Intersect: Africa
Seven COVID Risk Profiles A detailed study of the Covid-19 pandemic in different African countries showed a distinct set of risk profiles as determined by four factors: international exposure, urban population, age and press freedom. Gateway countries had high levels of international engagement including tourism and trade. This group of countries, which comprise the Democratic Republic […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | July 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Budget 2020-21• Terrorism and FATF• Pashtun Tahafuz Movement• COVID-19 crisis• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-China Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Corruption• COVID-19 crisis• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Afghanistan-Iran II Developments in Pakistan Budget 2020-21 The Pakistan National Assembly approved the budget for 2020-21 in the backdrop of worsening economic situation, particularly because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Economic Survey […]
Intersect: Africa
African Supply Chains Go Local The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains for foreign goods into Africa and made local entrepreneurs recognize the need to prioritize local manufacturing. Many retailers in Africa had simply imported goods, flying in products from China and India and then reselling them. British property consultancy Knight Frank showed in a […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | June 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• Pashtun Tahafuz Movement• COVID-19 crisis• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-China Afghanistan:• Power sharing agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah• Peace and Reconciliation• COVID-19 crisis• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Afghanistan-Iran II Developments in Pakistan Economy Addressing an online session of the World Economic Forum, PM Imran Khan called upon developed countries to provide debt relief to […]
Intersect: Africa
Covid Helps Somalia Consolidate The Somali government is using the pandemic to strengthen its legitimacy at a time when its control of the southern part of the country is challenged by Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda affiliate, and the northern areas of Somaliland and Puntland are quasi-independent. One, the Somali authorities, arguing they needed to […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | May 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• COVID-19 crisis• Terrorism• Allegations of wrongdoing against leading PTI members• Army tightens grip on Information Ministry• Pakistan-India Afghanistan:• US-Taliban deal• Controversy surrounding the Presidential election• COVID-19 crisis• Arrest of “Islamic State” terrorist• Continued violence• Afghanistan-Pakistan II Developments in Pakistan Economy According to a World Bank report, Pakistan will suffer a […]
Intersect: Africa
Africa And COVID-19 First Recession in 25 Years: The Covid-19 pandemic and the commodity and tourism crash it has triggered will push Africa into a recession for the first time in 25 years, said the World Bank. Africa may be the worst-affected continent by the present crisis. The World Bank calculates sub-Saharan Africa will see growth fall […]
Af-Pak Digest by Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | April 2020
I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• COVID-19 crisis• Pakistan raises Kashmir at SAARC leaders’ video conference on COVID-19• Pakistan-China• Pakistan-Iran Afghanistan:• US-Taliban deal• Controversy over result of the Presidential election continues• COVID-19 crisis• Afghanistan-US• Afghanistan-Iran• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Afghanistan-India• ICC ruling on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan II Developments in Pakistan Economy No sooner had Pakistan successfully completed the second […]
Intersect: Africa
Pandemic Arrives in Africa By the end of March, the World Health Organisation had confirmed 4,351 cases of Covid-19 and some 135 deaths across Africa. The continent’s under-resourced health services has made the virus’s spread in the continent of particular concern. WHO says its statistics are “likely to significantly underestimate” the true number of cases. […]
Intersect: Africa
US Visa Blocks Undermine Policy The United States continues to send crossed-signals regarding its policy to Africa. On one hand, the Trump administration controversially issued visa restrictions against citizens of four African countries and is preparing to reduce US involvement in military operations in the Sahel region. On the other, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, […]