UPSC Prelims 2023 Q90: Current Affairs – International Relations & Treaties
- (a) Only one
- (b) Only two
- (c) All three
- (d) None
Answer: (d) None
Explanation
Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Correct Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All UN countries adopted GCM | FALSE | The GCM was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2018 but NOT by all countries. The USA, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, and several others opted out or voted against. It was not a unanimous adoption. |
| 2 | GCM objectives are binding on UN member countries | FALSE | The GCM is explicitly a non-binding framework. It does not create international law obligations. Countries voluntarily commit to its principles. |
| 3 | GCM addresses internal migration and internally displaced persons | FALSE | The GCM specifically covers international migration (cross-border). Internal displacement is addressed by the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and other frameworks — not the GCM. |
All three statements are wrong → None.
Answer: (d) None.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. 'Only one' — none of the three claims about the GCM is accurate.
- (b) Incorrect. 'Only two' — the non-binding nature is explicitly stated in the GCM text.
- (c) Incorrect. 'All three' — the GCM is non-binding, was not adopted by all countries, and does not cover internal displacement.
- (d) CORRECT. All three statements are false — GCM was not adopted by all (US opted out), it is non-binding, and it covers international migration not internal displacement.
Key point
GCM: Not adopted by ALL countries (US, Hungary opted out). NON-BINDING (voluntary). Does NOT cover internal displacement (only international migration). All three statements wrong = None.
Remember
The Global Compact for Migration was not adopted by all UN countries (the USA and others opted out), it is non-binding on member states, and it only covers international migration — not internal migration or internally displaced persons. All three statements are false.
Common mistakes
- Assuming UN resolutions mean universal agreement — many UN frameworks have dissenting countries, especially when they address sovereignty-sensitive issues like migration.
- Thinking GCM is legally binding — it is a 'compact' (political commitment), not a treaty; it creates no binding legal obligations.
- Confusing GCM with GCR — GCM = international migrants; GCR (Global Compact on Refugees) = refugee protection; Internal displacement = separate IDP frameworks.
Exam tip
GCM = voluntary, non-binding, international migration only. US withdrew during Trump era. Not all 193 UN members signed. Internally displaced people (IDPs) ≠ migrants = different legal category. GCM = no IDPs covered.
Sources
- UN General Assembly — Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (A/RES/73/195)
- International Organization for Migration — Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: final draft (2018)