Oct 1-15, 2017
CAR
Atambayev Visits Uzbekistan
President of the Kyrgyz Republic Almazbek Atambayev paid a state visit to Uzbekistan on 5-6 October 2017. During his one-on-one meeting with the Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the two leaders discussed the prospects for advancing bilateral cooperation in various areas and exchanged views on topical regional and international issues.
As a result of the negotiations held in an enlarged format, as many as 13 documents were signed; including the “Declaration on strategic partnership, strengthening of trust, good-neighborliness and friendship between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan”. The documents covered areas like border demarcation, agriculture, defense, combating illicit drugs trafficking, tourism, religious affairs and transport. Agreement on trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation were signed between the cities of Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan) and Namangan (Uzbekistan); and between Batken (Kyrgyzstan) and Fergana (Uzbekistan). Presidents of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan visited the exhibition of industrial products of Uzbek and Kyrgyz companies at Uz Expo Center. Within the framework of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Business Forum, contracts worth about USD 200 million were signed.
After assuming the presidential office in December 2016, President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has tried to improve relations with the neighbors. He paid a state visit to Kyrgyzstan on 5 September, which was the first visit to the neighboring republic by an Uzbek president since 2000. The reset button pressed by Mirziyoyev was reciprocated by the Kyrgyz president Atambayev. They have started cooperation in various fields and have tried to solve issues like border disputes, problem of water sharing, cross-border crime, etc. While agreement was signed on border demarcation, couple of border checkpoints have also been opened for common citizens. It is said that, in last six months, the trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan grew 10 times.
Atambayev, during his visit, expressed that he wants “the presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to remain in history as presidents, who made the border of friendship out of the border of conflict, mining and disputes”. As presidential term of Atambayev is coming to an end, and Prime Minister Soroonbayev Jeenbekov has been elected as the new President (15 October 2017), it is expected from the new president to take this cooperation further.
Prime Minister Jeenbekov Elected as the New President of Kyrgyzstan
The former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Sooronbai Jeenbekov, is elected as the new President of the republic, in the national elections held on 15 October 2017. He was the candidate of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), and was supported by the outgoing President Almazbek Atambayev. Mr Jeenbekov received 54 percent of the total votes polled, and thereby negated the chances of the second round runoff. His most prominent rival Omurbek Babanov, an independent candidate, received 33 percent votes. There were 12 total candidates in the run for the highest post.
Through these elections, Kyrgyzstan has marked its first peaceful transition of power. Previous two Presidents, Askar Akayev and Kumranbek Bakiyev, were ousted by popular revolutions, respectively in 2005 and 2010. Incumbent President Mr Atambayev was elected in 2010 in the fresh round of elections, after the adoption of the new constitution. This constitution calls Kyrgyzstan a Parliamentary Republic, making it a standalone case in Central Asia.
In spite of adopting the parliamentary form of government, Presidential office still hold immense power and influence vis-à-vis the Prime Minister. The Kyrgyz President is popularly elected in the national election. The 2010 Constitution sets the Presidential term at six years and debars the incumbent President from standing for re-election. Because of this rule, President Almazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan was not eligible to contest the elections.
President-elect Jeenbekov, who has served the nation as the Prime Minister since 2016, has announced that he will, more or less, continue the policies of the incumbent President. Jeenbekov will take over the Presidential office from 4 December 2017.
President Embarks on His First Foreign Trip to Africa
The President of India was on a four day state visit to the two African nations - Djibouti and Ethiopia. The President in Djibouti led delegation level talks with his counterpart where an agreement to establish regular political consultations between India and Djibouti, at the level of the Foreign Office, was signed in the presence of the two Presidents. Both the leaders acknowledged the significant role of Djibouti and its strategic importance as well as India’s role for the maintenance of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region. Both the leaders shared their views that terrorism is a greater threat to mankind and global peace and stability and expressed their desire to work together with the International Community in eradicating the threat of terrorism from the society.
President Kovind made specific reference to areas of common concern and interest such as renewable energy and particularly Djibouti’s support for membership of the International Solar Alliance, maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and technical and capacity building assistance by India to enhance employment opportunities for Djibouti’s young people. He further thanked President of Djibouti Guelleh for Djibouti’s support during Operation Rahat, undertaken by India in 2015 to evacuate its citizens from conflict-hit Yemen. The leaders called for an urgent need for the reform of the United Nation Security Council, including its expansion, to make it more representative, accountable, effective and responsive to the geo-political realities of the 21st century.
President Kovind left for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, on the second leg of his visit to Africa. Both the nations signed agreements on trade, communication and media to boost bilateral relations. The President thanked Ethiopia for its support and participation in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which aims to provide a platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries and promote the use of solar energy. He also mentioned that both the nations will work together in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies. India also extend support to Ethiopia in the power sector, healthcare, and education. Later, the President attended the India- Ethiopia Business where he mentioned that India will provide a credit line to the tune of $95 million to Ethiopia for an electric transmission line. He also announced $2 million for purchase of food grain and lastly, he mentioned about the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) as another initiative brimming with potential. He concluded the day by addressing the Indian community reception in Addis Ababa.
Five Hundred Casualties in Somalia’s Worst Terrorist Attack
At least 276 people has been killed and hundreds have been injured in an attack blamed on militant group Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu. The bombing is one of the deadliest attacks in the sub-Saharan Africa. It is considered to be larger than the Garissa University attack in Kenya in 2015 and the US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Rescue workers on the ground said it would be difficult to count the exact number of people died because of the intense heat generated by the blast. It meant that the remains of many people would never be found. The government has blamed Al-Shabab for the attack, but the extremist Islamist group has not yet commented.
West African bloc ECOWAS tipped for Nobel Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the world which recognizes individual or group contributions to the advancement of peace, literature, science and health. Recently, the BBC announced that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was involved in resolving the political crisis in Gambia Yahya Jammeh, the long term ruler had refused to step down despite being defeated by President Adama Barrow. The efforts of ECOWAS in mediation and its threat of force to remove Mr. Jammeh had forced the former ruler to vacate the presidency and flee into exile in Equatorial Guinea. In Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Faso - the bloc also intervened in resolving the politico-security crises and provided troops to help curb civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Turkey Has set up its Largest Overseas Army Base in Somalia
Turkey has set its largest army base in Mogadishu, Somalia which embarks the increasing Ankara’s presence in the horn of Africa. It is the largest training base of its kind outside Turkey. Somalia is lucrative and has a strategic location which attracts geopolitical interests in the region. The base will train 10,000 Somali troops as the government has been battling the Al-Qaeda linked group Al-Shabab, which wants to impose strict version of Sharia law. Apart from Turkey United States has set a military base in Somalia. UAE has it army presence in the region too.
