SOUTH ASIA
Political Front: In Bangladesh top leaders of AL have emphasized the need for essential constitutional amendments to establish good governance and democracy in the country. At the same time internal rift has intensified inside Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Chittagong unit. Moving towards Sri Lanka, its Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, has urged critical elements to facilitate the government in dealing with the issue of displaced people, rather then using it as a political tool. Political turmoil continues in Nepal where political parties have failed to reach a consensus, mainly regarding Maoist demands. In the Maldives an alliance of opposition parties has been trying to oust the government of Mohammad Nasheed. Also SALAF, a relig
ious NGO in the country has advised the government against establishing ties with Israel. Bhutanese PM and government officials have expressed deep concern regarding 21st Sept earthquake, while trying to garner assistance from international agencies. In the meanwhile in Myanmar official media is stressing peace and stability in the run up to the multi-party general election scheduled next year.
Geo-strategic Front: US-Bangla ties have acquired a new dimension in the stead of the Obama regime seeking support world wide. Through USAID the U.S. Government has also signed an agreement to provide $205 million over a five year period to Nepal. Also the new US Ambassador to the Maldives, Ms Patricia A. Butenis, has assured support in the areas of security and development. The Maldives government has also signed a developmental loan agreement with Saudi Fund. In the meanwhile India has expressed serious concerns about the welfare of the IDPs in Northern Sri Lanka.
Social Front: In Bangladesh recently at least 232 H1N1 positive cases have been detected taking the count up to 604. All the while Sri Lanka has recorded the highest male death rate from liver diseases and the overall the highest male-female mortality ratio worldwide. In the Maldives over 15 kilos of narcotic drugs was destroyed by a special police committee.
A major earthquake in Bhutan has killed 12 people, injured 37 and affected at least 3,992 homes and 111 schools. Landslides triggered by heavy rains in southern part of Myanmar have also killed 3 Buddhist monks and damaged monasteries and homes.
Economic Front: South Asian business communities have been urged to invest more in Bangladesh an attractive investment destination in the region. All the while the country has earned remittances of 6.1 billion US dollars, in the last eight months. Despite economic recovery in the region, Srilankan air lines industry has to loose billions of rupees due to the economic turmoil. The government of Nepal collected Rs. 22.5 billion revenue by the second month of the current fiscal year. Still in an attempt to lessen the impact of the economic crisis, the country is set to cut salaries of civil servants by an average of 12.5%.
EAST ASIA
Political Front: Indonesian President Yudhoyono is deliberating his new cabinet for his second five years Presidential term set to start on 20 Oct. All the while Noordin Mohammed, an Al-Qaeda associate has died in a police attack. The Thai government has announced an Internal Security Act, to tighten security for the upcoming Asean summit. Meanwhile Red-shirt protestors have warned to launch three big demonstrations against the ruling regime in the month of October.
Geo-strategic Front: In the wake of the clashes between Thai protestors and Cambodian forces, the Thai government has criticized Cambodia’s excessive use of force while the later has admonished disruptive protestors. The dispute is over an ancient temple site. A primary concern has been the holdup in the resumption of peace talks.
Social Front: A group of about 40 Cambodian Cham Muslims came in clash with the police in front of a court over the arrest of one of their community leaders on disinformation charges.
Rapidly spreading Swine flu has become a serious source of tension for Thailand
Economic Front: Terrorists in Indonesia are regarded as a potent source of economic decline in the country, while Inflation in the country has unexpectedly accelerated in Sept. Inflation pressure has substantially increased in Vietnam as well. Lastly, Singapore is taking measures to attract investments in a bid to overcome impacts of the economic crisis.
CENTRAL ASIA
Political Front: The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) has reiterated its commitment to hold talks with Opposition parties on common national issues. Meanwhile the party has approved a program for the upcoming municipal elections. Kyrgyz Opposition party has expressed its readiness to hold negotiations with the ruling regime after the release of its detained members. Government however denied receiving any written or oral suggestion by the Joint People’s Movement in that line. Parliamentary election campaign in Uzbekistan started last week.
