Neighborhood News Digest – 10 April 2023

Afghanistan

Russia to participate in foreign ministers meeting of countries neighbouring Afghanistan – The Print

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will head the Russian delegation at the fourth foreign ministers’ meeting of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, due in Samarkand on April 13, the TASS wrote citing Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday. “The fourth ministerial conference of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries (with the participation of Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) is scheduled for April 13 in Samarkand (Uzbekistan). The Russian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov,” the ministry said. Click here to read... [2]

Biden Admin Defends US Troop Pullout From Afghanistan, Blames Trump For Chaos – Zee News

The US administration has blamed the hasty withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in the wake of the 2021 Taliban takeover on former President Donald Trump, saying that President Joe Biden was "severely constrained" by his predecessor`s decisions, including the 2020 Doha Agreement to end the war. This was revealed in a new report which was put together by the White House National Security Council with input from Biden and made available to the public on Thursday. Click here to read... [3]

EU links aid to Afghanistan with removal of Taliban's ban on working women – Firstpost

In an effort to persuade the Taliban regime in Kabul to reverse its decision to ban women from working, the European Union (EU) has linked aid to Afghanistan with several conditions. According to a report by Tolo News, the European Union (EU) has linked aid to Afghanistan with the removal of the ban imposed on Afghan working women by the Taliban regime in Kabul. Click here to read... [4]

Pakistan Releases 208 Afghan Detainees From Its Prisons – Republic World

Afghanistan's Foreign Affairs department announced the release and repatriation of 208 detainees from Pakistani jails, reported Kabul-based Khaama Press. The Foreign Affairs Department of Afghanistan added that the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad and the Afghan Consulate General in Karachi collaborated to ensure the safe return of the 208 released detainees. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

China’s arms game with Bangladesh getting dangerous. BNS Sheikh Hasina is just a start – The Print

The Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government is nearing its term in Dhaka, but also readying itself to enter election mode. Recently, the Bangladesh Prime Minister inaugurated the China-built $1.2 billion six-slot submarine base, named BNS Sheikh Hasina, at Pekua in Cox’s Bazar. This project appears to be part of the Bangladesh Army’s ‘Forces Goal 2030’ programme, an ambitious defence plan that she had outlined in 2009, which seeks to expand and modernise the country’s armed forces. New Delhi has every reason to be concerned, as the base is right on the mouth of Bay of Bengal. Submarines managed by China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy—also known as PLAN—would be dangerously close to the Indian Navy’s Andaman and Nicobar Command. Click here to read... [6]

Adani Power starts supply to Bangladesh from Jharkhand plant – ToI

Adani Power has switched on electricity supply to Bangladesh from its imported coal-fired power plant built at Godda in Jharkhand, setting in operation energy deal between the two countries. The company on Sunday said it has commissioned the first of the two 800 MW units based on cleaner ultra-super- critical technology and supplying 748 MW to Bangladesh. Click here to read... [7]

MoU to promote trade relation between Bangladesh and Nagaland signed – Ukhrul Times

The India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) and the Business Association of Nagas (BAN) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to cooperate, promote, facilitate and to collaborate trade relations between the two organizations at Niathu Resort, Dimapur on 6 April. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the B20 Kohima summit led by IBCCI President, Abdul Matlub Ahmad and BAN President, Mongkum Jamir, a press release issued by BAN stated. Click here to read... [8]

Bangladesh to play vital role in materialising new Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision - Daily Star

Japanese Ambassador Iwama Kiminori has hoped that Bangladesh would play a vital role in materialising its new Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision announced by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on March 20 this year. Iwama and his wife hosted a reception at Chittagong Club yesterday to strengthen relations with Chattogram communities following a goodwill port visit by JS URAGA (Mine Sweeper Tender) and JS AWAJI (Mine Sweeper Ocean) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Click here to read... [9]

Bhutan

Integrated Checkpost for seamless trade between Bhutan and India – Kuensel

Movement of goods and people between India and Bhutan is expected to improve once the Indian government completes the construction of an Integrated Checkpost (ICP) at Alay, Pasakha. The two governments agreed on this during His Majesty The King’s visit to India earlier this month. Click here to read... [10]

