WION global summit: Namal Rajapaksa and others on Future of South Asia

WION is hosting "Unleashing the Power of South Asia" conclave which will emerge as a platform for South Asian countries to build regional co-operation.

At the conclave, "WION - World is One" is bringing together thought leaders from around the world to find a common ground on the way forward for the South Asian region.

The conclave will be held on February 20 in Dubai and will be inaugurated by the chief guest and guest of honour, His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance, United Arab Emirates. Indian ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Navdeep Suri will be the guest of honour.

The day-long conclave will dwell on subjects that matter to the emerging economies of South Asia, like "Counter Terrorism - the Indian perspective in a multi-polar world", and "Uprooting state-sponsored terrorism and how it is imperative for peace in South Asia".

Former Indian Army chief General Bikram Singh will be in conversation with former Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani.

Among the 50 most influential people in India is spiritual guru, Sadhguru. At the WION global summit, Sadhguru will talk about the need for economic co-operation among South Asian powers.

What is the future of South Asia? WION brings together Namal Rajapaksa, a lawmaker from Sri Lanka, former Bangladesh minister and ruling Awami League member Hasan-ul-Haq Inu, and South Asia expert Michael Kugelman to deliberate on the issue.

Soft power plays a key role in building alliances and strategic partnerships. And sports and entertainment play an important part in realising this. On one of the panels, television host and international journalist Riz Khan will moderate a discussion on "Is the face of media and entertainment changing?"

And is the ICC Cricket World Cup headed back to South Asia? Indian cricketer VVS Laxman will share his thoughts on the dominance of Indian cricket.

Tune into WION on Wednesday, February 20, as decision makers from South Asia explore sustainable solutions for promoting peace and prosperity in the region.

WION is hosting "Unleashing the Power of South Asia" conclave which will emerge as a platform for South Asian countries to build regional co-operation. At the conclave, "WION - World is One" is bringing together thought leaders from around the world to find a common ground on the way forward for the South Asian region.

WION is hosting "Unleashing the Power of South Asia" conclave which will emerge as a platform for South Asian countries to build regional co-operation. At the conclave, "WION - World is One" is bringing together thought leaders from around the world to find a common ground on the way forward for the South Asian region. The conclave will be held on February 20 in Dubai and will be inaugurated by the chief guest and guest of honour, His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance, United Arab Emirates. Indian ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Navdeep Suri will be the guest of honour. The day-long conclave will dwell on subjects that matter to the emerging economies of South Asia, like "Counter Terrorism - the Indian perspective in a multi-polar world", and "Uprooting state-sponsored terrorism and how it is imperative for peace in South Asia". Former Indian Army chief General Bikram Singh will be in conversation with former Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani. Among the 50 most influential people in India is spiritual guru, Sadhguru. At the WION global summit, Sadhguru will talk about the need for economic co-operation among South Asian powers. What is the future of South Asia? WION brings together Namal Rajapaksa, a lawmaker from Sri Lanka, former Bangladesh minister and ruling Awami League member Hasan-ul-Haq Inu, and South Asia expert Michael Kugelman to deliberate on the issue. Soft power plays a key role in building alliances and strategic partnerships. And sports and entertainment play an important part in realising this. On one of the panels, television host and international journalist Riz Khan will moderate a discussion on "Is the face of media and entertainment changing?" And is the ICC Cricket World Cup headed back to South Asia? Indian cricketer VVS Laxman will share his thoughts on the dominance of Indian cricket. Tune into WION on Wednesday, February 20, as decision makers from South Asia explore sustainable solutions for promoting peace and prosperity in the region.

WION’s 'Unleashing the Power of South Asia' conclave to build co-operation in the region

Myanmar's famed Inle Lake has enchanted tourists for decades with its floating gardens and the graceful leg-rowing style of its fisherman, but experts warn the lake is drying up and urgent action is needed to avoid disaster.

Each year around 200,000 foreigners and one million locals visit Inle -- a vast, serene body of water surrounded by verdant hills.

Many criss-cross the lake on small wooden boats to visit stilted villages of the Intha ethnic minority.

Others glide soundlessly overhead in hot-air balloons as farmers tend to drifting fields of tomatoes below, grown on the water on layers of decomposing vegetation.

Fishermen elegantly propel their boats with their leg curled round a large oar.

But there is a "darker side" to this seemingly bucolic idyll, says Martin Michalon, a researcher into the impact of development on the lake.

As farmers race to produce higher yields, pesticides and fertilisers are slowly poisoning the water.

Inle is also shrinking at an alarming rate.

"One century ago, it was six metres (nearly 20 feet) deep in rainy season... now it is never more than three metres deep," explains Michalon.

Deforestation to clear land for development and slash-and-burn farming is thought to be largely to blame, with silt flowing into the lake from surrounding hillsides.

But water extraction for irrigation and increased numbers of tourists could also be putting undue strain on the water table.

If conditions at the lake deteriorate, then tourism -- the area's most powerful economic driver -- will also likely be affected.

Urgent action is needed to avoid Inle experiencing this "double disaster" in the next few years, warns Michalon.

Political will to help save Inle Lake has so far not been translated into action.

"There is very loud commitment, but on the ground very little changes," he added.

Myanmar's famed Inle Lake has enchanted tourists for decades with its floating gardens and the graceful leg-rowing style of its fisherman, but experts warn the lake is drying up and urgent action is needed to avoid disaster.

Myanmar's famed Inle Lake has enchanted tourists for decades with its floating gardens and the graceful leg-rowing style of its fisherman, but experts warn the lake is drying up and urgent action is needed to avoid disaster. Each year around 200,000 foreigners and one million locals visit Inle -- a vast, serene body of water surrounded by verdant hills. Many criss-cross the lake on small wooden boats to visit stilted villages of the Intha ethnic minority. Others glide soundlessly overhead in hot-air balloons as farmers tend to drifting fields of tomatoes below, grown on the water on layers of decomposing vegetation. Fishermen elegantly propel their boats with their leg curled round a large oar. But there is a "darker side" to this seemingly bucolic idyll, says Martin Michalon, a researcher into the impact of development on the lake. As farmers race to produce higher yields, pesticides and fertilisers are slowly poisoning the water. Inle is also shrinking at an alarming rate. "One century ago, it was six metres (nearly 20 feet) deep in rainy season... now it is never more than three metres deep," explains Michalon. Deforestation to clear land for development and slash-and-burn farming is thought to be largely to blame, with silt flowing into the lake from surrounding hillsides. But water extraction for irrigation and increased numbers of tourists could also be putting undue strain on the water table. If conditions at the lake deteriorate, then tourism -- the area's most powerful economic driver -- will also likely be affected. Urgent action is needed to avoid Inle experiencing this "double disaster" in the next few years, warns Michalon. Political will to help save Inle Lake has so far not been translated into action. "There is very loud commitment, but on the ground very little changes," he added.

The race to save Myanmar's Inle Lake

Afghanistan's foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani on Monday met Indian envoy to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar in Kabul. During the meeting, both the sides discussed a range of issues including the Pulwama terror attack.&nbsp;

During the meet, the Afghan FM called terror a global threat and "asked for a serious struggle of all countries against this phenomenon," according to a release by Afghan foreign ministry.

The Afghan government had condemned the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama and expressed their condolences for the loss.

Both sides discussed the expansion of trilateral cooperation between Afghanistan, India and China; the Afghan peace talks and the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan.

During the informal summit last year between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, both agreed to work in Afghanistan and initially decided to train Afghan diplomats jointly.

On Sunday, the Indian ambassador met Afghan President’s Special Envoy and CEO of the High Peace Council, M Umer Daudzai, to discuss the Afghan peace process.

India has been engaging with Afghanistan and with neighbouring countries like Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia on the peace process in the South Asian country. India's official policy on the Afghan peace process is that it should be "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled".

Afghanistan's foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani on Monday met Indian envoy to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar in Kabul. During the meeting, both the sides discussed a range of issues including the Pulwama terror attack.

Afghanistan's foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani on Monday met Indian envoy to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar in Kabul. During the meeting, both the sides discussed a range of issues including the Pulwama terror attack. During the meet, the Afghan FM called terror a global threat and "asked for a serious struggle of all countries against this phenomenon," according to a release by Afghan foreign ministry. The Afghan government had condemned the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama and expressed their condolences for the loss. Both sides discussed the expansion of trilateral cooperation between Afghanistan, India and China; the Afghan peace talks and the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan. During the informal summit last year between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, both agreed to work in Afghanistan and initially decided to train Afghan diplomats jointly. On Sunday, the Indian ambassador met Afghan President’s Special Envoy and CEO of the High Peace Council, M Umer Daudzai, to discuss the Afghan peace process. India has been engaging with Afghanistan and with neighbouring countries like Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia on the peace process in the South Asian country. India's official policy on the Afghan peace process is that it should be "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled".

Indian envoy to Afghanistan meets Afghan FM; discusses terror, peace process

Six people have been charged with the gruesome murder four years ago of a controversial atheist blogger, Bangladesh police said Monday.

Avijit Roy, a Bangladesh-born US national, was hacked to death on a busy road outside Dhaka University in February 2015. His wife was critically injured in the attack.

Police investigators said 11 of the 12 militants from the outlawed Ansar al Islam group implicated in the murder took part in the street killing.&nbsp;

"Six people have been charged over the murder of Avijit Roy. Of the six, two are on the run," Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman told AFP.

A sacked army major who masterminded the attack was one of those still on the loose, Rahman said, adding police could not identify the other five involved.

One suspect was killed by police in a crackdown that followed the murder.&nbsp;

Roy, who migrated to the United States two decades ago, was known in Bangladesh for his Mukto-Mona (Free-mind) blog, where he railed against all forms of organised religion.

One of his books, "The Virus of Faith", became a controversial bestseller in Bangladesh, which is officially secular even though 90 per cent of the population is Muslim.

Ansar al Islam has been accused of the 2013-14 murders of atheist and secular bloggers and gay activists that prompted many to flee the country.

The government launched a crackdown on Ansar and other radical groups after an attack on a Dhaka cafe in July 2016 left 18 foreigners dead.

Nearly 100 extremists have since been killed by police while hundreds have been arrested.

Six people have been charged with the gruesome murder four years ago of a controversial atheist blogger, Bangladesh police said Monday. Avijit Roy, a Bangladesh-born US national, was hacked to death on a busy road outside Dhaka University in February 2015.

Six people have been charged with the gruesome murder four years ago of a controversial atheist blogger, Bangladesh police said Monday. Avijit Roy, a Bangladesh-born US national, was hacked to death on a busy road outside Dhaka University in February 2015. His wife was critically injured in the attack. Police investigators said 11 of the 12 militants from the outlawed Ansar al Islam group implicated in the murder took part in the street killing. "Six people have been charged over the murder of Avijit Roy. Of the six, two are on the run," Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman told AFP. A sacked army major who masterminded the attack was one of those still on the loose, Rahman said, adding police could not identify the other five involved. One suspect was killed by police in a crackdown that followed the murder. Roy, who migrated to the United States two decades ago, was known in Bangladesh for his Mukto-Mona (Free-mind) blog, where he railed against all forms of organised religion. One of his books, "The Virus of Faith", became a controversial bestseller in Bangladesh, which is officially secular even though 90 per cent of the population is Muslim. Ansar al Islam has been accused of the 2013-14 murders of atheist and secular bloggers and gay activists that prompted many to flee the country. The government launched a crackdown on Ansar and other radical groups after an attack on a Dhaka cafe in July 2016 left 18 foreigners dead. Nearly 100 extremists have since been killed by police while hundreds have been arrested.

Six charged over 2015 murder of Bangladesh blogger

China on Tuesday played down media reports that Beijing plans to sell its first aircraft carrier 'Liaoning' to Pakistan, saying it follows certain principles while exporting its naval ships to other countries.

A Pakistani newspaper on February 10 cited the Chinese and Russian media reports as stating that "the Chinese government has decided to sell its first and only aircraft carrier to Pakistan...For a yet-undetermined price in order to upgrade the Pakistan Navy's capabilities."

Such a move will make the Pakistan Navy more competitive against India, which has an operational aircraft carrier, the report said, adding that 'Liaoning' will be resold to Pakistan after a "large-scale upgrade."

When asked for her comment on the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "I have not seen the report you mentioned."

"But China has always followed principles regarding exports of its naval ships to other countries," she said, without elaborating.

An earlier report said China, which shares close linkages with the Pakistan military, is currently building four modern naval ships for the Pakistan Navy.

Chinese military experts, however, termed the media report of the sale of the Liaoning to Pakistan as false.

The Chinese government has never disclosed any plan regarding such a deal, state-run Global Times here reported.

It also said that its reporter could not find the Chinese media report regarding the sale cited by the Pakistani newspaper.&nbsp;

It is a groundless allegation and complete falsehood, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and commentator, told the Global Times.

As China's first-ever aircraft carrier, the Liaoning acts as both training vessel and combat warship, that there is a zero possibility of reselling it, and China does not have spare carriers to sell to Pakistan, Song noted.&nbsp;

The Liaoning is the only Chinese aircraft carrier in active service, and the country's first domestically developed carrier, known as the Type-001 A, is still undergoing sea trials.

Song said that "such reports have no credibility even judging from Pakistan's perspective, as the country's navy pursues an onshore defence strategy, which means it does not need a carrier. And its defence budget cannot afford an aircraft carrier or maintain one.

Pakistan's main focus is to maintain its own strategic nuclear capabilities rather than to promote the improvement of conventional capabilities, especially the improvement of offshore capabilities. (Buying China's carrier) does not meet the actual needs of Pakistan, Song said.

China is reportedly building a third aircraft carrier.

Although it has been widely speculated that China will have at least five aircraft carriers, including two nuclear-powered ones by 2030-2035, China's defence ministry has not yet revealed a plan for future carriers, the Global Times said.&nbsp;

China on Tuesday played down media reports that Beijing plans to sell its first aircraft carrier 'Liaoning' to Pakistan, saying it follows certain principles while exporting its naval ships to other countries.

China on Tuesday played down media reports that Beijing plans to sell its first aircraft carrier 'Liaoning' to Pakistan, saying it follows certain principles while exporting its naval ships to other countries. A Pakistani newspaper on February 10 cited the Chinese and Russian media reports as stating that "the Chinese government has decided to sell its first and only aircraft carrier to Pakistan...For a yet-undetermined price in order to upgrade the Pakistan Navy's capabilities." Such a move will make the Pakistan Navy more competitive against India, which has an operational aircraft carrier, the report said, adding that 'Liaoning' will be resold to Pakistan after a "large-scale upgrade." When asked for her comment on the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "I have not seen the report you mentioned." "But China has always followed principles regarding exports of its naval ships to other countries," she said, without elaborating. An earlier report said China, which shares close linkages with the Pakistan military, is currently building four modern naval ships for the Pakistan Navy. Chinese military experts, however, termed the media report of the sale of the Liaoning to Pakistan as false. The Chinese government has never disclosed any plan regarding such a deal, state-run Global Times here reported. It also said that its reporter could not find the Chinese media report regarding the sale cited by the Pakistani newspaper. It is a groundless allegation and complete falsehood, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and commentator, told the Global Times. As China's first-ever aircraft carrier, the Liaoning acts as both training vessel and combat warship, that there is a zero possibility of reselling it, and China does not have spare carriers to sell to Pakistan, Song noted. The Liaoning is the only Chinese aircraft carrier in active service, and the country's first domestically developed carrier, known as the Type-001 A, is still undergoing sea trials. Song said that "such reports have no credibility even judging from Pakistan's perspective, as the country's navy pursues an onshore defence strategy, which means it does not need a carrier. And its defence budget cannot afford an aircraft carrier or maintain one. Pakistan's main focus is to maintain its own strategic nuclear capabilities rather than to promote the improvement of conventional capabilities, especially the improvement of offshore capabilities. (Buying China's carrier) does not meet the actual needs of Pakistan, Song said. China is reportedly building a third aircraft carrier. Although it has been widely speculated that China will have at least five aircraft carriers, including two nuclear-powered ones by 2030-2035, China's defence ministry has not yet revealed a plan for future carriers, the Global Times said.

China plays down media reports of selling aircraft carrier to Pakistan

A delegation of Mohajirs and representatives of Pashtun, Baloch, and Hazara from Pakistan met Congressman Rob Wittman and apprised him about the alleged acts of ethnic prejudice and persecution by the government agencies against the members of minority communities.

The Virginia Congressman reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the delegation that he would continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, a media release by the Congressman said on Sunday.&nbsp;

The group, led by the Voice of Karachi and South Asia Minorities Alliance Foundation chairman Nadeem Nusrat, briefed Wittman about the alleged human rights violation, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, physical torture and arbitrary arrests against the minority communities.

Nusrat pointed out the devastating economic and social impact of a highly discriminatory quota system in urban Sindh that has forced the majority urban population out of government jobs and admissions in public educational institutions since the 1970s.

"You could find people of Lahore and Rawalpindi and other cities in their local police. But you'd hardly find the citizens of Karachi, Hyderabad, and Mirpurkhas in the local police of the cities and the other law enforcement agencies," Nusrat alleged.

"Persistent and organised rigging in a census and electoral constituencies have left the urban population disenfranchised. The urban majority is ruled by a fake rural population that treats urban areas as its colonies," he said.

Nusrat also shared with the Congressman details of Greater Karachi plans that the Voice of Karachi recently presented in its media briefing in the US capital.

Pashtun, Baloch and Hazara representatives also shared the details of human rights violations in their respective regions with Congressman Wittman.&nbsp;

Participants of the meeting also handed over documents describing details of security forces' brutalities against various ethnic and religious groups in Pakistan, a media release said.

Wittman, who has served at many important Congressional committees, reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the participants of the meeting that he will continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, the media release said.&nbsp;

A delegation of Mohajirs and representatives of Pashtun, Baloch, and Hazara from Pakistan met Congressman Rob Wittman and apprised him about the alleged acts of ethnic prejudice and persecution by the government agencies against the members of minority communities.

