UPSC CSE Prelims
Humanitarian Crises Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Practice solved questions for Humanitarian Crises with detailed step-by-step solutions, key insights, and trend analysis for UPSC CSE PRELIMS.
Solved Previous Year Questions
Filter & practice questions topic-wise
Which one of the following countries has been suffering from decades of civil strife and food shortages and was in news in the recent past for its very severe famine?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Somalia
Somalia has been suffering from prolonged civil strife since the early 1990s following the collapse of its central government. The combination of ongoing conflict, recurrent droughts, locust infestations, and economic instability has made Somalia one of the world's most food-insecure nations, facing severe famines including the devastating one in 2011 and the near-famine situation in 2020-2021. The country remains highly vulnerable to humanitarian crises, with millions requiring food assistance.
📝 Short Notes: Somalia Crisis
- Civil War: Somalia has been in a state of civil war and political instability since 1991 when the central government collapsed.
- Humanitarian Crisis: Decades of conflict have destroyed infrastructure, disrupted agriculture, and displaced millions of people.
- 2011 Famine: Declared famine killed an estimated 260,000 people, half of them children under five.
- 2020-2021 Crisis: UN warned of imminent famine due to severe drought, desert locust infestations, COVID-19 economic impact, and ongoing conflict.
- Vulnerability Factors: Climate change, weak governance, Al-Shabaab insurgency, and extreme poverty make Somalia chronically food insecure.
- Other Options: Angola (post-civil war recovery), Costa Rica (stable democracy), and Ecuador (relatively stable) do not match the description of ongoing civil strife and severe recent famine.
Consider the following statements:
- Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in north -western Kenya.
- Some people who fled from South Sudan civil war live in Bidibidi.
- Some people who fled from civil war in Somalia live in Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 2 and 3
This question tests knowledge about major refugee settlements in East Africa. Statement 1 incorrectly locates Bidibidi in Kenya, while statements 2 and 3 correctly identify the refugee populations in Bidibidi (Uganda) and Dadaab (Kenya).
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement located in northwestern Uganda, not Kenya.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Bidibidi refugee settlement in Uganda hosts people who fled the South Sudan civil war that intensified from 2013 onwards.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya is one of the world's largest refugee camps and primarily houses refugees who fled the civil war and instability in Somalia.
📝 Short Notes: Major Refugee Settlements in East Africa
- Bidibidi, Uganda: One of the world's largest refugee settlements, located in northwestern Uganda near the South Sudan border; hosts primarily South Sudanese refugees fleeing civil war.
- Dadaab, Kenya: Located in northeastern Kenya near the Somalia border; established in 1991-92; hosts mainly Somali refugees; at its peak housed over 400,000 refugees.
- Kakuma, Kenya: Another major refugee camp in northwestern Kenya; hosts refugees from South Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and other countries.
- South Sudan Civil War: Conflict began in December 2013, causing massive displacement with over 2 million refugees fleeing to neighboring countries including Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
- Somalia Civil War: Ongoing conflict since 1991; has created one of the world's longest-running refugee crises with millions displaced internally and externally.
The term "two-state solution" is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of -
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Israel
The term "two-state solution" is specifically used in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It refers to the proposal for the establishment of two separate sovereign states: an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. This has been the internationally accepted framework for resolving the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aiming to ensure peace and security for both peoples.
📝 Short Notes: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and Two-State Solution
- Two-State Solution: A proposed framework for peace involving the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, based on pre-1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps.
- Key Issues: The final status negotiations include borders, security arrangements, status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees' right of return, and Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
- Oslo Accords (1993): Historic agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that established the Palestinian Authority and laid the groundwork for the two-state solution.
- International Support: The United Nations, United States, European Union, and the Arab League have historically supported the two-state solution as the viable path to peace.
- Major Obstacles: Continued Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, lack of Palestinian unity (Hamas vs. Fatah), security concerns, and competing claims over Jerusalem.
- Current Status: The peace process has been stalled for years, with growing skepticism about the feasibility of the two-state solution due to expanding settlements and political changes.
🧐 Not Sure What to Study Next?
Get a personalised study plan based on your goals, time and revision needs.
Related Topics in International Relations
Regional Organizations & Groupings
Regional Conflicts and Crises
International Agreements and Conventions
UN Agencies and Specialized Bodies
BRICS
G20
Migration and Refugees
Global Geopolitical Developments
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Humanitarian Crises in UPSC CSE PRELIMS