Neighborhood News Digest- 09 February 2024

Afghanistan

Muttaqi Criticizes Human Rights Rhetoric of West-Tolo News

The Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that during the last 20 years, acts of terrorism have been carried out in Afghanistan in the name of human rights. Click here to read… [2]

UN allocates $3.8 million to expelled Afghan migrants from Pakistan- The Khama Press

The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has announced that it has allocated $3.8 million to assist involuntary returnees from Pakistan. Click here to read… [3]

Muttaqi Discusses Trade with Uzbekistan Ambassador-Tolo News

The Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a meeting Yadgar Shadmanov, Uzbekistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, discussed a range of issues, including the development of trade relations between Kabul and Tashkent. Click here to read… [4]

Bangladesh

Seats reserved for women in JS: Race tougher than that of AL ticket for nat’l polls – The Daily Star

As it seems, the race for securing Awami League tickets for election to the reserved seats is much more intense than it was in getting AL nominations to contest the national polls. Click here to read… [5]

Dhaka to buy defence equipment from Delhi– The Daily Star

Terming security cooperation with India "on an upswing", Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has said Bangladesh will go for defence equipment purchase from India. Click here to read… [6]

Finance Minister: Bangladesh is doing well in IMF terms- Dhaka Tribune

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said that Bangladesh is doing well in line with the standards set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the government has fulfilled most of the conditions given by the global lender. Click here to read… [7]

Bhutan

BTFEC to support million-dollar environmental projects- Kuensel

Besides the 15 ongoing projects worth US Dollar 12 million, the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) said it would fund projects worth USD 2 million each year. Click here to read… [8]

Maldives

With the President's vision, "scenes from Dubai will soon be seen" in Maldives: Adam Shareef – Adhadhu

Local Government Minister, of Maldives, Adam Shareef highlighted that the work is underway to achieve the vision of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, and stated "scenes from Dubai will soon be seen in the Maldives.” Click here to read… [9]

India to replace its troops in Maldives with ‘competent’ technical personnel – Indian Express

India will replace its military personnel operating three aviation platforms in the Maldives with “competent” Indian technical personnel even as New Delhi asserted that it remained an important development partner of the island nation. Addressing a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “I would like to say that the present personnel will be replaced by competent Indian technical personnel.” Click here to read… [10]

Myanmar

One-third of Myanmar population in need of aid, says UN - RFA

The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar has soared to more than 18 million, or one-third of the population, from just over 1 million prior to the military coup, the United Nations announced this week, as the junta entered its fourth year in power. Click here to read… [11]

Bangladesh seeks India’s support on Myanmar - New Indian Express

India and Bangladesh have similar concerns regarding challenges posed by Myanmar and both should work together in tackling it, said Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Dr Hasan Mahmud. “We have junta soldiers coming to Bangladesh after fleeing Myanmar. Click here to read… [12]

Myanmar Humanitarian Corridor to Be Established Soon, Thai FM Says - The Diplomat

Thailand expects to open up a humanitarian corridor in about a month to deliver aid to civilians displaced by the conflict in neighboring Myanmar, the country’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said yesterday. Click here to read… [13]

Nepal

Nepal, Australia sign Trade and Investment Framework Agreement - Khabarhub

The Nepal-Australia Trade and Investment Framework (TIFA) was signed during Foreign Minister NP Saud’s ongoing visit to Australia, according to the Minister’s Secretariat. Nepal’s ambassador to Australia, Kailash Raj Pokharel, and Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tim Watts, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides in the presence of Minister Saud and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Click here to read… [14]

Nepal's Foreign Minister Saud to travel to India this month - Wion news

Nepal's Foreign Minister, Narayan Prakash Saud, has reiterated the enduring and multifaceted relationship between Nepal and India, highlighting historical, governmental, and people-to-people ties as pillars of their bilateral cooperation. Speaking to WION on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference in Perth, Saud stated, "We have a long history of relations, we have govt to govt relations, people to people relations. In this bilateral relation, we have signed many trade arrangements and we have good relations." Click here to read… [15]

Pakistan

Early results spring big surprises-Dawn

Despite an underlying ‘distrust’ in the electoral exercise, millions queued up to vote in Thursday’s long-overdue elections. Click here to read… [16]

PTI repeats 2018 sweep of K-P- The Express Tribune

In a near-repeat of the 2018 elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has ruled Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa twice, appeared headed for a clean-sweep, convincingly trouncing all rivals in both National Assembly and Provincial Assembly constituencies in the general elections held on Thursday, according to unofficial, unverified preliminary results. Click here to read… [17]

Commonwealth experts satisfied with poll process- Dawn

Expressing satisfaction at the polling exercise, a team of international observers from the Commonwealth, who arrived in Islamabad to monitor the electoral process, on Thursday played down suspension of mobile cellular services in the country. Click here to read… [18]

Sri Lanka

Anura Kumara’s visit to India a welcome move: Vajira - Daily Mirror Online

The visit of National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India is a welcome move and it is expected that his party will work with the present government, UNP MP and Chairman Vajira Abeywardena said today. Click here to read… [19]

India’s Petronet LNG to supply liquefied natural gas to Sri Lanka from 2025 – Daily Mirror Online

Petronet LNG Ltd, India's biggest liquefied natural gas company, will in 2025 start supplying LNG to Sri Lanka, initially in containers loaded on ships and later going on to build an import terminal, its chief executive said on Thursday. Click here to read… [20]

Sri Lanka government may extend visa exemption for Indian travellers after March – The Telegraph Online

Sri Lanka is likely to extend visa exemption status for India after March to keep attracting travellers from the country and encourage repeat visits, Tourism and Lands, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Harin Fernando said on Thursday. Click here to read… [21]