Geo-strategic Front: Azerbaijan has strongly condemned Armenia for attending Independence Day celebrations of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. UN that has declared Armenian occupation of Azeri land to be illegal has also been called on to condemn the act. Meanwhile the current US regime has expressed interest in deploying missile shield in Azerbaijan in a radical revision of missile defence plans. The country is opposed to a military base set up but has welcomed the deployment of Gabala Radar. All the while Azerbaijan and Russia have also signed military cooperation Plan for 2010. Military exercises by several members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) including Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, US and Britain, have started in northern Kazakhstan.
Kyrgyz PM has assigned high priority to cooperation with the US. A senior Tajik defense official has warned that fierce fights between Afghanistan's Taliban and the U.S.-led coalition may lead to the spillover of violence into neighboring Tajikistan. Meanwhile Tajik Ministry of Defense (MoD) has denied rumors about the possible withdrawal of the Russian military base from Tajikistan. Russian and Turkmen leaders have failed to sign a new gas deal. Meanwhile India has reiterated its interest in importing gas energy from Turkmenistan. Also Uzbek and Mongolian foreign ministry officials held their first-ever consultative meeting to discuss bilateral political, economic, trade, and humanitarian relations.
Social Front: A Norwegian human rights group has given its annual prize to an Azeri journalist, Malahat Nasibova, who was selected for her reporting on abuse of power, human rights violations, and corruption in the isolated Nakhchivan region in Azerbaijan. Europe's main security and rights watchdog has criticized its future chairman Kazakhstan for seizing the print run of an opposition newspaper, "Republika" weekly. Independent Journalists held a public protest in support of jailed Kazakh rights activist. Kyrgyz defence Ministry has claimed that at least 2 thousand school children annually become participants in crimes.
The Human Rights Dialogue between the Republic of Tajikistan and the European Union took place for the second time in Dushanbe. A quarrel between Chinese and Turkmen workers at an energy company in eastern Turkmenistan has left several people injured and hundreds detained. Meanwhile Kazakhstan has introduced a piece of legislation allowing transgender operations.
Economic Front: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to extend up to $600 million in loans to Azerbaijan for water and sanitation improvements in infrastructure. Also the Azerbaijani Central Bank (CB) has recently completed the first phase of the project on improvement of risk management. Eight months after Kazakhstan’s law on Islamic finance and banking was adopted, a handful of local and international Islamic institutions have been established in the country. Russia and Kazakhstan's leadership have reiterated pledges to boost their bilateral economic and energy partnership. However, they remain divided over some divergent interests, notably in gas processing and oil transit.
While in Kyrgyzstan GDP growth has reached 114.3 billion soms in Jan-Aug 09’, inflation rate has hit 2.5-3 % this year while its export dropped 14.9 % compared to last year and amounted to $807.5 million. The Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade claimed that growth remained intact this year despite the economic crisis.
GCC
Geo-strategic Front: Israeli attacks against Palestinian worshipers in the sacred Mosque have been strongly condemned by GCC. Secretary General of GCC has asked the international community and the UNO to take strict measures against such aggression. In the meantime Gulf countries have appreciated Obama’s UN General Assembly address, claiming it provided a base for resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks. In the meantime GCC has expressed disappointment over the US’ inability to freeze Israel settlements.
Foreign Secretaries of Gulf countries held meeting with their Russian counterparts at the meeting of UNGA and discussed ways to boost their ties at various fronts. Oman held talks with Iran to discuss various issues including the Iranian nuclear program. All the while Foreign Minister of UAE at UNGA asked Iran to vacate its occupied islands. HezbAllah has accused United Arab Emirates for expelling dozens of long-term Lebanese Shiite residents from the country over their presumed affiliation with the Islamic group. Lastly, at its fourth assembly the Secretary-general of the World Council of Religious Leaders has appreciated Saudi King for paving the way for interfaith dialogues. At the same time Qatar has been declared as the most peaceful country in the Middle East by the Global Peace Index.
