Neighborhood News Digest – 09 November 2023

Afghanistan

EU provides €61 million aid package to Afghanistan – The Khaama Press

The European Union has announced a significant humanitarian aid package of 61 million euros to continue supporting the Afghan people. On Wednesday, the European Union made a significant announcement on its social media platform X, revealing a generous humanitarian aid package of 61 million euros intended to assist the people of Afghanistan. This announcement underscores the European Union’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Afghan population during challenging times. Click here to read… [2]

Pakistan’s Interim PM Reacts to Islamic Emirate’s Remarks – Tolo News

Pakistan's interim prime minister called the Islamic Emirate's remarks about the deportation of refugees from the country "threatening." Anwaar ul Haq Kakar said that Kabul and Islamabad must work to expand their relations. The Islamic Emirate's Foreign Ministry said Pakistani officials had been asked to allow Afghan refugees to leave the country in a dignified manner. Click here to read… [3]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh garment workers reject 56% pay rise- The Hindu

Bangladesh raised the minimum monthly pay for the country's four million garment workers by 56.25 percent on November 7, a decision immediately rejected by unions seeking a near-tripling of the figure. Click here to read… [4]

China provides anti-dengue emergency supplies to Bangladesh- CGTN

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen handed over the anti-dengue emergency supplies to Bangladeshi Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque at the ceremony on November 7, saying that China and Bangladesh are genuine friends who share weal and woe and close neighbors who always help each other. Bangladesh has recorded a total of 1,895 deaths from dengue fever out of 283,593 cases this year as of November 7. Click here to read… [5]

Bhutan

Bhutan, India move ahead in development cooperation – Kuensel

During His Majesty The King’s meeting with the leaders of India, Bhutan and India agreed to further expand bilateral cooperation on trade, technology, cross-border connectivity, mutual investments, education and people-to-people connections. The government of India (GoI) agreed to undertake the Final Location Survey (FLS) of the proposed cross-border rail link connecting Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan through GoI support. Click here to read… [6]

Gautam Adani meets Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck; says 'excited to explore opportunities' – Business Today

Talking about his experience of meeting King Wangchuck, Adani said that it was his honour to meet the king and hear his vision. He also noted that Wanhchuck's thoughts on the aspirational Bhutan are indeed inspiring. Click here to read… [7]

Maldives

Maldives to sign UNESCO Convention on illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property- Avas

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, upon recommendation from the Cabinet, has decided to submit the text of the ‘UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property’ to the Parliament for their approval. The ‘UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property’ is a treaty that empowers the protection of cultural and archaeological objects. As of today, 143 nations have signed the Convention. Click here to read… [8]

Abu Dhabi pledged MVR 1.2b for airport completion, Muizzu's office says- Atoll Times

The president-elect's spokesperson Mohamed Firzul told reporters at a press briefing that the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has pledged MVR 1.2 billion to Maldivian President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu on his one-day unofficial visit to the UAE. The pledge is made in order to complete the long-delayed new terminal project at the Velana International Airport (VIA). Click here to read… [9]

Myanmar

Myanmar junta leader: Country at risk of breaking apart due to ineffective government- Deccan Herald

U Myint Swe, president of the State Administration Council stated; “the country is at risk of breaking apart due to ineffective government management of recent violence in its border regions with China, and it is necessary to carefully control this issue”, at a national defence security council meeting. Click here to read… [10]

China’s Two Biggest Allies, Russia & Myanmar Hold 1st-Ever Naval Drills Amid Deteriorating Ties with West- The Eurasia Times

Myanmar and Russia are participating in their first joint naval drills, representing expanding relations between the two nations amid deteriorating ties with the Western world. Russian naval vessels transported a total of 800 sailors started arriving in Myanmar on November 2. The joint drills, which include Russia’s Pacific Fleet and Myanmar’s navy, are scheduled to conclude on November 9 in the Andaman Sea. Click here to read… [11]

Nepal

Provinces rise up against Kathmandu over denied powers – The Kathmandu Post

Management of the provincial police and civil service falls under the explicit authority that the Constitution of Nepal grants to provincial governments. As per Schedule 6 of the statute, the provinces can have their own police force and civil servants. The first five years of the provincial governments passed by without the police and civil services being set up. As the federal government continues to be indifferent even as the governments elected by the second provincial assemblies complete their one year, provincial leaders are starting to lose patience. Click here to read… [12]

China sends emergency aid to Nepal for quake-hit areas – Xinhua Net

A batch of Chinese emergency relief materials for earthquake-hit areas in western Nepal was transported to Pokhara International Airport on Wednesday. Two Chinese cargo planes landed at the airport with 600 cotton tents and 4,600 blankets worth 5 million RMB yuan (690,000 U.S. dollars). Click here to read… [13]

Pakistan

PM Kakar arrives in Tashkent to attend ECO summit – Dawn

Pakis­tan and Uzbekistan expre­ssed the resolve to finalise the Strategic Partnership Agr­ee­­ment at the earliest to promote regional economic integration on Wednesday, soon after caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq arrived in Tashkent to attend the 16th Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Summit. PM Kakar, accompanied by Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and Comm­erce Minister Gohar Ejaz, was received by Prime Minister Abdullah Nagma­tovich Aripov at Tashkent International Airport. Click here to read… [14]

BSF jawan dies after Pakistan Rangers resort to unprovoked firing in Jammu – Hindustan Times

According to an official aware of the details, a jawan was declared dead by doctors at the army hospital in Jammu’s Satwari town. A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan succumbed to his injuries on Thursday after Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing along the border in Jammu’s Ramgarh area, prompting the Indian forces to retaliate, officials said. Click here to read… [15]

SIFC WG discusses impediments to SEZs – Business Recorder

The Federal Minister for Privatisation, Fawad Hasan Fawad, chaired the first meeting of the SIFC Working Group to discuss impediments in the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) with the objective of fast-tracking industrialisation. The meeting was attended by all relevant stakeholders in the provincial governments and their industrial zone authorities. Click here to read… [16]

Sri Lanka

US wants China to share debt restructuring plan – NewsFirst

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung says that the Chinese Exim Bank restructuring proposal with Sri Lanka should be shared with the other creditors. Julie Chung spoke exclusively on 'The People's Platform’ program on News 1st on November 8, and said that the US is waiting on China to share the debt restructuring proposal that it put forward via the Chinese Export and Import Bank. Click here to read… [17]

Ministry accelerates signing MOU with Adani Group for wind power plant in Mannar: Charitha Herath- Daily Mirror

Addressing the media MP Prof. Charitha Herath stated that, the Power and Energy Ministry is expediting the signing of documents for a Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with India's Adani Group to establish a new wind power plant in the Mannar basin with a capacity of 250 MW, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). After completing the project, the responsible groups will be able to sell one unit of wind power-generated electricity for Rs. 46, and these people are trying to sign this agreement for 30 years. Click here to read… [18]

9th Regional dialogue on biodiversity finance in Sri Lanka features new opportunities- Lanka Business

The 9th Regional Dialogue on Biodiversity Finance takes place from 7 to 9 November 2023 in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, home of the historical ancient rock fortress, one of the new seven wonders of the world. To demonstrate how nature-positive economies can work for people and the planet, the United Nations Development Programme’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP-BIOFIN) is convening over 50 biodiversity finance experts, for the 9th Regional Dialogue on Biodiversity Finance. The Dialogue features various ways to mobilize finance for nature across Europe, Asia and the Pacific, to attain Targets 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and realize the 30 x 30 agenda. Delegates from across 16 countries joined the dialogue. Click here to read… [19]