Intersect: Africa
MOZAMBIQUE LNG PLAN ON HOLD Mozambique’s $24.1 billion Afungi liquefied natural gas (LNG) project received a major setback after French energy firm Total put construction activities on hold following renewed attacks by insurgents. Indian firms Oil India and ONGC Videsh together own a 30% stake in the terminal, the largest Indian investment on the continent. […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | March 2021
I Overview Pakistan:• Pakistan stays on FATF grey list• IMF Extended Fund Facility to be revived• Pakistan-India agree to cease firing along the LoC and all other sectors• Pakistan-US• Pakistan-Sri Lanka• Pakistan-France Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Afghanistan-India II Developments in Pakistan Pakistan stays on the FATF grey list The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to retain Pakistan […]
Intersect: Africa
100,000 COVID DEATHS Africa passed 100,000 confirmed Covid-19 deaths this month with signs the continent’s healthcare systems are struggling to contain the virus. “We are more vulnerable than we thought,” the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong. Lack of oxygen, ventilators and other medical equipment is proving to be […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | February 2021
I Overview Pakistan:• Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)• Terrorism• Pakistan-US Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Afghanistan-India• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Afghanistan-China II Developments in Pakistan Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) The opposition alliance -Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)- was nowhere close to its declared goal of forcing the Imran Khan government out of power and confined itself largely to threatening rhetoric at its rallies. Speaking in the beginning […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | January 2021
I Overview Pakistan:• Pakistan Democratic Movement running out of steam?• Economy• Pakistan-US• Pakistan-China Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Afghanistan-Iran II Developments in Pakistan Pakistan Democratic Movement running out of steam? Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of eleven opposition parties formed in September 2020 to, inter alia, press for the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan and an end to the […]
Intersect: Africa
ETHIOPIA’S POWER SHIFT The Ethiopian Federal Army has retaken control of most of the rebellious province of Tigray following fighting that began in November. Pockets of resistance continue in the mountainous region, leading to new waves of refugees crossing the border into Sudan. Ethiopia has deployed more troops and built fences along its Sudanese border […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | December 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)• Economy• Terrorism• Pakistan-India• OIC on Kashmir• Pakistan-China• Pakistan-Russia• Pakistan not to recognise Israel Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Geneva Pledging Conference on Afghanistan• Afghanistan-India• Afghanistan-Pakistan II Developments in Pakistan Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) The eleven party opposition alliance- PDM- continued to hold well attended rallies in various parts of Pakistan in spite of the hurdles created by the Imran Khan government, […]
Intersect: Africa
Ethiopian Province Rebels A spreading military confrontation between the Ethiopian regime of President Abiy Ahmed and the Tigrayan provincial government could become a larger regional struggle, drawing in neighbouring Eritrea and Sudan. Tigrayans, a small ethnic group in northern Ethiopia, wield disproportionate political influence thanks to their lead role in overthrowing the military regime in […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | October 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Opposition Parties• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-China Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Afghanistan-Pakistan II Developments in Pakistan Opposition Parties In November 2019, Nawaz Sharif, who had remained incarcerated on corruption charges since December 2018, was allowed to leave Pakistan for medical treatment in London by the PTI government based on an order of the Lahore High […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | September 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Terrorism• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-Saudi Arabia• Pakistan-China• Pakistan-Israel Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Afghanistan-Pakistan II Developments in Pakistan Terrorism With an eye on its forthcoming review at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Pakistan issued two notifications regarding application of UNSC prescribed sanctions on 88 leaders and members of various terror groups included in the […]