Social Front: During National Day celebrations Saudi teen-age rioters caused massive damage to restaurants and showrooms of international brands at the pretext of them being Israeli supporters. Meanwhile Hajj and Umrah businesses in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madina have incurred financial losses of about $240 million as a result of swine flu fears.
UAE has reiterated its commitment to fight human trafficking.
Economic Front: Economic experts believe that GCC countries have been slow in reacting to the impact of the global economic crisis. All the while Intra-Arab trade has gotten a significant boost since the WTO’s Doha Round. As a result of oil price rise Kuwait earned KD6.64bn ($ 23.1bn) in the first five months of its fiscal year, about 82 % of projected annual income.
TURKEY
Political Front: The government has reiterated its commitment to resolve Kurdish issue through its democratic initiative. As a first step government has decided to annul a law which prevents retrials based on the European Court of Human Rights (ECTHR) rulings against Turkey; hence giving the Kurdish people the right to appeal against the government. The Prime Minister has also won a lawsuit filed against the leader of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, for defamation.
Geo-strategic Front: Turkey has strongly condemned Israeli attacks against Masjid-e-Aqsa as PM Erdogan called Israel the only ‘potent threat’ in the region. Further more Turkey hopes to mediate between the West and Iran, while the Turkish PM appreciated the latter’s decision to open its doors to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The PM also announced plans for signing a diplomatic deal with Armenia. The Turkish decision came due to the US pressure as well as Turkish desire to be part of EU. Within EU, Germany and France, opposed to Turkish entry into the Union have offered privileged partnership to the country instead, however Turkey has declined to accept.
Social Front: The government has announced a plan allowing minorities to worship at sacred places.
Economic Front: In Turkey annual inflation increased 5.27 percent in consumer prices index, and rose 0.47 percent in producer prices index as of September. All the while number of foreign tourists arriving in the southern resort city of Antalya by airplanes since the beginning of 2009 reached nearly 7.5 million. IMF and World Bank have also predicted a speedy recovery for Turkey.
Political Front: In Bangladesh top leaders of AL have emphasized the need for essential constitutional amendments to establish good governance and democracy in the country. At the same time internal rift has intensified inside Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Chittagong unit. Moving towards Sri Lanka, its Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, has urged critical elements to facilitate the government in dealing with the issue of displaced people, rather then using it as a political tool. Political turmoil continues in Nepal where political parties have failed to reach a consensus, mainly regarding Maoist demands. In the Maldives an alliance of opposition parties has been trying to oust the government of Mohammad Nasheed. Also SALAF, a relig
ious NGO in the country has advised the government against establishing ties with Israel. Bhutanese PM and government officials have expressed deep concern regarding 21st Sept earthquake, while trying to garner assistance from international agencies. In the meanwhile in Myanmar official media is stressing peace and stability in the run up to the multi-party general election scheduled next year.Geo-strategic Front: US-Bangla ties have acquired a new dimension in the stead of the Obama regime seeking support world wide. Through USAID the U.S. Government has also signed an agreement to provide $205 million over a five year period to Nepal. Also the new US Ambassador to the Maldives, Ms Patricia A. Butenis, has assured support in the areas of security and development. The Maldives government has also signed a developmental loan agreement with Saudi Fund. In the meanwhile India has expressed serious concerns about the welfare of the IDPs in Northern Sri Lanka.
Social Front: In Bangladesh recently at least 232 H1N1 positive cases have been detected taking the count up to 604. All the while Sri Lanka has recorded the highest male death rate from liver diseases and the overall the highest male-female mortality ratio worldwide. In the Maldives over 15 kilos of narcotic drugs was destroyed by a special police committee.
A major earthquake in Bhutan has killed 12 people, injured 37 and affected at least 3,992 homes and 111 schools. Landslides triggered by heavy rains in southern part of Myanmar have also killed 3 Buddhist monks and damaged monasteries and homes.
Economic Front: South Asian business communities have been urged to invest more in Bangladesh an attractive investment destination in the region. All the while the country has earned remittances of 6.1 billion US dollars, in the last eight months. Despite economic recovery in the region, Srilankan air lines industry has to loose billions of rupees due to the economic turmoil. The government of Nepal collected Rs. 22.5 billion revenue by the second month of the current fiscal year. Still in an attempt to lessen the impact of the economic crisis, the country is set to cut salaries of civil servants by an average of 12.5%.
