Current Affair 1:

News:

In a major development, the Framework Agreement on establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has officially come into force. From 23rd January, 2025, the IBCA and its Secretariat have become a full-fledged treaty based inter-governmental international organization and international legal entity.

Which all countries have submitted instruments of ratification/acceptance/approval?

To this effect, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India (the Depository of the Framework Agreement) has confirmed that five countries –

Republic of Nicaragua, Kingdom of Eswatini, Republic of India, Federal Republic of Somalia and Republic of Liberia - have deposited the instruments of ratification/acceptance/approval, under the Article VIII (1) of the Framework Agreement.

The five countries mentioned above have signed the Framework Agreement to formally become members of the IBCA.

About the IBCA:

The IBCA was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 9th April,2023, during the event ‘Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger’.

The Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on 29th February 2024, approved the establishment of IBCA with headquarters in India.

It was launched with the aim of conservation of seven big cats - Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma – with membership of:

1. all UN countries/the range countries harboring the said species and
2. non-range countries where historically these species are not found but interested to support big cat conservation.

The IBCA was established by the Government of India, through the nodal organisation viz., National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), vide order dated 12th March 2024.

The primary objective of IBCA is to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve a common goal of conservation of big cats at gthe lobal level.

 

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