UPSC Prelims 2022 Q87: Current Affairs – International Conflicts & Security
Consider the following pairs: Country - Important reason for being in the news recently
1. Chad - Setting up of permanent military base by China
2. Guinea - Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
3. Lebanon - Severe and prolonged economic depression
4. Tunisia - Suspension of Parliament by President How many pairs given above are correctly
matched?
- (a) Only one pair
- (b) Only two pairs
- (c) Only three pairs
- (d) All four pairs
Answer: (c) Only three pairs
Explanation
Countries in the news (2021-22)
| Pair | Matched? | What actually happened |
|---|---|---|
| Chad - Chinese permanent military base | No | China's only overseas base is in Djibouti (2017); Chad was in the news for President Idriss Déby's death and a military council takeover (2021) |
| Guinea - Constitution and government suspended by the military | Yes | Colonel Mamady Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Condé in September 2021 |
| Lebanon - Severe, prolonged economic depression | Yes | The World Bank called it one of the world's worst crises since the 1850s |
| Tunisia - Parliament suspended by the President | Yes | President Kais Saied suspended Parliament in July 2021 |
Three pairs are correctly matched.
Answer: (c) Only three pairs.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Guinea, Lebanon and Tunisia are all correctly matched, not just one.
- (b) Incorrect. Three pairs match; only Chad is wrong.
- (c) CORRECT. Only Chad is wrong; China's sole overseas base is in Djibouti.
- (d) Incorrect. China has no military base in Chad, so pair 1 fails.
Key point
2021 events: Guinea coup (Doumbouya), Lebanon's economic collapse, Tunisia's Parliament suspended (Saied); China's only overseas base is in Djibouti, not Chad.
Remember
Chinese base = Djibouti, not Chad. Three pairs correct.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Chad with Djibouti, host of China's only overseas military base.
- Missing the Guinea coup of September 2021 among many African coups.
- Forgetting that Tunisia, the Arab Spring's success story, saw Parliament suspended in 2021.
Exam tip
For 'country in news' pairs, recall the single headline event of the past year for each country.
Sources
- World Bank — Lebanon Economic Monitor (Spring 2021)
- UN News — Guinea coup and Tunisia political crisis coverage (2021)