(FREE) UPSC Current Affairs 2024 PDF

The Gist of Press Information Bureau: May + June 2013

Content

Human Development Index
Millennium Development Goals
Planning Commission Hosting Google Hangout
5th BRICS Summit - eThekwini Declaration and Action Plan

Global Hunger Index, 2012

The report ‘Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2012’ by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is based on three equally weighted indicators, namely undernourishment (proportion of undernourished people as percentage of population), child underweight and child mortality. This report mentions that India has lagged behind in improving its GHI score despite strong economic growth along with the statement that GHI data is based partly on outdated data.The approach in dealing with the nutrition challenges has been two pronged: First is the Multi-sectoral approach for accelerated action on the determinants of malnutrition in targeting nutrition in schemes/ programmes of all the sectors. The second approach is the direct and specific interventions targeted towards the vulnerable groups such as children below 6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers. The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition especially among children and women including young girls and is implementing several schemes/programmes through State Governments/UT Administrations. The schemes/programmes include the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) namely SABLA, Indira Gandhi Matritva SahyogYojna (IGMSY) as direct targeted interventions. Besides, indirect multi-sectoral interventions include Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), National Horticulture Mission, National Food Security Mission, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, National Rural Drinking Water Programme etc. All these schemes have potential to address one or other aspect of Nutrition. This was stated by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women and Child Development, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.

Panel on Climate Change

The Government has constituted the Executive Committee on Climate Change consisting of representatives of various Ministries and agencies under the Chairmanship of Principal Secretary to Prime Minister to monitor the implementation of eight national missions and other initiatives on climate change and assist the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change in evolving a coordinated response to climate change related issues at the national level. This was stated by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in the Lok Sabha today, in a written reply to a question by Shri Pralhad Joshi & Shri S.S. Ramasubbu. The Executive Committee comprises, inter alia, of the representatives of the Cabinet Secretariat, the Planning Commission, and the Ministries/ Departments of Power, New and Renewable Energy, Urban Development, Water Resources, Science and Technology, Agriculture & Cooperation, Agriculture Research and Education, Earth Sciences, Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Economic Affairs, and Environment and Forests. Functions of the Committee include, inter alia, advising the PM’s Council on Climate Change on modifications, as may be necessary, in the objectives, strategies and structures of the missions and coordinating with various agencies on issues relating to climate change. The Minister further stated that National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) include appropriate deliverables and timelines for monitoring of their implementation. These are regularly reviewed from time to time through the institutional mechanism laid down in the NAPCC.

Human Development Index

The latest Human Development Index (HDI) 2011 prepared by the UNDP ranks India at 134 out of 187 countries and its HDI is shown as 0.547 which is an improvement of 5.39% (HDI was 0.519 in 2010 HDI part). The health aspects are reflected in life expectancy at birth which is shown as 65.4 year in HDI 2011 against 64.4 year in HDI 2010. High IMR and Under 5 MR are the major factors in lowering Life Expectancy at Birth. MMR also needs improvement. A target of 25/1000 for IMR and 1000/100,000 live births for MMR has been prescribed by the 12 Five Year plan document for the end of 2017. Some of the steps taken under NRHM for improving the situation are:

Regular ANC care at health facilities and home visits by ASHA
Personalized monitoring of pregnant women, the new born and the post partum woman through MCTS
Promotion of institutional delivery through JSY, increase in delivery points and improvement in referral transport.
JSSK
Increase in number of SNCU for managing preterm and sick neonates
Promotion of exclusive breast feeding
Reduction in incidence of diarrhoea through improvement in hygiene by measures such as hand washing and management of diarrhoea through Zinc and ORS supplementation.
Extension of immunization coverage
The various disease control programs against Malaria, Kala Azar, filaria, TB (RNTCP) etc have improved the burden of disease and mortality due to major infectious diseases in all stages of life.
In order to tackle the impact of Non-communicable diseases, Government of India has launched the National Programme for prevention and control of cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and stroke (NPCDCS) in 2010 in 100 districts of 21 States with a focus on an awareness generation for behaviour and life style changes, early diagnosis and referral to higher facilities for appropriate management. It has also been envisaged to build capacity at various levels of health care systems for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of NCDs.

Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted during the U.N. Millennium Summit, 2000 by 189 countries including India consists of eight goals which are sought to be achieved during the period 1990 to 2015.
The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) -1 is regarding Eradication of Extreme Poverty and Hunger, which have 2 targets namely, (i) Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the percentage of population below the National Poverty Line and (ii) Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. The indicator for measuring target two is the prevalence of underweight children under three years of age. Thus from the estimated 52% in 1990, the proportion of underweight children below 3 years is required to be reduced to 26% by 2015. All-India trend of the proportion of underweight children below 3 years of age shows India is going slow in eliminating the effect of malnourishment as the prevalence of underweight has declined by 3 percentage points during 1998-99 to 2005-06 , from about 43 percent to about 40 percent (as per the National Family Health Survey, 2005-06). At this historical rate of decline the proportion of underweight children is expected to come down to about 33% only by 2015 vis-à-vis the 2015 target level of 26% falling short of the target. The problem of malnutrition is complex, multi-dimensional and inter-generational in nature, and cannot be improved by a single sector alone. Poverty and hunger along with household food insecurity, illiteracy and lack of awareness especially in women, access to health services, availability of safe drinking water, sanitation and proper environmental conditions are some of the determinants of malnutrition. In fact, improvement in malnutrition is linked to achievement of six of the Millennium Development Goals.

The approach in dealing with the nutrition challenges has been two pronged: First is the Multi-sectoral approach for accelerated action on the determinants of malnutrition in targeting nutrition in schemes/ programmes of all the sectors. The second approach is the direct and specific interventions targeted towards the vulnerable groups such as children below 6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers. The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition especially among children and women including young girls and is implementing several schemes/programmes through State Governments/UT Administrations including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The schemes/programmes include the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) namely SABLA, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) as direct targeted interventions.

Besides, indirect multi-sectoral interventions include Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), National Horticulture Mission, National Food Security Mission, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, National Rural Drinking Water Programme etc. All these schemes have potential to address one or other aspect of Nutrition. Recently Government has approved the strengthening and restructuring of ICDS with special focus on pregnant and lactating mothers and children under three. The restructured and strengthened ICDS will be rolled out in three phases with focus on the 200 high burden districts for malnutrition during 2012-13 (which includes 15 districts in Gujarat, 27 districts in Madhya Pradesh and 41 districts in Uttar Pradesh); additional 200 districts in 2013-14 including districts from the special category States and NER and the remaining districts in 2014-15. Further, an Information Education and Communication Campaign (IEC) to generate awareness against malnutrition has been launched in the country including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh . This was stated by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women and Child Development, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.

Planning Commission Hosting Google Hangout

The Planning Commission, along with the National Innovation Council, is hosting its first Google Hangout on the 12th Five Year Plan on 15th March 2013 at 5 PM. The hour long session on Google Hangout will be attended by Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Sh. Sam Pitroda, Chairman, National Innovation Council, Members and the Secretary of the Planning Commission who will answer questions from the public and from a panel invited to attend the Hangout. The aim through this interaction is communicate the 12th Five Year Plan through social media platforms to enhance public participation and citizen engagement.

The Google Hangout takes forward the inclusive process followed by the Commission in formulating the Plan. In formulating the 12th Five Year Plan, the Planning Commission consulted much more widely than ever before, underlining the need for a more inclusive and interactive approach. During this process, inputs were provided by over 950 civil society organisations, multiple business associations, all State Governments, as well as local representative institutions and unions. The Plan has been approved by the National Development Council and the aim now is to share its vision with the country’s citizens.

This is a first step in leveraging social media for engagement on the 12th Five Year Plan and over the next few months, the Planning Commission will publicise the content of the Plan on several other social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube on which it already has a presence. The details of the event are available on www.innovationcouncil.gov.in and the event will be streamed live via www.youtube.com/PlanComIndia on 15th March at 5 PM. More details of the event will be made available via the Twitter handles of Planning Commission (@PlanComIndia) and Mr. Sam Pitroda (@pitrodasam).

Implementation of BRGF Programme

This Ministry of Panchayati Raj is tasked with the implementation of the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) Programme as per Government’s policy of ensuring balanced development. The BRGF Programme is designed to redress regional imbalances in development of 272 identified backward districts in the country. The funds there under provide financial resources for supplementing and converging existing developmental inflows into identified districts so as to bridge critical gaps in local infrastructure and other development requirements.

