UPSC Prelims 2009 Q79: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
Consider the following pairs :
Organization - Location of Headquarters
1. Asian Development Bank - Tokyo
2. Asia - Pacific Economic Cooperation - Singapore
3. Association of South East Asian Nations - Bangkok
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 3 only
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Checking three organization-headquarters pairs
Major international/regional organizations each have a specific host city for their headquarters.
| Pair | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Asian Development Bank - Tokyo | Incorrect | The ADB's headquarters is actually in Manila, Philippines, not Tokyo |
| 2. APEC - Singapore | Correct | The APEC Secretariat is indeed headquartered in Singapore |
| 3. ASEAN - Bangkok | Incorrect | ASEAN's headquarters is actually in Jakarta, Indonesia, not Bangkok |
Correct organization-headquarters pairs:
| Organization | Actual headquarters |
|---|---|
| Asian Development Bank | Manila (NOT Tokyo) |
| APEC | Singapore |
| ASEAN | Jakarta (NOT Bangkok) |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Pair 1 (ADB-Tokyo) is wrongly matched; ADB is headquartered in Manila, so '1 and 2 only' is wrong.
- (b) CORRECT. Only pair 2, APEC-Singapore, is correctly matched.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 3 (ASEAN-Bangkok) is also wrong; ASEAN is headquartered in Jakarta, so '2 and 3 only' is wrong.
- (d) Incorrect. Pair 3 (ASEAN-Bangkok) is wrong, so '3 only' is also wrong.
Key point
APEC-Singapore is correctly matched — but the Asian Development Bank is headquartered in Manila (not Tokyo), and ASEAN is headquartered in Jakarta (not Bangkok).
Remember
APEC-Singapore is the only correctly matched pair; ADB is in Manila, and ASEAN is in Jakarta.
Common mistakes
- Confusing ADB's actual Manila headquarters with Tokyo.
- Confusing ASEAN's actual Jakarta headquarters with Bangkok.
- Assuming all three listed organization-headquarters pairs are automatically correct without individual verification.
Exam tip
ADB = Manila (not Tokyo). ASEAN = Jakarta (not Bangkok). APEC = Singapore (correct as given). Three distinct regional organizations, three distinct headquarters cities.
Sources
- Asian Development Bank — Agreement Establishing the Asian Development Bank (1965): headquarters at Manila
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation — APEC Secretariat, Singapore