Category: Politics

On February 23, 2019, Saudi Arabia appointed its first female ambassador, Princess Reema Bint Bandar, to the United States. A former Vice-President of Women’s Affairs at General Sports Authority and a known philanthropist who lived in the US for more than two decades, her appointment came as a replacement of Price Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, which was a result of fallout over journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder tests relations between the allies.

The princess, who has been a pioneer women’s rights advocate in the kingdom, is also a rising political star in the country. Her appointment is considered as an earnest effort from Saudi Arabia that tries to smooth relations with the US after facing wide criticism for the murder of the US journalist at the Saudi consulate in Turkey. The appointment is considered as a desperate measure to quell the international outcry.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt’s President, has been elected chairman of the African Union by the continental body at a summit in Ethiopia. He has been appointed the chair of the 55-member pan-African body after former Rwandan President Paul Kagame stepped down.

The Egyptian leader said he would target his fight against the armed groups on the continent and focus his efforts on rebuilding the countries recovering from conflict during his one year term as a chairman of African Union. According to Sisi, the African Union will use mediation and ‘preventive diplomacy’ as mechanisms for promoting peace and security in the continent. He added that his main focus would be on creating an Africa-wide free trade zone.

However, Amnesty International, the leading human rights group, expressed its concern regarding Sisi’s chairmanship as it would weaken human rights mechanisms in the African Union.

According to Amnesty’s Campaign Director for North African region, it was during the tenure of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi when he exhibited shocking contempt for human rights and the country underwent a catastrophic decline in rights and freedom. The human rights group stated that since 2015 Egypt has been organizing ceaseless political attacks against the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the body that monitors African States Human Rights records.

In November 2019, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited India and met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and co-chaired the 5th Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).

Both countries acceded to sign seventeen agreements in the fields of agriculture, ayurveda, maritime technology, migration, occupational diseases and yoga. Five Joint Declarations of Intent were also exchanged on strategic projects, partnership for green urban mobility, research and development on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cooperation in the field of prevention of marine litter.

Following are some significant India-Germany MoUs: An Implementing Arrangement on Exchange of Personnel between ISRO and German Aerospace Centre – Joint Declarations of Intent and MoUs on:

• Cooperation in the Field of Civil Aviation
• Cooperation within the International Smart Cities Network
• Cooperation between the Field of Skills Development and Vocational Education and Training
• Strengthening Economic Cooperation in the field of Start-ups
• Establishment of Bilateral Cooperation Project regarding Agricultural Market Development
• Exchanged between Siemens Limited, India and MSDE and German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development on Skills for Sustainable Growth
• Occupational Diseases, Rehabilitation and vocational training of Insured Persons & workers with disabilities

The 16th ASEAN-India Summit 2019 was held in Thailand in November 2019. The summit was chaired by H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-Cha, Prime Minister of Kingdom of Thailand. Along with 16th ASEAN-India Summit 2019, there are other summits that took place such as 35th ASEAN Summit, 14th East Asia Summit and 3rd meeting of RCEP.

The honorable Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended and co-chaired the summit along with the heads of member countries – Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, and Laos.
The summit brought up and discussed topics related to promotion on ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership and ways to increase maritime cooperation, trade, investments, connectivity and partnership in science, technology and innovation.

At the summit, India extended USD $ 1 billion as line of credit for the improvement of physical and digital connectivity.

The interim and incumbent President of Kazakhstan, Kassym Jomart Tokayev won the country’s presidential elections by receiving 70.96 percent votes. With more than 50% votes in his favor, he was recognized as the elected President by the Member of Central Election Commission (ECE), Lyazzat Suleiman.

The new President took oath at the Palace of Independence in the country’s capital, Noor Sultan. Tokayev was the Interim President after former First President, veteran ruler, and former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev gave his resignation. He had sworn an oath after receiving a presidential certificate from the Chair of Chief Election Commission, Berik Imashev and addressed a gathering of around 2500 people including members of the Government, member of Nur Otan party and diplomatic corps.

The total voter’s turnout for all seven presidential candidates was 77.5 percent that includes Daniya Yespayeva, the country’s first woman candidate. The nearest rival of Tokayev was Amirzhan Kossanov of the Ult Tagdyry United National Patriotic Movement who received 16.23% votes.

The new President emphasized following the footsteps and strategies of Nazarbayev including The Third Modernization, 100 Concrete Steps to Implement Five Institutional Reforms and Digital Kazakhstan program.

In a historic referendum, Britain opted out of the 72-year-old treaty with the European Union on June 23, 2016. 72% of the British population came out to vote for the crucial decision and 51.9% opted to leave the European Union.

