VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: September 14, 2022

Afghanistan

Transfer of Goods Across Afghanistan Has Increased: MoF: Tolo News

The transfer of commodities between South Asian Nations and Central Asia via Afghanistan has increased threefold compared to previous years, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said. According to the MoF, the Islamic Emirate has earned a good income from transit between South Asia and Central AsiaClick here to read... [2]

Pakistan Snubs Flood Donation from Bangladesh amid Economic Crisis: The Khaama Press

Pakistan rejected Bangladesh’s offer to supply humanitarian aids worth of Tk 14 million (roughly $145,000) according to local media, as the country continued to suffer great lose during monsoon floodings. Click here to read... [3]

Taliban Failed to Uphold any Promises Made: Tomas Niklasson at HRC 51: The Khaama Press

At the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC 51) in Geneva Monday, the Special Envoy of the European Union for Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson said the Taliban have failed to uphold any promises made, recalling Afghanistan is a party to the Rome Statute. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Floating exchange rate takes effect, finally: Daily Star

Bangladesh has finally embraced a floating exchange rate as the central bank adjusted its interbank foreign exchange rate yesterday in line with market realities. As a result, the taka lost its value by 11.73 per cent, the sharpest depreciation faced by the currency in the country's history. It has fallen by 25 per cent in the past year against the dollar. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh can be the global lab for climate solutions: Daily Star

Over the last 50 years, Bangladesh has been recognised in South Asia as well as around the world as a laboratory for development success in alleviating poverty, girls' education and inclusion in the workforce, and unlocking the potential of the private sector in banking, industries and commerce, among others. Click here to read... [6]

Momen hails PM Hasina's India visit: Dhaka Tribune

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent state visit to New Delhi has added a "significant momentum" to Bangladesh-India bilateral ties which bears the testimony of time tested friendship. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

Bhutan ratifies International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement - The Print

“Ambassador of Bhutan to India Maj Gen Vetsop Namgyel handed over the instrument of ratification to Secretary ER Dammu Ravi, in the presence of DG International Solar Alliance,” tweeted the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies. Click here to read... [8]

India imposes 20 percent export duty on rice - Kuensel Online

The price of staple food rice could shoot up 20 percent if the Government of India’s (GoI) new rice export policy is applicable to Bhutan. The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, GoI, announced on September 8 of imposing a 20 percent export duty on rice. It came into effect on September 9. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

Changes to Maldives foreign policies bolster sovereignty: President - Edition

The changes to Maldivian foreign policies have further bolstered independence and national sovereignty, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The Maldivian head of the state made the remark at the commemoration event to celebrate 130th anniversary of the country's military. According President Solih, the Maldivian foreign policy is formed on the backbone of unison. Click here to read... [10]

Prison-Based Radicalization to Militant Jihadism in the Maldives - Homeland Security Today

With fewer than 400,000 people living on approximately 200 islands, the Maldives has tended to be overlooked in terrorism research, often overshadowed by its neighbors like Pakistan and Indonesia. In recent years, however, the Maldives has garnered increased focus. According to some measures, the Maldives was the nation with the highest per capita number of foreign terrorist fighters [FTF] joining ISIS and al Qaeda in recent years

Myanmar

The World Must Respond to Myanmar’s Civil War Rather Than Its Coup - The Diplomat

A joint statement issued in July by the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Britain and the United States noted: “We support the people of Myanmar in their aspirations for freedom and democracy and call on the [military] regime to end the use of violence, respect the will of the people, and restore the country’s path toward democracy.” Click here to read... [11]

Illegal Supply of Explosives to Myanmar: NIA Conducts Searches in Mizoram - News 18

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at two locations in Mizoram in a case related to illegal supply of huge quantities of explosives from India to Myanmar, an official said. Three accused, including one Myanmarese national, were arrested and charge-sheeted in the case by the federal agency on April 19. Click here to read... [12]

UN investigator says Facebook provided vast amount of Myanmar war crimes information - ABC Net

The head of a UN investigation team on Myanmar says Facebook has handed over millions of items that could support allegations of war crimes and genocide. UN investigators said hate speech spread on Facebook fuelled the violence in Myanmar. The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) aims to build case files for proceedings in national, regional or international courts. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar: Death of Activists in Custody - Human Rights Watch

Myanmar’s military and police are responsible for scores of deaths in custody since the February 1, 2021 military coup, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch documented the deaths of six detained activists that involved apparent torture or the denial of adequate medical care. The junta authorities have not seriously investigated these deaths or taken action against those responsible. Click here to read... [14]

China-backed Port in Western Myanmar Depriving Locals of Land and Jobs - The Irrawaddy

