UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on ECOWAS, AUKUS, Batken and more (Week 51)

1. It is a regional group that was established through the Capetown Treaty.

2. It aims to have a single common currency.

3. The vision of ECOWAS is the creation of a “borderless region”

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

Baltimore was recently in news due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. It is located in:

(a) Mexico

(b) Spain

(c) France

(d) United States

QUESTION 3

With reference to the AUKUS partnership, consider the following statements:

1. It is a partnership between Australia, Kuwait and Singapore to deploy nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific region.

2. The partnership aims to counter China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.

3. The signatories to the AUKUS deal aims to arm the new submarines with nuclear weapons.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Wassenaar Arrangement, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?

1. The arrangement was formally established in 1996.

2. It is a voluntary export control regime whose members exchange information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies.

3. India is not a member of this agreement.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

Batken Region was in news due to violent confrontations by local communities. It is located in:

(a) Kyrgyzstan

(b) Tajikistan

(c) Kazakhstan

(d) Uzbekistan

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group that was established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty – with a mandate of promoting economic integration among its members. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The vision of ECOWAS is the creation of a “borderless region”. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— It is known as CEDEAO in French.

— ECOWAS has 15 members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

— ECOWAS’ larger aims are to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in areas of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, financial issues, and social and cultural matters. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— ECOWAS is meant to be a region governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (d)

FYI:

— The largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard was being sent to Baltimore so that crews could begin removing the wreckage of a collapsed highway bridge, which had stalled the hunt for four workers who remained missing days after the accident and prevented the city’s crucial port from working.

— The US Army Corps of Engineers for the Baltimore District informed the governor that it and the Navy were mobilising massive resources from throughout the country at record speed to clear the channel.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

3. (a)

FYI:

— AUKUS is a defence deal between Australia, the UK and the US, which was struck to help Australia deploy nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific region. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The deal was made to emphasise the countries’ “shared commitment to a free-and-open Indo-Pacific region”. In effect, it seeks to combat China’s ambitions in the region. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The first major initiative of AUKUS is to deliver a nuclear-powered submarine fleet for Australia. The nuclear-powered submarines will give Australia naval heft in the Pacific, where China has been particularly aggressive.

— The partnership will provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines in the early 2030s to counter China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

— The three signatories to the AUKUS deal have made it clear though, that their aim is not to arm the new subs with nuclear weapons. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— The Wassenaar Arrangement was formally established in July 1996. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is a voluntary export control regime whose 42 members exchange information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Wassenaar aims to promote “greater responsibility” among its members in weapons exports and dual-use goods and prevent “destabilizing accumulations.

— India officially assumed the chairmanship of Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), on January 1, 2023. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— India assuming the Chair of Wassenaar arrangement attests to its commitment and credibility as a country committed to disarmament and prevention of misuse of dual-use products and technologies, a joint International effort to contain any negative fallout.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5. (a)

FYI:

— The Batken region is located in Kyrgyzstan. There has been constant shelling and violent confrontations by local communities on either side.

— The clashes over the poorly demarcated border between the two former Soviet republics are frequent, but they usually de-escalate quickly, although they almost led to an all-out war last year. Both host Russian military bases and have close ties with Moscow, which urged a cessation of hostilities.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 51)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 50)

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