As per the BRGF Guidelines, the Annual Action Plans prepared by the Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are consolidated into the District Plans by the respective District Planning Committees which are then forwarded to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, by the respective State Governments for releasing the funds as per eligibility of the districts. A statement showing funds released and utilised by the States under the BRGF Programme during the last three years and current year is at Annex-1.The complaints received regarding misuse of Backwards Regions Grant Funds (BRGF) are forwarded to the concerned State Governments for taking necessary action. A list of complaints received during the current year is at Annex-2. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj insists that auditing of Panchayats funds/ works under BRGF Programme is done and Audit Reports are submitted along with other necessary documents for release of funds. The audit is to be done either by Local Fund Auditors or by Chartered Accountants listed in the panel of the State Government or AGs of the State.

This information was given by the Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

GISAT

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is designing a GEO Imaging Satellite (GISAT).

GISAT will carry a GEO Imager with multi-spectral (visible, near infra-red and thermal), multi-resolution (50m to 1.5 km) imaging instruments. GISAT will be placed in geostationary orbit of 36,000 km. The remote sensing satellites launched by ISRO revisit the same area once in every 2 to 24 days and acquire images of a geographical strip (swath) at different spatial resolution (360 meter to better than 1 meter). GISAT will provide near real time pictures of large areas of the country, under cloud free conditions, at frequent intervals. That is, selected Sector-wise image every 5 minutes and entire Indian landmass image every 30 minutes at 50m spatial resolution. The total financial outlay for the project is 392 crore excluding the launch cost. The amount spent up to March 2012 is 9.9 crore and BE provision of 50 crore is made for the year 2012-2013. GISAT is planned to be launched during 2016-17.

Appointments Made to the 20th Law Commission of India

The Government has appointed Shri Justice S.N. Kapoor, retired Judge of Delhi High Court, as a full-time Member of the 20th Law Commission of India with effect from the forenoon of 15th March, 2013 and up to 31st August, 2015 i.e. till the end of its term. Prof. (Dr.) Mool Chand Sharma, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Haryana, has also been appointed as full-time Member. As per the Notification issued by the Government, Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Tyagi, Dean & Professor of Law, South Asian University, New Delhi; and Shri R. Venkataramani, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, have been appointed as Part-time Members of the 20th Law Commission of India with effect from the date they assume charge and up to 31st August, 2015. The Twentieth Law Commission was constituted through a Government Order with effect from 1st September, 2012. It has a three-year term, ending on 31st August, 2015. Shri Justice D. K. Jain, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, is the Chairman of the Commission.

5th BRICS Summit - eThekwini Declaration and Action Plan

We, the leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People‘s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met in Durban, South Africa, on 27 March 2013 at the Fifth BRICS Summit. Our discussions took place under the overarching theme, “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation”. The Fifth BRICS Summit concluded the first cycle of BRICS Summits and we reaffirmed our commitment to the promotion of international law, multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations (UN). Our discussions reflected our growing intra-BRICS solidarity as well as our shared goal to contribute positively to global peace, stability, development and cooperation. We also considered our role in the international system as based on an inclusive approach of shared solidarity and cooperation towards all nations and peoples.

We met at a time which requires that we consider issues of mutual interest and systemic importance in order to share concerns and to develop lasting solutions. We aim at progressively developing BRICS into a full-fledged mechanism of current and long-term coordination on a wide range of key issues of the world economy and politics. The prevailing global governance architecture is regulated by institutions which were conceived in circumstances when the international landscape in all its aspects was characterised by very different challenges and opportunities. As the global economy is being reshaped, weare committed to exploring new models and approaches towards more equitable development and inclusive global growth by emphasising complementarities and building on our respective economic strengths.

We are open to increasing our engagement and cooperation with non-BRICS countries, in particular Emerging Market and Developing Countries (EMDCs), and relevant international and regional organisations, as envisioned in the Sanya Declaration. We will hold a Retreat together with African leaders after this Summit, under the theme,”Unlocking Africa’s potential: BRICS and Africa Cooperation on Infrastructure”.The Retreat is an opportunity for BRICS and African leaders to discuss how to strengthen cooperation between the BRICS countries and the African Continent.