EAST ASIA
Political Front: Indonesian President Yudhoyono is deliberating his new cabinet for his second five years Presidential term set to start on 20 Oct. All the while Noordin Mohammed, an Al-Qaeda associate has died in a police attack. The Thai government has announced an Internal Security Act, to tighten security for the upcoming Asean summit. Meanwhile Red-shirt protestors have warned to launch three big demonstrations against the ruling regime in the month of October.
Geo-strategic Front: In the wake of the clashes between Thai protestors and Cambodian forces, the Thai government has criticized Cambodia’s excessive use of force while the later has admonished disruptive protestors. The dispute is over an ancient temple site. A primary concern has been the holdup in the resumption of peace talks.
Social Front: A group of about 40 Cambodian Cham Muslims came in clash with the police in front of a court over the arrest of one of their community leaders on disinformation charges.
Rapidly spreading Swine flu has become a serious source of tension for Thailand
Economic Front: Terrorists in Indonesia are regarded as a potent source of economic decline in the country, while Inflation in the country has unexpectedly accelerated in Sept. Inflation pressure has substantially increased in Vietnam as well. Lastly, Singapore is taking measures to attract investments in a bid to overcome impacts of the economic crisis.
CENTRAL ASIA
Political Front: The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) has reiterated its commitment to hold talks with Opposition parties on common national issues. Meanwhile the party has approved a program for the upcoming municipal elections. Kyrgyz Opposition party has expressed its readiness to hold negotiations with the ruling regime after the release of its detained members. Government however denied receiving any written or oral suggestion by the Joint People’s Movement in that line. Parliamentary election campaign in Uzbekistan started last week.
Geo-strategic Front: Azerbaijan has strongly condemned Armenia for attending Independence Day celebrations of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. UN that has declared Armenian occupation of Azeri land to be illegal has also been called on to condemn the act. Meanwhile the current US regime has expressed interest in deploying missile shield in Azerbaijan in a radical revision of missile defence plans. The country is opposed to a military base set up but has welcomed the deployment of Gabala Radar. All the while Azerbaijan and Russia have also signed military cooperation Plan for 2010. Military exercises by several members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) including Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, US and Britain, have started in northern Kazakhstan.
Kyrgyz PM has assigned high priority to cooperation with the US. A senior Tajik defense official has warned that fierce fights between Afghanistan's Taliban and the U.S.-led coalition may lead to the spillover of violence into neighboring Tajikistan. Meanwhile Tajik Ministry of Defense (MoD) has denied rumors about the possible withdrawal of the Russian military base from Tajikistan. Russian and Turkmen leaders have failed to sign a new gas deal. Meanwhile India has reiterated its interest in importing gas energy from Turkmenistan. Also Uzbek and Mongolian foreign ministry officials held their first-ever consultative meeting to discuss bilateral political, economic, trade, and humanitarian relations.
Social Front: A Norwegian human rights group has given its annual prize to an Azeri journalist, Malahat Nasibova, who was selected for her reporting on abuse of power, human rights violations, and corruption in the isolated Nakhchivan region in Azerbaijan. Europe's main security and rights watchdog has criticized its future chairman Kazakhstan for seizing the print run of an opposition newspaper, "Republika" weekly. Independent Journalists held a public protest in support of jailed Kazakh rights activist. Kyrgyz defence Ministry has claimed that at least 2 thousand school children annually become participants in crimes.
The Human Rights Dialogue between the Republic of Tajikistan and the European Union took place for the second time in Dushanbe. A quarrel between Chinese and Turkmen workers at an energy company in eastern Turkmenistan has left several people injured and hundreds detained. Meanwhile Kazakhstan has introduced a piece of legislation allowing transgender operations.