A delegation of Mohajirs and representatives of Pashtun, Baloch, and Hazara from Pakistan met Congressman Rob Wittman and apprised him about the alleged acts of ethnic prejudice and persecution by the government agencies against the members of minority communities. The Virginia Congressman reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the delegation that he would continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, a media release by the Congressman said on Sunday. The group, led by the Voice of Karachi and South Asia Minorities Alliance Foundation chairman Nadeem Nusrat, briefed Wittman about the alleged human rights violation, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, physical torture and arbitrary arrests against the minority communities. Nusrat pointed out the devastating economic and social impact of a highly discriminatory quota system in urban Sindh that has forced the majority urban population out of government jobs and admissions in public educational institutions since the 1970s. "You could find people of Lahore and Rawalpindi and other cities in their local police. But you'd hardly find the citizens of Karachi, Hyderabad, and Mirpurkhas in the local police of the cities and the other law enforcement agencies," Nusrat alleged. "Persistent and organised rigging in a census and electoral constituencies have left the urban population disenfranchised. The urban majority is ruled by a fake rural population that treats urban areas as its colonies," he said. Nusrat also shared with the Congressman details of Greater Karachi plans that the Voice of Karachi recently presented in its media briefing in the US capital. Pashtun, Baloch and Hazara representatives also shared the details of human rights violations in their respective regions with Congressman Wittman. Participants of the meeting also handed over documents describing details of security forces' brutalities against various ethnic and religious groups in Pakistan, a media release said. Wittman, who has served at many important Congressional committees, reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the participants of the meeting that he will continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, the media release said.

Pakistan minority groups brief US Congressman over human rights abuses

Cash-strapped Pakistan said on Saturday that the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) was providing it a three-year $4.5 billion oil financing facility, which will ease pressure on its balance-of-payments.

The finance ministry said that $1.5 billion worth of oil on deferred payment each year by the bank had been agreed. The program will continue for three years.

The facility was already activated in July 2018 and the ministry said Pakistan received oil worth $100 million in the first phase under the agreement with IDB.

Pakistan is also negotiating a $8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy.

The government reached out to some "friendly countries" for economic assistance including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE since Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August and has received financial help to a great extent.

The government was also working with the IDB for a similar agreement to provide Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on deferred payments.

The arrangement with the IDB is in addition to the agreement with Saudi Arabia to provide oil worth $3 billion on deferred payments.&nbsp;

Officials said the oil supply under an arrangement with Saudi government will start by the middle of February.&nbsp;

Pakistan is also engaged with the UAE to get a facility on the pattern of Saudi Arabia.

Both Saudi Arabia and UAE also agreed to provide $3 billion each to ease the pressure.

Riyadh has already credited the pledged $3 billion while UAE has provided $1 billion so far.

Pakistan foreign reserves were boosted after payments by the friendly countries, giving enough time to the government to negotiate a bailout package with the IMF, according to officials.

 
&nbsp;

Cash-strapped Pakistan said on Saturday that the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) was providing it a three-year $4.5 billion oil financing facility, which will ease pressure on its balance-of-payments.

Cash-strapped Pakistan said on Saturday that the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) was providing it a three-year $4.5 billion oil financing facility, which will ease pressure on its balance-of-payments. The finance ministry said that $1.5 billion worth of oil on deferred payment each year by the bank had been agreed. The program will continue for three years. The facility was already activated in July 2018 and the ministry said Pakistan received oil worth $100 million in the first phase under the agreement with IDB. Pakistan is also negotiating a $8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. The government reached out to some "friendly countries" for economic assistance including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE since Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August and has received financial help to a great extent. The government was also working with the IDB for a similar agreement to provide Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on deferred payments. The arrangement with the IDB is in addition to the agreement with Saudi Arabia to provide oil worth $3 billion on deferred payments. Officials said the oil supply under an arrangement with Saudi government will start by the middle of February. Pakistan is also engaged with the UAE to get a facility on the pattern of Saudi Arabia. Both Saudi Arabia and UAE also agreed to provide $3 billion each to ease the pressure. Riyadh has already credited the pledged $3 billion while UAE has provided $1 billion so far. Pakistan foreign reserves were boosted after payments by the friendly countries, giving enough time to the government to negotiate a bailout package with the IMF, according to officials.

Pakistan to receive $4.5 billion oil financing facility from Islamic Development Bank

By Craig Jeffrey

In recent days, Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne announced efforts to strengthen Australia’s involvement in the Indian Ocean region, and the importance of working with India in defence and other activities. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi – a geopolitical conference co-hosted by the Indian government – Payne said: "Our respective futures are intertwined and heavily dependent on how well we cooperate on the challenges and opportunities in the Indian Ocean in the decades ahead."

Among Payne’s announcements was a $25 million for a four-year infrastructure program in South Asia (The South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity initiative, or SARIC), which will primarily focus on the transport and energy sectors.

She also pointed to increasing defence activities in the Indian Ocean, noting that in 2014, Australia and India had conducted 11 defence activities together, with the figure reaching 38 in 2018.

Payne’s speech highlights the emergent power of the Indian Ocean region in world affairs. The region comprises the ocean itself and the countries that border it. These include Australia, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

In terms of global political significance, the Atlantic Ocean can be viewed as the ocean of our grandparents and parents; the Pacific Ocean as the ocean of us and our children; and the Indian Ocean as the ocean of our children and grandchildren.

There is an obvious sense in which the region is the future. The average age of people in the region’s countries is under 30, compared to 38 in the US and 46 in Japan. The countries bordering the Indian Ocean are home to 2.5 billion people, which is one-third of the world’s population.

But there is also a strong economic and political logic to spotlighting the Indian Ocean as a key emerging region in world affairs and a strategic priority for Australia.

Some 80 per cent of the world’s maritime oil trade flows through three narrow passages of water, known as choke points, in the Indian Ocean. This includes the Strait of Hormuz – located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman – which provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.

The economies of many Indian Ocean countries are expanding rapidly as investors seek new opportunities. Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Tanzania witnessed economic growth in excess of 5 per cent in 2017 – well above the global average of 3.2 per cent.

India is the fastest growing major economy in the world. With a population expected to become the world’s largest in the coming decades, it is also the one with the most potential.

Politically, the Indian Ocean is becoming a pivotal zone of strategic competition. China is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects across the region as part of its One Belt One Road initiative.

For instance, China gave Kenya a $3.2 billion loan to construct a 470 kilometre railway (Kenya’s biggest infrastructure project in over 50 years) linking the capital Nairobi to the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa.

Chinese state-backed firms are also investing in infrastructure and ports in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh. Western powers, including Australia and the United States, have sought to counter-balance China’s growing influence across the region by launching their own infrastructure funds – such as the US$113 million US fund announced last August for the digital economy, energy, and infrastructure projects.

In security terms, piracy, unregulated migration, and the continued presence of extremist groups in Somalia, Bangladesh and parts of Indonesia pose significant threats to Indian ocean countries.

Countries in the region need to collaborate to build economic strength and address geopolitical risks, and there is a logical leadership role for India, being the largest player in the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Shangri La Dialogue in June, 2008: "The Indo-Pacific is a natural region. It is also home to a vast array of global opportunities and challenges. I am increasingly convinced with each passing day that the destinies of those of us who live in the region are linked."

More than previous Indian Prime Ministers, Modi has travelled up and down the east coast of Africa to promote cooperation and strengthen trade and investment ties, and he has articulated strong visions of India-Africa cooperative interest.

Broader groups are also emerging. In 1997, nations bordering the Bay of Bengal established the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation &nbsp;(BIMSTEC), which works to promote trade links and is currently negotiating a free trade agreement. Australia, along with 21 other border states, is a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) which seeks to promote sustainable economic growth, trade liberalisation and security.

But, notwithstanding India’s energy and this organisational growth, Indian Ocean cooperation is weak relative to Atlantic and Pacific initiatives.

Australia’s 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper seeks to support IORA in areas such as maritime security and international law. Private organisations, such as the Minderoo Foundation, are doing impressive research – as part of the Flourishing Oceans iinitiative– on the migration of sea life in an effort to advance environmental sustainability and conservation.

But Australia could focus more on how to promote the Indian Ocean. In Australia’s foreign affairs circles, there used to be a sense Asia stopped at Malta. But it seems the current general understanding of the “Indo-Pacific” extends west only as far as India.

What this misses – apart from the historical relevance and contemporary economic and political significance of the Indian Ocean region generously defined – is the importance of the ocean itself.

Not just important for trade and ties

If the Ocean was a rainforest, and widely acknowledged as a repository of enormous biodiversity, imagine the uproar at its current contamination and the clamour around collaborating across all countries bordering the ocean to protect it.

The reefs, mangroves, and marine species that live in the Ocean are under imminent threat. According to some estimates, the Indian Ocean is warming three times faster than the Pacific Ocean.

Overfishing, coastal degradation, and pollution are also harming the ocean. This could have catastrophic implications for the tens of millions of fishermen dependent on the region’s marine resources and the enormous population who rely on the Indian Ocean for their protein.

Australia must continue to strengthen its ties in the region - such as with India and Indonesia - and also build new connections, particularly in Africa.

(Craig Jeffrey is Director and CEO of the Australia India Institute; Professor, University of Melbourne)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-indian-ocean-region-might-soon-play-a-lead-role-in-world-affairs-109663">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Craig Jeffrey In recent days, Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne announced efforts to strengthen Australia’s involvement in the Indian Ocean region, and the importance of working with India in defence and other activities.

By Craig Jeffrey In recent days, Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne announced efforts to strengthen Australia’s involvement in the Indian Ocean region, and the importance of working with India in defence and other activities. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi – a geopolitical conference co-hosted by the Indian government – Payne said: "Our respective futures are intertwined and heavily dependent on how well we cooperate on the challenges and opportunities in the Indian Ocean in the decades ahead." Among Payne’s announcements was a $25 million for a four-year infrastructure program in South Asia (The South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity initiative, or SARIC), which will primarily focus on the transport and energy sectors. She also pointed to increasing defence activities in the Indian Ocean, noting that in 2014, Australia and India had conducted 11 defence activities together, with the figure reaching 38 in 2018. Payne’s speech highlights the emergent power of the Indian Ocean region in world affairs. The region comprises the ocean itself and the countries that border it. These include Australia, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. In terms of global political significance, the Atlantic Ocean can be viewed as the ocean of our grandparents and parents; the Pacific Ocean as the ocean of us and our children; and the Indian Ocean as the ocean of our children and grandchildren. There is an obvious sense in which the region is the future. The average age of people in the region’s countries is under 30, compared to 38 in the US and 46 in Japan. The countries bordering the Indian Ocean are home to 2.5 billion people, which is one-third of the world’s population. But there is also a strong economic and political logic to spotlighting the Indian Ocean as a key emerging region in world affairs and a strategic priority for Australia. Some 80 per cent of the world’s maritime oil trade flows through three narrow passages of water, known as choke points, in the Indian Ocean. This includes the Strait of Hormuz – located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman – which provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. The economies of many Indian Ocean countries are expanding rapidly as investors seek new opportunities. Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Tanzania witnessed economic growth in excess of 5 per cent in 2017 – well above the global average of 3.2 per cent. India is the fastest growing major economy in the world. With a population expected to become the world’s largest in the coming decades, it is also the one with the most potential. Politically, the Indian Ocean is becoming a pivotal zone of strategic competition. China is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects across the region as part of its One Belt One Road initiative. For instance, China gave Kenya a $3.2 billion loan to construct a 470 kilometre railway (Kenya’s biggest infrastructure project in over 50 years) linking the capital Nairobi to the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa. Chinese state-backed firms are also investing in infrastructure and ports in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh. Western powers, including Australia and the United States, have sought to counter-balance China’s growing influence across the region by launching their own infrastructure funds – such as the US$113 million US fund announced last August for the digital economy, energy, and infrastructure projects. In security terms, piracy, unregulated migration, and the continued presence of extremist groups in Somalia, Bangladesh and parts of Indonesia pose significant threats to Indian ocean countries. Countries in the region need to collaborate to build economic strength and address geopolitical risks, and there is a logical leadership role for India, being the largest player in the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Shangri La Dialogue in June, 2008: "The Indo-Pacific is a natural region. It is also home to a vast array of global opportunities and challenges. I am increasingly convinced with each passing day that the destinies of those of us who live in the region are linked." More than previous Indian Prime Ministers, Modi has travelled up and down the east coast of Africa to promote cooperation and strengthen trade and investment ties, and he has articulated strong visions of India-Africa cooperative interest. Broader groups are also emerging. In 1997, nations bordering the Bay of Bengal established the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which works to promote trade links and is currently negotiating a free trade agreement. Australia, along with 21 other border states, is a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) which seeks to promote sustainable economic growth, trade liberalisation and security. But, notwithstanding India’s energy and this organisational growth, Indian Ocean cooperation is weak relative to Atlantic and Pacific initiatives. Australia’s 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper seeks to support IORA in areas such as maritime security and international law. Private organisations, such as the Minderoo Foundation, are doing impressive research – as part of the Flourishing Oceans iinitiative– on the migration of sea life in an effort to advance environmental sustainability and conservation. But Australia could focus more on how to promote the Indian Ocean. In Australia’s foreign affairs circles, there used to be a sense Asia stopped at Malta. But it seems the current general understanding of the “Indo-Pacific” extends west only as far as India. What this misses – apart from the historical relevance and contemporary economic and political significance of the Indian Ocean region generously defined – is the importance of the ocean itself. Not just important for trade and ties If the Ocean was a rainforest, and widely acknowledged as a repository of enormous biodiversity, imagine the uproar at its current contamination and the clamour around collaborating across all countries bordering the ocean to protect it. The reefs, mangroves, and marine species that live in the Ocean are under imminent threat. According to some estimates, the Indian Ocean is warming three times faster than the Pacific Ocean. Overfishing, coastal degradation, and pollution are also harming the ocean. This could have catastrophic implications for the tens of millions of fishermen dependent on the region’s marine resources and the enormous population who rely on the Indian Ocean for their protein. Australia must continue to strengthen its ties in the region - such as with India and Indonesia - and also build new connections, particularly in Africa. (Craig Jeffrey is Director and CEO of the Australia India Institute; Professor, University of Melbourne) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why the Indian Ocean region might soon play a lead role in world affairs

Seeking an "authentic" experience as he backpacked through war-torn Afghanistan, Dutch tourist Ciaran Barr searched the Couchsurfing website for locals to stay with. He found an astonishing number of potential hosts.&nbsp;

Despite the country's decaying security nearly 2,000 Afghans — the vast majority of the men — have signed up to host guests on the social networking platform, which connects travellers around the world with locals who are willing to put them up for free.&nbsp;

"You feel like you get a more authentic feel for the city so you don't get trapped in tourist hotspots," Barr, 24, tells AFP in heavily-militarised Kabul, where he spent several nights sleeping on a thin mattress on the floor of his Afghan host's bedroom.

"Not that there are any in Afghanistan," he adds wryly.

Once a popular stop on the well-worn hippy trail between Europe and South Asia in the 1970s, Afghanistan has seen the number of foreign travellers crossing its borders dwindle in the past four decades of almost non-stop conflict.&nbsp;

But dozens still make the dangerous journey every year, ignoring clear warnings from their own governments to stay away from a country infested with suicide attackers, kidnappers and armed robbers, and which by some estimates is now the world's deadliest conflict zone.

Many take their chances by staying with Afghan strangers they find through the Couchsurfing network, rather than paying for a room in a hotel protected by armed guards and bullet-proof doors.

"Staying with people and dressing to blend in a bit makes it possible to travel in Afghanistan with not too big of a risk," says Barr, who — with his dark hair and beard, and dressed in the baggy pyjama-style shalwar kameez favoured by most Afghan men — stands out less than most foreigners.

'You have to be smart'&nbsp;

Couchsurfing's concept is like a modern-day version of Afghanistan's tradition of hospitality, which obliges Afghans to provide food and shelter to strangers.&nbsp;

But it is risky. Couchsurfers only have their host's online profile and references to judge their character.&nbsp;

In a country where kidnappings remain common and foreigners are highly-prized targets, they have no way of knowing if their host is connected to criminals, who may see a chance to get rich by abducting them or giving them up to militants.

"You can end up with the Taliban," says a diplomat in Kabul, who has been involved in negotiations to rescue kidnap victims.

"It's naive and reckless."&nbsp;

That is what happened to North American couple Caitlan Coleman and Joshua Boyle, who were kidnapped while backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012.

They were freed from the Taliban in 2017, along with their three children who were born in captivity.

But Norwegian tourist Jorn Bjorn Augestad, who has couchsurfed in Iraq and the Central African Republic, tells AFP in Kabul that government warnings exaggerate the dangers.

"They are too careful. You have to be smart about a lot of things, having contact with a local is the best way to stay safe," says Augestad, who is on a mission to visit every country in the world, including Syria, before his 30th birthday this year. &nbsp;

He adds: "This is part of the cultural experience, seeing how people live and hearing people's life story and getting an understanding of the country that you are in."

Vicarious travel

Barr and Augestad began their week-long Afghan odyssey in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, famous for its ancient Blue Mosque and buzkashi, a savage version of polo played with a goat carcass.

The pair met through a local travel agent, who found them a taxi driver to take them more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) to the Afghan capital.

After reaching Kabul, the deadliest place in Afghanistan for civilians, &nbsp;Barr and Augestad stayed with Couchsurfing host Naser Majidi, 27, who works as a technical adviser for a water utility company.

For Afghans consumed by wanderlust, hosting a foreigner is a chance to travel vicariously through their experiences, as more and more countries make it all but impossible for Afghan passport holders to obtain a visa.&nbsp;

"I can make it easier for them to see the beauty of this country," says Majidi, who has hosted six guests since signing up to Couchsurfing in 2016.&nbsp;

"It's a good experience for me — I get more friends and I know the world better."&nbsp;

But his family worry that he is putting himself in danger.

"They have advised me many times that this is very risky for you and for them (guests)," Majidi says.

