Current Affairs Question - 05 February 2020

Explanation :

• The Blue Dot Network (BDN) was formally announced on 4^th November, 2019 at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Bangkok, Thailand.
• It is formed by USA, Japan and Australia to prevent small countries from debt trap of China. It's actually a Michelin Guide organisation.
• The aim of this initiative is to evaluate and certify nominated infrastructure projects based upon adherence to commonly accepted principles and standards to promote market-driven, transparent, and financially sustainable infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.
• It is a multi-stakeholder initiative to bring together governments, the private sector and civil society to promote high-quality, trusted standards for global infrastructure development.
• The network is “ratings mechanism” that would grade infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific region on different parameters to ensure transparency and is planned as direct counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• However, unlike the BRI, the BDN would not offer public funds or loans for the project.

Explanation :

• On 1^st February, 2020, Maldives was officially readmitted to the Commonwealth, taking the count of the bloc's membership countries back to 54.
• Maldives joined the Commonwealth in 1982, and withdrew its membership in 2016, after being threatened with suspension over its human rights record and lack of progress on democratic reform.
• After due diligence, which included country assessment and consultations in accordance with the rules and procedures agreed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Kampala in 2007, Maldives has been re-admitted.
• The country will now be part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda in June, 2020.