Afghanistan
UN Says Attacks On Afghans 'unacceptable' After Deadly Explosion Rocks Kabul – Republic World
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan denounced the deadly explosion that rocked the capital city of Kabul on Monday, stating that such acts against the people of Afghanistan are entirely "unacceptable". "It is unacceptable that ordinary Afghans continue to be targeted as they go about their daily lives," said the UN Mission in Afghanistan, according to TOLO News. Click here to read...
Afghan women criticise Taliban's restrictions on employment – Devdiscourse
Afghan women have criticised Taliban's restrictions on female employment, saying their economic difficulties are becoming increasingly dire, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported. A former employee for the Administrative Reforms Commission, Farzia said that since losing her job, she has been faced with both financial and psychological problems. Click here to read...
UK tells Afghans seeking to emigrate 'bring permission from Taliban' – Firstpost
Despite assurances earlier this month that such demands would stop, an Afghan who worked with the British Council in Afghanistan and is now seeking to immigrate to the UK has been told to get permission from the Taliban or risk being rejected. As per reports, on March 18 the Ministry of Defence had to issue a public apology after being exposed for asking applicants to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) for birth and marriage certificates in English and bearing stamps from Afghan government agenciesClick here to read...
Bangladesh
Bangladesh Tilts toward the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific – Foreign Policy
Bangladesh has long pursued a nonaligned foreign policy. But it appears to be moving closer to a full embrace of the Indo-Pacific Strategy pursued by the United States and its partners in the region, which revolves around countering China. Last month, Dhaka finalized a draft of its own Indo-Pacific Outlook focused on objectives that mirror those of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, such as the need for a free, secure, and peaceful region. Click here to read...
China’s Belt and Road initiative loses credibility in Bangladesh – The Print
In an interview with CNN, on March 21, Hasina said her government was “very much careful” about development partnership with China. China is slowly gaining control over Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port under its 99-year lease and also exposes the dangerous face of China’s BRI as the island country’s economy reached the melting point. Even, the Prime Minister declared Sri Lanka as a bankrupt country. Click here to read...
Bangladesh in hot seat over Adani’s power deal – Al Jazeera
In mid-March, Bangladesh started testing the transmission of electricity from a massive 1,600 MW coal-fired plant in neighbouring India that has stirred major controversy in both countries. While the supply of electricity for commercial use from this plant is likely to begin next month, confusion and secrecy around the terms of the agreement and how much Bangladesh could be forced to pay have intensified discontent in the country. Click here to read...
Bhutan
USD 9.89M in SDF in six months – Kuensel
The number of tourists may have declined, but revenue generated from tourists is comparatively higher going by the number of tourists Bhutan received this month. More than 6,390 tourists visited this month, as of March 28, according to figures from the Department of Tourism. Between the reopening of the international border in September last year and March 28, around 32,600 tourists visited the country. Click here to read...
Congress sounds China alarm on ties with Bhutan – The Telegraph
The Congress on Thursday said the recent utterances of Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering indicate that the unshakeable relationship between Bhutan and India is now facing a challenge from an aggressive China, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to hide behind smokescreens and ensure that this long-standing partnership is deepened. Click here to read...
Maldives
Maldives welcomes historic adoption of UNGA Resolution on climate action - Raajje
The government of Maldives has welcomed the “historic” adoption of a consensus Resolution regarding climate action, at the United Nations General Assembly. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that the island nation welcomes the adoption of the UNGA Resolution titled “Request for an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the obligations of States in respect of climate change.” Click here to read...
Oman implements visa exemption policy for Maldivians - Raajje
The Sultanate of Oman has implemented a visa exemption policy for Maldivians. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives revealed that Maldivian nationals travelling to Oman will be exempted from entry visa. The Ministry went onto note that visa exemption allows Maldivians holding valid passports to enter and stay in the Sultanate of Oman for a maximum period of fourteen (14) days from the day of their entry. Click here to read...
Myanmar
Bangladesh: Halt ‘Pilot’ Plan to Return Rohingya - HRW
Bangladesh authorities should suspend plans to send Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, where their lives and liberty would be at grave risk, Human Rights Watch said today. Rohingya told Human Rights Watch that they were lied to, deceived, or otherwise coerced by Bangladesh administrators into meeting with a recent delegation of Myanmar junta officials as part of a “pilot repatriation” effort to return about 1,000 refugees. Some were told the meetings concerned possible resettlement to a third country. Click here to read...
