INTERNATIONAL
CERN formally confers its Associate Membership to Pakistan
Pakistan was formally conferred Associate Membership status by European Organisation for Nuclear Research (also known as CERN). The membership was granted after Pakistan formally completed the required internal ratification process. With this, Pakistan became the first Asian country to become member of CERN.
193 UN members reach agreement on New Sustainable Development Agenda
On 3 August 2015 United Nations 193 member states have reached an agreement on the outcome document New Sustainable Development Agenda for the next 15 years i.e. Till 2030. The new agenda draft document called “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” was built on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The draft agreement outlines 17 nonbinding goals with 169 specific targets that comprise different socio-economic issues. These goals will succeed 8 MDGs which was adopted in 2000. It has broader sustainability agenda dealing with ‘five Ps’ people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.
Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the second time
Sri Lanka present Prime Minister Ranil Singhe is again elected as the Prime Minister for the second time in the Parliament elections held on 17 August, 2015. United National Party (UNP) of Singhe secured 106 seats and with the support of Tamil parties Ranil is again elected as the Prime Minister. The former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s party United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is in the second place in the Parliament elections.
China, Pakistan signed deals worth 1.6 billion US dollars to implement CPEC
China and Pakistan on 12 August 2015 signed 20 agreements worth 1.6 billion US dollars to implement the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. These agreements were signed during the CPEC Forum that was held at Karamay city in Xinjiang province of China bordering.Both the countries together also issued the Karamay Manifesto on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Bangladesh became first country to receive funds from UN for Solar Home Systems
Bangladesh became the first country to receive funds from the United Nations (UN) for its fast growing solar home systems. The UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) issued 395286 carbon credits worth 3.56 million US Dollar to two Bangladeshi organisations. Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) and Grameen Shakti are the two organisations that won the carbon credits. The UNFCCC has issued 212482 carbon credits to the IDCOL&182804 credits to Grameen Shakti.