Recognising the importance of regional integration for Africa’s sustainable growth, development and poverty eradication, we reaffirm our support for the Continent’s integration processes.

Within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), we support African countries in their industrialisation process through stimulating foreign direct investment, knowledge exchange, capacity-building and diversification of imports from Africa. We acknowledge that infrastructure development in Africa is important and recognise the strides made by the African Union to identify and address the continent’s infrastructure challenges through the development of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), the AU NEPAD Africa Action Plan (2010-2015), the NEPAD Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative (PICI), as well as the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plans that have identified priority infrastructure development projects that are critical to promoting regional integration and industrialisation. We will seek to stimulate infrastructure investment on the basis of mutual benefit to support industrial development, job-creation, skills development, food and nutrition security and poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa. We therefore, reaffirm our support for sustainable infrastructure development in Africa.

We note policy actions in Europe, the US and Japan aimed at reducing tail-risks in the world economy. Some of these actions produce negative spillover effects on other economies of the world. Significant risks remain and the performance of the global economy still falls behind our expectations. As a result, uncertainty about strength and durability of the recovery and the direction of policy in some major economies remains high. In some key countries unemployment stays unusually elevated, while high levels of private and public indebtedness inhibit growth. In such circumstances, we reaffirm our strong commitment to support growth and foster financial stability. We also underscore the need for appropriate action to be taken by advanced economies in order to rebuild confidence, foster growth and secure a strong recovery.

Central Banks in advanced economies have responded with unconventional monetary policy actions which have increased global liquidity. While this may be consistent with domestic monetary policy mandates, major Central Banks should avoid the unintended consequences of these actions in the form of increased volatility of capital flows, currencies and commodity prices, which may have negative growth effects on other economies, in particular developing countries.

We welcome the core objectives of the Russian Presidency in the G20 in 2013, in particular the efforts to increased financing for investment and ensure public debt sustainability aimed at ensuring strong, sustainable, inclusive and balanced growth and job creation around the world. We will also continue to prioritise the G20 development agenda as a vital element of global economic stability and long-term sustainable growth and job creation.

Developing countries face challenges of infrastructure development due to insufficient long-term financing and foreign direct investment, especially investment in capital stock. This constrains global aggregate demand. BRICS cooperation towards more productive use of global financial resources can make a positive contribution to addressing this problem. In March 2012 we directed our Finance Ministers to examine the feasibility and viability of setting up a New Development Bank for mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries, to supplement the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. Following the report from our Finance Ministers, we are satisfied that the establishment of a New Development Bank is feasible and viable. We have agreed to establish the New Development Bank. The initial contribution to the Bank should be substantial and sufficient for the Bank to be effective in financing infrastructure.

In June 2012, in our meeting in Los Cabos, we tasked our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to explore the construction of a financial safety net through the creation of a Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) amongst BRICS countries. They have concluded that the establishment of a self-managed contingent reserve arrangement would have a positive precautionary effect, help BRICS countries forestall short-term liquidity pressures, provide mutual support and further strengthen financial stability. It would also contribute to strengthening the global financial safety net and complement existing international arrangements as an additional line of defence. We are of the view that the establishment of the CRA with an initial size of US$ 100 billion is feasible and desirable subject to internal legal frameworks and appropriate safeguards. We direct our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to continue working towards its establishment.

We are grateful to our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors for the work undertaken on the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement and direct them to negotiate and conclude the agreements which will establish them. We will review progress made in these two initiatives at our next meeting in September 2013.

We welcome the conclusion between our Export-Import Banks (EXIM) and Development Banks, of both the “Multilateral Agreement on Cooperation and Co-financing for Sustainable Development” and, given the steep growth trajectory of the African continent and the significant infrastructure funding requirements directly emanating from this growth path, the “Multilateral Agreement on Infrastructure Co-Financing for Africa”.

