Third India – Africa Forum Summit (AIFS III)

From – 26/10/2015 To 29/10/2015

At New Delhi

Senior officials level meeting – Jointly organised by the African Union and Government of India.

India Africa Forum Summit Oct. 2015 Logo

Insightful, imaginative logo – Maps of India and Africa and a Lion – King of the Jungle found in both regions – on the background of a diamond

(See a video about making of the logo)

Click here to see the detailed list of all African Union countries.

Shaping a more equitable world order is considered a major challenge before India and Africa.  Emphasis on shared history.

From our struggle against colonialism and apartheid, we have emerged to jointly accept the challenges of a globalizing world. Even as we combat with common threats – the threat from international terrorism; the scourge of poverty, disease, illiteracy and hunger; the challenge of climate change – and collectively promote the socio-economic advancement of all our people, we believe that India and Africa traverse the same path, share the same values and cherish the same dreams.

http://www.iafs.in/home.php

A special website was created for the summit.

The third edition of the four day IAFS summit which will take place during 26th-29th October 2015 enables consultations at the highest political level between the heads of government of 54 nations across Africa and the Indian government to give a new thrust to our age-old partnership. It provides an opportunity to not only reflect on the past, but to define the road ahead in tune with the times we live in.

The First Africa-India Forum Summit was held in 2008 in New Delhi, India, while the Second Africa-India Forum Summit took place in 2011 at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Watch videos about first two summits on YouTube.

Also check the AU agenda 2063.

 

 

UN Peace keeping missions worldwide

Currently there are 16 peace keeping missions and one special political mission in Afghanistan.

United Nations Peacekeeping helps countries torn by conflict create the conditions for lasting peace. We are comprised of civilian, police and military personnel.

As of 31 March 2015, our workforce in the field consisted of:

  • 93,743 serving troops and military observers
  • 13,122  police personnel;
  • 5,277 international civilian personnel (31 December 2014);
  • 11,678 local civilian staff (31 December 2014);
  • 1,846 UN Volunteers.

128 countries contributed military and police personnel.

The UN does not have its own military force; it depends on contributions from Member States.

In addition to maintaining peace and security, peacekeepers are increasingly charged with assisting in political processes; reforming judicial systems; training law enforcement and police forces; disarming and reintegrating former combatants; supporting the return of internally displaced persons and refugees.

Out of the 16 peace keeping operations

1 is in the Caribbean – Haiti,

9 in African continent (South Sudan, Western Sahara, Darfur, Abyei, DR Congo, Central African Republic, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali.)

1 in India and Pakistan,

4 – one each in Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Middle East,

1 in Europe (Kosovo)

Since 1948 UN has undertaken 71 peace keeping operations.

For further details refer to this site

Pune University – CSDS, Delhi Election survey

Prof. Dr. Suhas Palshikar
Prof. Dr. Suhas Palshikar

Students of Dr. T. K. Tope Night College participated in an election survey as field investigators.  The survey was a part of the ongoing research activity of the CSDS – Centre for the study of developing societies, (http://www.csds.in/) Delhi, a research organisation in collaboration with the Department of Politics and Public Administration, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune. (http://www.unipune.ac.in/dept/mental_moral_and_social_science/politics_and_public_administration/default.htm)

It was conducted twice in the year 2014.  First was before the Loksabha elections in March 2014 and second was in October 2014 before the Maharashtra Vidhansabha elections (State Legislative Assembly elections.)

Workshop in Dr. T. K. Tope Night College.

Field investigators were given systematic training before going to the field for actual survey.  Two such workshops were conducted in Dr. T. K. Tope Night College on 16th Feb. 2014 and 19th March 2014 before the Loksabha elections.  Prof. Shubharaj Buwa along with Kedar Deshmukh conducted the workshop.  Students from SNDT College, Churchgate and Uran College also participated in the survey.

principal-vb-rokade-226x300
Principal V. B. Rokade

The survey was conducted in assembly constituency areas of Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts.  It was possible to conduct the workshop because of the kind cooperation and guidance  of Principal V. B. Rokade of Dr. T. K. Tope Night College.