Elyas Yari, who became a host in 2017 despite the objections of loved ones, says he enjoys listening to his guests' travel "experiences and their ideas".&nbsp;

"It's fun for me," says Yari, 19, who has received visitors from Canada, Russia, Mexico, and Taiwan.&nbsp;

Afghanistan is "not as dangerous as it looks", he says.

But Barr and Augestad are not oblivious to the potential pitfalls of travelling independently in Afghanistan where the Taliban and the Islamic State group terrorise much of the country.&nbsp;

"Things can go well nine out of 10 times," says Barr, adding: "It just takes that one time when things go wrong and so far nothing has gone wrong.&nbsp;

He concedes: "We also have been lucky."&nbsp;

Despite the country's decaying security nearly 2,000 Afghans — the vast majority of the men — have signed up to host guests on the social networking platform.

Seeking an "authentic" experience as he backpacked through war-torn Afghanistan, Dutch tourist Ciaran Barr searched the Couchsurfing website for locals to stay with. He found an astonishing number of potential hosts. Despite the country's decaying security nearly 2,000 Afghans — the vast majority of the men — have signed up to host guests on the social networking platform, which connects travellers around the world with locals who are willing to put them up for free. "You feel like you get a more authentic feel for the city so you don't get trapped in tourist hotspots," Barr, 24, tells AFP in heavily-militarised Kabul, where he spent several nights sleeping on a thin mattress on the floor of his Afghan host's bedroom. "Not that there are any in Afghanistan," he adds wryly. Once a popular stop on the well-worn hippy trail between Europe and South Asia in the 1970s, Afghanistan has seen the number of foreign travellers crossing its borders dwindle in the past four decades of almost non-stop conflict. But dozens still make the dangerous journey every year, ignoring clear warnings from their own governments to stay away from a country infested with suicide attackers, kidnappers and armed robbers, and which by some estimates is now the world's deadliest conflict zone. Many take their chances by staying with Afghan strangers they find through the Couchsurfing network, rather than paying for a room in a hotel protected by armed guards and bullet-proof doors. "Staying with people and dressing to blend in a bit makes it possible to travel in Afghanistan with not too big of a risk," says Barr, who — with his dark hair and beard, and dressed in the baggy pyjama-style shalwar kameez favoured by most Afghan men — stands out less than most foreigners. 'You have to be smart' Couchsurfing's concept is like a modern-day version of Afghanistan's tradition of hospitality, which obliges Afghans to provide food and shelter to strangers. But it is risky. Couchsurfers only have their host's online profile and references to judge their character. In a country where kidnappings remain common and foreigners are highly-prized targets, they have no way of knowing if their host is connected to criminals, who may see a chance to get rich by abducting them or giving them up to militants. "You can end up with the Taliban," says a diplomat in Kabul, who has been involved in negotiations to rescue kidnap victims. "It's naive and reckless." That is what happened to North American couple Caitlan Coleman and Joshua Boyle, who were kidnapped while backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012. They were freed from the Taliban in 2017, along with their three children who were born in captivity. But Norwegian tourist Jorn Bjorn Augestad, who has couchsurfed in Iraq and the Central African Republic, tells AFP in Kabul that government warnings exaggerate the dangers. "They are too careful. You have to be smart about a lot of things, having contact with a local is the best way to stay safe," says Augestad, who is on a mission to visit every country in the world, including Syria, before his 30th birthday this year. He adds: "This is part of the cultural experience, seeing how people live and hearing people's life story and getting an understanding of the country that you are in." Vicarious travel Barr and Augestad began their week-long Afghan odyssey in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, famous for its ancient Blue Mosque and buzkashi, a savage version of polo played with a goat carcass. The pair met through a local travel agent, who found them a taxi driver to take them more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) to the Afghan capital. After reaching Kabul, the deadliest place in Afghanistan for civilians, Barr and Augestad stayed with Couchsurfing host Naser Majidi, 27, who works as a technical adviser for a water utility company. For Afghans consumed by wanderlust, hosting a foreigner is a chance to travel vicariously through their experiences, as more and more countries make it all but impossible for Afghan passport holders to obtain a visa. "I can make it easier for them to see the beauty of this country," says Majidi, who has hosted six guests since signing up to Couchsurfing in 2016. "It's a good experience for me — I get more friends and I know the world better." But his family worry that he is putting himself in danger. "They have advised me many times that this is very risky for you and for them (guests)," Majidi says. Elyas Yari, who became a host in 2017 despite the objections of loved ones, says he enjoys listening to his guests' travel "experiences and their ideas". "It's fun for me," says Yari, 19, who has received visitors from Canada, Russia, Mexico, and Taiwan. Afghanistan is "not as dangerous as it looks", he says. But Barr and Augestad are not oblivious to the potential pitfalls of travelling independently in Afghanistan where the Taliban and the Islamic State group terrorise much of the country. "Things can go well nine out of 10 times," says Barr, adding: "It just takes that one time when things go wrong and so far nothing has gone wrong. He concedes: "We also have been lucky."

'Naive, reckless' tourists couchsurfing in war-torn Afghanistan

Describing Pakistan's rapidly growing population as a "ticking timebomb", the Supreme Court Tuesday urged religious scholars, the civil society and the government to back population control measures, including a two children per family norm, in the Muslim-majority country.

A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar made the observations during a hearing in a case related to population control in Pakistan, now the world's fifth most populous.

In its order, the Supreme Court urged religious scholars, the civil society and the government to take steps to promote population control in the country.

The bench referred to the increasing population as a "ticking timebomb", the Express Tribune reported.

"The increasing population is a burden on the country's resources. It is about the future of the next generation. It would be unfortunate if the population is not controlled. Two children per home will help to control the population. There is a need for a campaign on the matter," the apex court was quoted as saying by the report.

"The entire nation needs to stand together to control the population," the chief justice said.

According to the 2017 census, Pakistan's population was approximately 207,774,520, making it the world's fifth most populous nation only behind China, India, the United States and Indonesia.

In July, the Supreme Court took suo motu action on increase in population. The chief justice, on the occasion, remarked that there is dire need to formulate a uniform and effective policy to curb Pakistan's population growth.

On Monday, the apex court came down hard on Health Secretary Captain (Rtd) Zahid Saeed after he admitted that the department could not devise and implement effective measures to control population growth, Duniya News reported.

An angry Chief Justice Nisar remarked, "how could surveys be done while sitting in offices?"

Subsequently, the court ordered him to submit a progress report to the court every three months.

The secretary informed the court that a plan has been devised to control the population growth rate which has to be brought down to 1.5 per cent by 2025.&nbsp;

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has also voiced its concern at the rapid increase of population in the country, calling it a looming disaster.

In a recent press statement, the PMA said the birth of 15,000 babies in Pakistan on the 1st day of 2019 was alarming.

The PMA thinks that it is a distressing situation as at the moment as 60 per cent of the national population stands below the age of 25 years; 25 million children are not going to school and 90 per cent the population is not being provided with clean drinking water. Malnutrition is another big issue and food scarcity is a big problem, the association said.

The PMA said it believes that the unchecked rise in the population is a looming disaster, and concrete steps should be taken to implement family planning and make people-friendly economic policies to overcome these difficulties and save the coming generations.

Pakistan's population was one of the fastest growing in the world and in years to come, the country will be the fourth most populous in the world, the PMA said.&nbsp;

Describing Pakistan's rapidly growing population as a "ticking timebomb", the Supreme Court Tuesday urged religious scholars, the civil society and the government to back population control measures, including a two children per family norm, in the Muslim-majority country.

Describing Pakistan's rapidly growing population as a "ticking timebomb", the Supreme Court Tuesday urged religious scholars, the civil society and the government to back population control measures, including a two children per family norm, in the Muslim-majority country. A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar made the observations during a hearing in a case related to population control in Pakistan, now the world's fifth most populous. In its order, the Supreme Court urged religious scholars, the civil society and the government to take steps to promote population control in the country. The bench referred to the increasing population as a "ticking timebomb", the Express Tribune reported. "The increasing population is a burden on the country's resources. It is about the future of the next generation. It would be unfortunate if the population is not controlled. Two children per home will help to control the population. There is a need for a campaign on the matter," the apex court was quoted as saying by the report. "The entire nation needs to stand together to control the population," the chief justice said. According to the 2017 census, Pakistan's population was approximately 207,774,520, making it the world's fifth most populous nation only behind China, India, the United States and Indonesia. In July, the Supreme Court took suo motu action on increase in population. The chief justice, on the occasion, remarked that there is dire need to formulate a uniform and effective policy to curb Pakistan's population growth. On Monday, the apex court came down hard on Health Secretary Captain (Rtd) Zahid Saeed after he admitted that the department could not devise and implement effective measures to control population growth, Duniya News reported. An angry Chief Justice Nisar remarked, "how could surveys be done while sitting in offices?" Subsequently, the court ordered him to submit a progress report to the court every three months. The secretary informed the court that a plan has been devised to control the population growth rate which has to be brought down to 1.5 per cent by 2025. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has also voiced its concern at the rapid increase of population in the country, calling it a looming disaster. In a recent press statement, the PMA said the birth of 15,000 babies in Pakistan on the 1st day of 2019 was alarming. The PMA thinks that it is a distressing situation as at the moment as 60 per cent of the national population stands below the age of 25 years; 25 million children are not going to school and 90 per cent the population is not being provided with clean drinking water. Malnutrition is another big issue and food scarcity is a big problem, the association said. The PMA said it believes that the unchecked rise in the population is a looming disaster, and concrete steps should be taken to implement family planning and make people-friendly economic policies to overcome these difficulties and save the coming generations. Pakistan's population was one of the fastest growing in the world and in years to come, the country will be the fourth most populous in the world, the PMA said.

Pakistan should strive for two child per family norm to control population growth: Pak Supreme Court

The geography of migration flow is changing, in line with the global economy. South Asia is emerging as the migration hub of the world — two of five international migrants originate in Asia.

The story of Indian labour migration to the Gulf region, completing almost five decades since the oil price boom, is a widely discussed aspect of the Indian economy and society.

However, migrants are still invisible among policymakers and their concerns are not given the importance they deserve. This is true not just in India, but also in the rest of South Asia.

When an issue emerges in the limelight concerning migrants in the Gulf, sending countries raise concerns that are not followed through, and business continues as usual with both parties being satisfied with the gross economic benefits.&nbsp;

Employing almost half of the Indian migrant stock and likewise being the source of half of the $80 billion annual remittances to India, the Gulf region is often lauded as a destination for Indians to seek employment and their families to improve their economic, social and subjective well-being.&nbsp;

For instance, about 2.5 million Keralites living in the Gulf give business to four international airports and send about Rs 85,000 crores as remittances to the state, which is equivalent to 35 per cent of state’s domestic product.&nbsp;

This long-preserved narrative has been an obstacle in investigating deeper aspects of this phenomenon and understanding its true nature.&nbsp;

Although academic studies and popular literature have given some importance to facets such as exploitation and unsafe working conditions, we might be oblivious to the extent to which such conditions render harm.&nbsp;

In addition, the immeasurable social costs of migration are enormous. For instance, in Kerala, one million wives of Gulf migrants are away from their husbands, two million children live with just one parent and 4 million elderly stay alone due to the absence of their adult children, thanks to migration.

Data collected through the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, in response to an RTI application on fatalities of Indian workers in the Gulf reveal a grim picture.&nbsp;

Between 2012 and mid-2018, at least 24,570 Indian workers died in the six Gulf countries. This amounts to a death rate of one in 362 Indian migrant workers.&nbsp;

This also equals 117 deaths for every $1 billion remitted. With this in mind, it is imperative to make a comparison between these six countries.&nbsp;

At 10,416, the most number of deaths occurred in Saudi Arabia during this period while Bahrain accounted for the least number - 1,317 deaths.&nbsp;

However, these absolute numbers may be misleading. Saudi Arabia is the most dangerous place for an Indian worker with a death rate of one in 223 workers. Oman, with 187 deaths for every $1 billion remitted, is the costliest nation in monetary terms.&nbsp;

Among the six GCC countries, UAE is the least dangerous with a death rate of one in 638 workers and 72 deaths for every $1 billion remitted.&nbsp;

The majority of fatalities are in the construction industry, which is the largest employer in the Gulf. It should also be noted that this industry is growing with big new construction projects emerging in all GCC countries.

A variety of reasons may be attributed to the high mortality rates enumerated earlier. Apart from dying on the job and accumulated injuries as a result of working in physically stressful conditions, vulnerability to diseases and infections as well as anxiety and fear of being unable to repay the massive debts incurred to migrate are causes.&nbsp;

The Kerala Migration Surveys, conducted by the Centre for Development Studies since 1998, elaborate the fact that the cost of migration is increasing and migrants resort to more expensive borrowings to finance the cost.Furthermore, high rates of suicide are also documented among migrant workers in the Gulf.&nbsp;

Although some medical studies have tried to explore these causes, mainly among Nepali migrant workers as their mortality rates are higher than that of their other South Asian counterparts, not much attention has been given at the state level.

It is time that the government gives importance to the loss of lives of Indian citizens on foreign soil. While the Indian government and aspiring migrant workers may be reluctant to let go of economic opportunities in the Gulf, a united front with more collective bargaining power can negotiate better outcomes.&nbsp;

To curb high mortality rates, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries can raise issues of exploitation and unsafe working conditions with the GCC.

The SAARC countries, being both a major labour source as well as a trading partner for the GCC, can characterize the seriousness of high death rates and negotiate a positive outcome without putting a dent in relations with the GCC.&nbsp;

Moreover, SAARC can negotiate fairer wages and social security for their workers as a united labour exporting force just like the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) &nbsp;fix the price for oil.

It is also critical that India should take a leadership role in this endeavour. India is not only the largest country in this coalition, but also the largest labour source due to its demographic dividend and remittance receiver.&nbsp;

As countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan may not have a developed democratic apparatus such as India’s, migrant deaths may not end up being important in public discourse.

Moreover, at a time when the Indian government has opened the new draft Emigration Bill for public comments, the matter of migrant deaths will be widely discussed, and creative solutions can be formulated.&nbsp;

It is up to India to take these solutions to SAARC forums, and with the support of other countries in the coalition, press the GCC for serious labour reform.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-south-asia-the-migration-hub-2707872">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The geography of migration flow is changing, in line with the global economy. South Asia is emerging as the migration hub of the world — two of five international migrants originate in Asia.

The geography of migration flow is changing, in line with the global economy. South Asia is emerging as the migration hub of the world — two of five international migrants originate in Asia. The story of Indian labour migration to the Gulf region, completing almost five decades since the oil price boom, is a widely discussed aspect of the Indian economy and society. However, migrants are still invisible among policymakers and their concerns are not given the importance they deserve. This is true not just in India, but also in the rest of South Asia. When an issue emerges in the limelight concerning migrants in the Gulf, sending countries raise concerns that are not followed through, and business continues as usual with both parties being satisfied with the gross economic benefits. Employing almost half of the Indian migrant stock and likewise being the source of half of the $80 billion annual remittances to India, the Gulf region is often lauded as a destination for Indians to seek employment and their families to improve their economic, social and subjective well-being. For instance, about 2.5 million Keralites living in the Gulf give business to four international airports and send about Rs 85,000 crores as remittances to the state, which is equivalent to 35 per cent of state’s domestic product. This long-preserved narrative has been an obstacle in investigating deeper aspects of this phenomenon and understanding its true nature. Although academic studies and popular literature have given some importance to facets such as exploitation and unsafe working conditions, we might be oblivious to the extent to which such conditions render harm. In addition, the immeasurable social costs of migration are enormous. For instance, in Kerala, one million wives of Gulf migrants are away from their husbands, two million children live with just one parent and 4 million elderly stay alone due to the absence of their adult children, thanks to migration. Data collected through the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, in response to an RTI application on fatalities of Indian workers in the Gulf reveal a grim picture. Between 2012 and mid-2018, at least 24,570 Indian workers died in the six Gulf countries. This amounts to a death rate of one in 362 Indian migrant workers. This also equals 117 deaths for every $1 billion remitted. With this in mind, it is imperative to make a comparison between these six countries. At 10,416, the most number of deaths occurred in Saudi Arabia during this period while Bahrain accounted for the least number - 1,317 deaths. However, these absolute numbers may be misleading. Saudi Arabia is the most dangerous place for an Indian worker with a death rate of one in 223 workers. Oman, with 187 deaths for every $1 billion remitted, is the costliest nation in monetary terms. Among the six GCC countries, UAE is the least dangerous with a death rate of one in 638 workers and 72 deaths for every $1 billion remitted. The majority of fatalities are in the construction industry, which is the largest employer in the Gulf. It should also be noted that this industry is growing with big new construction projects emerging in all GCC countries. A variety of reasons may be attributed to the high mortality rates enumerated earlier. Apart from dying on the job and accumulated injuries as a result of working in physically stressful conditions, vulnerability to diseases and infections as well as anxiety and fear of being unable to repay the massive debts incurred to migrate are causes. The Kerala Migration Surveys, conducted by the Centre for Development Studies since 1998, elaborate the fact that the cost of migration is increasing and migrants resort to more expensive borrowings to finance the cost.Furthermore, high rates of suicide are also documented among migrant workers in the Gulf. Although some medical studies have tried to explore these causes, mainly among Nepali migrant workers as their mortality rates are higher than that of their other South Asian counterparts, not much attention has been given at the state level. It is time that the government gives importance to the loss of lives of Indian citizens on foreign soil. While the Indian government and aspiring migrant workers may be reluctant to let go of economic opportunities in the Gulf, a united front with more collective bargaining power can negotiate better outcomes. To curb high mortality rates, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries can raise issues of exploitation and unsafe working conditions with the GCC. The SAARC countries, being both a major labour source as well as a trading partner for the GCC, can characterize the seriousness of high death rates and negotiate a positive outcome without putting a dent in relations with the GCC. Moreover, SAARC can negotiate fairer wages and social security for their workers as a united labour exporting force just like the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fix the price for oil. It is also critical that India should take a leadership role in this endeavour. India is not only the largest country in this coalition, but also the largest labour source due to its demographic dividend and remittance receiver. As countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan may not have a developed democratic apparatus such as India’s, migrant deaths may not end up being important in public discourse. Moreover, at a time when the Indian government has opened the new draft Emigration Bill for public comments, the matter of migrant deaths will be widely discussed, and creative solutions can be formulated. It is up to India to take these solutions to SAARC forums, and with the support of other countries in the coalition, press the GCC for serious labour reform. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

South Asia is emerging as migration hub of the world

Sri Lanka's former president Chandrika Kumaratunga Tuesday criticised President Maithripala Sirisena for the 51-day power tussle in the island nation which ended last month, saying the party would not approve any alliance with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In a strongly-worded letter to the President, Kumaratunga called for an urgent meeting with him to discuss the party's future.

