West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | April 2024
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA Regional Security and Terrorism March was largely a month of suspended animation in the military aspects of the Gaza conflict. A relative lull in fighting in Gaza could attributed to several factors, such as Israeli failure to achieve its war objectives, dissensions within Israeli war cabinet about the endgame, […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | March 2024
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA Regional Security and Terrorism With the approaching Islamic holy month of Ramadhan, the desperately needed ceasefire in the Gaza conflict remained elusive during the month largely due to maximalist and obdurate postures adopted by the two antagonists. Two rounds of indirect negotiations, among the intelligence chiefs of […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | February 2024
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA Regional Security and Terrorism Despite several strenuous efforts to broker a “humanitarian pause” at the UN and by the United States and other mediators, there was no let-up in fighting in Gaza during the month under review. Israel Defence Force (IDF) persisted with its “Operation Iron Swords” […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | January 2024
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA Regional Security and Terrorism Following the end of the humanitarian pause and exchange of some of the hostages and prisoners, the IDF-Hamas hostilities resumed in Gaza on Dec 1 and continued unabated till the end of the month under review. According to the Hamas-run Gaza […]
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 | September 2023
HIGHLIGHTS Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Regional and International Developments 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg decided to invite 6 countries to join the organisation from 1.1.2024. These included four from the WANA region, viz. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt and the UAE. Of these, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi was […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | August 2023
HIGHLIGHTS Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Regional and International Developments Repeated incidents of public burning of the Quran in Nordic countries (Sweden on 20/7, Denmark on 24/7 and 25/7) ignited – as intended – a strong reaction in many countries of the West Asia North Africa (WANA) […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | July 2023
H I G H L I G H T S Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Regional and International Developments ∙ The visit by the US secretary of state Antony Blinken to Saudi Arabia on June 8-9 included a call on Saudi PM and Crown Prince Mohammed bin […]