Kirti College Workshop

kirti_1
Principal Magare of Kirti College and Prof. Nitin Birmal from Pune University department of Politics and Public Administration.

In October 2014 before the Vidhansabha elections another  workshop was conducted at the the Kirti College Dadar.  Prof. Nitin Birmal from Pune University and Principal Magare of  Kirti College guided students.

kirti_3
Mohan Kamble, Joshi and 4 other students (all in the first row) attended the workshop in Kirti College, Dadar.

Field investigators faced many difficulties while conducting the survey.  It was much easier to conduct interviews in slums and rural areas but it was very difficult to get access in apartments in urban areas.

About MH17 Crash

Published on Oct 13, 2015

Video about the Dutch Safety Board’s investigation into the causes of the crash of flight MH17 on 17 July 2014 in the eastern part of Ukraine and the Board’s investigation into flying over conflict zones. The video was based on the Dutch Safety Board’s investigation reports, which were published on 13 October 2015.

 

 

Regions of the World according to the United Nations

United_Nations_geographical_subregions

By T.seppelt (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

For detailed classification by the United Nations for statistical purposes visit this page.

 Geographical region and composition

001 World
002 Africa a/
       014 Eastern Africa
       017 Middle Africa
       015 Northern Africa
       018 Southern Africa
       011 Western Africa
019 Americas
419 Latin America and the Caribbean
       029 Caribbean
       013 Central America
       005 South America
021 Northern America b/
142 Asia
       143 Central Asia
       030 Eastern Asia
       034 Southern Asia
       035 South-Eastern Asia
       145 Western Asia
150 Europe
       151 Eastern Europe
       154 Northern Europe
       039 Southern Europe
       155 Western Europe
009 Oceania
       053 Australia and New Zealand
       054 Melanesia
       057 Micronesia
       061 Polynesia

 

   Selected economic and other groupings

…   Developed and developing regions c/
199 Least developed countries
432 Landlocked developing countries
722 Small island developing states

 

Numerical code

   Geographical region and composition of each region

002

Africa a/

014 Eastern Africa
108 Burundi
174 Comoros
262 Djibouti
232 Eritrea
231 Ethiopia
404 Kenya
450 Madagascar
454 Malawi
480 Mauritius
175 Mayotte
508 Mozambique
638 Réunion
646 Rwanda
690 Seychelles
706 Somalia
728 South Sudan
800 Uganda
834 United Republic of Tanzania
894 Zambia
716 Zimbabwe
017 Middle Africa
024 Angola
120 Cameroon
140 Central African Republic
148 Chad
178 Congo
180 Democratic Republic of the Congo
226 Equatorial Guinea
266 Gabon
678 Sao Tome and Principe
015 Northern Africa
012 Algeria
818 Egypt
434 Libya
504 Morocco
729 Sudan
788 Tunisia
732 Western Sahara
018 Southern Africa
072 Botswana
426 Lesotho
516 Namibia
710 South Africa
748 Swaziland
011 Western Africa
204 Benin
854 Burkina Faso
132 Cabo Verde
384 Cote d’Ivoire
270 Gambia
288 Ghana
324 Guinea
624 Guinea-Bissau
430 Liberia
466 Mali
478 Mauritania
562 Niger
566 Nigeria
654 Saint Helena
686 Senegal
694 Sierra Leone
768 Togo
019

Americas

419 Latin America and the Caribbean
029 Caribbean
660 Anguilla
028 Antigua and Barbuda
533 Aruba
044 Bahamas
052 Barbados
535 Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
092 British Virgin Islands
136 Cayman Islands
192 Cuba
531 Curaçao
212 Dominica
214 Dominican Republic
308 Grenada
312 Guadeloupe
332 Haiti
388 Jamaica
474 Martinique
500 Montserrat
630 Puerto Rico
652 Saint-Barthélemy