The island nation witnessed a 51-day political crisis after Sirisena controversially sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and installed Rajapaksa in his place on October 26.

Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap polls. The Supreme Court, however, overturned his decisions. Wickremesinghe was last month administered the oath of office after Rajapaksa resigned.

Sirisena's alliance with Rajapaksa, who in November ended his five-decade-long association with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and joined the newly-formed Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP), has not gone down well with his party leaders.

A section of the SLFP, led by Kumaratunga who remains an SLFP loyalist even 14 years after handing over the leadership to Rajapaksa in 2005, has criticised Sirisena. Kumaratunga said the party would not approve his new alliance with Rajapaksa. Sirisena, meanwhile, departed for a four-day official visit to the Philippines, his office said, amid mounting pressure on him after his failed attempt to install Rajapaksa as the prime minister.

Sirisena succeeded Rajapaksa as the SLFP leader in January 2015 when he defeated the former strongman with electoral support coming from SLFP's arch-rival, the United National Party (UNP) of prime minister Wickremesinghe.

Rajapaksa's SLPP defeated both the SLFP and the UNP in the local-level elections held in February last year.

A wider section of the SLPP remains opposed to Sirisena's leadership and said it would not endorse him in the event of a snap presidential election which must be held before January 2020.

The SLPP's local councilors have said they would not back Sirisena's nomination for the next presidential election. They want a member of the Rajapaksa family to become the main candidate to fight a UNP challenger.

Rajapaksa, who has been Sri Lanka's President twice, cannot run for the third term.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka's former president Chandrika Kumaratunga Tuesday criticised President Maithripala Sirisena for the 51-day power tussle in the island nation which ended last month, saying the party would not approve any alliance with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka's former president Chandrika Kumaratunga Tuesday criticised President Maithripala Sirisena for the 51-day power tussle in the island nation which ended last month, saying the party would not approve any alliance with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa. In a strongly-worded letter to the President, Kumaratunga called for an urgent meeting with him to discuss the party's future. The island nation witnessed a 51-day political crisis after Sirisena controversially sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and installed Rajapaksa in his place on October 26. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap polls. The Supreme Court, however, overturned his decisions. Wickremesinghe was last month administered the oath of office after Rajapaksa resigned. Sirisena's alliance with Rajapaksa, who in November ended his five-decade-long association with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and joined the newly-formed Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP), has not gone down well with his party leaders. A section of the SLFP, led by Kumaratunga who remains an SLFP loyalist even 14 years after handing over the leadership to Rajapaksa in 2005, has criticised Sirisena. Kumaratunga said the party would not approve his new alliance with Rajapaksa. Sirisena, meanwhile, departed for a four-day official visit to the Philippines, his office said, amid mounting pressure on him after his failed attempt to install Rajapaksa as the prime minister. Sirisena succeeded Rajapaksa as the SLFP leader in January 2015 when he defeated the former strongman with electoral support coming from SLFP's arch-rival, the United National Party (UNP) of prime minister Wickremesinghe. Rajapaksa's SLPP defeated both the SLFP and the UNP in the local-level elections held in February last year. A wider section of the SLPP remains opposed to Sirisena's leadership and said it would not endorse him in the event of a snap presidential election which must be held before January 2020. The SLPP's local councilors have said they would not back Sirisena's nomination for the next presidential election. They want a member of the Rajapaksa family to become the main candidate to fight a UNP challenger. Rajapaksa, who has been Sri Lanka's President twice, cannot run for the third term.

Ex-Lankan president Kumaratunga warns Sirisena against alliance with Rajapaksa

Senior Economist- World Bank Prospects Group Patrick Kirby said that high levels of public debt, in general, could be one of the biggest risk being faced by the South Asian Region's economic growth.&nbsp;

Speaking exclusively to WION he also added that India would still be the leading growing economy in coming years with GDP growth estimated at 7.3% for 2018-19.

On being asked whether China is adding to the Global Debt Crisis by lending loans to low-income countries and then influencing their policy decisions favouring China, Patrick Kirby further added that debt vulnerabilities in low-income countries have increased substantially in recent years. As a result, in most low-income countries, interest payments are absorbing an increasing proportion of government revenues.&nbsp;

In a recent report conducted by The Center for Global Development, a non-profit research organization, which analyzed debt to China that will be incurred by nations participating in the current Belt and Road investment plan. Eight nations will find themselves vulnerable to above-average debt: Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.

<img alt="The Center for Global Development" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cb1b7b82-94c4-40f1-96f2-9a8fb242a2ff" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/The%20Center%20for%20Global%20Development.jpg" />

In another report by The Center for Global Development in early 2018 on Examining the Debt Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative from a Policy Perspective stated that countries like Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan etc are in the High-Risk Category because of BRI Project. While Sri Lanka, Maldives etc are under significant threat because of the BRI Loans.&nbsp;

Here are the excerpts from the exclusive conversation with Patrick Kirby:

WION: The primary reason for India's growth in GDP in the World Banks forecast?

Patrick Kirby:&nbsp;India’s growth accelerated to an estimated 7.3 per cent in FY2018/19 as economic activity continued to recover with strong domestic demand. While investment continued to strengthen amid GST harmonization and a rebound of credit growth, consumption remained the major contributor to growth.

India’s GDP is forecast to grow by 7.3 per cent in FY2018/19 and 7.5 per cent thereafter, in line with June forecasts. Private consumption is projected to remain robust and investment growth is expected to continue as the benefits of recent policy reforms begin to materialize and credit rebounds. Strong domestic demand is envisioned to widen the current account deficit to 2.6 per cent of GDP next year. Inflation is projected to rise somewhat above the midpoint of the Reserve Bank of India’s target range of 2 to 6 per cent, mainly owing to energy and food prices.

WION: What is the growth outlook for the South Asia Region? Also, China recently has been accused of DEBT DIPLOMACY Globally and crushing various economies worldwide forcing countries like Pakistan, Equador, Sri Lanka, Maldives etc in debt crisis thus influencing their regional politics as well. How does the World Bank look at this crisis?&nbsp;

Patrick Kirby:&nbsp;On the outlook for the South Asian region, South Asia remains the world’s fastest-growing region. Growth in the region is projected to accelerate to 7.1 per cent in 2019 from 6.9 in the previous year. Over the medium term, robust domestic demand will continue to underpin growth, which is expected to average 7.1 per cent.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, there are a number of risks to the outlook. For example, we say that South Asian economies have high levels of public debt in general. Fiscal slippages could further worsen already-precarious public debt positions and result in a costly rise in already-elevated interest payments. 
Also, the upcoming election cycle next year elevates political uncertainty in the region. The challenging political environment could adversely affect the ongoing reform agenda and economic activity in some countries (e.g. Afghanistan, Sri Lanka).

In South Asia, non-performing assets are still high despite recent measures taken to improve the recognition of these assets. Especially, public sector banks in India, which represent roughly 70 per cent of the banking sector assets, still report low profitability and high non-performing loans. Credit expansion could be limited in some major South Asia economies unless further steps are taken to deal with financial and corporate balance sheets.

On the external front, the region has relatively low exposure to international trade, which limits the benefits from trade over the long term. However, the low exposure also suggests that it could be more insulated from the effects of rising trade protectionism than other regions. Moreover, the region may even benefit from trade diversion amid the recent dispute between some major economies.

WION: What can be the possible reasons for Slowdown in Chinese Economy?&nbsp;

Patrick Kirby:&nbsp;On the issue of China, growth is estimated to have slowed to a still robust 6.5 per cent in 2018, supported by resilient consumption. Growth is projected to decelerate to 6.2 per cent in 2019, slightly below previous projections as a result of weaker exports, and to further moderate to 6 per cent by the end of the forecast horizon, broadly in line with its potential pace. Domestic demand is projected to remain robust aided by policies to boost consumption. Supportive fiscal and monetary policies undertaken or announced so far are expected to largely offset the negative impact of higher tariffs; however, additional stimulus may have the undesirable effect of slowing the deleveraging and de-risking process

WION: How does the World Bank look at the Global Debt Crisis especially in low-income countries?&nbsp;

Patrick Kirby:&nbsp;On the issue of debt, debt vulnerabilities in low-income countries have increased substantially in recent years. Since 2013, median government debt has risen by 20 percentage points of GDP and has shifted toward non-concessional and private financing. As a result, in most low-income countries, interest payments are absorbing an increasing proportion of government revenues. The majority of low-income countries would be hard hit by a sudden weakening in a trade or global financial conditions are given their high levels of external debt, lack of fiscal space, low foreign currency reserves, and undiversified exports. Efforts to reduce debt-related vulnerabilities are a policy priority for many low-income countries, and a key focus needs to be improving debt management and developing domestic financial systems.

WION: How important is coordination between Central Banks and Policy Makers (Government) in a country's economy? For eg RBI and GOI having different views on Farm Loan Waivers.&nbsp;

Patrick Kirby:&nbsp;On the issue of central banks in general, policymakers in emerging market and developing economies need to uphold a credible commitment to medium-term price stability—one that is supported by macroeconomic frameworks that set attainable inflation targets where appropriate, as well as maintain strong institutional independence and transparency. This will be especially critical if the ongoing period of low and stable global inflation comes to an end, perhaps driven by a slowdown or rollback of the structural factors that have held inflation at bay in recent decades—in particular, trade and financial integration—or erosion of central bank independence.

WION: How should we see Artificial Intelligence replacing humans as a workforce? Can it be seen as a potential threat or a power booster?&nbsp;

Patrick Kirby:&nbsp;On the issue of the future of work, this issue is discussed extensively in the World Bank’sWorld Development Report 2019, The Changing Nature of Work.

Senior Economist- World Bank Prospects Group Patrick Kirby said that high levels of public debt, in general, could be one of the biggest risk being faced by the South Asian Region's economic growth.

Senior Economist- World Bank Prospects Group Patrick Kirby said that high levels of public debt, in general, could be one of the biggest risk being faced by the South Asian Region's economic growth. Speaking exclusively to WION he also added that India would still be the leading growing economy in coming years with GDP growth estimated at 7.3% for 2018-19. On being asked whether China is adding to the Global Debt Crisis by lending loans to low-income countries and then influencing their policy decisions favouring China, Patrick Kirby further added that debt vulnerabilities in low-income countries have increased substantially in recent years. As a result, in most low-income countries, interest payments are absorbing an increasing proportion of government revenues. In a recent report conducted by The Center for Global Development, a non-profit research organization, which analyzed debt to China that will be incurred by nations participating in the current Belt and Road investment plan. Eight nations will find themselves vulnerable to above-average debt: Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. In another report by The Center for Global Development in early 2018 on Examining the Debt Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative from a Policy Perspective stated that countries like Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan etc are in the High-Risk Category because of BRI Project. While Sri Lanka, Maldives etc are under significant threat because of the BRI Loans. Here are the excerpts from the exclusive conversation with Patrick Kirby: WION: The primary reason for India's growth in GDP in the World Banks forecast? Patrick Kirby: India’s growth accelerated to an estimated 7.3 per cent in FY2018/19 as economic activity continued to recover with strong domestic demand. While investment continued to strengthen amid GST harmonization and a rebound of credit growth, consumption remained the major contributor to growth. India’s GDP is forecast to grow by 7.3 per cent in FY2018/19 and 7.5 per cent thereafter, in line with June forecasts. Private consumption is projected to remain robust and investment growth is expected to continue as the benefits of recent policy reforms begin to materialize and credit rebounds. Strong domestic demand is envisioned to widen the current account deficit to 2.6 per cent of GDP next year. Inflation is projected to rise somewhat above the midpoint of the Reserve Bank of India’s target range of 2 to 6 per cent, mainly owing to energy and food prices. WION: What is the growth outlook for the South Asia Region? Also, China recently has been accused of DEBT DIPLOMACY Globally and crushing various economies worldwide forcing countries like Pakistan, Equador, Sri Lanka, Maldives etc in debt crisis thus influencing their regional politics as well. How does the World Bank look at this crisis? Patrick Kirby: On the outlook for the South Asian region, South Asia remains the world’s fastest-growing region. Growth in the region is projected to accelerate to 7.1 per cent in 2019 from 6.9 in the previous year. Over the medium term, robust domestic demand will continue to underpin growth, which is expected to average 7.1 per cent. Nevertheless, there are a number of risks to the outlook. For example, we say that South Asian economies have high levels of public debt in general. Fiscal slippages could further worsen already-precarious public debt positions and result in a costly rise in already-elevated interest payments. Also, the upcoming election cycle next year elevates political uncertainty in the region. The challenging political environment could adversely affect the ongoing reform agenda and economic activity in some countries (e.g. Afghanistan, Sri Lanka). In South Asia, non-performing assets are still high despite recent measures taken to improve the recognition of these assets. Especially, public sector banks in India, which represent roughly 70 per cent of the banking sector assets, still report low profitability and high non-performing loans. Credit expansion could be limited in some major South Asia economies unless further steps are taken to deal with financial and corporate balance sheets. On the external front, the region has relatively low exposure to international trade, which limits the benefits from trade over the long term. However, the low exposure also suggests that it could be more insulated from the effects of rising trade protectionism than other regions. Moreover, the region may even benefit from trade diversion amid the recent dispute between some major economies. WION: What can be the possible reasons for Slowdown in Chinese Economy? Patrick Kirby: On the issue of China, growth is estimated to have slowed to a still robust 6.5 per cent in 2018, supported by resilient consumption. Growth is projected to decelerate to 6.2 per cent in 2019, slightly below previous projections as a result of weaker exports, and to further moderate to 6 per cent by the end of the forecast horizon, broadly in line with its potential pace. Domestic demand is projected to remain robust aided by policies to boost consumption. Supportive fiscal and monetary policies undertaken or announced so far are expected to largely offset the negative impact of higher tariffs; however, additional stimulus may have the undesirable effect of slowing the deleveraging and de-risking process WION: How does the World Bank look at the Global Debt Crisis especially in low-income countries? Patrick Kirby: On the issue of debt, debt vulnerabilities in low-income countries have increased substantially in recent years. Since 2013, median government debt has risen by 20 percentage points of GDP and has shifted toward non-concessional and private financing. As a result, in most low-income countries, interest payments are absorbing an increasing proportion of government revenues. The majority of low-income countries would be hard hit by a sudden weakening in a trade or global financial conditions are given their high levels of external debt, lack of fiscal space, low foreign currency reserves, and undiversified exports. Efforts to reduce debt-related vulnerabilities are a policy priority for many low-income countries, and a key focus needs to be improving debt management and developing domestic financial systems. WION: How important is coordination between Central Banks and Policy Makers (Government) in a country's economy? For eg RBI and GOI having different views on Farm Loan Waivers. Patrick Kirby: On the issue of central banks in general, policymakers in emerging market and developing economies need to uphold a credible commitment to medium-term price stability—one that is supported by macroeconomic frameworks that set attainable inflation targets where appropriate, as well as maintain strong institutional independence and transparency. This will be especially critical if the ongoing period of low and stable global inflation comes to an end, perhaps driven by a slowdown or rollback of the structural factors that have held inflation at bay in recent decades—in particular, trade and financial integration—or erosion of central bank independence. WION: How should we see Artificial Intelligence replacing humans as a workforce? Can it be seen as a potential threat or a power booster? Patrick Kirby: On the issue of the future of work, this issue is discussed extensively in the World Bank’sWorld Development Report 2019, The Changing Nature of Work.

