West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | December 2023
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA Regional Security and Terrorism During most of the month under review, the ferocious campaign by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) in Gaza against Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) (“Operation Iron Swords”, or OIS) that began on Oct 8, continued. The only exception was during the […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | November 2023
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA Regional Security and Terrorism On the October 7 day break, several specially trained units of the Izzat al-Din al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas (“Al-Harkat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya”, or Islamic Resistance Movement) and Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fighters launched a well-coordinated, multi-pronged attack titled “Amaliya Al-Aqsa Toofan” or “Operation Al-Aqsa […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | October 2023
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Regional and International Developments The flux and fog about the United States (US) mediated rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia persisted during the month with the stakeholders making periodic remarks swinging between the difficulties and early conclusion of the process. Thus, Reuters reported in an exclusive on Sept […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | May 2023
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Regional and International Developments As a follow-up to March 10 ground-breaking meeting between their respective national security advisors hosted by China, the foreign ministers of the two countries met in Beijing on April 6. The following joint statement was issued […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | September 2022
HIGHLIGHTS Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Pakistan and WANA Region: Islamabad continues to press Gulf monarchies to bail her out of the acute balance of payment crisis that has left the country with forex reserves barely enough for a month’s imports. It had partial success. During an official visit […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | August 2022
HIGHLIGHTS Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues General: Islamic New Year 1444 AH commenced on July 30. After two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Haj pilgrimage returned to a semblance of normalcy in 2022. It concluded with Eid al-Adha on July 9. Nearly one mn foreign Hajis […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | July 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA and Ukraine Conflict: On June 29, Syria announced that it has recognised the independence and sovereignty of Donetsk and Luhansk republics, the two pro-Russia entities which have broken away from Ukraine. A Turkish military delegation travelled to Russia during the […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | June 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Russian Invasion of Ukraine: On an Italian TV programme on May 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was asked how Russia can claim that it is fighting to “de-Nazify” Ukraine when President Volodymyr Zelensky is himself Jewish. His reply, “I could […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | May 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA and Afghanistan: On April 11, Afghan protesters chanted slogans such as “death to Iran” outside the Iranian embassy in Kabul and pelted Iran’s consulate in Herat with rocks. These protests were reacting to the videos allegedly showing Iranian border guards […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | April 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA and Ukraine Conflict: During the month under review, WANA countries had to contend with the Ukraine war in several ways. Turkey and Israeli leaders were engaged in containing the hostilities and negotiating a ceasefire. They were eventually unsuccessful. The major […]