Gulf of Mexico Greenland Iceland Panama Canada boundary countries lakes in Mexico
country in news Sudarshan gujjar
nato LAST SUMMIT(imp. Declaration) AND country addition
G20:
The G20 is an informal forum without a permanent secretariat. It was established in
1999 in response to the East Asian nancial crisis. Initially, meetings involved
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, later elevating to Heads of State
during the global nancial crisis.
Notable Summit in November 2024
• Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil under the theme"Building a Just World and a
Sustainable Planet.
• Hosted by Brazil, with logistical and structural arrangements managed by the
host country, consistent with the G20’s informal nature.
• Marked the rst time the African Union (AU) participated as a full member.
G20 Membership
• Consists of 19 countries plus the European Union, with the African
Union newly added.
• Countries include:
• G7 nations
: United States (US), Canada, United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany,
Italy, Japan
• Russia (suspended from the earlier G8 but remains in the G20)
• China, India, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, South
Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey
• Regional blocs: European Union (EU), African Union (AU)
G20 Presidency and Troika
• The presidency rotates annually among member nations.
• The Troika structure includes the previous (India), current (Brazil), and
incoming (South Africa) presidencies.
• The current Troika nations form IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa),
representing three multicultural democracies from Asia, Africa, and Latin
America.
Key Initiatives at the Brazil Summit
• Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty:
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• Aims to accelerate efforts to eradicate hunger via cash transfers to 500
million people by 2030.
• Targets better school meals for 150 million children in vulnerable
countries.
• Operates without a dedicated fund, functioning instead as a
connector among donors and low-income nations.
• Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation, and
Equitable Access to vaccines, diagnostics, health technologies, and
broader medical innovation.
BRICS
• Created in 2015 after the Fortaleza Declaration.
• Accompanied by the Contingent Reserve Arrangement totaling $100
billion.
• Contributions: China ($41 billion), India/Russia/Brazil ($18 billion each),
South Africa ($5 billion).
• Aims to provide alternatives to Western-led nancial institutions.
BRICS is an intergovernmental informal grouping of 10 emerging
economies of the [Link] 2024, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt
and Ethiopia also became its member. Recently in 2025 Indonesia added.
The NDB admitted Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Uruguay as its
new members in September 2021. NDB is associated with BRICS.
17th BRICS Summit will be hosted by Brazil in July 2025.
16th BRICS summit happened in Kazan, Russia in 2024.
Kazan Declaration:
Stand on Geopolitical Con icts:
On Ukraine: Emphasised mediating a peaceful resolution through dialogue and
diplomacy.
On West Asia Crisis: Expressed deep concern over the escalating humanitarian
crisis in Gaza Strip and West Bank. Condemned the loss of civilian lives and
infrastructure damage from Israeli attacks in Southern Lebanon.
On Western Sanctions: Emphasised the disruptive effects of unlawful unilateral
coercive measures, including illegal sanctions, on the global economy, international
trade, and the achievement of SDGs.
On BRICS Grain Exchange: Explored the establishment of a grain trading platform
within BRICS, known as the BRICS Grain Exchange, with plans for future
development that may include other agricultural sectors.
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Financial Integration Support: The summit emphasised the need for greater
nancial integration among member countries.
Key Aspects Highlighted:
Importance of trade in local currencies.
Facilitating smooth cross-border payments India’s UPI was highlighted as a
successful model.
BRICS-led payment system to rival SWIFT
On Big Cats: Supported the efforts of member countries to preserve rare species,
particularly big cats, and notes India's initiative to create an International Big Cats
Alliance. BRICS countries are encouraged to collaborate further on conservation
efforts for these vulnerable species.
European Union: rst EU-UK summit happened recently in may 2025.
SCO:
2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was concluded in
Astana, Kazakhstan.
New Membership: Belarus has become the 10th member state of the SCO.
Astana Declaration: The 24th SCO Summit in Astana adopted the Astana
Declaration and approved 25 strategic agreements on energy, security, trade,
nance, and information security.
Before the inclusion of Belarus, it had nine members: India, Iran, Kazakhstan,
China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan
and Mongolia hold Observer Status.
Greenland
• The world’s largest island, largely within the Arctic Circle.
• Part of the Kingdom of Denmark but operates with
considerable autonomy.
• Holds the second-largest ice sheet after Antarctica.
Panama Canal
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• An isthmus in Central America, linking the Atlantic and Paci c
Oceans.
• Creates strategic shortcuts for global marine transportation,
featured in various geopolitical discussions.
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