While England and Wales came out in strong support of the Leave side with 53.4% to 46.6% and 52.5% to 47.5% respectively, Scotland and Northern Ireland favored to stay in the Union. Scotland backed Remain by 62% to 38%, while 55.8% in Northern Ireland voted Remain and 44.2% Leave.

Britain’s decision to exit European Union – called Brexit – wasn’t taken easily by the world economy, and it affected Britain’s economy adversely. As a result, the Pound fell to its lowest level since 1985. David Cameron, then Prime Minister of Britain resigned after the referendum that called for Brexit. Though the referendum was his prime agenda in his election manifesto, he wasn’t satisfied with the historic verdict. In his own words, “I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination.”

After David Cameron’s resignation, a new Prime Minister – Theresa May – has been elected. She was the former home secretary. Though May favored the Remain side, after her election as the Prime Minister she said that she would respect the will of the people. She has said that she intends to trigger the leaving process by the end of March 2017. Thus, the UK is expected to leave the European Union by the summer of 2019.

Turkish Defense Ministry has fired or suspended over 4,200 military personnel since the failed coup attempt this summer. Many teachers, doctors, nurses, and others suspected of having ties to Muhammed Fethullah Gülen, the alleged man behind the coup attempt, have also been dismissed.

The attempted seizure of the government by military took place on the evening of July 15 with the rebels attacking government institutions and clashing with police and civilians in the streets. Severe violence erupted in Istanbul and the capital city Ankara. The ill-fated Friday saw the killing of more than 260 people and around 2,200 were injured. The attempt was prevented by the military loyal to the government along with police units and millions of people in favor of democracy.

In another development, EU Commission VP has stated that the role of Gülen’s terror group in the coup attempt is not deniable. During a visit to Turkey in late September, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson too had mentioned, “The incidents in July were absolute violence, anti-democratic and ill-minded and the best approach would be suppressing this. Now, we must take a serious look in our own country for any signs of the Gülen organization.”

The 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit was held at the Venezuelan resort island of Margarita from September 13 to 18, 2016. The theme of the Summit was “Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development.”

The key issues conversed at the Summit were climate change, sustainable economic development, human rights, unilateral sanctions, peacekeeping missions, religious tolerance, and U.N. Security Council reforms. Also discussed were international solidarity, South-South cooperation, the role of youth, gender equality, the need for a new world communications and information order, and independence for Palestine and the Western Sahara.

In a 21 point closing declaration the member states urged the United Nations to give equal footing to the developing countries in the Security Council. The member states also committed to build more harmony, initiate new alliances, work on promoting peace, eradicating poverty, and addressing climate change on the world stage. The declaration rejected the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba, condemned Europe’s policy on refugees, and expressed support for the people of Palestine and Puerto Rico in their struggle against occupation and for self-determination as well.

Speaking about the Summit at a press conference, Venezuelan President Maduro said, “This Summit, we can say, has been a total success, a victory of Bolivarian diplomacy.”

The membership of NAM today comprises 53 countries from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean and 2 from Europe (Belarus, Azerbaijan). There are 17 countries and 10 international organizations that are Observers at NAM. The Non Aligned Movement came into being 55 years ago when leaders of 25 developing countries met at the 1961 Belgrade Conference.

Lieutenant General Aziz Ahmed has been recently appointed as the new Bangladesh Army Chief for tenure of three years. His term will officially start on 26th June 2018. Lieutenant General Ahmed is currently serving as the Quartermaster General of the Bangladesh Army.

The son of Wadud Ahmed, a former Bangladesh Air Force official raised in Chandpur, Ahmed passed his SSC exams from Mohammadpur Government High School and went to Notre Dame College to receive a Diploma in Textile Technology in 1980. He is a graduate of Defense Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur. Ahmed possesses extreme diligence and poise and has had an exceptional career that rightfully led him to his current designation.

In his career as a military man, he’s served in Chittagong Hill Tracts GSO-3 (Operations) and as a Brigade major for the infantry brigade, a Grade-2 official of the Army Training Directorate and a Grade-1 staff officer of the Army Directorate of Pay and Allowance. Ahmed has also had diverse experiences as a commander in the army and has commanded one Artillery Regiment, one BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) Battalion, two Artillery Brigades including an Independent Air Defense Artillery Brigade.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Indonesia as a part of his Three-Nation tour to East Asia.
His visit is a realization of his “Act East” Policy to create stronger bonds with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Its main objective was bilateral cooperation between the 2 nations in maritime, trade and investment. The two leaders signed 15 agreements on areas including cooperation in

defense, exploration, use of outer space, science and technology, capacity building of public officials, dialogue and interaction between governments, think tanks as well as in health and railways.

Aviation strategies were also discussed to improve and strengthen the air route. Direct flights by Garuda Indonesia between Bali and Mumbai are being welcomed as well as flights by Batik Air and Air Asia Indonesia serving Indian and Indonesian cities.