We call for the reform of International Financial Institutions to make them more representative and to reflect the growing weight of BRICS and other developing countries. We remain concerned with the slow pace of the reform of the IMF. We see an urgent need to implement, as agreed, the 2010 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Governance and Quota Reform. We urge all members to take all necessary steps to achieve an agreement on the quota formula and complete the next general quota review by January 2014. The reform of the IMF should strengthen the voice and representation of the poorest members of the IMF, including Sub-Saharan Africa. All options should be explored, with an open mind, to achieve this. We support the reform and improvement of the international monetary system, with a broad-based international reserve currency system providing stability and certainty. We welcome the discussion about the role of the SDR in the existing international monetary system including the composition of SDR’s basket of currencies. We support the IMF to make its surveillance framework more integrated and even-handed. The leadership selection of IFIs should be through an open, transparent and merit-based process and truly open to candidates from the emerging market economies and developing countries.

We emphasise the importance of ensuring steady, adequate and predictable access to long term finance for developing countries from a variety of sources. We would like to see concerted global effort towards infrastructure financing and investment through the instrumentality of adequately resourced Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and Regional Development Banks (RDBs). We urge all parties to work towards an ambitious International Development Association(IDA)17 replenishment.

We reaffirm our support for an open, transparent and rules-based multilateral trading system. We will continue in our efforts for the successful conclusion of the Doha Round, based on the progress made and in keeping with its mandate, while upholding the principles of transparency, inclusiveness and multilateralism. We are committed to ensure that new proposals and approaches to the Doha Round negotiations will reinforce the core principles and the developmental mandate of the Doha Round. We look forward to significant and meaningful deliverables that are balanced and address key development concerns of the poorest and most vulnerable WTO members, at the ninth Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Bali.

We note that the process is underway for the selection of a new WTO Director-General in 2013. We concur that the WTO requires a new leader who demonstrates a commitment to multilateralism and to enhancing the effectiveness of the WTO including through a commitment to support efforts that will lead to an expeditious conclusion of the DDA. We consider that the next Director-General of the WTO should be a representative of a developing country.

We reaffirm the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) mandate as the focal point in the UN system dedicated to consider the interrelated issues of trade, investment, finance and technology from a development perspective. UNCTAD’s mandate and work are unique and necessary to deal with the challenges of development and growth in the increasingly interdependent global economy. We also reaffirm the importance of strengthening UNCTAD’s capacity to deliver on its programmes of consensus building, policy dialogue, research, technical cooperation and capacity building, so that it is better equipped to deliver on its development mandate.

We acknowledge the important role that State Owned Companies (SOCs) play in the economy and encourage our SOCs to explore ways of cooperation, exchange of information and best practices.

We recognise the fundamental role played by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the economies of our countries. SMEs are major creators of jobs and wealth. In this regard, we will explore opportunities for cooperating in the field of SMEs and recognise the need for promoting dialogue among the respective Ministries and Agencies in charge of the theme, particularly with a view to promoting their international exchange and cooperation and fostering innovation, research and development.

We reiterate our strong commitment to the United Nations (UN) as the foremost multilateral forum entrusted with bringing about hope, peace, order and sustainable development to the world. The UN enjoys universal membership and is at the centre of global governance and multilateralism.In this regard, we reaffirm the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, so that it can be more responsive to global challenges. In this regard, China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and support their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN.

We underscore our commitment to work together in the UN to continue our cooperation and strengthen multilateral approaches in international relations based on the rule of law and anchored in the Charter of the United Nations.

We are committed to building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity and reaffirm that the 21stcentury should be marked by peace, security, development, and cooperation. It is the overarching objective and strong shared desire for peace, security, development and cooperation that brought together BRICS countries.

We welcome the twentieth Anniversary of the World Conference on Human Rights and of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and agree to explore cooperation in the field of human rights.

We commend the efforts of the international community and acknowledge the central role of the African Union (AU) and its Peace and Security Council in conflict resolution in Africa. We call upon the UNSC to enhance cooperation with the African Union, and its Peace and Security Council, pursuant to UNSC resolutions in this regard. We express our deep concern with instability stretching from North Africa, in particular the Sahel, and the Gulf of Guinea. We also remain concerned about reports of deterioration in humanitarian conditions in some countries.

We welcome the appointment of the new Chairperson of the AU Commission as an affirmation of the leadership of women.