659

Saint Kitts and Nevis
662 Saint Lucia
663 Saint Martin (French part)
670 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
534 Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
780 Trinidad and Tobago
796 Turks and Caicos Islands
850 United States Virgin Islands
013 Central America
084 Belize
188 Costa Rica
222 El Salvador
320 Guatemala
340 Honduras
484 Mexico
558 Nicaragua
591 Panama
005 South America
032 Argentina
068 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
076 Brazil
152 Chile
170 Colombia
218 Ecuador
238 Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
254 French Guiana
328 Guyana
600 Paraguay
604 Peru
740 Suriname
858 Uruguay
862 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
021 Northern America b/
060 Bermuda
124 Canada
304 Greenland
666 Saint Pierre and Miquelon
840 United States of America
142

Asia

143 Central Asia
398 Kazakhstan
417 Kyrgyzstan
762 Tajikistan
795 Turkmenistan
860 Uzbekistan
030 Eastern Asia
156 China
344 China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
446 China, Macao Special Administrative Region
408 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
392 Japan
496 Mongolia
410 Republic of Korea
034 Southern Asia
004 Afghanistan
050 Bangladesh
064 Bhutan
356 India
364 Iran (Islamic Republic of)
462 Maldives
524 Nepal
586 Pakistan
144 Sri Lanka
035 South-Eastern Asia
096 Brunei Darussalam
116 Cambodia
360 Indonesia
418 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
458 Malaysia
104 Myanmar
608 Philippines
702 Singapore
764 Thailand
626 Timor-Leste
704 Viet Nam
145 Western Asia
051 Armenia
031 Azerbaijan
048 Bahrain
196 Cyprus
268 Georgia
368 Iraq
376 Israel
400 Jordan
414 Kuwait
422 Lebanon
512 Oman
634 Qatar
682 Saudi Arabia
275 State of Palestine
760 Syrian Arab Republic
792 Turkey
784 United Arab Emirates
887 Yemen
150

Europe

151 Eastern Europe
112 Belarus
100 Bulgaria
203 Czech Republic
348 Hungary
616 Poland
498 Republic of Moldova
642 Romania
643 Russian Federation
703 Slovakia
804 Ukraine
154 Northern Europe
248 Åland Islands
830 Channel Islands
208 Denmark
233 Estonia
234 Faeroe Islands
246 Finland
831 Guernsey
352 Iceland
372 Ireland
833 Isle of Man
832 Jersey
428 Latvia
440 Lithuania
578 Norway
680 Sark
744 Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
752 Sweden
826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
039 Southern Europe
008 Albania
020 Andorra
070 Bosnia and Herzegovina
191 Croatia
292 Gibraltar
300 Greece
336 Holy See
380 Italy
470 Malta
499 Montenegro
620 Portugal
674 San Marino
688 Serbia
705 Slovenia
724 Spain
807 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
155 Western Europe
040 Austria
056 Belgium
250 France
276 Germany
438 Liechtenstein
442 Luxembourg
492 Monaco
528 Netherlands
756 Switzerland
009

Oceania

053 Australia and New Zealand
036 Australia
554 New Zealand
574 Norfolk Island
054 Melanesia
242 Fiji
540 New Caledonia
598 Papua New Guinea
090 Solomon Islands
548 Vanuatu
057 Micronesia
316 Guam
296 Kiribati
584 Marshall Islands
583 Micronesia (Federated States of)
520 Nauru
580 Northern Mariana Islands
585 Palau
061 Polynesia
016 American Samoa
184 Cook Islands
258 French Polynesia
570 Niue
612 Pitcairn
882 Samoa
772 Tokelau
776 Tonga
798 Tuvalu
876 Wallis and Futuna Islands

Developed and developing regions c/

Developing regions
002 Africa
019 Americas excluding Northern America (numerical code 021)
029 Caribbean
013 Central America
005 South America
142 Asia excluding Japan
009 Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand
(numerical code 053)
Developed regions
021 Northern America
150 Europe
392 Japan
053 Australia and New Zealand
199

