The Daily Brief – 25th October 2018

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Invest India, the country’s investment promotion body, has won United Nations (UN) Award for excellence in promoting investments in sustainable development. The award was presented by Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to CEO of Invest India Deepak Bagla at the World Investment Forum, Geneva. The awards are given annually by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) since 2002. Apart from Invest India, agencies from Lesotho (LNDC), Bahrain (EDB Bahrain) and South Africa (Invest South Africa) also won top honours at UN Investment Promotion Awards for excellence.
Seoul Peace Prize Committee has decided to confer 2018 Seoul Peace Prize on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recognition of his dedication for improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating Human Development of people in India. He is the fourteenth recipient of this award. The biannual award was established in 1990 to commemorate success of the 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul, South Korea. The awardee receives diploma, plaque and honorarium of US $200,000.
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs (STAPCOR – 2018) at Bangaram Island, Union Territory of Lakshadweep from 22-24 October, 2018 with the theme of the conference was “Reef for Life”. International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has declared year 2018 as International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2018). It is designed to raise awareness about the threats to coral reefs and the associated ecosystem.
The first trilateral meeting between India, Afghanistan and Iran of Coordination Council of Chabahar Agreement was held in Tehran, capital city of Iran. India, Iran and Afghanistan in May 2016, had signed agreement which entailed establishment of transit and transport corridor among three countries using Chabahar Port as one of regional hubs. India in 2003 had first proposed developing Chabahar port. The port is seen as golden gateway for India to access landlocked markets of Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.
United Nations Organisation
The United Nations Day was observed across the world on October 24, 2018, marking the 73rd anniversary of the UN Charter’s entry into force. The Day aims to celebrate everything that the UN represents and has achieved since its establishment in 1945. On this occasion, all the member states of the United Nations contributed finances to its operation to help further its goals. The 2018 UN Day Concert was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York with the theme of “Traditions of Peace and Non-violence”. It was sponsored by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the signing and ratification of the extradition treaty between India and Malawi. The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Malawi.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for MoU signed among the BRICS Nations on Environmental Cooperation. The MoU was signed during the 10th BRICS Summit in July, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The agreement aims to expand cooperation in areas including air quality, water, biodiversity, climate change and waste management. It also aims to enhance cooperation in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the MoU signed between India and Singapore in June, 2018 on the constitution of a Joint Working Group (JWG) on FinTech for cooperation in the area of finance technology between the two countries. It will initiate capacity building of relevant officials in regulatory institutions, including in a world of new threats around cyber-security and financial fraud.
The Union Cabinet has approved the appointment of Adjudicating Authority and establishment of Appellate Tribunal under Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPT), 1988. The authority must sit in the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD). The move will result in effective and better administration of cases referred to the Adjudicating Authority and speedy disposal of appeals filed against the order of the Adjudicating Authority before the Appellate Tribunal.