We express our deep concern with the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Syria and condemn the increasing violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law as a result of continued violence. We believe that the Joint Communiqué of the Geneva Action Group provides a basis for resolution of the Syrian crisis and reaffirm our opposition to any further militarization of the conflict. A Syrian-led political process leading to a transition can be achieved only through broad national dialogue that meets the legitimate aspirations of all sections of Syrian society and respect for Syrian independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty as expressed by the Geneva Joint Communiqué and appropriate UNSC resolutions. We support the efforts of the UN-League of Arab States Joint Special Representative. In view of the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria, we call upon all parties to allow and facilitate immediate, safe, full and unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations to all in need of assistance. We urge all parties to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers.

We welcome the admission of Palestine as an Observer State to the United Nations.We are concerned at the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace Process and call on the international community to assist both Israel and Palestine to work towards a two-state solution with a contiguous and economicallyviable Palestinian state, existing side by side in peace with Israel, within internationally recognized borders, based on those existing on
4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.We are deeply concerned about the construction of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which is a violation of international law and harmful to the peace process.In recalling the primary responsibility of the UNSC in maintaining international peace and security, we note the importance that the Quartet reports regularly to the Council about its efforts, which should contribute to concrete progress.

We believe there is no alternative to a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. We recognise Iran´s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy consistent with its international obligations, and support resolution of the issues involved through political and diplomatic means and dialogue, including between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran and in accordance with the provisions of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and consistent with Iran’s obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). We are concerned about threats of military action as well as unilateral sanctions. We note the recent talks held in Almaty and hope that all outstanding issues relating to Iran’s nuclear programme will be resolved through discussions and diplomatic means.

Afghanistan needs time, development assistance and cooperation, preferential access to world markets, foreign investment and a clear end-state strategy to attain lasting peace and stability. We support the global community’s commitment to Afghanistan, enunciated at the Bonn International Conference in December 2011, to remain engaged over the transformation decade from 2015-2024. We affirm our commitment to support Afghanistan’s emergence as a peaceful, stable and democratic state, free of terrorism and extremism, and underscore the need for more effective regional and international cooperation for the stabilisation of Afghanistan, including by combating terrorism. We extend support to the efforts aimed at combating illicit traffic in opiates originating in Afghanistan within the framework of the Paris Pact.

We are gravely concerned with the deterioration in the current situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and deplore the loss of life. We strongly condemn the abuses and acts of violence against the civilian population and urge all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and return to negotiations. We call upon all parties to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access. We are ready to work with the international community to assist in this endeavour and facilitate progress to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Brazil, Russia and China express their sympathy to the South African and Indian governments for the casualties that their citizens suffered in the CAR.

We are gravely concerned by the ongoing instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We welcome the signing in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013 of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. We support its independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. We support the efforts of the UN, AU and sub-regional organisations to bring about peace, security and stability in the country.

We reiterate our strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stress that there can be no justification, whatsoever, for any acts of terrorism. We believe that the UN has a central role in coordinating international action against terrorism within the framework of the UN Charter and in accordance with principles and norms of international law. In this context, we support the implementation of the UN General Assembly Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and are determined to strengthen cooperation in countering this global threat. We also reiterate our call for concluding negotiations as soon as possible in the UN General Assembly on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and its adoption by all Member States and agreed to work together towards this objective. We recognize the critical positive role the Internet plays globally in promoting economic, social and cultural development. We believe it’s important to contribute to and participate in a peaceful, secure, and open cyberspace and we emphasise that security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) through universally accepted norms, standards and practices is of paramount importance.

We congratulate Brazil on hosting the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012 and welcome the outcome as reflected in “The Future we Want”, in particular, the reaffirmation of the Rio Principles and political commitment made towards sustainable development and poverty eradication while creating opportunities for BRICS partners to engage and cooperate in the development of the future Sustainable Development Goals.

We congratulate India on the outcome of the 11th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11) and the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. While acknowledging that climate change is one of the greatest challenges and threats towards achieving sustainable development, we call on all partiesto build on the decisions adopted in COP 18/CMP8 in Doha, with a view to reaching a successful conclusion by 2015, of negotiations on the development of a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties, guided by its principles and provisions.