Bhutan festivals attract thousands of tourists, maintain sustainable tourism – Hindustan Times

Festivals in Bhutan attract thousands of tourists every year, which helps maintain a sustainable tourism model, according to The Bhutan Live. As per The Bhutan Live, the figures are expected to go up as Bhutan is welcoming tourists again after the lockdowns. Attending festivals is a great way to understand a country's culture and history. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives

Tourist arrival figure for ongoing year surpasses 555,000-mark - Raajje

This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its latest weekly statistics, publicized on Friday. As such, ministry statistics reveal that Maldives has welcomed a total of 555,537 visitors since the new year began. This includes 172,499 tourists welcomed during January and 177,914 tourists welcomed in the following month. In March Maldives recorded 173,514 tourist arrivals. According to the ministry, this year’s arrival figure is an increase of 21.6 percent from the 457,005 arrivals recorded in the same period last year, and a significant increase from the 319,110 arrivals recorded in 2021. Click here to read... [12]

Maldives has enjoyed a long, fruitful and prosperous relationship with the WHO: FM Shahid -Raajje

The Maldives has enjoyed a long, fruitful and prosperous relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO), said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid. Minister Shahid stated this in his message of felicitation to the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on the occasion 75th anniversary of the Organization. In his message, the Minister extended warm greetings and best wishes on behalf of the Government and people of Maldives, on the occasion of this year’s World Health Day, which also marks the 75th anniversary of World Health Organization, to Dr. Tedros. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar

Myanmar’s Borderlands are Home to Myths and Conflicts Rooted in Misunderstandings - The Irrawaddy

Few would dispute that Myanmar’s current borders are outcomes of British colonial policies and conquests and so cut through areas inhabited by the same ethno-linguistic groups. Formal links between those groups were severed while informal contacts continued as before, and still do, which has been an issue for all post-independence governments. Click here to read... [14]

'Chinese projects in Myanmar only benefit Beijing, enable military regime to remain in power’ - Dajji World

China has never wavered in its support for the Myanmar junta since its February 1, 2021, coup d'etat, and while other countries have condemned the military regime, pulled out their investments, and refrained from trading with the nation engulfed in a bloody civil war, Beijing appears to be stepping up its engagement with the generals in Naypyidaw, Radio Free Asia reported. Click here to read... [15]

The ICJ on the Myanmar Military’s Genocide Issue and True Justice - The Geopolitics

The International Court of Justice, the top court of the UN, rejected Myanmar’s arguments against Gambia’s claim that Myanmar committed genocide against the Rohingyas. After the Gambia filed a lawsuit alleging genocidal acts, the Myanmar government disputed the accusations and made a number of objections. Myanmar argued that Gambia lacked standing to bring the case and that the court lacked authority to hear it. Myanmar’s position was that because Bangladesh did not bring a case before the ICJ as a directly affected country as a result of the Rohingyas’ refuge, Gambia was not entitled to do the same without being an affected country. Click here to read... [16]

Nepal

Private helicopter crashes in Nepal; pilot and passenger rescued: Officials – Economic Times

A chopper belonging to the private helicopter service provider Heli Everest that had gone out of contact on Sunday morning was found crashed in West Central Nepal's Dhaulagiri, without any casualty as the pilot and the lone passenger onboard were rescued, officials said. The chopper, which flew at 11.1 am on Sunday, had gone out of contact after it was hit by strong winds. Click here to read... [17]

Nepal worried about becoming “Chinatown” as Chinese nationals’ illegal activities rise – The Print

Nepal is extremely worried over the rise in illegal activities by Chinese nationals. The recent arrest of nine Chinese nationals and 10 Nepali workers including five women in connection with online fraud is a case in point. The incident came to light three years after the arrest of 122 Chinese nationals involved in suspicious activities. They were picked from different parts of Kathmandu, Metakhabar reported. Click here to read... [18]

Nepal MP suspended for ‘asking for donation’ to secure ministerial berth – Indian Express

