Neighborhood News Digest – 23 June 2023

Afghanistan

“Afghanistan again becomes epicentre of terrorism,” says Vladimir Voronkov – The Print

Afghanistan again becomes the epicentre of terrorism, said Vladimir Voronkov. Voronkov was addressing a conference on Wednesday, on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization counter-terrorism convention organized by Russian and Chinese missions. He said, “This event is very timely, especially in light of the conclusions made as part of the 14th report from the group on analytical support and monitoring of sanctions regarding the Taliban,” according to Tass. Click here to read… [2]

The Taliban have launched an impressive new war on drugs – The Economist

Early this month, the Taliban turned up at Akhtar Mohammad’s farm in Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan, wielding sticks. In half an hour they destroyed a field of poppies that had taken the farmer a year to cultivate—leaving Mr Mohammad close to despair. “Now the Taliban have destroyed my opium I demand they feed my children,” he says. “Or I will have to sell one of them to feed the others.” Click here to read… [3]

Recognition Of Taliban Government "Impossible" Over Curbs On Afghan Women: UN – NDTV

As long as restrictions against women's rights remain in place in Afghanistan, it will be "nearly impossible" for the international community to recognize the Taliban government, the UN's envoy to the country said Wednesday. "In my regular discussions with the de facto authorities, I am blunt about the obstacles they have created for themselves by the decrees and restrictions they have enacted, in particular against women and girls," Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, told the Security Council. Click here to read… [4]

Bangladesh

INS Kiltan arrived at Chattogram, Bangladesh - Indian Navy

INS Kiltan arrived at Chattogram, Bangladesh to a warm welcome by Bangladesh Navy. During her stay in harbour, ship's crew will participate in professional interactions, cultural exchanges and sports fixtures strengthening bond between both navies. Joint yoga with Bangladesh Navy is also planned as part of IDY2023 Oceanring of Yoga initiative of GoI. Click here to read… [5]

SDG Index 2023: Bangladesh ahead of India, Pakistan - TBS News

Bangladesh has ranked 101st on the Sustainable Development Report 2023, with an overall score of 65.9 out of 100. In this year's index, Bangladesh is ahead of India (112th), Pakistan (128th), and Afghanistan (158th) in South Asia. The Sustainable Development Report 2023 including the SDG Index and Dashboards, which was released on Wednesday, is a complement to the official SDG indicators and the voluntary national reviews, published by the Dublin University Press. Click here to read… [6]

Bhutan

Standardisation and certification crucial to boost Bhutan’s exports: FM – Kuensel

Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Dr Tandi Dorji, highlighted the importance of standardising and certifying goods to enhance Bhutan’s export volumes. His remarks came in response to concerns raised by Bardo-Trong MP Gyambo Tshering regarding Bhutan’s trade deficit, which had doubled from Nu 32.24 billion to Nu 61.92 billion last year. Click here to read… [7]

Maldives

Foreign Secretary joins High-Level Strategic Dialogue on IORA’s 25 years - Raajje

Foreign Secretary Ahmed Latheef has joined a High-Level Strategic Dialogue held to commemorate the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)’s 25th anniversary. Latheef participated in the High-Level Strategic Dialogue on IORA’s 25-Years: Reflection, Review, and Renewal, on Tuesday. It was held as part of IORA’s Silver Jubilee celebrations to reflect and review the past 25 years of IORA, acknowledge successes, address challenges, and assess the implementation of outcomes. It was held in Mauritius from June 20 – 22. Click here to read… [8]

'I seek assistance from NCC India for equipment', says Maldives National Defence Force Marine Corps Commander - First Post

Brigadier General Wais Waheed, Commandant of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Marine Corps, on Thursday said that he seeks assistance from National Cadet Corps (NCC) India for equipment as his country has limited resources. “Being a country that has limited resources, I seek assistance from India to give us any equipment that they can provide us. The new proposal will be sent to them and they will look into it,” said Brigadier Waheed. Click here to read… [9]

Myanmar

US places sanctions on Myanmar's defence ministry, banks - Reuters

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Myanmar's defense ministry and two banks used by the ruling military junta to buy arms and other goods from foreign sources. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement the military has relied on foreign sources, including Russian entities under sanctions, to purchase and import arms, equipment and raw materials to manufacture weapons to support its "brutal repression".Click here to read… [10]

Indian PSU Sold Arms, Equipment Worth Over $5 Million to Myanmar Junta in 6 Month Period: Report - The Wire

An investigation by a group of activists has revealed that the Indian public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has exported $5 million worth of military end-use goods, technology and technical documents to be used by the Myanmar junta in the six months between November 2022 and April 2023. Click here to read… [11]

Nepal

Nepal resumes import of onions from India after 2-week halt – Money Control

Traders in Nepal have resumed importing onions from India, more than two weeks after they stopped buying from the neighbouring country following the Nepal government's move to impose a hefty 13 per cent Value-Added Tax (VAT) on vegetables last month. Click here to read… [12]

Nepal High Court issues interim order against Kathmandu Mayor’s decision to ban Indian movies – The Print

The Patan High Court in Nepal’s Bagmati province on Thursday issued an interim order in a writ petition challenging the ban on the screening of Indian films by Kathmandu Metropolis. During the hearing over the writ petition filed by the Film Association of Nepal against the decision to ban all Hindi movies in the wake of the “Adipurush” dialogue controversy, the High Court gave interim order against the decision of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah. Click here to read… [13]

Nepal apex court clears way for implementation of amended Citizenship Bill – Business Standard

The Supreme Court of Nepal on Thursday cleared the way for the implementation of the newly amended Citizenship Bill which was recently certified by President Ram Chandra Paudel. A division bench of Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Justice Kumar Regmi paved the way for the bill's implementation as it decided not to give continuity to the interlocutory interim order earlier issued by a single bench. Click here to read… [14]

Pakistan

Pakistan PM meets IMF director in a last-ditch effort to get bailout – The Hindu

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday as the cash-strapped country made a last-ditch effort to get a much-needed loan from the global lender, a media report said. The two sides exchanged views on the ongoing programmes and cooperation between crisis-ridden Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the meeting held on the sidelines of the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact at Paris in France, Radio Pakistan reported. Click here to read… [15]

Imran Khan Reveals Details of India-Pakistan 'Peace Plan' That Never Materialised – The Wire

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has said that efforts were on in 2019 to work out a peace plan with India which could have also led to the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistan. Speaking to the US-based think tank Atlantic Council on June 19, the former premier said that the proposed plan had the backing of Pakistan’s former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Click here to read… [16]

Cash-Strapped Pakistan To Lease Part Of Karachi Port To UAE For $220 Million – The Print

AD Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an agreement Thursday to take over the running of part of Pakistan's main Karachi docking facility in a deal worth an immediate $220 million, the company said. The deal will come as a shot in the arm for Pakistan, with the economy on the brink of collapse and the government desperate for big-ticket foreign investment to help service crippling debt. Click here to read… [17]

Sri Lanka

Top U.N. official flags ‘accountability deficit’ in Sri Lanka - The Hindu

Accountability remains the “fundamental gap” in Sri Lanka’s attempts to deal with the past, a senior U.N. official has said while warning that “as long as impunity prevails, Sri Lanka will achieve neither genuine reconciliation nor sustainable peace.” Click here to read… [18]

IOC may revive World War-II era oil tank farm in Sri Lanka - Live Mint

Fuel storage tanks from World War II may come to life again in Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee, with state-run Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOCL) planning to redevelop them at a cost of around ₹ 1,500 crore. Click here to read… [19]