• The inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS23) in Nairobi culminated in the ‘Nairobi Declaration’, giving the continent a common voice ahead of upcoming key global engagements. • The declaration has a raft of recommendations, pledges, and demands believed to have boosted Africa’s bargaining power on international platforms. • The Nairobi summit largely focused on calls to unlock investment in clean energy. About Africa Climate Summit 2023:- • Date: 4th to 6th September 2023. • Venue: Nairobi, Kenya (Africa) • Objective: to address the increasing exposure to climate change and its associated costs, both globally and particularly in Africa. • At the Africa Climate Summit, leaders made ambitious pledges and commitments. • A comprehensive “Pledging and Commitment Framework” was developed to guide these actions. Significance of Africa Climate Summit 2023:- • Despite having a small carbon footprint, Africa disproportionately bears the human toll of climate change • The Summit will highlight the urgent need for regional and global action. • The outcomes of the summit are critical for the African continent to arrive at a consensus and mobilize action in the upcoming 28th Conference of Parties (COP28). • COP28 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: is to be hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Africa Climate Summit 2023
Context: -
The Africa Climate Summit
2023 ended recently.
Background:-
 The inaugural Africa Climate
Summit (ACS23) in Nairobi
culminated in the ‘Nairobi
Declaration’, giving the continent a common voice ahead of upcoming key
global engagements.
 The declaration has a raft of recommendations, pledges, and
demands believed to have boosted Africa’s bargaining power on
international platforms.
 The Nairobi summit largely focused on calls to unlock investment in clean
energy.
About Africa Climate Summit 2023:-
 Date: 4th to 6th September 2023.
 Venue: Nairobi, Kenya (Africa)
 Objective: to address the increasing exposure to climate change and its
associated costs, both globally and particularly in Africa.
 At the Africa Climate Summit, leaders made ambitious pledges and
commitments.
 A comprehensive “Pledging and Commitment Framework” was developed
to guide these actions.
Significance of Africa Climate Summit 2023:-
 Despite having a small carbon footprint, Africa disproportionately bears the
human toll of climate change
 The Summit will highlight the urgent need for regional and global action.
 The outcomes of the summit are critical for the African continent to arrive at
a consensus and mobilize action in the upcoming 28th Conference of
Parties (COP28).
 COP28 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:
is to be hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Theme and Focus Areas of Africa Climate Summit 2023:-
 Climate Action Financing.
 Green Growth Agenda for Africa. (Horn of Africa)

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 Climate Action and Economic Development.
 Global Capital optimization.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD)
Context: -
Secretary General of the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) Mathias
Cormann arrived in New Delhi to attend
the G20 Summit recently.
Background:-
 European Council President Charles Michel also arrived to attend the G20
Summit.
About the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD):-
 Establishment: 1960.
 HQ: Paris, France.
 Objective: to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and
well-being for all.
Historical Background:-
 The forerunner of the OECD was the Organization for European Economic
Co-operation (OEEC).
 OEEC was formed to administer American and Canadian aid under the
Marshall Plan for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II.
 The Convention transforming the OEEC into the OECD was signed in Paris
in 1960 and entered into force in
Members of OECD:-
 OECD currently has 38 member nations and the Member Countries are each
represented by a delegation led by their ambassadors.
 The 38 Member Countries consist of: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
 India is a non-member economy with working relationships with the OECD.

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Functions of OECD:-
 It is responsible for publishing economic reports, statistical databases,
analyses, and forecasts on the outlook for economic growth worldwide.
 The group analyzes the impact of social issues on economic growth and
makes recommendations.
 It endeavours to eliminate bribery and other forms of financial crimes
worldwide.
 It seeks to eliminate bribery and other financial crimes
 It also maintains a “blacklist” of nations that are considered uncooperative
tax havens.
Reports:-
 OECD Economic Outlook
 OECD Communication Outlook
 OECD Internet Economy Outlook
Malaviya Mission - Teachers Training Programme
Context: -
The Malaviya Mission – Teachers
Training Programme was launched
recently.
Background:-
 Union Minister for Education and
Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship Shri
Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Malaviya Mission – Teachers Training
Programme by the University Grants Commission at Kaushal Bhawan, New
Delhi.
 He also inaugurated the Portal of the Programme and released its
information brochure.
About Malaviya Mission – Teachers Training Programme:-
 Organized: September,2023.
 Organized by: University Grants Commission and Ministry of Education.
 Duration: 2 weeks.
 Objective: to provide tailored training programmes for teachers.
 This programme will work for the capacity building of faculty members in
higher educational institutions.

