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 […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | March 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Regional and Global Issues Impact of Omicron Covid-19: While the Covid-19 Omicron wave seemed to be receding in most of the West Asia North Africa (WANA) region, it continued unabated in some pockets. The WHO reported on Feb 9 that infections and deaths were rising […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | February 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Regional Issues Impact of Omicron Covid-19: On Jan 25, IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath put the total global economic losses from the pandemic at close to $13.8 trillion through 2024. Many parts of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region were ravaged […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | January 2022
HIGHLIGHTS • Political Developments • Economic Developments• Bilateral Developments IA) Political Developments: Regional Issues Impact of Omicron Covid-19: As Omicron strain of SARS-Coronavirus knocked on the doors of West Asian states, preventive steps were hurriedly put in place. The first such cases were reported in Saudi Arabia (Dec 1), the UAE (1/12), Kuwait (8/12), Qatar (17/12), Iran (19/12) […]
West Asia & North Africa Digest by Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev | December 2021
IA) Political Developments: Regional Issues Impact of Omicron Covid-19: Discovery of a new and more virulent strain of the SARS-Coronavirus in South Africa and its designation of Variant of Concern by the WHO on November 26 sent a wave of panic throughout the world, including the WANA region. Apart from the renewed threat of infections, it […]