High-level debt in South Asian Countries a major risk: World Bank

The visit of Anwar Ibrahim, the deputy prime minister of Malaysia and widely perceived as heir to the prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has made Indians suddenly aware of a neighbour who often remains on the margins. Ibrahim has urged India to speak its mind about Rohingyas clearly and firmly as behoves a regional power. It appears that an expansionist China has prompted our south-east Asian neighbours to ‘look west’ after many years. &nbsp;

Malaysia is a country that has had centuries-old ties with India (economic and cultural). The port of Malacca controlled the waterways that served as from the Bay of Bengal to the stretch of Indian Ocean lying beyond. The colonial historians maligned the native rulers as chiefs who commanded bands of marauding pirates erasing in a blink the civilisational contributions of Malay sultans. Islam spread through this entry point to Indonesia and southern tip of the Philippines. Their contacts with Arab, Indian and Chinese traders had exposed the Malays to diverse cosmopolitan influences and it is a totally false claim that it was the British colonisers that tamed and civilised the natives in this peninsula who were given to running amok quite unpredictably.&nbsp;

However, what can’t be denied is that the British transformed the peninsula by developing rubber plantations on a large scale and enthusiastically undertaking tin mining. They imported indentured labour from India and encouraged Chinese immigration from the mainland drastically changing the demographic profile. Much like India the native princes were brought under British Imperial paramountcy and organised in a loose federation.&nbsp;

The small fishing village Temasek, now known as Singapore, discovered by Raffles was developed as a strategic naval base and important entrepôt. &nbsp;

In recent years the discovery of oil has enriched Malaysia beyond wildest dreams of anyone in the middle of the last century. It has quickly leapfrogged many ‘developing’ brethren and has at times been brash towards those it considers laggards. But we digress, India has enjoyed a special relationship with Malaysia over the years for a variety of reasons. At one time almost 10 per cent of its population comprised people of Indian origin. This held the electoral balance as the ‘sons of the soil’ the Malays and Chinese were evenly matched in numbers. The Chinese had participated in a communist-led insurgency that raged for almost a decade after the end of the Second World War and was not trusted by either the British masters of Malay leadership during the period of cold war.&nbsp;

Malaysia’s membership of the Commonwealth, use of English language in education and adopting the English legal system created affinities with India. The ties were fortified by India emerging as the largest buyer of Malaysian Palm Oil.&nbsp;

It is not as if the bilateral relationship has been entirely free of stress. In the past quarter century, there has been a steady drift towards Islamic fundamentalism in some parts of Malaysia.&nbsp;

The states on the eastern coast and on the northern tip bordering Thailand have witnessed social unrest and political ferment. Malays have long nursed the grievance that the ‘clever’ Chinese have deprived them of economic gains. The government has had to tread carefully. Despite legislation to ensure social justice Malays have continued to lag behind. The simmering resentment has at times in distant past exploded in communal violence. The Islamisation of polity and the judicial system has alienated many among the Chinese and Indian community. This is not to suggest that Malaysia is facing a crisis. What we need to appreciate is that it, like India, is a plural society with complex challenges posed by race and ethnicity.&nbsp;

Kalimantan Utara (Northern Borneo) where the states of Sabah and Sarawak are located is home to many non-Malay tribes and its development has to constantly keep in mind the fragility of the pristine ecosystem. Here too exists a unique opportunity to cooperate and collaborate.&nbsp;

Mahathir rose to power once again at the age of 90 because his predecessor had acquired an unenviable reputation for gigantic corruption. There should be no need to remind readers that the issue of corruption dominates political discourse in India.&nbsp;

Before we conclude it is perhaps necessary to refresh our memory about the chequered career of Anwar Ibrahim. He rose and fell like a meteor in an earlier incarnation. He was a fiery youth leader advocate of special rights for Malays and not inhibited about his Islamic ideology. Once a favourite of Mahathir and identified as heir he fell from grace dramatically trapped by political intrigue.&nbsp;

This isn’t the place to unravel conspiracy theories but suffice to note that the Malaysian leader has mellowed without losing his charisma. It will be interesting to see how our government responds to his overtures. Whenever we 'look east' we harp on the shared Hindu-Buddhist legacy.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The visit of Anwar Ibrahim, the deputy prime minister of Malaysia and widely perceived as heir to the prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has made Indians suddenly aware of a neighbour who often remains on the margins.

The visit of Anwar Ibrahim, the deputy prime minister of Malaysia and widely perceived as heir to the prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has made Indians suddenly aware of a neighbour who often remains on the margins. Ibrahim has urged India to speak its mind about Rohingyas clearly and firmly as behoves a regional power. It appears that an expansionist China has prompted our south-east Asian neighbours to ‘look west’ after many years. Malaysia is a country that has had centuries-old ties with India (economic and cultural). The port of Malacca controlled the waterways that served as from the Bay of Bengal to the stretch of Indian Ocean lying beyond. The colonial historians maligned the native rulers as chiefs who commanded bands of marauding pirates erasing in a blink the civilisational contributions of Malay sultans. Islam spread through this entry point to Indonesia and southern tip of the Philippines. Their contacts with Arab, Indian and Chinese traders had exposed the Malays to diverse cosmopolitan influences and it is a totally false claim that it was the British colonisers that tamed and civilised the natives in this peninsula who were given to running amok quite unpredictably. However, what can’t be denied is that the British transformed the peninsula by developing rubber plantations on a large scale and enthusiastically undertaking tin mining. They imported indentured labour from India and encouraged Chinese immigration from the mainland drastically changing the demographic profile. Much like India the native princes were brought under British Imperial paramountcy and organised in a loose federation. The small fishing village Temasek, now known as Singapore, discovered by Raffles was developed as a strategic naval base and important entrepôt. In recent years the discovery of oil has enriched Malaysia beyond wildest dreams of anyone in the middle of the last century. It has quickly leapfrogged many ‘developing’ brethren and has at times been brash towards those it considers laggards. But we digress, India has enjoyed a special relationship with Malaysia over the years for a variety of reasons. At one time almost 10 per cent of its population comprised people of Indian origin. This held the electoral balance as the ‘sons of the soil’ the Malays and Chinese were evenly matched in numbers. The Chinese had participated in a communist-led insurgency that raged for almost a decade after the end of the Second World War and was not trusted by either the British masters of Malay leadership during the period of cold war. Malaysia’s membership of the Commonwealth, use of English language in education and adopting the English legal system created affinities with India. The ties were fortified by India emerging as the largest buyer of Malaysian Palm Oil. It is not as if the bilateral relationship has been entirely free of stress. In the past quarter century, there has been a steady drift towards Islamic fundamentalism in some parts of Malaysia. The states on the eastern coast and on the northern tip bordering Thailand have witnessed social unrest and political ferment. Malays have long nursed the grievance that the ‘clever’ Chinese have deprived them of economic gains. The government has had to tread carefully. Despite legislation to ensure social justice Malays have continued to lag behind. The simmering resentment has at times in distant past exploded in communal violence. The Islamisation of polity and the judicial system has alienated many among the Chinese and Indian community. This is not to suggest that Malaysia is facing a crisis. What we need to appreciate is that it, like India, is a plural society with complex challenges posed by race and ethnicity. Kalimantan Utara (Northern Borneo) where the states of Sabah and Sarawak are located is home to many non-Malay tribes and its development has to constantly keep in mind the fragility of the pristine ecosystem. Here too exists a unique opportunity to cooperate and collaborate. Mahathir rose to power once again at the age of 90 because his predecessor had acquired an unenviable reputation for gigantic corruption. There should be no need to remind readers that the issue of corruption dominates political discourse in India. Before we conclude it is perhaps necessary to refresh our memory about the chequered career of Anwar Ibrahim. He rose and fell like a meteor in an earlier incarnation. He was a fiery youth leader advocate of special rights for Malays and not inhibited about his Islamic ideology. Once a favourite of Mahathir and identified as heir he fell from grace dramatically trapped by political intrigue. This isn’t the place to unravel conspiracy theories but suffice to note that the Malaysian leader has mellowed without losing his charisma. It will be interesting to see how our government responds to his overtures. Whenever we 'look east' we harp on the shared Hindu-Buddhist legacy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Malaysia and India face complex challenges posed by race and ethnicity

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a third consecutive term as the country's premiere on Sunday -- a win that wasn't just predictable but also in favour of India's vision of fostering ties with the South Asian nation.&nbsp;

Bangladesh's socio-economic development flourished a great deal under Hasina's decade-long rule and so was the case with the deepening relationship with neighbouring India.&nbsp;

PM Hasina's continuance in power is strategically important for India as her definitive stand on Islamic fundamentalists and extremists echoes with India's security interests.

PM Hasina's leadership has also maintained a sensitive stance toward India’s concerns about the northeast militancy fostered by ISI-backed Islamists operating from Bangladesh during the opposition BNP-Jamaat regime. With PM Hasina assuming power a decade ago, a serious crackdown was initiated which led to a considerable reduction of militancy in Northeastern states like Tripura and Meghalaya.&nbsp;

High-level visits from both sides led to steady growth in the Indo-Bangladesh ties. Last year, the two countries launched a series of developmental projects while complicated issues of land and coastal boundaries were resolved.

The construction of the Akhaura-Agartala rail line and the restoration of the Kulaura-Shahbazpur section of railway line were the highlights among all initiatives jointly taken by PM Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart in 2018.

The two countries also inaugurated the construction of a 130-km Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline between Siliguri in West Bengal and Parbatipur in Dinajpur. However, the issue of Teesta water sharing issue remained unresolved.

But China's play in&nbsp;South Asia's political dynamics cannot be ruled out. China is Bangladesh’s major trading partner and the latter is one of the important determinants in former's key Belt and Road plan.&nbsp;

Earlier last month, a Chinese-Bangladeshi joint venture signed a deal with the Bangladeshi government to build a mega expressway. The project has been pegged as Bangladesh's first major public-private partnership (PPP) initiative aimed at boosting the nation's economic and infrastructural development and promote employment, a Chinese media report stated.&nbsp;

With PM Hasina in for another term, political analysts and experts predict India-Bangladesh ties to further flourish. However, the immediate task at hand for New Delhi is to keep Dhaka away from making any binary choices, especially with China's growing power and influence in South Asia.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a third consecutive term as the country's premiere on Sunday -- a win that wasn't just predictable but also in favour of India's vision of fostering ties with the South Asian nation.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a third consecutive term as the country's premiere on Sunday -- a win that wasn't just predictable but also in favour of India's vision of fostering ties with the South Asian nation. Bangladesh's socio-economic development flourished a great deal under Hasina's decade-long rule and so was the case with the deepening relationship with neighbouring India. PM Hasina's continuance in power is strategically important for India as her definitive stand on Islamic fundamentalists and extremists echoes with India's security interests. PM Hasina's leadership has also maintained a sensitive stance toward India’s concerns about the northeast militancy fostered by ISI-backed Islamists operating from Bangladesh during the opposition BNP-Jamaat regime. With PM Hasina assuming power a decade ago, a serious crackdown was initiated which led to a considerable reduction of militancy in Northeastern states like Tripura and Meghalaya. High-level visits from both sides led to steady growth in the Indo-Bangladesh ties. Last year, the two countries launched a series of developmental projects while complicated issues of land and coastal boundaries were resolved. The construction of the Akhaura-Agartala rail line and the restoration of the Kulaura-Shahbazpur section of railway line were the highlights among all initiatives jointly taken by PM Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart in 2018. The two countries also inaugurated the construction of a 130-km Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline between Siliguri in West Bengal and Parbatipur in Dinajpur. However, the issue of Teesta water sharing issue remained unresolved. But China's play in South Asia's political dynamics cannot be ruled out. China is Bangladesh’s major trading partner and the latter is one of the important determinants in former's key Belt and Road plan. Earlier last month, a Chinese-Bangladeshi joint venture signed a deal with the Bangladeshi government to build a mega expressway. The project has been pegged as Bangladesh's first major public-private partnership (PPP) initiative aimed at boosting the nation's economic and infrastructural development and promote employment, a Chinese media report stated. With PM Hasina in for another term, political analysts and experts predict India-Bangladesh ties to further flourish. However, the immediate task at hand for New Delhi is to keep Dhaka away from making any binary choices, especially with China's growing power and influence in South Asia. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

With eye on China, New Delhi needs to keep Dhaka away from making binary choices

Sri Lankan former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently at the centre of one of the most-watched political crises in South Asia. The abrupt removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena and Rajapaksa’s appointment stunned the world and caused international concern.

The chain of political events in the island nation has been billed to give shape to arguably the biggest political crisis in the country after the civil war that ended almost a decade ago.

On December 15, the embattled Lankan Prime Minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mahinda-rajapaksa-resigns-as-sri-lankas-pm-ranil-wickremesinghe-likely-to-take-oath-on-sunday-184207">Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned</a>, only a month and a half after taking office.

Amid fears of a government shutdown, Rajapaksa put in his papers and said in a statement that a change of government that "the people expected" has now been put off.

The development came after Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, on December 13, pronounced a crucial verdict calling the sacking of the country's parliament by President Sirisena as illegal.

The seven-judge bench unanimously decided that Sirisena violated the country's Constitution when he dissolved parliament and called for snap polls nearly two years ahead of schedule.

Rajapaksa was previously unsuccessful in mustering a majority to instate his cabinet. President Sirisena prorogated and later dissolved the Parliament, calling for snap polls in January next year. The Sri Lankan Parliament moved two no-confidence motions against Rajapaksa which were rejected by President Sirisena. A court, earlier this month, suspended Rajapaksa's powers as Prime Minister, ruling that his cabinet would not be functional until its legitimacy is established.

Former strongman

Rajapaksa is not called Sri Lanka’s ex-strongman in vain. Born on November 18, 1945, in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota district, his first political stint came at the age of 24 as the youngest ever parliamentarian. With nearly four decades of political career under his belt and a double-term as Sri Lanka’s President (2005-2015), Rajapaksa has been a force to reckon with in Sri Lankan politics.

&nbsp;A former lawyer, Rajapaksa briefly served as Sri Lanka’s prime minister (2004-05) after which he was elected as the President in 2005 and won his second term in 2010. Under his rule, the state won over Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, putting an end to the civil war and crushing LTTE’s two-decade-long dream to attain self-rule.

Rule marred by controversies

However, his rule has been marred by controversies, political scrutiny and criticism over allegations of corruption and human rights abuse.

One of the major concerns raised during Rajapaksa’s rule was that of human rights violations toward the end of the civil war wherein the former President was accused of overlooking the use of violence while clamping down on the Tamil rebels, as a result, many innocent civilians lost their lives.

International concern over human rights abuse led to the freezing of Western aid to Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa then turned to China.

Rajapaksa comes from a political family; his father represented Hambantota for nearly a couple of decades till 1965. The former leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Rajapaksa was also in controversy for favouring his family members for influential posts. One of the blows to the former President came when the alleged killing of a Sri Lankan newspaper editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was linked to his regime in 2009. Wickrematunge’s piece, published posthumously, directly accused Rajapaksa of corruption, human rights violation and misusing public money.

Hardline leader

Often described as a hardliner, Rajapaksa initiated the overhauling of Sri Lanka’s infrastructure which included the Hambantota water port to constructing an international airport and a world-class cricket stadium named after him.

Under his presidential term, Colombo signed a series of infrastructure deals with China under Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road project. However, high commercial borrowings from China only added to the already ballooning debt-share that the country was grappling with. Sri Lanka, last year, gave up the Hambantota Port and acres of land around it to Beijing.

Rajapaksa’s political charisma nosedived after Maithripala Sirisena defeated him to become the President in 2015. Rajapaksa’s effort to clinch the seat of Prime Minister that year also went in vain until this year when he was appointed the PM by Sirisena.

Road ahead

Rajapaksa’s legitimisation as Sri Lanka’s prime minister would have been an event closely watched and monitored by global powers, especially when his was the regime marred by charges of corruption and human rights abuse.

In the event of his resignation, Sri Lanka's political tension seems to de-escalate, paving way for the ousted prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who clinched his lost throne.&nbsp;Wickremesinghe took the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ranil-wickremesinghe-sworn-in-as-the-prime-minister-of-sri-lanka-184452">oath as Sri Lanka's prime minister</a> on December 16 ending two months of political impasse. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Sri Lankan former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently at the centre of one of the most-watched political crises in South Asia. The abrupt removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena and Rajapaksa’s appointment stunned the world and caused international concern.

Sri Lankan former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently at the centre of one of the most-watched political crises in South Asia. The abrupt removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena and Rajapaksa’s appointment stunned the world and caused international concern. The chain of political events in the island nation has been billed to give shape to arguably the biggest political crisis in the country after the civil war that ended almost a decade ago. On December 15, the embattled Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, only a month and a half after taking office. Amid fears of a government shutdown, Rajapaksa put in his papers and said in a statement that a change of government that "the people expected" has now been put off. The development came after Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, on December 13, pronounced a crucial verdict calling the sacking of the country's parliament by President Sirisena as illegal. The seven-judge bench unanimously decided that Sirisena violated the country's Constitution when he dissolved parliament and called for snap polls nearly two years ahead of schedule. Rajapaksa was previously unsuccessful in mustering a majority to instate his cabinet. President Sirisena prorogated and later dissolved the Parliament, calling for snap polls in January next year. The Sri Lankan Parliament moved two no-confidence motions against Rajapaksa which were rejected by President Sirisena. A court, earlier this month, suspended Rajapaksa's powers as Prime Minister, ruling that his cabinet would not be functional until its legitimacy is established. Former strongman Rajapaksa is not called Sri Lanka’s ex-strongman in vain. Born on November 18, 1945, in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota district, his first political stint came at the age of 24 as the youngest ever parliamentarian. With nearly four decades of political career under his belt and a double-term as Sri Lanka’s President (2005-2015), Rajapaksa has been a force to reckon with in Sri Lankan politics. A former lawyer, Rajapaksa briefly served as Sri Lanka’s prime minister (2004-05) after which he was elected as the President in 2005 and won his second term in 2010. Under his rule, the state won over Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, putting an end to the civil war and crushing LTTE’s two-decade-long dream to attain self-rule. Rule marred by controversies However, his rule has been marred by controversies, political scrutiny and criticism over allegations of corruption and human rights abuse. One of the major concerns raised during Rajapaksa’s rule was that of human rights violations toward the end of the civil war wherein the former President was accused of overlooking the use of violence while clamping down on the Tamil rebels, as a result, many innocent civilians lost their lives. International concern over human rights abuse led to the freezing of Western aid to Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa then turned to China. Rajapaksa comes from a political family; his father represented Hambantota for nearly a couple of decades till 1965. The former leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Rajapaksa was also in controversy for favouring his family members for influential posts. One of the blows to the former President came when the alleged killing of a Sri Lankan newspaper editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was linked to his regime in 2009. Wickrematunge’s piece, published posthumously, directly accused Rajapaksa of corruption, human rights violation and misusing public money. Hardline leader Often described as a hardliner, Rajapaksa initiated the overhauling of Sri Lanka’s infrastructure which included the Hambantota water port to constructing an international airport and a world-class cricket stadium named after him. Under his presidential term, Colombo signed a series of infrastructure deals with China under Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road project. However, high commercial borrowings from China only added to the already ballooning debt-share that the country was grappling with. Sri Lanka, last year, gave up the Hambantota Port and acres of land around it to Beijing. Rajapaksa’s political charisma nosedived after Maithripala Sirisena defeated him to become the President in 2015. Rajapaksa’s effort to clinch the seat of Prime Minister that year also went in vain until this year when he was appointed the PM by Sirisena. Road ahead Rajapaksa’s legitimisation as Sri Lanka’s prime minister would have been an event closely watched and monitored by global powers, especially when his was the regime marred by charges of corruption and human rights abuse. In the event of his resignation, Sri Lanka's political tension seems to de-escalate, paving way for the ousted prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who clinched his lost throne. Wickremesinghe took the oath as Sri Lanka's prime minister on December 16 ending two months of political impasse.