Analyzing India’s Policy Options for Myanmar - South Asian Voices
India’s policy posture toward Myanmar is crucial for the regional balance of power and will largely be defined by the security environment in India’s northeastern border regions and the junta regime’s evolving foreign relations with countries such as China. In the coming months, India’s proactive role in the crisis will aim at building relationships with local stakeholders alongside the junta government. For this approach to prove fruitful, engaging Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) will take center stage. Click here to read...
US, 3 other nations express concerns over dissolution of Myanmar's NLD party - WIO News
The United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Japan, and Australia on Wednesday (March 29) expressed their concerns over the dissolution of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, the news agency Reuters reported. A day earlier, the junta disbanded the NLD and 39 other political parties over their failure to meet a deadline to register for an election that is set to extend the army's grip on power. Click here to read...
Nepal
After Failed Power-Sharing Deal, Nepal PM Prachanda Likely To Expand Cabinet Today - ABP Live
Nepal's ruling alliance made up of 10 parties was unable to come to an agreement on a power-sharing deal, leading to another delay in the expansion of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda". The alliance's leaders met at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar to discuss the allocation of ministries among political parties. According to officials, power-sharing and the distribution of ministerial portfolios were the major stumbling blocks for members of the ruling alliance, as the number of Cabinet posts available was exceeded by the demand for them. Click here to read...
Nepal’s ruling coalition delays cabinet expansion as speculation continues about PM Prachanda’s India visit - The Hindu
Nepal’s ten-party ruling alliance failed to name new members to the Cabinet on Thursday as disagreement continued among its leaders about the distribution of portfolios. Earlier, the parties had agreed on a formula to share the departments, with the Nepali Congress emerging with the largest chunk of eight ministries. Click here to read...
IJU, Nepal Press Union sign agreement to protect journalism - IFP
The Indian Journalist Union (IJU) and the Nepal Press Union on Thursday signed a seven point agreement to resolve the plights of journalists and safeguard the freedom of journalism in both countries. The historic moment took place during the Indian Journalists Meet Nepalese Journalists programme at Bijulibazar, Kathmandu, Nepal on Thursday. IJU president Geetartha Pathak and Nepal Press Union president Siva Lamsal were the signatories of the seven point agreement. Click here to read...
Pakistan
Pakistan: Exports to EU to face less scrutiny – DW
The European Union has approved the removal of Pakistan from its list of "high-risk third countries" that pose a significant threat to its financial system, according to the Asian nation's Ministry of Commerce. The list marks countries the EU considers to have strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing frameworks. Pakistan was added to the list in October 2018 creating obstacles in legal and financial transactions with individuals and entities in Pakistan, the ministry said. Click here to read...
Pakistan’s Parliament passes Bill to curtail powers of Chief Justice amid Opposition protest – The Hindu
Pakistan's Parliament on March 30 passed a Bill to curb the powers of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court regarding suo motu cases and the constitution of benches, in a significant move to rein in the top judiciary amid criticism by the Opposition. Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced 'The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023' on Thursday in the Senate, a day after it was passed by the National Assembly — the lower house of the parliament. Click here to read...
Pakistan central bank forex reserves fall to $4.2 billion – Times of India
Pakistan's central bank foreign exchange reserves have dropped to $4.2 billion, a statement said. "During the week ended on 24 March 2023, SBP reserves decreased by $354 million to $4,244.3 million due to external debt repayment," the central bank said in a statement. Click here to read...
Pakistan initiates outsourcing of three major airports – Times of India
Pakistan on Thursday initiated a process to outsource operations at three major airports as a public private partnership, a finance ministry statement said. It said Islamabad has engaged the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) as an advisor for the outsourcing process. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka considering developing Ramayana, Sita trails for tourists: Milinda Moragoda – Economic Times
Sri Lanka is considering development of Ramayana and Sita trails which will connect places associated with the characters in the Hindu epic, its envoy said on Thursday. Sri Lanka's high commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda paid a courtesy visit to Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais at the Raj Bhawan. Click here to read...
IMF’s Package to Sri Lanka Includes Corruption Fixing – The Diplomat
An important issue that IMF officials flagged at the time of announcing the EFF support to Sri Lanka was government corruption. The IMF would assess corruption and provide recommendations. Sri Lanka has become the first Asian country to be subjected to a comprehensive governance diagnostic exercise. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka President says ethnic issue must be resolved for the country to prosper – Colombo Page
Sri Lanka has a final opportunity to progress and it is imperative for everyone to collaborate in creating a prosperous community for future generations, without resorting to finger-pointing, emphasized President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Delivering the keynote address at the ‘Economic Dialogue- IMF and Beyond’ panel discussion, at the Colombo Galle Face Hotel this morning (30), the President said the ethnic issue cannot be separated from the economic issue and if the country is to prosper, it must be resolved. Click here to read...
