VIF Neighbourhood News Digest - October 13, 2022

Afghanistan

Imposing Sanctions Does Not Benefit Kabul, Washington: Islamic Emirate: Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate reacted to the new sanctions imposed by the US on the members of the Islamic Emirate, saying that such sanctions do not benefit Kabul and Washington. The US Department of State announced on Tuesday new restrictions on the “issuance of visas for the current or former Taliban members, members of non-state security groups, and other individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, repressing women and girls in Afghanistan through restrictive policies and violence Click here to read... [2]

Bangladesh

Indian President: Dhaka, Delhi connectivity improved with Maitri Setu on Feni River: Dhaka Tribune

President of India Droupadi Murmu has said that connectivity between Bangladesh and India has increased with the construction of Maitri Setu over Feni River. At the same time, she said, it has become convenient for entrepreneurs of India’s Tripura state to use the ports of Chittagong and Ashuganj. Click here to read... [3]

Bhutan

India looking forward to expanding cooperation: Sitharaman tells Bhutan FM: Business Standard

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met her Bhutan counterpart Lyonpo Namgay Tshering in Washington on Wednesday and expressed India's wish to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries including hydropower, COVID-19 assistance, among other issues. Click here to read... [4]

Maldives

The Maldives wins UN Human Rights Council seat: Avas

The Maldives has won a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council at the elections held Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Tuesday's election saw 17 countries competing for 14 vacant seats. The Maldives competed in the Group of Asia-Pacific States, for one of the 4 vacant seats. Click here to read... [5]

Myanmar

Former Myanmar army general Shwe Mann dissolves his political party: Myanmar Now

Former general Thura Shwe Mann disbanded his political party on Wednesday morning, more than one-and-a-half years after Myanmar’s military coup and ahead of promises of a junta-controlled election allegedly taking place in August 2023. He announced in a statement that the central executive committee (CEC) members of the Union Betterment Party (UBP) had unanimously decided to dissolve the party, which he founded in April 2019 ahead of Myanmar’s general election in late 2020. Click here to read... [6]

Nepal

Nepal votes in favour of UN resolution to condemn referendums in Ukraine: The Kathmandu Post

Nepal on Wednesday voted in favor of a resolution condemning Russia's attempted annexation of four Ukrainian areas by conducting a referendum within Ukraine, at the United Nations General Assembly. Click here to read... [7]

Pakistan

UN sees major gap between pledges and flood relief aid: Dawn

United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis said on Wednesday that aid pledges made by UN member states towards the 2022 flood response plan for Pakistan were not converting into commitment as quickly as they were a couple of weeks ago. Click here to read... [8]

Sri Lanka

SL abstains from UN vote condemning Russia’s ’annexation’ of parts of Ukraine: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka on Thursday abstained as the UN General Assembly voted to adopt a resolution condemning Russia's "attempted illegal annexations" of the four Ukrainian regions following a “referendum”. The resolution, which declared that “attempted illegal annexation” of the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine have no validity under international law, was adopted by a 143-5 vote in the 193-member General Assembly. Thirty-five countries, including Sri Lanka, India, China and Pakistan abstained. Click here to read... [9]