Caspian Sea States – Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan - signed a breakthrough
agreement on Caspian Sea’s legal status.
Background
• The 5 nations have tried to define the Caspian Sea’s legal status since the collapse of Soviet Union in order to divide up the waters and its natural resources for new drillings and pipelines. Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have contested the ownership of several oil and gas fields.
• According to an estimate by the US Energy Information Administration in 2013, the Caspian offshore reserves contain atleast 20 Billion Barrels of Oil and more than 240 trillion Cubic Feet of natural gas.
• These nations have already developed offshore oil and gas reserves that are located near enough to their coast.
• Projects in the northernmost waters- Kazakhstan’s giant Kashagan field and Russia’s Filanovsky and Korchagin deposits- are seen as sources of future oil-output growth for the countries.
Significance of the Treaty
• The treaty declares 15 Nautical Miles from the coastline as Sovereign waters and an Exclusive Economic Zone, with a further 10 nautical miles to be used for fishing and beyond this would be open waters.
• Agreement included economic as well as security cooperation: this would have enormous implications for the global energy market and addressing security issues as the Caspian Sea is situated near the zones of international terrorist activities. (Afghanistan and West Asia)
• The treaty ends a conflict over whether the Caspian is a sea or a lake, granting it a special legal status and clarifying the maritime boundaries of each surrounding country. The major concern is if it is a sea, it would become governed by international maritime law (UNCLOS) and outside powers would have access to these waters.
• It allows each member nation to lay pipelines with consent only from the neighbouring states affected, rather than from all Caspian Sea Nations. The development of seabed reserves will be regulated by separate deals between Caspian Nations, in line with international laws which
17 ©Vision IAS
essentially cements the current situation as countries such as Kazakhstan and Russia alr eady have bilateral accords on joint projects.
• It might also remove a legal barrier to building a Trans- Caspian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Europe.
• It prevents the Caspian nations from opening their borders to third party aggressors such as the US and NATO
or allowing any foreign military presence on Caspian waters.
Remaining Issues
• Delimitation of oil and gas rich Caspian Sea bed will require additional agreements between littoral nations.
• Russia is reluctant to allow Turkmenistan to pursue its proposed 300 Km gas pipeline to Azerbaijan which would open its huge cheap gas reserves to European Market at present dominated by Gazprom (Russian company).
2.8. I NDI A BE COME S PR E S I DE NT OF AI BD
Why in News?
Recently, India has been elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for a period of two years.
More on News
• President status will help India in leveraging itself as the broadcasting and media hub in Asia Pacific Region.
• India got the presidency of the organisation for the first time by defeating Iran in the election.
About Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting
Development (AIBD)
Related Information
• Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)
o It was established in 1964 as a non-profit, non- governmental, non- political, professional association.
o ABU promotes the collective interests of television and radio broadcasters as well as key industry players and facilitate regional and international media co-operation.
• International Telecommunication Union
o It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs.
o It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits.
o It develops the technical standards that ensure
networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect.
• It is a regional inter-governmental organisation servicing countries of the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in the field of electronic media development.
• It was established in 1977 under the auspices of UNESCO and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a founding organisation of the Institute and is a non-voting member of the General Conference.
• It is hosted by Malaysia and its secretariat is located in Kuala Lampur.
• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), are also founding organisations of the Institute.
• Its function is to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia-Pacific region through policy and mobilizing the intellectual and technological resources available within the national broadcasting organizations.
Why in news?
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution on the repositioning of the UN development system.
More on the resolution
• The “repositioning” process began with an ECOSOC dialogue series in 2014-2015 on positioning the UN development system for a post-
2015 era.
• Repositioning is required in order to align the development system with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially to support developing countries.
• It calls for UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs) to better reflect country priorities and country needs as they would be
Certain principles for repositioning of UN development system
• The countries of operation should develop their own plans regarding how to maximize the contribution by the UN development system (UNDS) in support of their own plans. In this, the role of UNDS in mobilising means of implementation (including finance & capacity building) should be sufficiently emphasised.
• UNDS should prioritize economic structural transformation in the programming and work of the UN Country Teams.
• The participation of countries of operation should be there in the early stages of the selection of the new RCs.
• For those sustainable developmental challenges which can be better addressed at regional level, regional capacities should be strengthened through the work of Regional Commissions.
