Category: Country Reports
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January 2022
Overview. December was a relatively stable month politically, with not much activity. On the economic front, the IMF has forecasted 6.6% growth for Bangladesh in the ongoing fiscal year. Exports have exceeded the USD 4 billion mark for the third month in a row. However, remittances have fallen by 26% year-on-year in December.…… Read the…
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January 2022
Overview. The PTI suffered a set back after losing local elections in KP province, the PTI’s stronghold. Omicron has been detected in Karachi and in Islamabad. The TTP ceasefire was not extended and so ended on 9th December, prompting a rise in terrorist attacks. C19. After its detection in Karachi almost a fortnight ago, Omicron…
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January 2022
Overview. Officially, Omicron has not yet been found in the RoK. New regulations and taxes to control cryptocurrency mining are being introduced. Kazakhstan marked 30 years of Independence on 16-17th December. C19. ~400-500 new cases a day. 47.7% (8,947,986 people) of the population (19,118,898 people) have received at least one vaccine jab, and 45.1% (8,459,231…
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January 2022
Overview. The seventh round of nuclear talks in early December made little progress. Expectations were low – as expected Iran presented maximalist positions and Western parties emphasised that time is running out. An eighth round started on 27th December at which we can expect more delay from the Iranian side.…… Read the rest
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January 2022
Overview. As we roll into a new year and celebrate the beginning of 2022 we remember that this year is also the 100th anniversary year of the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb. Howard Carter’s discovery sparked the beginning of a golden era of archaeology in Egypt. A century later and it appears Egypt is again basking…
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January 2022
Overview. December has been a relatively uneventful month. Tourism is creeping back, the politicians are in recess and Omicron is everywhere. Whilst hospital admissions have gone up, this variant is more like the flu we all know, and it is having little serious impact. Election. The President and Raila Odinga have this month made public…
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December 2021
Overview. Iran fails to compromise with the IAEA on centrifuge production line access, boding badly for the nuclear talks resuming in Vienna soon. It appears that Iran will continue with its maximalist demands in the talks’ initial phases. Nearly a year into the Biden presidency, the GCC now supports a revised JCPOA; a volte face…
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December 2021
Overview. Autocracy, theocracy, democracy are all words used to describe Egypt’s political stage over the last decade. These terms have defined Egyptian politics as a weak economy and political revolt sparked political change that was supposed to revolutionise the Egyptian political scene. Yet, as 2021 comes to an end, little has really changed.…… Read the…
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December 2021
Overview. Further cracks in Pakistan’s civil-military relations are appearing, now sparked by the outwardly positive development of a ceasefire with the TTP. Opposition party protests continue, as do price-hikes and subsequent strikes. These developments could threaten Prime Minister Imran Khan’s chances of re-election in the 2023 general elections. C19.…… Read the rest
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December 2021
Overview. 41% of the population are fully vaccinated. Electricity consumption by illegal CC miners continues to be a focus, and has now hit international headlines. The Republic celebrates First President’s Day on 1st December and will mark 30 years of independence on 16-17th December. C19. ~1100-1200 new cases a day.…… Read the rest