Mahinda Rajapaksa: Sri Lanka’s former strongman and hardline politician

Pakistan's cricket hero Imran Khan stunned the world when he took charge as the Prime Minister of a nation that has a perennial conflict on its borders and an economy that slowly inches toward a crisis.&nbsp;

In August, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief was sworn-in as the country's 'Wazeer-e-Azam'. PTI's sizeable election victory, coupled with Khan's charisma and international recognition, suggested the days of 'Naya Pakistan' were finally here.&nbsp;

Promises galore

Khan promised an economically empowered, democratic, terrorism-free, welfare state as he fumbled his way through his oath-taking ceremony. Shortly after assuming office, Khan, along with his cabinet, rolled out a series of austerity measures, suggesting that his government means no foul-play and only business.&nbsp;

Within a fortnight, the Pak side met with the Indian counterparts <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-pakistan-begin-talks-in-lahore-on-indus-water-treaty-162280">over Indus Waters Treaty</a>. Khan also sent out a message of cooperation and dialogue to India.&nbsp;

'100-day agenda' to 100-day report card

It must be noted that Khan had proposed a '100-day-agenda' much ahead of Pakistan's general elections. On the occasion of crossing the threshold of completing 100 days of governance, PM Khan's speech in November put a spotlight on some of the key achievements of his cabinet -- some of which included bolstering the FIA and setting up a task force for improved government hospitals, Pakistan media reported.

Khan, in his speech, added that Pakistan has already signed deals with over 20 countries, encouraging sharing of information and assets recovery. In under six months, Khan visited UAE, Saudi Arabia twice and had gone on an official trip to China and Malaysia. &nbsp;

He also mentioned that the anti-encroachment drive initiated by his government helped in recovering around Rs 350 billion worth of land. &nbsp;

However, a sizeable portion of his address focussed on what all he plans to achieve for the country in days to come -- promises of providing better education, nourishment to the underprivileged, more privileges to the farmer community and a bolstered economy which currently awaits an IMF bailout.&nbsp;

Hits and misses

Barely six months into governance, Khan-led PTI government scored a mix of hits and misses. While critics continue to point at the need of experience that manifests Khan's cabinet, the PTI government did manage to deliver on some tasks as promised including reducing fuel prices by removing taxes.&nbsp;

Tackling corruption

During the 90s, when Khan first stepped into politics, his goal was to bring 'insaaf' and put an end to corruption.

PTI vowed to force Pakistanis to pay their taxes -- but there is a long way to go, with only around one per cent of the population complying, news agency AFP reported &nbsp;

International relations

Imran Khan has gaping challenges staring him in the face. Putting Pakistan's dwindling economy back on track and smoothening ties with India and the United States are some of the key issues where PM Khan needs to channelise his force.&nbsp;

Khan vowed to rebalance Islamabad's relationship with the US, months after US President Donald Trump suspended security aid over Islamabad's alleged failure to target militancy along its borders.

But the road to better relations with Washington looks a difficult one, especially when it goes through Afghanistan which sits as a sore site between Islamabad and United States.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Khan noted that Islamabad joined <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-lost-70000-lives-in-americas-war-on-terror-imran-khan-28324">Washington's "war on terror</a>" in 2001, and paid a heavy price for the alliance. He stated that it sparked an Islamist backlash and homegrown militant groups who turned their guns on the Pakistani state, costing thousands of lives.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Khan government would still need to find a definitive ground to improve trade with India and address the Kashmir issue.&nbsp;

The opening of the Kartarpur Corridor was certainly a welcome move, so was his remark which came earlier this month wherein he noted that Pakistan wants "something done about the bombers of Mumbai", tacitly acknowledging that the attack of November 2008 originated from Pakistani soil.

Yet the mood in the country is one of unbridled optimism. Khan's young supporters believe he can build a corruption-free, prosperous 'Naya Pakistan.'

Khan's critics, on the other hand, believe his biggest challenge is managing expectations of those who see hope in him, "because he's almost promised them the moon," Raza Ahmad Rumi, the editor of a Pakistani daily was quoted by a Reuters report.&nbsp;

Pakistan's cricket hero Imran Khan stunned the world when he took charge as the Prime Minister of a nation that has a perennial conflict on its borders and an economy that slowly inches toward a crisis.

Pakistan's cricket hero Imran Khan stunned the world when he took charge as the Prime Minister of a nation that has a perennial conflict on its borders and an economy that slowly inches toward a crisis. In August, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief was sworn-in as the country's 'Wazeer-e-Azam'. PTI's sizeable election victory, coupled with Khan's charisma and international recognition, suggested the days of 'Naya Pakistan' were finally here. Promises galore Khan promised an economically empowered, democratic, terrorism-free, welfare state as he fumbled his way through his oath-taking ceremony. Shortly after assuming office, Khan, along with his cabinet, rolled out a series of austerity measures, suggesting that his government means no foul-play and only business. Within a fortnight, the Pak side met with the Indian counterparts over Indus Waters Treaty. Khan also sent out a message of cooperation and dialogue to India. '100-day agenda' to 100-day report card It must be noted that Khan had proposed a '100-day-agenda' much ahead of Pakistan's general elections. On the occasion of crossing the threshold of completing 100 days of governance, PM Khan's speech in November put a spotlight on some of the key achievements of his cabinet -- some of which included bolstering the FIA and setting up a task force for improved government hospitals, Pakistan media reported. Khan, in his speech, added that Pakistan has already signed deals with over 20 countries, encouraging sharing of information and assets recovery. In under six months, Khan visited UAE, Saudi Arabia twice and had gone on an official trip to China and Malaysia. He also mentioned that the anti-encroachment drive initiated by his government helped in recovering around Rs 350 billion worth of land. However, a sizeable portion of his address focussed on what all he plans to achieve for the country in days to come -- promises of providing better education, nourishment to the underprivileged, more privileges to the farmer community and a bolstered economy which currently awaits an IMF bailout. Hits and misses Barely six months into governance, Khan-led PTI government scored a mix of hits and misses. While critics continue to point at the need of experience that manifests Khan's cabinet, the PTI government did manage to deliver on some tasks as promised including reducing fuel prices by removing taxes. Tackling corruption During the 90s, when Khan first stepped into politics, his goal was to bring 'insaaf' and put an end to corruption. PTI vowed to force Pakistanis to pay their taxes -- but there is a long way to go, with only around one per cent of the population complying, news agency AFP reported International relations Imran Khan has gaping challenges staring him in the face. Putting Pakistan's dwindling economy back on track and smoothening ties with India and the United States are some of the key issues where PM Khan needs to channelise his force. Khan vowed to rebalance Islamabad's relationship with the US, months after US President Donald Trump suspended security aid over Islamabad's alleged failure to target militancy along its borders. But the road to better relations with Washington looks a difficult one, especially when it goes through Afghanistan which sits as a sore site between Islamabad and United States. Earlier this month, Khan noted that Islamabad joined Washington's "war on terror" in 2001, and paid a heavy price for the alliance. He stated that it sparked an Islamist backlash and homegrown militant groups who turned their guns on the Pakistani state, costing thousands of lives. Meanwhile, the Khan government would still need to find a definitive ground to improve trade with India and address the Kashmir issue. The opening of the Kartarpur Corridor was certainly a welcome move, so was his remark which came earlier this month wherein he noted that Pakistan wants "something done about the bombers of Mumbai", tacitly acknowledging that the attack of November 2008 originated from Pakistani soil. Yet the mood in the country is one of unbridled optimism. Khan's young supporters believe he can build a corruption-free, prosperous 'Naya Pakistan.' Khan's critics, on the other hand, believe his biggest challenge is managing expectations of those who see hope in him, "because he's almost promised them the moon," Raza Ahmad Rumi, the editor of a Pakistani daily was quoted by a Reuters report.

Hits and misses: In review, over 100 days of Imran Khan as Pak PM 

China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to cooperate on counter-terrorism and coordinate to call on the Taliban to return to the negotiating table and to move ahead the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday.

On December 15, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the second China, Afghanistan and Pakistan trilateral foreign ministers' dialogue in Kabul where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on counter-terrorism was signed between the three countries, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said here.

Wang met Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Salahuddin Rabbani, his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts respectively as the three sides agreed to use the existing dialogue mechanism to enhance coordination and promote cooperation, Hua said.

"It is important for the three parties to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation and to enhance communication to move forward the trilateral cooperation," she said. 
The three sides will coordinate to call on the Taliban to return to the negotiating table, Hua said.

The three countries will seize the opportunity and move ahead the Afghan-led, Afghan-owned reconciliation process with Afghanistan playing the primary role, she said.

It was decided that Afghanistan and Pakistan will further improve their bilateral ties and engage in more sound interactions and resolve their differences through friendly consultations and avoid hurting bilateral ties, Hua said.

China is a friend to both Afghanistan and Pakistan and would like to play a constructive part to help improve their bilateral ties, the spokesperson said.

"The three countries have also decided to expand soft approach such as exchanges and training, and explore hard projects like livelihood and transportation and infrastructure," Hua said.

It was also decided that the three sides will enhance regional connectivity and economic development within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, she said, adding that Afghanistan could benefit from regional cooperation projects including the multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by leveraging its unique geographic advantages.

They agreed to expand counter-terrorism cooperation by implementing the MoU on counter-terrorism signed during this second dialogue to enhance policy coordination, practical cooperation, exchanges and cooperation under the multilateral frameworks, she said.

"China will support Afghanistan and Pakistan in moving forward counter-terrorism cooperation," Hua said.

The Taliban are fighting to flush out international forces and re-establish their regime in Afghanistan after their ouster in 2001.&nbsp;

China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to cooperate on counter-terrorism and coordinate to call on the Taliban to return to the negotiating table and to move ahead the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday.

China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to cooperate on counter-terrorism and coordinate to call on the Taliban to return to the negotiating table and to move ahead the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday. On December 15, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the second China, Afghanistan and Pakistan trilateral foreign ministers' dialogue in Kabul where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on counter-terrorism was signed between the three countries, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said here. Wang met Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Salahuddin Rabbani, his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts respectively as the three sides agreed to use the existing dialogue mechanism to enhance coordination and promote cooperation, Hua said. "It is important for the three parties to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation and to enhance communication to move forward the trilateral cooperation," she said. The three sides will coordinate to call on the Taliban to return to the negotiating table, Hua said. The three countries will seize the opportunity and move ahead the Afghan-led, Afghan-owned reconciliation process with Afghanistan playing the primary role, she said. It was decided that Afghanistan and Pakistan will further improve their bilateral ties and engage in more sound interactions and resolve their differences through friendly consultations and avoid hurting bilateral ties, Hua said. China is a friend to both Afghanistan and Pakistan and would like to play a constructive part to help improve their bilateral ties, the spokesperson said. "The three countries have also decided to expand soft approach such as exchanges and training, and explore hard projects like livelihood and transportation and infrastructure," Hua said. It was also decided that the three sides will enhance regional connectivity and economic development within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, she said, adding that Afghanistan could benefit from regional cooperation projects including the multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by leveraging its unique geographic advantages. They agreed to expand counter-terrorism cooperation by implementing the MoU on counter-terrorism signed during this second dialogue to enhance policy coordination, practical cooperation, exchanges and cooperation under the multilateral frameworks, she said. "China will support Afghanistan and Pakistan in moving forward counter-terrorism cooperation," Hua said. The Taliban are fighting to flush out international forces and re-establish their regime in Afghanistan after their ouster in 2001.

China, Pak and Afghan sign MoU to cooperate on counter-terrorism

Veteran Maldives lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih overcame the detention and exile of key opposition figures to win this year's presidential poll and unseat incumbent Abdulla Yameen, but now faces the task of holding together a disparate coalition.

The Maldives, a string of palm-fringed islands and atolls 325 miles (523 kilometres) southwest of the southern tip of India, is best known as a luxury holiday destination.

But the Muslim nation of fewer than half a million has suffered a turbulent transition to democracy since the end of three decades of authoritarian rule in 2008.

The victory of Solih, who is known as a reformer, dislodged Yameen, a hardliner who had cultivated ties with both Beijing and Saudi Arabia, and cracked down on threats to his rule, even jailing his own half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

But Solih must now keep together a coalition that includes two fierce rivals, Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed, both former presidents.

Born in 1964 in Hinnavaru, Lhaviyani Atoll, Solih is popularly known as "Ibu".&nbsp;

Solih has been in the opposition since he first entered parliament, known as the People's Majlis, in 1994, except for a two-year spell under Nasheed, before the latter was ousted amid a police mutiny.

A close confidant of the former president and married to one of his cousins, Solih played a leading role in forming the Maldives Political Reform Movement from 2003 until 2008, which culminated in the adoption of a new constitution.

He was also part of the special parliament set up under Gayoom, who ruled the tropical islands for three decades until 2008, to write a new modern constitution for a multi-party democracy. He has led the opposition in parliament since 2011.

He led the MDP during protests in March 2015 after Nasheed's arrest for alleged terror offences, charges the opposition called politically motivated.

Friends say Solih has a calm temperament and is likely to champion democracy and freedom of expression.

He has already said he will seek to free all political prisoners, including Gayoom. He also wants to rework or scrap deals not made in the best interests of the Maldives, as well as restore ties with India, which could, in turn, strain relations with Beijing.

Soon after he took over last month, Solih said state coffers had been looted over the past few years and warned that the country was in financial difficulty after racking up debt with Chinese lenders.

Solih, on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/maldives-president-solih-pm-modi-pledge-to-renew-ties-in-joint-statement-184786">his recent trip to India</a>, said the Maldives and India had signed agreements to cooperate on trade, health and defence. India would help improve Maldives' security through joint patrols as well as aerial surveillance, officials said.

Veteran Maldives lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih overcame the detention and exile of key opposition figures to win this year's presidential poll and unseat incumbent Abdulla Yameen, but now faces the task of holding together a disparate coalition.

Veteran Maldives lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih overcame the detention and exile of key opposition figures to win this year's presidential poll and unseat incumbent Abdulla Yameen, but now faces the task of holding together a disparate coalition. The Maldives, a string of palm-fringed islands and atolls 325 miles (523 kilometres) southwest of the southern tip of India, is best known as a luxury holiday destination. But the Muslim nation of fewer than half a million has suffered a turbulent transition to democracy since the end of three decades of authoritarian rule in 2008. The victory of Solih, who is known as a reformer, dislodged Yameen, a hardliner who had cultivated ties with both Beijing and Saudi Arabia, and cracked down on threats to his rule, even jailing his own half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. But Solih must now keep together a coalition that includes two fierce rivals, Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed, both former presidents. Born in 1964 in Hinnavaru, Lhaviyani Atoll, Solih is popularly known as "Ibu". Solih has been in the opposition since he first entered parliament, known as the People's Majlis, in 1994, except for a two-year spell under Nasheed, before the latter was ousted amid a police mutiny. A close confidant of the former president and married to one of his cousins, Solih played a leading role in forming the Maldives Political Reform Movement from 2003 until 2008, which culminated in the adoption of a new constitution. He was also part of the special parliament set up under Gayoom, who ruled the tropical islands for three decades until 2008, to write a new modern constitution for a multi-party democracy. He has led the opposition in parliament since 2011. He led the MDP during protests in March 2015 after Nasheed's arrest for alleged terror offences, charges the opposition called politically motivated. Friends say Solih has a calm temperament and is likely to champion democracy and freedom of expression. He has already said he will seek to free all political prisoners, including Gayoom. He also wants to rework or scrap deals not made in the best interests of the Maldives, as well as restore ties with India, which could, in turn, strain relations with Beijing. Soon after he took over last month, Solih said state coffers had been looted over the past few years and warned that the country was in financial difficulty after racking up debt with Chinese lenders. Solih, on his recent trip to India, said the Maldives and India had signed agreements to cooperate on trade, health and defence. India would help improve Maldives' security through joint patrols as well as aerial surveillance, officials said.

Maldives President Ibrahim Solih: Reformer who must hold together a diverse coalition

Former Maldivian President, also the first to be elected democratically, Mohamed Nasheed's returned to the country last month after the Maldivian top court overturned a terrorism conviction against him. Nasheed returned to the island nation after being in exile for nearly two years.&nbsp;

Nasheed can aptly be called quite significant to the political fabric of the Maldives. The 2003 Maldives civil unrest was a product of the public rage that erupted after an investigation, that Nasheed has pressed for, revealed that a 19-year-old prisoner was tortured to death in Maafushi jail.&nbsp;

Nasheed's political journey has been a tough one, marred by many controversies that had him spend a considerable amount of his life in prison. Nasheed's critical views on former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's regime landed him in jail multiple times, reports suggest he was jailed over twenty times under Gayoom's rule.&nbsp;

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I have been charged and imprisoned over 14 times, mostly for writing dissenting journalism. Congratulations to President Gayoom for receiving the honour marking the Diamond Jubilee of Maldives Journalism.
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) <a href="https://twitter.com/MohamedNasheed/status/1072808625528164353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Born on 17 May 1967 in Malé, Maldives, Nasheed earned his education in the Maldives and in Sri Lanka before leaving for the United Kingdom where he studied maritime studies.

He was elected to the Maldivian parliament in the year 2000. Nasheed went into an exile to the United Kingdom in 2003 and formed the Maldivian Democratic Party. The British government recognised him as a political refugee. He returned to the country after over a year but was arrested again while holding a demonstration with MDP supporters in 2005.

Former Amnesty prisoner of conscience, Nasheed has been identified as a pro-democracy leader who feels deeply for environmental concerns. In 2008, he managed to overthrow the nearly three-decade-long rule of former president Gayoom in nation's first democratic polls.&nbsp;

During his presidency, Nasheed vowed to turn the Maldives carbon-neutral in the coming decade and held the world's first-ever underwater cabinet meeting. The United Nations awarded him its most prestigious &nbsp;environmental award, 'Champion of the Earth.'

