Author: Admin
-
May 2021
Overview. Egypt is calling in the big guns as the talks on Ethiopia’s dam continue to falter. By reaching out to the USA, EU and the UN it hopes that some kind of compromise can be reached but is still not ruling out the possibility of offensive action. Egypt is also using a little emotional…
-
May 2021
Overview. April was a busy month in Pakistan, featuring more TLP protests and continued threats towards French nationals, a terrorist attack on the Serena Hotel in Quetta, calls for the military to become more involved in enforcing C19 restrictions, developments in Pakistani relations with Russia, and the accelerated withdrawal of allied forces from Afghanistan.…… Read…
-
May 2021
Overview. On the political front, all elections have been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. On the economic front, in more positive news, the IMF has upgraded Bangladesh GDP growth rate projections for 2021 from 4.4% to 5%. Export earnings have also risen more than 12% year-on-year, while FMO, a Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, has…
-
May 2021
Overview. The country’s C19 vaccination campaign began on 1st February with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and now continues with locally produced Sputnik V-based vaccine. After a peak in February, the oil price again started to decline, causing further depreciation of the Tenge. C19. Although the vaccination of the front-end professionals (doctors and teachers) started…
-
April 2021
Overview. The New Year (Nowruz) holiday takes place against the backdrop of tightening coronavirus restrictions and no let-up in the geopolitical situation. Signals of a move towards a JCPOA-like agreement look unlikely before the June presidential elections. A new strategic partnership is signed with China and the Suez blockage helps make the case for an…
-
April 2021
Overview. Egypt has been all over the headlines in March. Canals, crashes, collapses, confrontation and Covid are just a few of the big stories making international media. Aside from those headlines there were developments regards the GERD, tourism, C19 vaccination, and regional relationships. GERD. Once again, Ethiopia has rejected yet another suggestion aimed at breaking…
-
April 2021
Overview. Pakistan’s constitutional day was celebrated with zeal despite having a fresh wave of C19 sweeping the country - PM Khan tested positive in the week of the 15th March. The current surge has once again driven the country back towards lockdown restrictions. Meanwhile, having lost the senate election, the opposition and their united banner,…
-
April 2021
Overview. March was dominated by the celebration of Bangladesh’s golden jubilee and the centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth, with many leaders from the region coming to Bangladesh as part of the celebration. The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proved to be contentious, with clashes between police and Islamist organization Hefazat-e Islam…
-
April 2021
Overview. 20th March marked two years of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s five-year presidency term, and this year Kazakhstan celebrates 30 years of Independence. The country’s C19 vaccination campaign began on 1st February with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. After a peak in February, the oil price – central to the Kazakh economy – started to decline in…
-
February 2021
Overview. Tehran raised its pressure on Washington to move quickly on sanctions relief amid signs that President Biden’s administration is not in a rush to do so. Iranian politicians’ announcements on further deviations from nuclear compliance exemplify this. Biden’s team will coordinate with European allies on Iran policy in a marked change from his predecessor’s.………