Least developed countries

004 Afghanistan
024 Angola
050 Bangladesh
204 Benin
064 Bhutan
854 Burkina Faso
108 Burundi
116 Cambodia
140 Central African Republic
148 Chad
174 Comoros
180 Democratic Republic of the Congo
262 Djibouti
226 Equatorial Guinea
232 Eritrea
231 Ethiopia
270 Gambia
324 Guinea
624 Guinea Bissau
332 Haiti
296 Kiribati
418 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
426 Lesotho
430 Liberia
450 Madagascar
454 Malawi
466 Mali
478 Mauritania
508 Mozambique
104 Myanmar
524 Nepal
562 Niger
646 Rwanda
678 Sao Tome and Principe
686 Senegal
694 Sierra Leone
090 Solomon Islands
706 Somalia
728 South Sudan
729 Sudan
626 Timor-Leste
768 Togo
798 Tuvalu
800 Uganda
834 United Republic of Tanzania
548 Vanuatu
887 Yemen
894 Zambia
432

Landlocked developing countries

004 Afghanistan
051 Armenia
031 Azerbaijan
064 Bhutan
068 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
072 Botswana
854 Burkina Faso
108 Burundi
140 Central African Republic
148 Chad
231 Ethiopia
398 Kazakhstan
417 Kyrgyzstan
418 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
426 Lesotho
454 Malawi
466 Mali
496 Mongolia
524 Nepal
562 Niger
600 Paraguay
498 Republic of Moldova
646 Rwanda
728 South Sudan
748 Swaziland
762 Tajikistan
807 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
795 Turkmenistan
800 Uganda
860 Uzbekistan
894 Zambia
716 Zimbabwe
722

Small island developing States

016 American Samoa
660 Anguilla
028 Antigua and Barbuda
533 Aruba
044 Bahamas
052 Barbados
084 Belize
092 British Virgin Islands
132 Cabo Verde
174 Comoros
184 Cook Islands
192 Cuba
212 Dominica
214 Dominican Republic
242 Fiji
258 French Polynesia
308 Grenada
316 Guam
624 Guinea-Bissau
328 Guyana
332 Haiti
388 Jamaica
296 Kiribati
462 Maldives
584 Marshall Islands
480 Mauritius
583 Micronesia (Federated States of)
500 Montserrat
520 Nauru
540 New Caledonia
570 Niue
580 Northern Mariana Islands
585 Palau
598 Papua New Guinea
630 Puerto Rico
659 Saint Kitts and Nevis
662 Saint Lucia
882 Samoa
678 Sao Tome and Principe
690 Seychelles
702 Singapore
090 Solomon Islands
670 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
740 Suriname
626 Timor-Leste
776 Tonga
780 Trinidad and Tobago
798 Tuvalu
850 United States Virgin Islands
548 Vanuatu

a/ The designation sub-Saharan Africa is commonly used to indicate all of Africa except northern Africa, with the Sudan included in sub-Saharan Africa.

b/ The continent of North America (003) comprises Northern America (021), Caribbean (029), and Central America (013).

c/ There is no established convention for the designation of “developed” and “developing” countries or areas in the United Nations system. In common practice, Japan in Asia, Canada and the United States in northern America, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania, and Europe are considered “developed” regions or areas. In international trade statistics, the Southern African Customs Union is also treated as a developed region and Israel as a developed country; countries emerging from the former Yugoslavia are treated as developing countries; and countries of eastern Europe and of the Commonwealth of Independent States (code 172) in Europe are not included under either developed or developing regions.

 

 

National Democratic Alliance

Centre-right alliance of political parties.

Formed in 1998.

Led by Bharatiya Janata Party.

Number of constituent parties has changed many times as some new parties join the alliance or the older allies leave.

From 1998 to 2004 it was the ruling alliance at the Centre.  After a gap of 10 years or two terms of Loksabha in May 2014 the alliance regained power.