West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | June 2023
HIGHLIGHTS Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Regional and International Developments The Arab League held its 32nd ordinary Summit on May 19 in Jeddah. It was conspicuous for two developments: firstly, it readmitted Syria to the Arab fold after over 11 years and President Bashar Al-Assad attended the […]
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 | March 2023
IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues Pandemics and Natural Disasters: Two severe earthquakes struck south-central Turkey and north-western Syria on Feb 6 causing colossal death and destruction. The first, measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, happened before sunrise and was centred 26 km east of the Turkish city of Nurdagi; the second, 7.5 strong, […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest By Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | November 2022
HIGHLIGHTS Political Developments Economic Developments Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Pan-Regional and Global Issues WANA and Ukraine Conflict: On Oct 5, Ukraine alleged that the Russian forces had used Shahed-136 Kamikaze drones built by Iran. A swarm attack on Oct 17 at Kyiv by these drones killed 8 people. On the same day, the United […]
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 […]