A member of the House of Representative belonging to the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has been suspended after an audio leak in which he allegedly is asking a hospital owner for Rs 20 million which he needed to pay to the party leadership to buy a ministerial berth in last government. Dr Dhaka Kumar Shrestha had allegedly approached Durga Prasai, a private hospital owner, asking for the said amount to ensure his appointment as health minister in the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government, in which the RSP was a constituent. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan

Pakistan Needs To Repay $77 Billion Debt To China, Saudi Arabia By 2026: Report – NDTV

Pakistan needs to repay a whopping USD 77.5 billion in external debt from April 2023 to June 2026 and the cash-strapped country may face "disruptive effects" if it ultimately defaults, a prominent US think tank has warned. The analysis published on Thursday by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) warned that amid skyrocketing inflation, political conflicts, and rising terrorism, Pakistan is facing the risk of a default due to its massive external debt obligations, the Geo News reported on Friday. Click here to read... [20]

Pakistan court imposes $2.48 million fine on Chinese petroleum firm – Hindustan Times

Pakistan's civil judge imposed a fine of USD 2.48 million on the Chinese petroleum firm, "China National Petroleum Corporation" for allegedly volating the contract it signed with the Petroleum Exploration (Private) Limited, a local company, Dawn reported. In 2001, CNPC came to Pakistan as a service provider to exploration and production companies in the fields of rigs and drilling. In the first decade of 21st century, Pakistan was deemed a great potential for exploration and production companies and saw a great influx of foreign companies. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan to ship 230 containers of arms to Ukraine – The Economic Times

Ukraine-Pakistan defence nexus looms large on the horizon even as the Ukrainian deputy foreign minister undertakes a four-day visit to India from Sunday. Signallng to deepen defence partnership, Pakistan will ship 230 defence containers this month from the Karachi Port via two vessels MV Bokram and MV Kherson, ET has reliably learnt. Click here to read... [22]

Pakistan Cabinet Decides To Take Up Punjab Election Funds Matter In The Parliament – Republic World

An emergency meeting of the federal Cabinet on Sunday decided to take up in Parliament the matter of providing funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding the polls in politically crucial Punjab province on May 14 as directed by the Supreme Court, according to a media report. Click here to read... [23]

US Trip Cancelled On Pakistan Prime Minister's Orders: Finance Minister – NDTV

Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said he had canceled his trip to Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank on the orders of the prime minister due to the political situation in the country. Ishaq Dar said he would attend important bilateral and multilateral meetings virtually and a Pakistani delegation would be present in Washington. The minister played down reports of the canceled trip being linked to a holdup in Pakistan's IMF bailout programme. Click here to read... [24]

Sri Lanka

China plans setting up radar base in Sri Lanka, to track India’s naval assets, US military movement – Wion News

China has proposed setting up of a radar base in Sri Lanka, aiming to counter India's naval presence and strategic oversight in the Indian Ocean region, a report has claimed. The proposed radar base will focus on monitoring the activities of the Indian Navy while also evaluating New Delhi's strategic assets in the region. The proposed radar will have the capability to track US military movements at its military base in Diego Garcia, an island of the British Indian Ocean Territory, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, located over 1700 km southwest of Dondra Bay. Click here to read... [25]

Sri Lanka's President assures justice for Easter Sunday victims – The Hindu

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on April 9 assured justice for all the victims of the 2019 Easter bombings in which 270 people, including 11 Indians, were killed, saying legal proceedings are being processed independently and impartially, without any influence. President Wickremesinghe also pledged his unwavering commitment to ensuring the security of the country, by preventing any recurrence of heinous acts. Click here to read... [26]

With IMF boost, Ranil will target 2024 Presidential poll – Daily Mirror

After the IMF agreement was tabled in Parliament, President Wickremesinghe made a special statement in the House. A justifiably elated Wickremesinghe was visibly pleased with himself for his accomplishments under very adverse circumstances. Ranil referred to the dire straits the economy was in when he assumed office and the challenges he faced. The President emphasised that his only strength in surmounting these obstacles was his inner conviction that he was capable of rebuilding his country. Click here to read... [27]