Neighbourhood News Digest – 13 December 2024

Afghanistan

Security and Stability Concerns Remain in Afghanistan: UNAMA – Tolo News

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) chief, Roza Otunbayeva, presented a quarterly report on Afghanistan's situation to the UN Security Council. In her report, Otunbayeva highlighted recent developments in the country and noted that UNAMA has provided $15.3 million in assistance to the Afghan people this year. She also emphasized the consequences of recent restrictions on women’s medical education. Addressing the ban on women’s work in NGOs and international organizations, she reiterated concerns, saying: “Engagement is not normalization or recognition. It is a way of consistently communicating the advantages of rejoining the international system.” She urged the de facto authorities to reconsider their decisions, particularly on restrictions affecting women and girls. Click here to read... [2]

Russia and Uzbekistan Jointly Study Feasibility of Afghan-Trans Railway – Tolo News

The Russian Deputy Prime Minister stated that Russia is working jointly with Uzbekistan on a feasibility study for the construction of the Afghan-Trans railway. Denis Manturov, speaking at the 25th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan, highlighted that Russia places special emphasis on developing international transportation corridors. Meanwhile, the Deputy Railway Minister of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works visited Hairatan and met with the head of Sogdiana Trans to discuss maintaining active railway lines, fully utilizing station capacities, and expediting the unloading and loading operations on the Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif railway. Click here to read... [3]

Attack on Refugees Ministry Sparks Int'l Condemnation – Tolo News

The attack on the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation provoked diverse reactions from nations and global organizations. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, and several other countries have condemned this incident. Saudi Arabia, in relation to the Kabul attack, stated its support for the people of Afghanistan against all forms of violence, terrorism, and extremism. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also released a statement calling for the perpetrators of this incident to be brought to justice. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) responded by saying that terrorism has no place in efforts to achieve stability. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Chief Adviser reiterates call for activating Saarc – The Daily Star

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus reiterated his call to the South Asian leaders to activate the SAARC to bring for the people of the entire region on December 12. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is very important to me. I spoke about activating the forum immediately after taking oath as the chief adviser,” he said. The chief adviser was addressing a conference of the SAARC Federation of Oncologists (SFO) through video conference from the State Guest House Jamuna here. A delegation of SFO also met Chief Adviser Prof Yunus at the Jamuna. The chief adviser said the whole South Asia will benefit from activating SAARC which remained dysfunctional due to some issues between India and Pakistan. He said: “Problems between the two countries should not affect other countries in South Asia.” Click here to read... [5]

President of Timor-Leste coming to Bangladesh on state-visit – The Dhaka Tribune

President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta will undertake a state visit to Bangladesh from December 14-17 at the invitation of Chief Adviser Dr Muahmmad Yunus. This will be the first state visit by a head of state of Timor-Leste to Bangladesh, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin told reporters in a briefing on December 12. During this visit, he will participate in the Victory Day celebrations on December 16. The delegation accompanying the President will include 19 members, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President's Chief Adviser, and other senior officials. Click here to read... [6]

Minister Fu: Singapore companies keen to invest in Bangladesh – The Dhaka Tribune

Grace Fu, Singapore’s minister for sustainability and the environment and minister in charge of trade, has said many Singaporean companies have an interest in investing in Bangladesh. Fu made the comments when Lutfey Siddiqi, Bangladesh special envoy for International Affairs, called on her at her office on December 11. ‘Despite the recent political changes, we believe in the long-term potential of Bangladesh,’ FU said in a message posted on her verified Facebook page. ‘Many Singapore companies are operating or have interest in investing in Bangladesh, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure and logistics,’ she said. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

Irregularities decline over four years – Kuensel

In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the Royal Audit Authority (RAA) reported irregularities amounting to Nu 3.96 billion. Of this, 41.57 percent involved budgetary agencies, while 58.43 percent was linked to non-budgetary agencies. Among the total irregularities, fraud and corruption accounted for Nu 15.76 million, representing 0.40 percent. Non-compliance with laws, rules, and regulations contributed Nu 2.2 billion (55.76 percent), while shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies amounted to Nu 1.73 billion (43.84 percent). Compared to the previous fiscal year, irregularities increased slightly from Nu 2.8 billion in 2022-23. According to an RAA official, this rise could be attributed to the resumption of development activities following the Covid-19 pandemic. Click here to read... [8]

As Bhutan readies for elections, a new film speaks of democracy – The Mint

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the last country to introduce television, made waves last year when a film director walked the red carpet of the Oscars. Now, as his nation prepares for a general election next month—only the fourth ever in its history—director Pawo Choyning Dorji has turned his lens on democracy. "The film delves into the advent of democracy in Bhutan, coinciding with the onset of modernisation and the influence of television," Dorji says of his movie The Monk and the Gun. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

Bill mandating compulsory exchange of foreign currency passed in Parliament – Adhadhu

The Parliament on December 12 approved the Foreign Exchange Bill, which requires tourism-related businesses and entities with significant foreign currency earnings to deposit all such income into banks as well as requiring the compulsory exchange of a portion of these deposits. The bill was passed today during the final sitting of the ongoing parliamentary session, with 56 members voting in favour. All 11 opposing votes came from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members. The bill was passed with minimal amendments during the committee stage. The changes included raising the exemption age from 10 to 12 years, revising the phrases of certain articles, and granting the Maldives Monetary Authority expanded powers to access information. Click here to read... [10]