Economic Front: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to extend up to $600 million in loans to Azerbaijan for water and sanitation improvements in infrastructure. Also the Azerbaijani Central Bank (CB) has recently completed the first phase of the project on improvement of risk management. Eight months after Kazakhstan’s law on Islamic finance and banking was adopted, a handful of local and international Islamic institutions have been established in the country. Russia and Kazakhstan's leadership have reiterated pledges to boost their bilateral economic and energy partnership. However, they remain divided over some divergent interests, notably in gas processing and oil transit.
While in Kyrgyzstan GDP growth has reached 114.3 billion soms in Jan-Aug 09’, inflation rate has hit 2.5-3 % this year while its export dropped 14.9 % compared to last year and amounted to $807.5 million. The Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade claimed that growth remained intact this year despite the economic crisis.
GCC
Geo-strategic Front: Israeli attacks against Palestinian worshipers in the sacred Mosque have been strongly condemned by GCC. Secretary General of GCC has asked the international community and the UNO to take strict measures against such aggression. In the meantime Gulf countries have appreciated Obama’s UN General Assembly address, claiming it provided a base for resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks. In the meantime GCC has expressed disappointment over the US’ inability to freeze Israel settlements.
Foreign Secretaries of Gulf countries held meeting with their Russian counterparts at the meeting of UNGA and discussed ways to boost their ties at various fronts. Oman held talks with Iran to discuss various issues including the Iranian nuclear program. All the while Foreign Minister of UAE at UNGA asked Iran to vacate its occupied islands. HezbAllah has accused United Arab Emirates for expelling dozens of long-term Lebanese Shiite residents from the country over their presumed affiliation with the Islamic group. Lastly, at its fourth assembly the Secretary-general of the World Council of Religious Leaders has appreciated Saudi King for paving the way for interfaith dialogues. At the same time Qatar has been declared as the most peaceful country in the Middle East by the Global Peace Index.
Social Front: During National Day celebrations Saudi teen-age rioters caused massive damage to restaurants and showrooms of international brands at the pretext of them being Israeli supporters. Meanwhile Hajj and Umrah businesses in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madina have incurred financial losses of about $240 million as a result of swine flu fears.
UAE has reiterated its commitment to fight human trafficking.
Economic Front: Economic experts believe that GCC countries have been slow in reacting to the impact of the global economic crisis. All the while Intra-Arab trade has gotten a significant boost since the WTO’s Doha Round. As a result of oil price rise Kuwait earned KD6.64bn ($ 23.1bn) in the first five months of its fiscal year, about 82 % of projected annual income.
TURKEY
Political Front: The government has reiterated its commitment to resolve Kurdish issue through its democratic initiative. As a first step government has decided to annul a law which prevents retrials based on the European Court of Human Rights (ECTHR) rulings against Turkey; hence giving the Kurdish people the right to appeal against the government. The Prime Minister has also won a lawsuit filed against the leader of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, for defamation.
Geo-strategic Front: Turkey has strongly condemned Israeli attacks against Masjid-e-Aqsa as PM Erdogan called Israel the only ‘potent threat’ in the region. Further more Turkey hopes to mediate between the West and Iran, while the Turkish PM appreciated the latter’s decision to open its doors to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The PM also announced plans for signing a diplomatic deal with Armenia. The Turkish decision came due to the US pressure as well as Turkish desire to be part of EU. Within EU, Germany and France, opposed to Turkish entry into the Union have offered privileged partnership to the country instead, however Turkey has declined to accept.
Social Front: The government has announced a plan allowing minorities to worship at sacred places.
Economic Front: In Turkey annual inflation increased 5.27 percent in consumer prices index, and rose 0.47 percent in producer prices index as of September. All the while number of foreign tourists arriving in the southern resort city of Antalya by airplanes since the beginning of 2009 reached nearly 7.5 million. IMF and World Bank have also predicted a speedy recovery for Turkey.
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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' The blog development project has been undertaken and developed jointly by the Gilani Research Foundation and BPM as a free resource and social discussion tool.
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' The blog development project has been undertaken and developed jointly by the Gilani Research Foundation and BPM as a free resource and social discussion tool.
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