THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 23 May 2020 (A diplomatic opening (Indian Express))

A diplomatic opening (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2: International Relations
Prelims level: World Health Assembly
Mains level: Important international institutions and their disputes redressal mechanism

Context:

  • The unanimous resolution approved by the World Health Assembly on calls for an inquiry into the origin and spread of the coronavirus and the international community’s response to it.
  • That the US and China have agreed to the resolution after prolonged acrimony(bitterness) in recent weeks over the origin of coronavirus, is indeed a surprise.
  • The US wanted members of the World Health Organisation to put the blame on Beijing for keeping the world in the dark about the nature of the virus that broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
  • China, which vehemently denied these charges and proffered accusations of its own against the US, rejected the talk of any inquiry.

Reasons behind the consensus:

  • The real source of the consensus on the resolution is the enormous damage inflicted by the virus.
  • It has already infected nearly 5 million people and killed nearly 3,50,000 around the world. To make matters worse, it has ground the global economy to a sudden halt and heaped unprecedented misery on the ...................................

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Credit to EU and Australia:

  • The credit must go to the EU and Australia that piloted the move at the WHO and other middle powers like India which extended early and strong diplomatic support.
  • The middle powers have a bigger responsibility in the days ahead as the next round of contestation begins on the terms and conditions of the inquiry.
  • Although the resolution has strong enough claws, there is bound to be an unending diplomatic squabble on its interpretation and implementation.

India to take the chair:

  • India, which will take charge of the rotating chair of the WHO’s Executive Board for a year, will have its hands full in guiding the organisation through its most difficult moments.
  • Besides ensuring a productive inquiry into the corona pandemic, Delhi needs to develop a practical agenda for reform and revitalisation of the WHO.

Conclusion:

Prelims Questions:

Q1.  Consider the following statements:
1. The President of India shall not hold any other office of profit.
2. The emoluments and allowances of the President of India shall not be diminished during his term of office.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: ...........................................

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Mains Questions:
Q1.  How the consensus at WHO shows .....................................................?

UPSC 2020
Civil Services EXAM
Civil Services Preliminary
Civil Services Mains
IAS PRE GS
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