Parliament Approves Criminal Probe against Former President Solih – PSM News

Parliament on December 12 signed off on a motion to conduct a criminal investigation into the dispute settlements ordered by the now defunct settlement committee. The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee the day before had passed a motion to advise the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to file charges against former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail and former Minister at the President’s Office Ali Shiyam if found complicit from the investigation into the settlement of disputes and disbursement of funds by the settlement committee. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

UN drug experts say opium production has levelled off in Myanmar, but instability may trigger a rise – ABC News

There has been a slight drop in the production of opium in Myanmar, the world’s biggest source of the illicit drug from which heroin is derived, experts from the United Nations said December 12, while warning of strong prospects for future expansion of the deadly trade. The Myanmar Opium Survey 2024 issued by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says that after three consecutive years of growth, the area where opium is cultivated fell by 4 percent to 45,200 hectares (1,11,700 acres) and production decreased by 8 percent to 995 metric tons due to a 4 percent decline in opium yield. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar’s year of reckoning as China eyes ties with the military – UCA News

The fate of millions of war-torn people in Myanmar ominously hangs in the balance with an embattled junta reportedly preparing plans with Beijing for a “joint security company” to put Chinese boots on the ground that potentially could widen the three-year bloody conflict. It’s an audacious strategy and not a total surprise given China’s in-country assets — primarily a 771km oil and gas pipeline — and that it remains the only country to have engaged with both sides in a civil war which has left more than 72,000 people dead, including 5,000 civilians. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

Nepal Army Chief Honoured By President Murmu – Daily Excelsior

President Droupadi Murmu on December 12, conferred the honorary rank of ‘General of Indian Army’ on Nepal’s Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel at a ceremony here. There has been a tradition of conferring the title of Honorary General on the Army chiefs of Nepal and India since 1950. The President “conferred the Honorary Rank of General of the Indian Army on Suprabal Janasewashree General Ashok Raj Sigdel, Chief of the Army Staff, Nepali Army, at a special investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan for his commendable military prowess and immeasurable contribution to further fostering Nepal’s long and friendly association with India”, her office said in a statement. General Sigdel commenced a significant visit to India on December 10, marking a key step in further strengthening defence ties between the two nations. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal can be developed as a hub for international dispute resolution: PM Oli – The Himalayan Post

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has emphasized that Nepal could be developed as a credible hub for international dispute resolution. He made this remark while inaugurating a conference on arbitration pertaining to industrial and commercial contracts as well as civil disputes. The event was organized by the Nepal International ADR Centre (NIAC) in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (APCAM) and Nepal Rastra Bank on December 12. Click here to read... [15]

Pakistan

Why a bill on religious seminaries is Pakistan’s latest flashpoint – Aljazeera

After fending off protests from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the Pakistani government now faces a new challenge – a potential agitation led by Fazal-ur-Rehman, leader of the religious Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) party. Rehman, a veteran politician and part of the ruling coalition that governed Pakistan from April 2022 to August 2023, is urging the government to approve a bill that was introduced in October to amend the registration process for religious seminaries. Click here to read... [16]

Devastating impact of climate change highlighted – The Dawn

Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on Thursday urged the Inter­national Court of Justice (ICJ) to deliver an advisory opinion that adequately addresses the challenges posed by climate change. “For the human race, turning a Nelson’s eye to the climate emergency is no longer an option,” emphasised the AGP during his address at the ICJ’s public hearing on climate change. The AGP highlighted the devastating 2022 floods, which submerged one-third of Pakistan’s territory, impacted 33 million people, and resulted in reconstruction costs estimated to exceed $16 billion. Click here to read... [17]

Govt’s economic policies yield positive results: PM – The News

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on December 12 expressed satisfaction over the recent report by the Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which highlighted an improvement in foreign investors’ confidence in Pakistan. He expressed the government’s resolve to provide all possible relief to the people on priority and said the benefits of economic policies and hard work of the economic team had begun to materialise. According to the Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry report, foreign investors’ confidence has increased, business-friendly environment has improved while the international perception has significantly improved from negative 10 percent to positive 31 percent, which is highly encouraging, the prime minister said in a press statement issued by the PM Office. Click here to read... [18]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Imports 440 MT of Rice from India – News First

Sri Lanka Customs has confirmed the arrival of 440 metric tons of rice from India, imported by private traders to address the ongoing rice shortage in the country. The shipment, which includes 130 metric tons of raw rice and 300 metric tons of parboiled rice, arrived in 17 containers on December 12. Most of the containers have already been cleared for release, with minimal delays after importers paid the required duties and the cargo was inspected by the Food Controller and Plant Quarantine Officers. Click here to read... [19]

Canada Reaffirms Support for Sri Lanka's Anti-Corruption Efforts – News First

Canada has reiterated its commitment to supporting Sri Lanka's ongoing battle against corruption. This was during a meeting between the High Commissioner for Canada in Sri Lanka, Eric Walsh, and Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayaka, the Secretary to the President. High Commissioner Walsh expressed Canada's willingness to provide both technical and strategic support to help Sri Lanka combat corruption. He emphasized that Canada is ready to share its expertise in addressing these issues and assist Sri Lanka in its reform initiatives. Click here to read... [20]