• The role of member states with respect to managing risks and ensuring oversight should be clear.
16 ©Vision IAS
prepared in full consultation and agreement with national governments, through an open and inclusive dialogue
• In repositioning, an implementation plan for the inception of the reinvigorated Resident Coordinator (RC) system is presented. The functions of the Resident Coordinators (RCs) of the UN system in each country are separated from those of the resident representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
• It also endorses the transformation of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) as a stand- alone coordination office within the Secretariat to assume managerial and oversight functions of the RC system.
• It also presents an implementation plan for operationalization of the funding arrangements for the new RC system – hybrid funding, i.e., through the United Nations regular budget as well as voluntary contributions by UN Member states.
• It stresses on national ownership with strong focus on accountability and results.
2.7. CASPI AN SE A BR E AK THR OUGH TR E ATY
Why in News?
Recently, five Caspian Sea States – Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan - signed a breakthrough
agreement on Caspian Sea’s legal status.
Background
• The 5 nations have tried to define the Caspian Sea’s legal status since the collapse of Soviet Union in order to divide up the waters and its natural resources for new drillings and pipelines. Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have contested the ownership of several oil and gas fields.
• According to an estimate by the US Energy Information Administration in 2013, the Caspian offshore reserves contain atleast 20 Billion Barrels of Oil and more than 240 trillion Cubic Feet of natural gas.
• These nations have already developed offshore oil and gas reserves that are located near enough to their coast.
• Projects in the northernmost waters- Kazakhstan’s giant Kashagan field and Russia’s Filanovsky and Korchagin deposits- are seen as sources of future oil-output growth for the countries.
Significance of the Treaty
• The treaty declares 15 Nautical Miles from the coastline as Sovereign waters and an Exclusive Economic Zone, with a further 10 nautical miles to be used for fishing and beyond this would be open waters.
• Agreement included economic as well as security cooperation: this would have enormous implications for the global energy market and addressing security issues as the Caspian Sea is situated near the zones of international terrorist activities. (Afghanistan and West Asia)
• The treaty ends a conflict over whether the Caspian is a sea or a lake, granting it a special legal status and clarifying the maritime boundaries of each surrounding country. The major concern is if it is a sea, it would become governed by international maritime law (UNCLOS) and outside powers would have access to these waters.
• It allows each member nation to lay pipelines with consent only from the neighbouring states affected, rather than from all Caspian Sea Nations. The development of seabed reserves will be regulated by separate deals between Caspian Nations, in line with international laws which
17 ©Vision IAS
essentially cements the current situation as countries such as Kazakhstan and Russia alr eady have bilateral accords on joint projects.
• It might also remove a legal barrier to building a Trans- Caspian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Europe.
• It prevents the Caspian nations from opening their borders to third party aggressors such as the US and NATO
or allowing any foreign military presence on Caspian waters.
Remaining Issues
• Delimitation of oil and gas rich Caspian Sea bed will require additional agreements between littoral nations.
• Russia is reluctant to allow Turkmenistan to pursue its proposed 300 Km gas pipeline to Azerbaijan which would open its huge cheap gas reserves to European Market at present dominated by Gazprom (Russian company).
2.8. I NDI A BE COME S PR E S I DE NT OF AI BD
Why in News?
Recently, India has been elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for a period of two years.
More on News
• President status will help India in leveraging itself as the broadcasting and media hub in Asia Pacific Region.
• India got the presidency of the organisation for the first time by defeating Iran in the election.
About Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting
Development (AIBD)
Related Information
• Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)
o It was established in 1964 as a non-profit, non- governmental, non- political, professional association.
o ABU promotes the collective interests of television and radio broadcasters as well as key industry players and facilitate regional and international media co-operation.
• International Telecommunication Union
o It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs.
o It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits.
o It develops the technical standards that ensure
networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect.
• It is a regional inter-governmental organisation servicing countries of the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in the field of electronic media development.
• It was established in 1977 under the auspices of UNESCO and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a founding organisation of the Institute and is a non-voting member of the General Conference.
• It is hosted by Malaysia and its secretariat is located in Kuala Lampur.
• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), are also founding organisations of the Institute.
• Its function is to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia-Pacific region through policy and mobilizing the intellectual and technological resources available within the national broadcasting organizations.
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