We believe that the internationally agreed development goals including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) address the needs of developing countries, many of which continue to face developmental challenges, including widespread poverty and inequality. Low Income Countries (LICs) continue to face challenges that threaten the impressive growth performance of recent years. Volatility in food and other commodity prices have made food security an issue as well as constraining their sources of revenue. Progress in rebuilding macro-economic buffers has been relatively slow, partly due to measures adopted to mitigate the social impact of exogenous shocks. Many LICs are currently in a weaker position to deal with exogenous shocks given the more limited fiscal buffers and the constrained aid envelopes, which will affect their ability to sustain progress towards achieving the MDGs. We reiterate that individual countries, especially in Africa and other developing countries of the South, cannot achieve the MDGs on their own and therefore the centrality of Goal 8 on Global Partnerships for Development to achieve the MDGs should remain at the core of the global development discourse for the UN System. Furthermore, this requires the honouring of all commitments made in the outcome documents of previous major international conferences.

We reiterate our commitment to work together for accelerated progress in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the target date of 2015, and we call upon other members of the international community to work towards the same objective. In this regard, we stress that the development agenda beyond 2015 should build on the MDG framework, keeping the focus on poverty eradication and human development, while addressing emerging challenges of development taking into consideration individual national circumstances of developing countries. In this regard the critical issue of the mobilization of means of implementation in assisting developing countries needs to be an overarching goal. It is important to ensure that any discussion on the UN development agenda, including the “Post 2015 Development Agenda” is an inclusive and transparent inter-Governmental process under a UN-wide process which is universal and broad based. We welcome the establishment of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in line with the Rio+20 Outcome Document which reaffirmed the Rio Principles of Sustainable Development as the basis for addressing new and emerging challenges. We are fully committed to a coordinated inter-governmental process for the elaboration of the UN development agenda.

We note the following meetings held in the implementation of the Delhi Action Plan:

Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the margins of UNGA.
Meeting of National Security Advisors in New Delhi.
Meetings of Finance Ministers, and Central Bank Governors in Washington DC and Tokyo.
Meeting of Trade Ministers in Puerto Vallarta.
Meetings of Health Ministers in New Delhi and Geneva.

We welcome the establishment of the BRICS Think Tanks Council and the BRICS Business Council and take note ofthe following meetings which were held in preparation for this Summit:

Fifth Academic Forum
Fourth Business Forum
Third Financial Forum

We welcome the outcomes of the meeting of the BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors and endorse the Joint Communique of the Third Meeting of the BRICS Trade Ministers held in preparation for the Summit.

We are committed to forging a stronger partnership for common development. To this end, we adopt the eThekwini Action Plan. We agree that the next summit cycles will, in principle, follow the sequence of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Brazil, Russia, India and China extend their warm appreciation to the Government and people of South Africa for hosting the Fifth BRICS Summit in Durban. Russia, India, China and South Africa convey their appreciation to Brazil for its offer to host the first Summit of the second cycle of BRICS Summits, i.e. the Sixth BRICS Summit in 2014 and convey their full support thereto. eThekwini Action Plan:

1. Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the margins of UNGA.
2. Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors.
3. Mid-term meeting of Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas.
4. Meetings of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the margins of G20 meetings, WB/IMF meetings, as well as stand-alone meetings, as required.
5. Meetings of BRICS Trade Ministers on the margins of multilateral events, or stand-alone meetings, as required.
6. Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development, preceded by a preparatory meeting of experts on agro-products and food security issues and the Meeting of Agriculture Expert Working Group.
7. Meeting of BRICS Health Ministers and preparatory meetings.
8. Meeting of BRICS Officials responsible for population on the margins of relevant multilateral events.
9. Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Science and Technology and meeting of BRICS Senior Officials on Science and Technology.
10. Meeting of BRICS Cooperatives.
11. Meetings of financial and fiscal authorities in the margins of WB/IMF meetings as well as stand-alone meetings, as required.
12. Meetings of the BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI).
13. Meeting of the BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum.
14. Meeting of the BRICS Urbanisation Forum.
15 .Meeting of BRICS Competition Authorities in 2013 in New Delhi.
16. 5th Meeting of BRICS Heads of National Statistical Institutions.
17. Consultations amongst BRICS Permanent Missions and/or Embassies, as appropriate, in New York, Vienna, Rome, Paris, Washington, Nairobi and Geneva, where appropriate.
18. Consultative meeting of BRICS Senior Officials in the margins of relevant sustainable development, environment and climate related international fora, where appropriate.