Despite the efforts of Myanmar’s military regime to expedite the development of the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (KPSEZ) and deep sea port in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the project is facing significant delays due to local protests and the impact of last year’s coup. Click here to read... [15]

A lot has to be done in India-Myanmar trade, says Myanmar envoy Moe Kyaw Aung - The Print

India and Myanmar share good relations and a lot has to be done in the field of trade and investment, said the Ambassador of Myanmar to India, Moe Kyaw Aung on Monday. Speaking at a roundtable session on Bilateral Trade Opportunities between India and Neighbouring countries, Moe Kyaw Aung said, “India and Myanmar enjoy good relations. We’ve strong cultural ties and share a long land border. A lot has to be done pertaining to trade and investment.” Click here to read... [16]

India’s Cooperation With Myanmar’s Junta is not Yielding Results - The Irrawaddy

India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar defended his country’s ties with Myanmar’s military regime last month, arguing that a working relationship with the junta is needed because of issues such as organized crime, COVID-19 and Indian insurgents based in Myanmar. Click here to read... [17]

Nepal

Nepal-India discuss crucial bilateral issues at foreign secretary-level talks held in New Delhi on Tuesday - Kathmandu Post

Nepal and India held a foreign secretary-level meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday wherein officials from the two governments discussed bilateral issues ranging from boundary matters to energy cooperation. The meeting also discussed a review of the Treaty of Trade and Transit and the construction of a liquefied petroleum gas pipeline from Motihari, India to Chitwan among others. Click here to read... [18]

Nepali students coming to Russia due to allurement in trouble, says Nepali Embassy - Khabar Hub

The Nepali Embassy in Moscow, the Russian Federation, has said the Nepali students going to Russia for various allurements are getting in trouble due to lack of knowledge of language and the situation there. The Embassy, through a press release, appealed to all the Nepali students and parents concerned not to be lured by any kind of false promise or allurement, except only for study, while going to Russia on student visa. Click here to read... [19]

Nepal backs 'One China' policy - Tribune India

China’s top legislator and third-ranked leader in the country’s political hierarchy Li Zhanshu today held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other top political leaders of Nepal during which they discussed matters of mutual interests, including bilateral trade, investment and connectivity. Click here to read... [20]

Lack of a tripartite deal and transmission line may delay power export to Bangladesh - Kathmandu Post

Although Bangladesh has shown interest to import Nepali electricity, it will not be easy for Nepal to export power without an official nod from India. As Nepal and Bangladesh do not share borders and India lies between the two countries, India’s cooperation will be crucial to enable trading of electricity between Nepal and Bangladesh. Experts say a tripartite agreement is essential for this. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan

Festering food crisis worries Red Cross; Guterres terms floods ‘unnatural’: Dawn

International agencies have sounded the alarm over the acute food crisis expected to hit Pakistan in the wake of catastrophic floods as the UN chief declared that climate change impacts were “heading into uncharted territories of destruction”. Click here to read... [22]

No plans for Shehbaz-Modi meeting: Dawn

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has no plans to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on September 15 and 16. Click here to read... [23]

Proposal of army chief's extension is subject to snap polls: Imran: The Express Tribune

Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has clarified that he did not talk about giving extension to the army chief but suggested deferring the new appointment till after the next general elections. Click here to read... [24]

Cabinet rejects increase in medicine prices: The Express Tribune

The federal cabinet rejected a summary moved by the Ministry of National Health Services for increasing the retail price of 10 medicines, as the prime minister directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to take steps to keep banks open on holidays in the flood-ravaged areas. Click here to read... [25]

Sri Lanka

Ranil’s exit will be more fearsome than Gota’s: Hirunika: Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s exit from office will be more fearsome than former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s, former MP and Samagi Wanitha Balawegaya Head Hirunika Premachnadra said today. “Ranil's exit will happen soon and it will be more fearsome than that of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He will be removed instantly and may end up in prison,” Ms. Premachandra told a press conference. Click here to read... [26]

Govt. to review suspended imports list every fortnight: Daily Mirror

The government is reviewing the suspended imports list every fortnight to lessen the impact on industries, a Cabinet Minister said. As per recommendations of the Central Bank, the government imposed a temporary ban on a wide range of goods with effect from August 23 under the Import and Export Control Act in order to manage the limited forex reserves. Click here to read... [27]

Sri Lankan president under fire over govt expansion amidst economic crisis: Indian Express

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has come under fire from the Opposition over his government expansion with 37 state ministers and with moves underway to appoint at least 12 more Cabinet ministers soon at a time when the island nation is facing bankruptcy. Click here to read... [28]