But Nasheed's effort of achieving democratic stability at home was shortlived as Opposition-led protests began taking shape. His own cabinet resigned in 2010, Nasheed claimed that the Opposition was making it impossible to govern.&nbsp;

In 2012, anti-government protests gripped the island nation after Nasheed ordered the arrest of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed. After ongoing protests and constitutional crisis, Nasheed, in a nationwide broadcast, announced his resignation.&nbsp;

In March 2015, Nasheed was convicted on a terrorism charge and sentenced to 13 years at Maafushi jail over Abdulla Mohamed's arrest. Amnesty International called the conviction as "politically motivated." Nasheed took political asylum in the United Kingdom in 2016.&nbsp;

In 2017, Nasheed vowed to return to the Maldives and contest presidential polls against President Abdulla Yameen whose refusal to comply with the court’s order to release political prisoners drew international criticism.

Nasheed was barred from contesting the September 23 poll. The elections were won by his party's nominee Ibrahim Mohamed Solih who crushed Yameen's five-year rule.

In November, the Maldives top court overturned the terrorism conviction against Nasheed stating that the former president was wrongfully charged and should not have been convicted in the 2015 trial.

"President Nasheed's entire trial was a politically-motivated sham," his lawyer, Hisaan Hussein, said after his conviction was quashed.

"It is appalling that an innocent man was unjustly forced to spend a year in jail, 35 months in exile, and was prevented from standing for political office."

Nasheed's appeal against his 13-year jail sentence had languished before the courts for years and came through only recently when the case reopened after Yameen's defeat. &nbsp;

Shortly after returning to his motherland, Nasheed seemed to have resumed his effort as an environmental campaigner. &nbsp;

The newly-elected Maldivian president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, invited Nasheed to head the country's negotiating delegation at the Katowice talks in Poland. The talks are aimed at agreeing on rules for implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

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We must cease the dinosaur language of climate change, begging the greatest polluters to cut carbon emissions on ethical grounds. We must demand robust investment in clean &amp; renewable energy to end investment in and consumption of fossil fuels. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COP24?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COP24</a>
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) <a href="https://twitter.com/MohamedNasheed/status/1073114556845547521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-tells-un-climate-talks-we-are-not-prepared-to-die-183833">In Poland, Nasheed stated</a> that everything in power will be done to combat the climate crisis. He also said that not much progress has been made "almost 10 years since" he was last at these climate negotiations.&nbsp;

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I welcome outcome of COP24. The world has agreed that all nations must commit to new emissions targets by 2020. Maldives will play its part and submit its new target next year, in line with 1.5 degrees and GoM’s intention to rapidly shift to solar power. <a href="https://t.co/ttafMDDJq4">https://t.co/ttafMDDJq4</a>
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) <a href="https://twitter.com/MohamedNasheed/status/1074253474014027776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"But almost 10 years since I was last at these climate negotiations, I must say, nothing much seems to have changed. We are still using the same old, dinosaur language," he said.

Former Maldivian President, also the first to be elected democratically, Mohamed Nasheed's returned to the country last month after the Maldivian top court overturned a terrorism conviction against him.

Former Maldivian President, also the first to be elected democratically, Mohamed Nasheed's returned to the country last month after the Maldivian top court overturned a terrorism conviction against him. Nasheed returned to the island nation after being in exile for nearly two years. Nasheed can aptly be called quite significant to the political fabric of the Maldives. The 2003 Maldives civil unrest was a product of the public rage that erupted after an investigation, that Nasheed has pressed for, revealed that a 19-year-old prisoner was tortured to death in Maafushi jail. Nasheed's political journey has been a tough one, marred by many controversies that had him spend a considerable amount of his life in prison. Nasheed's critical views on former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's regime landed him in jail multiple times, reports suggest he was jailed over twenty times under Gayoom's rule. I have been charged and imprisoned over 14 times, mostly for writing dissenting journalism. Congratulations to President Gayoom for receiving the honour marking the Diamond Jubilee of Maldives Journalism. — Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) December 12, 2018 × Born on 17 May 1967 in Malé, Maldives, Nasheed earned his education in the Maldives and in Sri Lanka before leaving for the United Kingdom where he studied maritime studies. He was elected to the Maldivian parliament in the year 2000. Nasheed went into an exile to the United Kingdom in 2003 and formed the Maldivian Democratic Party. The British government recognised him as a political refugee. He returned to the country after over a year but was arrested again while holding a demonstration with MDP supporters in 2005. Former Amnesty prisoner of conscience, Nasheed has been identified as a pro-democracy leader who feels deeply for environmental concerns. In 2008, he managed to overthrow the nearly three-decade-long rule of former president Gayoom in nation's first democratic polls. During his presidency, Nasheed vowed to turn the Maldives carbon-neutral in the coming decade and held the world's first-ever underwater cabinet meeting. The United Nations awarded him its most prestigious environmental award, 'Champion of the Earth.' But Nasheed's effort of achieving democratic stability at home was shortlived as Opposition-led protests began taking shape. His own cabinet resigned in 2010, Nasheed claimed that the Opposition was making it impossible to govern. In 2012, anti-government protests gripped the island nation after Nasheed ordered the arrest of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed. After ongoing protests and constitutional crisis, Nasheed, in a nationwide broadcast, announced his resignation. In March 2015, Nasheed was convicted on a terrorism charge and sentenced to 13 years at Maafushi jail over Abdulla Mohamed's arrest. Amnesty International called the conviction as "politically motivated." Nasheed took political asylum in the United Kingdom in 2016. In 2017, Nasheed vowed to return to the Maldives and contest presidential polls against President Abdulla Yameen whose refusal to comply with the court’s order to release political prisoners drew international criticism. Nasheed was barred from contesting the September 23 poll. The elections were won by his party's nominee Ibrahim Mohamed Solih who crushed Yameen's five-year rule. In November, the Maldives top court overturned the terrorism conviction against Nasheed stating that the former president was wrongfully charged and should not have been convicted in the 2015 trial. "President Nasheed's entire trial was a politically-motivated sham," his lawyer, Hisaan Hussein, said after his conviction was quashed. "It is appalling that an innocent man was unjustly forced to spend a year in jail, 35 months in exile, and was prevented from standing for political office." Nasheed's appeal against his 13-year jail sentence had languished before the courts for years and came through only recently when the case reopened after Yameen's defeat. Shortly after returning to his motherland, Nasheed seemed to have resumed his effort as an environmental campaigner. The newly-elected Maldivian president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, invited Nasheed to head the country's negotiating delegation at the Katowice talks in Poland. The talks are aimed at agreeing on rules for implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. We must cease the dinosaur language of climate change, begging the greatest polluters to cut carbon emissions on ethical grounds. We must demand robust investment in clean & renewable energy to end investment in and consumption of fossil fuels. #COP24 — Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) December 13, 2018 × In Poland, Nasheed stated that everything in power will be done to combat the climate crisis. He also said that not much progress has been made "almost 10 years since" he was last at these climate negotiations. I welcome outcome of COP24. The world has agreed that all nations must commit to new emissions targets by 2020. Maldives will play its part and submit its new target next year, in line with 1.5 degrees and GoM’s intention to rapidly shift to solar power. https://t.co/ttafMDDJq4 — Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) December 16, 2018 × "But almost 10 years since I was last at these climate negotiations, I must say, nothing much seems to have changed. We are still using the same old, dinosaur language," he said.

Mohamed Nasheed: Maldives' fighter-politician and 'Champion of Earth'

China pledged to help Afghanistan and Pakistan overcome longstanding suspicions, as officials from the three nations met on Saturday in the latest round of diplomacy aimed at opening talks with the Taliban to end the Afghan war.

China, a close ally of Pakistan, has lately deepened its economic and political ties with Kabul and is using its influence to try to bring the two uneasy South Asian neighbours closer, at a time when the United States has sought Pakistan's help with faltering Afghan peace talks.

The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, met the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Kabul to put into effect a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation and support for Afghanistan's efforts to open talks with the Taliban.

"China approves of this, and is willing to provide support and help for Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve their ties," Wang told reporters after the meeting.

The meeting, which followed initial talks between the three countries a year ago, is the latest sign of China's increasing engagement in the region, where it has invested massively in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a central part of its global Belt and Road initiative.

Direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban collapsed in 2015, and the Taliban, fighting to drive out international forces and re-establish their version of strict Islamic law, have repeatedly rejected the direct peace talks offered by the Western-backed Afghan government.

However, they have opened contacts with the United States to prepare for possible talks to end a war that has killed and maimed tens of thousands in the 17 years since a US-backed campaign overthrew the Taliban in 2001.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently formed a 12-strong team to negotiate with the Taliban, but has said any deal could take at least five years to implement.

"We support Afghanistan and Pakistan efforts for peace and we call on the Taliban to join the peace process," said Wang, adding that both countries have agreed to resolve disputes through "friendly consultations."

Political tensions, coupled with allegations that security agencies in both countries support militant groups that bring deadly attacks against one another continue to strain relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Islamabad was committed to stability and peace in Afghanistan.

"By blaming, no one moves ahead, we have to stop pointing fingers at each other that why I am here to build mutual political trusts and facilitate the peace process of Afghanistan," he said.

Earlier this month US&nbsp;President Donald Trump requested Pakistan's support for the US&nbsp;effort to advance the Afghan peace process.

The officials also signed agreements to enable the expansion of CPEC to Afghanistan through road and rail links.

China pledged to help Afghanistan and Pakistan overcome longstanding suspicions, as officials from the three nations met on Saturday in the latest round of diplomacy aimed at opening talks with the Taliban to end the Afghan war.

China pledged to help Afghanistan and Pakistan overcome longstanding suspicions, as officials from the three nations met on Saturday in the latest round of diplomacy aimed at opening talks with the Taliban to end the Afghan war. China, a close ally of Pakistan, has lately deepened its economic and political ties with Kabul and is using its influence to try to bring the two uneasy South Asian neighbours closer, at a time when the United States has sought Pakistan's help with faltering Afghan peace talks. The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, met the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Kabul to put into effect a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation and support for Afghanistan's efforts to open talks with the Taliban. "China approves of this, and is willing to provide support and help for Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve their ties," Wang told reporters after the meeting. The meeting, which followed initial talks between the three countries a year ago, is the latest sign of China's increasing engagement in the region, where it has invested massively in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a central part of its global Belt and Road initiative. Direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban collapsed in 2015, and the Taliban, fighting to drive out international forces and re-establish their version of strict Islamic law, have repeatedly rejected the direct peace talks offered by the Western-backed Afghan government. However, they have opened contacts with the United States to prepare for possible talks to end a war that has killed and maimed tens of thousands in the 17 years since a US-backed campaign overthrew the Taliban in 2001. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently formed a 12-strong team to negotiate with the Taliban, but has said any deal could take at least five years to implement. "We support Afghanistan and Pakistan efforts for peace and we call on the Taliban to join the peace process," said Wang, adding that both countries have agreed to resolve disputes through "friendly consultations." Political tensions, coupled with allegations that security agencies in both countries support militant groups that bring deadly attacks against one another continue to strain relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Islamabad was committed to stability and peace in Afghanistan. "By blaming, no one moves ahead, we have to stop pointing fingers at each other that why I am here to build mutual political trusts and facilitate the peace process of Afghanistan," he said. Earlier this month US President Donald Trump requested Pakistan's support for the US effort to advance the Afghan peace process. The officials also signed agreements to enable the expansion of CPEC to Afghanistan through road and rail links.

China pledges to help Afghanistan and Pakistan bridge divisions

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-chooses-new-joint-chiefs-of-staff-chairman-against-pentagon-chief-jim-mattis-wishes-182563">US President Donald Trump</a> has roped in a senior intelligence official, Robert Williams, known for his hardline approach on Pakistan in the past, as his point person for South Asia.

Trump intends to nominate Williams, who, for more than 20 years, has specialised in South Asia and Afghanistan affairs as an analyst and intelligence officer, for the important position of Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs.

The position of Assistant Secretary of South and Central Asia has been lying vacant since the beginning of this administration and it would be more than two years before he occupies this post, if confirmed by the US Senate.

Coming from the intelligence community, there is not much information about Williams in the public domain. In the strategic circle, his image is that of one with a hardline approach on Pakistan and as an individual, who recognises India's value as America's strategic partner.

Since 2017, he has served at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Washington, DC, as the Associate Deputy Director for Intelligence and Directorate for Operations.

Previously, he was the National Intelligence Officer for South Asia at the National Intelligence Council and Defense Intelligence Officer for South Asia at DIA.

He has also been an adjunct associate professor at the Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service since 2017 and was previously a senior adjunct professorial lecturer at the American University's School of International Service from 2013 to 2016.

Williams earned his BA at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and MA at The George Washington University in 1996. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the National Intelligence Superior Service Medal.

US President Donald Trump has roped in a senior intelligence official, Robert Williams, known for his hardline approach on Pakistan in the past, as his point person for South Asia.

US President Donald Trump has roped in a senior intelligence official, Robert Williams, known for his hardline approach on Pakistan in the past, as his point person for South Asia. Trump intends to nominate Williams, who, for more than 20 years, has specialised in South Asia and Afghanistan affairs as an analyst and intelligence officer, for the important position of Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. The position of Assistant Secretary of South and Central Asia has been lying vacant since the beginning of this administration and it would be more than two years before he occupies this post, if confirmed by the US Senate. Coming from the intelligence community, there is not much information about Williams in the public domain. In the strategic circle, his image is that of one with a hardline approach on Pakistan and as an individual, who recognises India's value as America's strategic partner. Since 2017, he has served at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Washington, DC, as the Associate Deputy Director for Intelligence and Directorate for Operations. Previously, he was the National Intelligence Officer for South Asia at the National Intelligence Council and Defense Intelligence Officer for South Asia at DIA. He has also been an adjunct associate professor at the Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service since 2017 and was previously a senior adjunct professorial lecturer at the American University's School of International Service from 2013 to 2016. Williams earned his BA at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and MA at The George Washington University in 1996. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the National Intelligence Superior Service Medal.

Trump appoints senior intelligence official Robert Williams as 'point person' for South Asia

A Taliban attack in Shindad district here on Thursday night killed at least 14 soldiers of the Afghan National Army and kidnapped 20.

On one hand, provincial governor's spokesman Jailani Farhad told TOLOnews on Friday that the attack was orchestrated by Taliban militants and also confirmed the fatalities.

On the other hand, Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence noted that only 10 soldiers had been killed during the assault but did not divulge any more details.

The Ministry's spokesman Sayed Javid Ghafor further said that investigations pertaining to the incident were ongoing.

Quoting local sources, Pajhwok News Agency also reported that weapons at the outpost were taken by the Taliban militants while adding that help could only reach the region on Friday morning.

The attacks come in the wake of calls for the re-initiation of peace talks in Afghanistan, which has seen strife within its borders since the last 17 years.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani had recently formed a 12-member team for peace talks with the Taliban.

Meanwhile, the United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, is currently on an eight-nation tour from December 2 to December 20 for accelerating the peace process in Afghanistan.

He has, until now, met with Ghani in Kabul on Thursday along with the Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, following which he departed for Moscow to hold discussions.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A Taliban attack in Shindad district here on Thursday night killed at least 14 soldiers of the Afghan National Army and kidnapped 20. On one hand, provincial governor's spokesman Jailani Farhad told TOLOnews on Friday that the attack was orchestrated by Taliban militants and also confirmed the fatalities.

A Taliban attack in Shindad district here on Thursday night killed at least 14 soldiers of the Afghan National Army and kidnapped 20. On one hand, provincial governor's spokesman Jailani Farhad told TOLOnews on Friday that the attack was orchestrated by Taliban militants and also confirmed the fatalities. On the other hand, Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence noted that only 10 soldiers had been killed during the assault but did not divulge any more details. The Ministry's spokesman Sayed Javid Ghafor further said that investigations pertaining to the incident were ongoing. Quoting local sources, Pajhwok News Agency also reported that weapons at the outpost were taken by the Taliban militants while adding that help could only reach the region on Friday morning. The attacks come in the wake of calls for the re-initiation of peace talks in Afghanistan, which has seen strife within its borders since the last 17 years. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani had recently formed a 12-member team for peace talks with the Taliban. Meanwhile, the United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, is currently on an eight-nation tour from December 2 to December 20 for accelerating the peace process in Afghanistan. He has, until now, met with Ghani in Kabul on Thursday along with the Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, following which he departed for Moscow to hold discussions.

Taliban launches brutal attack on Afghan Army

A Myanmar court jailed three activists on Friday for defaming the military during anti-war protests, amid growing concern about a clamp-down on civil society.

A judge in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, found two men and one woman guilty of defamation, sentencing them to six months in prison and a fine of $320 each.

Lum Zawng, Nang Pu, and Zau Jat took part in demonstrations in war-torn Kachin in April, when an army offensive against ethnic minority guerrillas prompted more than 6,000 people to flee their homes.

"They used the word 'military'&nbsp;in their speech," said Doi Bu, a lawyer for one of the defendants, referring to speeches they made at the protest.

"'The military doesn’t allow people to leave the conflict zone'," he said, giving examples of what they had said.

"'The military blocks people from the conflict zone`, and `the military is threatening people'."

The three had denied wrongdoing.

The fighting between government troops and one of the country’s biggest insurgent groups, the Kachin Independence Army, stranded hundreds of villagers in the conflict zone and sparked anti-war protests in Myitkyina.

After more than two weeks, government leader Aung San Suu Kyi sent her minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, Win Myat Aye, to the area and in May some 150 trapped villagers were allowed passage to safety.

The European Union and Swedish embassies in Yangon condemned Friday’s verdict, urging the authorities to review the decision.&nbsp;

The EU said the judgement was "worrying news for civil society in Myanmar".

"Protests for peace and for saving people trapped by violent conflict should not be criminalized," the EU said in a statement.

The international rights group Amnesty International said the jailing of the three was "appalling".

Their sentences reflected a pattern of attacks, intimidation, threats and prosecutions against human rights defenders, journalists and community leaders who speak out in defence of civilian victims of military operations, it said.

"It sends a chilling warning," the group said in a statement.

The government denies any pattern of rights abuses saying cases are handled according to the law.