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 It will improve the quality of teachers’ training, build leadership skills in
teachers and help realize the goals of NEP.
 Themes: 8 themes are identified for course curriculum/content for capacity
building of faculty members at higher educational institutions.
 These include Holistic and Multidisciplinary Education, Indian Knowledge
Systems (IKS), Academic Leadership, Governance and Management,
Higher Education and Society, Research and Development, Skill
Development, Student Diversity and Inclusive Education and Information
and Communication Technology.
 Online Portal: To facilitate this transformative journey, the UGC has also
established a dedicated portal for faculty members to register for the
capacity-building programmes.
Significance:-
 The programme will ensure continuous professional development.
 It will help in building capacities of 15 lakh teachers of HEIs through 111
Malaviya Mission centres across India in a time-bound manner.
 It will help to make educators future-ready with a deeper understanding of
Indian values.
Direct Trade between India and Pakistan
Context: -
The cessation of India-Pakistan direct trade
for a significant period is a result of
enduring political tensions and conflicts
between the two.
Why the bilateral trade between India
and Pakistan banned in the past?
 Trade relation- As per data trade with Pakistan stood at USD 329.26 million
in 2020-21 and USD 830.58 million in 2019-20.
 Issue of Jammu and Kashmir- Pakistan banned bilateral trade with India in
2019 when India abolished Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
 Cut in diplomatic relations- Pakistan had stated that it was reducing
diplomatic relations with India and planned to remove India’s high
commissioner to Islamabad.
 Issues over tariff - In 2012, India announced reduction of 30% in its SAFTA
Sensitive List for non-Least Developed Countries of SAFTA [including

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Pakistan] but Pakistan continued to follow restrictive trade policy towards
India.
 Most Favoured Nation- India had accorded MFN status to Pakistan in 1996.
 Pakistan’s MFN designation was removed in the aftermath of the Pulwama
terrorist incident.
MFN status means the country which is the recipient of this treatment must
nominally receive equal trade advantages as the "most favoured nation" by the
country granting such treatment
 Hike in custom duty- India imposed 200% tariff on Pakistani imports in
2019.
 Subsequently, as part of its unilateral measures, Pakistan suspended the
bilateral trade with India.
How about the condition post the bilateral trade suspension?
 Indirect trade- A few relatively less freight sensitive products such as dry
dates began coming via indirect channels to enter each other’s markets.
 Indian merchandise popularity- Products such as fabric, skincare products,
and jewellery freely made their way into Pakistani markets, gaining
popularity among local consumers.
 Other countries- The gap created in the cross-border trade was filled by
Indian goods entering Pakistan through Afghanistan, China and Dubai.
 Dubai has enabled trade between the two countries by acting as a neutral
ground for the respective enterprises to conduct business without being
hampered by political tensions and border crossings.
 High cost of imports- It compelled Pakistan to lift the ban on cotton imports
from India as importing cotton and sugar from countries like the US and
Brazil is expensive and time-consuming.
 Major exports- During the first quarter of fiscal 2022, India’s exports to
Pakistan is primarily driven by sugar, organic compounds and pharmaceutical
products.
 COVID-19 - Pakistan permitted import of pharmaceuticals and drugs
following the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
 Low volume trade- Jewellery, machinery, medications and chemicals are
examples of low-volume, high-value commodities. Businesses can afford to
take a longer route, particularly via Dubai, because the increased cost are
passed directly to consumers.
 Vegetable imports- Pakistan decided to allow vegetable imports from India
via Wagah due to destruction of onion and tomato harvests by torrential
rains in 2022.

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 Pakistan’s commitment- India’s trade with Pakistan increased dramatically
in the June 2022 quarter, due to Pakistan’s willingness to restore commerce
(mostly of necessities), with India.
 Other reasons - Some experts link the surge in direct commerce to
Pakistan’s new leadership and the country’s mounting economic crisis,
compounded by high global commodity prices
What lies ahead?
 Reduce import duty- India can consider reducing its import duties (currently
at 200%) on products that can benefit its industries.
 Foster cooperation- Pakistan’s commitment, though driven by necessity,
have sparked hope for additional measures to improve bilateral relations,
including the
o Resumption of sports-related visas by India after a 3 year interval,
o Scheduling of a long-delayed meeting between the Indus Water
Commissioners, and
o Establishment of peace at the Line of Control (LoC) following over
5,000 ceasefire violations.
 Resume trade- India and Pakistan trade should resume through the land
crossing at Attari (India)-Wagah (Pakistan), for a win-win situation.
 Better value- Since, wheat flour prices in Pakistan have risen dramatically in
recent months, North Indian farmers can sell it at a better price in Pakistan.
 Enhance direct route- Indirect trade routes like Dubai entail additional
intermediaries, increasing transaction costs. Direct trade could have brought
additional benefits like
o Reducing transportation costs,
o Expediting delivery schedules,
o Facilitating interaction among businesses, and
 Establishing direct trade channels that could unlock potential economic
cooperation and foster beneficial trade relationship.
 Engagements- Through direct economic engagements, both countries can
promote people-to-people exchanges, cultural interaction, and business
collaborations, paving the way for improved bilateral ties.