According to the Myanmar free-speech organization Athan, which means ‘Voice’ in Burmese, 44 journalists and 142 activists have faced trial since 2016 when Nobel laureate Suu Kyi came to power at the head of a civilian government after 50 years of military rule.

Activists say her government has failed to use its overwhelming parliamentary majority to scrap colonial-era laws used to stifle dissent while tightening restrictions on activist groups.

&nbsp;

A Myanmar court jailed three activists on Friday for defaming the military during anti-war protests, amid growing concern about a clamp-down on civil society. A judge in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, found two men and one woman guilty of defamation, sentencing them to six months in prison and a fine of $320 each.

A Myanmar court jailed three activists on Friday for defaming the military during anti-war protests, amid growing concern about a clamp-down on civil society. A judge in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, found two men and one woman guilty of defamation, sentencing them to six months in prison and a fine of $320 each. Lum Zawng, Nang Pu, and Zau Jat took part in demonstrations in war-torn Kachin in April, when an army offensive against ethnic minority guerrillas prompted more than 6,000 people to flee their homes. "They used the word 'military' in their speech," said Doi Bu, a lawyer for one of the defendants, referring to speeches they made at the protest. "'The military doesn’t allow people to leave the conflict zone'," he said, giving examples of what they had said. "'The military blocks people from the conflict zone`, and `the military is threatening people'." The three had denied wrongdoing. The fighting between government troops and one of the country’s biggest insurgent groups, the Kachin Independence Army, stranded hundreds of villagers in the conflict zone and sparked anti-war protests in Myitkyina. After more than two weeks, government leader Aung San Suu Kyi sent her minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, Win Myat Aye, to the area and in May some 150 trapped villagers were allowed passage to safety. The European Union and Swedish embassies in Yangon condemned Friday’s verdict, urging the authorities to review the decision. The EU said the judgement was "worrying news for civil society in Myanmar". "Protests for peace and for saving people trapped by violent conflict should not be criminalized," the EU said in a statement. The international rights group Amnesty International said the jailing of the three was "appalling". Their sentences reflected a pattern of attacks, intimidation, threats and prosecutions against human rights defenders, journalists and community leaders who speak out in defence of civilian victims of military operations, it said. "It sends a chilling warning," the group said in a statement. The government denies any pattern of rights abuses saying cases are handled according to the law. According to the Myanmar free-speech organization Athan, which means ‘Voice’ in Burmese, 44 journalists and 142 activists have faced trial since 2016 when Nobel laureate Suu Kyi came to power at the head of a civilian government after 50 years of military rule. Activists say her government has failed to use its overwhelming parliamentary majority to scrap colonial-era laws used to stifle dissent while tightening restrictions on activist groups.

Myanmar court jails anti-war protesters for defaming military

The elections to state legislatures in India have for the past few months engrossed the specialist analysts and lay audience alike. The results, it is widely believed, will indicate which way the political wind is blowing. This has distracted us from taking note of significant developments in the neighbourhood. It’s time that we turn our gaze outwards and take stalk of the strategic situation in the flux.

In the Maldives and in Sri Lanka the situation appears to have changed in favour of India. In the atoll island it was the presidential elections that threw out the incumbent who had adopted a hostile posture towards India throughout his tenure and in Sri Lanka the country’s Supreme Court stepped in to resolve - at least for the moment- a constitutional crisis and a coup of sorts to instal Mahinda Rajapaksa was nipped in the bud. In both cases, the change in circumstances was not a result of Indian diplomatic exertions or efforts to tilt the balance in its favour.

No one in his right mind can ever suggest that India should interfere in the internal affairs of a neighbour but the fact is that it can not remain indifferent to continued strife and political instability in its immediate neighbourhood.&nbsp;

Nor can it turn a blind eye to Chinese machinations to encircle India and spread misinformation about India. Both in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the Chinese have tried to upstage and oust India from infrastructural projects and replace it as the leading strategic partner in economic and technical sphere.&nbsp;

Regime change in Male and restoration of status quo in Colombo had naturally aroused hopes that the balance was now tilting in favour of India. Now, it seems that the rejoicing was hasty. Sri Lanka continues to be under strong pressure to honour its ‘contractual commitment’ to PRC and Maldives too has lost no time in signalling that it will maintain friendly equidistance between India and China. We have to be patient with Sri Lanka; the most important thing is not to let our policy remain a hostage to Dravidian party politics in Tamil Nadu. The country has already paid a heavy price for this folly.

The challenges are far more complex in Nepal where India has allowed the ground to steadily slip from under its feet. Not only is the present government proud of flaunting its proximity to Beijing it doesn’t miss an opportunity to embarrass Indians. Outstanding disputes may be resolved-more like brushed under the carpet at the time of a state visit- but are likely to resurface in a more twisted form soon enough.

As we scan the horizons in the Indian Ocean with swelling pride to carve a role in Indo-Pacific region we can ill afford to neglect this landlocked perpetually disgruntled prickly neighbour. Neither juiciest carrots nor hard talk seem to make the slightest difference.&nbsp;

To our mind, there is certainly an improvement in the milieu but Indians will have to tread gently and talk little very softly in the coming months to build broken bridges. It is imperative to have a stick around but to keep it out of sight! 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The elections to state legislatures in India have for the past few months engrossed the specialist analysts and lay audience alike. The results, it is widely believed, will indicate which way the political wind is blowing.

The elections to state legislatures in India have for the past few months engrossed the specialist analysts and lay audience alike. The results, it is widely believed, will indicate which way the political wind is blowing. This has distracted us from taking note of significant developments in the neighbourhood. It’s time that we turn our gaze outwards and take stalk of the strategic situation in the flux. In the Maldives and in Sri Lanka the situation appears to have changed in favour of India. In the atoll island it was the presidential elections that threw out the incumbent who had adopted a hostile posture towards India throughout his tenure and in Sri Lanka the country’s Supreme Court stepped in to resolve - at least for the moment- a constitutional crisis and a coup of sorts to instal Mahinda Rajapaksa was nipped in the bud. In both cases, the change in circumstances was not a result of Indian diplomatic exertions or efforts to tilt the balance in its favour. No one in his right mind can ever suggest that India should interfere in the internal affairs of a neighbour but the fact is that it can not remain indifferent to continued strife and political instability in its immediate neighbourhood. Nor can it turn a blind eye to Chinese machinations to encircle India and spread misinformation about India. Both in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the Chinese have tried to upstage and oust India from infrastructural projects and replace it as the leading strategic partner in economic and technical sphere. Regime change in Male and restoration of status quo in Colombo had naturally aroused hopes that the balance was now tilting in favour of India. Now, it seems that the rejoicing was hasty. Sri Lanka continues to be under strong pressure to honour its ‘contractual commitment’ to PRC and Maldives too has lost no time in signalling that it will maintain friendly equidistance between India and China. We have to be patient with Sri Lanka; the most important thing is not to let our policy remain a hostage to Dravidian party politics in Tamil Nadu. The country has already paid a heavy price for this folly. The challenges are far more complex in Nepal where India has allowed the ground to steadily slip from under its feet. Not only is the present government proud of flaunting its proximity to Beijing it doesn’t miss an opportunity to embarrass Indians. Outstanding disputes may be resolved-more like brushed under the carpet at the time of a state visit- but are likely to resurface in a more twisted form soon enough. As we scan the horizons in the Indian Ocean with swelling pride to carve a role in Indo-Pacific region we can ill afford to neglect this landlocked perpetually disgruntled prickly neighbour. Neither juiciest carrots nor hard talk seem to make the slightest difference. To our mind, there is certainly an improvement in the milieu but Indians will have to tread gently and talk little very softly in the coming months to build broken bridges. It is imperative to have a stick around but to keep it out of sight! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

From Sri Lanka to Maldives, India must tread cautiously and softly

In a strong message to Pakistan, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said it is time for everyone to support the efforts of the UN, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all those who are trying to maintain peace in South Asia.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-army-chief-denies-supporting-taliban-in-ghazni-siege-160280?first_load=no">Pakistan must take on a substantive role in peace talks with the Taliban</a> if the war in neighbouring Afghanistan is to be ended, he said.&nbsp;

Mattis was responding to a question from reporters about the letter written by US President Donald Trump to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking his support in the peace process in Afghanistan. In his letter, Trump has made it clear that Pakistan's full support over the issue "is fundamental" to building an enduring US-Pakistan partnership.&nbsp;

"We're looking for every responsible nation to support peace in the sub-continent and across this war in Afghanistan that's gone on now for 40 years," he told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday as he welcomed Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for talks.

"It's time for everyone to get on board, support the United Nations; support Prime Minister Modi's, (Afghan) President (Ashraf) Ghani and all those who are trying to maintain peace and make for a better world here," Mattis said.

"We are on that track. It is diplomatically led as it should be, and we'll do our best to protect the Afghan people," he added.&nbsp;

In a strong message to Pakistan, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said it is time for everyone to support the efforts of the UN, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all those who are trying to maintain peace in South Asia.

In a strong message to Pakistan, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said it is time for everyone to support the efforts of the UN, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all those who are trying to maintain peace in South Asia. Pakistan must take on a substantive role in peace talks with the Taliban if the war in neighbouring Afghanistan is to be ended, he said. Mattis was responding to a question from reporters about the letter written by US President Donald Trump to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking his support in the peace process in Afghanistan. In his letter, Trump has made it clear that Pakistan's full support over the issue "is fundamental" to building an enduring US-Pakistan partnership. "We're looking for every responsible nation to support peace in the sub-continent and across this war in Afghanistan that's gone on now for 40 years," he told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday as he welcomed Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for talks. "It's time for everyone to get on board, support the United Nations; support Prime Minister Modi's, (Afghan) President (Ashraf) Ghani and all those who are trying to maintain peace and make for a better world here," Mattis said. "We are on that track. It is diplomatically led as it should be, and we'll do our best to protect the Afghan people," he added.

It is time for Pakistan to get on board with peace process in South Asia: US 

A Bangladeshi diplomat Saturday stressed the need for international help to overcome the Rohingya refugee crisis in the country and said being the largest nation in South Asia, India had a huge role to play in building trust in the region.

Shahanaj Akhter Ranu, the political counsellor of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the city, said political stability was necessary for economic growth and the non-state refugee issue was having an impact on the neighbouring country.

"We need international help and cooperation to repatriate the Rohingya people to their homeland," she said at the MCCI Logistics Forum.

India had more responsibility in building trust in the region, being the largest country in South Asia, Ranu added.

Bangladesh had in the past also sought India's support in handling the Rohingya issue by mounting pressure on Myanmar to take back the refugees who had taken shelter in the country.

According to the United Nations (UN), nearly seven lakh Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August 2017.

Bangladesh has accused the Myanmar government of failing to tackle the concerns over the Rohingya Muslims who fled the country and urged the UN Security Council to take action to ensure their safe return home.

Ranu also called for a faster implementation of the BBIN MVA (The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement) for a greater economic growth in the region.

Bangladesh, India and Nepal have already given their nod to the operating procedures for the movement of passenger vehicles in the sub-region.&nbsp;

A Bangladeshi diplomat Saturday stressed the need for international help to overcome the Rohingya refugee crisis in the country and said being the largest nation in South Asia, India had a huge role to play in building trust in the region.

A Bangladeshi diplomat Saturday stressed the need for international help to overcome the Rohingya refugee crisis in the country and said being the largest nation in South Asia, India had a huge role to play in building trust in the region. Shahanaj Akhter Ranu, the political counsellor of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the city, said political stability was necessary for economic growth and the non-state refugee issue was having an impact on the neighbouring country. "We need international help and cooperation to repatriate the Rohingya people to their homeland," she said at the MCCI Logistics Forum. India had more responsibility in building trust in the region, being the largest country in South Asia, Ranu added. Bangladesh had in the past also sought India's support in handling the Rohingya issue by mounting pressure on Myanmar to take back the refugees who had taken shelter in the country. According to the United Nations (UN), nearly seven lakh Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August 2017. Bangladesh has accused the Myanmar government of failing to tackle the concerns over the Rohingya Muslims who fled the country and urged the UN Security Council to take action to ensure their safe return home. Ranu also called for a faster implementation of the BBIN MVA (The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement) for a greater economic growth in the region. Bangladesh, India and Nepal have already given their nod to the operating procedures for the movement of passenger vehicles in the sub-region.

Rohingya crisis: Bangladesh seeks international support

China's massive "Belt and Road Initiative" building push may create debt risks but is also responding to major infrastructure gaps in Asia and could boost global trade, World Bank officials say.

The relatively upbeat assessment of a sometimes controversial programme comes despite the debt crisis now faced by Pakistan, a recipient of massive Chinese loans.

China launched the ambitious plan in 2013 under President Xi Jinping, seeking to link Asia, Europe and Africa with a network of ports, highways and railways.

It has dispersed tens of billions of dollars in loans, often to highly indebted countries, sparking criticism of Beijing for everything from "debt entrapment" to excluding local labour from projects funded by the plan.

But, meeting in Bali this week, officials from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund said the BRI filled important gaps, while acknowledging concerns.

"There are huge opportunities: improved infrastructure means more trade, more investments, higher growth, bringing in landlocked regions," said Caroline Freund, the Bank's director of trade, regional integration and investment climate.

"But there are challenges as well... There are environmental and social risks, there are issues to do with public procurement, and sustaining public debt becomes an issue because these projects are expensive," she added.

The World Bank estimates that BRI-funded infrastructure could boost trade among countries involved by 3.6 percent, and global trade some 2.4 percent.

And officials say it is offering funding in areas where it is sorely needed.

Debt fears

"Several countries, especially in Central Asia and Caucasus have benefitted... in order to improve their infrastructure as well as also to promote additional interregional trade," said Jihad Azour, the IMF's director of the Middle East and Central Asia department.

"Central Asia will benefit from any additional investment that will lead to greater integration."

He called however for "careful" spending, urged "transparent" procurement processes, and warned that countries should maintain "their debt sustainability".

In the last five years, China's direct investment under BRI has surpassed $60 billion, leaving several recipients vulnerable.

The Centre for Global Development, a think-tank, says BRI investments have "significantly" increased the risk of debt crises in eight countries: Mongolia, Laos, Maldives, Montenegro, Pakistan, Djibouti, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

But Freund said they were the exception, and Chinese loans remained a relatively small part of the total debt burdens of most countries involved in the BRI.

"Most of the countries borrowing from China in this BRI are in a pretty sound fiscal condition and are not in great risk of debt distress," said David Dollar, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former World Bank official.

But for a small number of countries, there are "serious concerns," he acknowledged.

Among them is Pakistan, which relied heavily on BRI funding for a $54-billion project linking its Gwadar port to China.

It now faces a balance-of-payments crisis and sent its finance minister to Bali this week seeking an IMF bailout.

Rising US interest rates are likely to make the situation worse for many countries, because BRI loans are mostly denominated in US dollars.

'Market forces'

Loan recipients who fail to meet their obligations can face serious consequences, with Sri Lanka forced to cede control of a deepwater port financed by the BRI to Beijing.

In August, Malaysia acted preemptively, shelving three China-backed projects, including a $20-billion railway line, that it said it could no longer afford.

"We fully respect Malaysia's decision-making, based on their sustainability situation," Chinese Finance vice-minister Zou Jiayi told a panel at the Bali meeting.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to the sustainability, we are the creditor," she added.

But, she emphasised, the initiative is not an aid programme.

"It's not like the Marshall plan, it's a development initiative based on the market mechanisms, and driven by market forces," she said.

Beijing's commitment to market forces has been questioned by some however, with most projects financed with BRI money awarded to Chinese companies and built with Chinese labour.

A French treasury report released this week praised the BRI for contributing to areas with serious infrastructure shortfalls, but noted just 3.4 percent of projects financed by China were awarded to foreign companies.

And in Pakistan, it said, 91 percent of the revenue generated by the Gwadar port project over the next 40 years will benefit China.

Zou said the overwhelming reliance on Chinese labour was simply "cost-effective," but acknowledged Beijing could encourage Chinese companies to "take more advantage of the local labour."

The programme has also been criticised for funding politically-driven "white elephants" that are structurally unsound or largely useless.

Speaking in Beijing earlier this year, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde praised the "early indications of progress" under the initiative, but also warned of the need to ensure "that Belt and Road only travels where it is needed."

China's massive "Belt and Road Initiative" building push may create debt risks but is also responding to major infrastructure gaps in Asia and could boost global trade, World Bank officials say.

China's massive "Belt and Road Initiative" building push may create debt risks but is also responding to major infrastructure gaps in Asia and could boost global trade, World Bank officials say. The relatively upbeat assessment of a sometimes controversial programme comes despite the debt crisis now faced by Pakistan, a recipient of massive Chinese loans. China launched the ambitious plan in 2013 under President Xi Jinping, seeking to link Asia, Europe and Africa with a network of ports, highways and railways. It has dispersed tens of billions of dollars in loans, often to highly indebted countries, sparking criticism of Beijing for everything from "debt entrapment" to excluding local labour from projects funded by the plan. But, meeting in Bali this week, officials from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund said the BRI filled important gaps, while acknowledging concerns. "There are huge opportunities: improved infrastructure means more trade, more investments, higher growth, bringing in landlocked regions," said Caroline Freund, the Bank's director of trade, regional integration and investment climate. "But there are challenges as well... There are environmental and social risks, there are issues to do with public procurement, and sustaining public debt becomes an issue because these projects are expensive," she added. The World Bank estimates that BRI-funded infrastructure could boost trade among countries involved by 3.6 percent, and global trade some 2.4 percent. And officials say it is offering funding in areas where it is sorely needed. Debt fears "Several countries, especially in Central Asia and Caucasus have benefitted... in order to improve their infrastructure as well as also to promote additional interregional trade," said Jihad Azour, the IMF's director of the Middle East and Central Asia department. "Central Asia will benefit from any additional investment that will lead to greater integration." He called however for "careful" spending, urged "transparent" procurement processes, and warned that countries should maintain "their debt sustainability". In the last five years, China's direct investment under BRI has surpassed $60 billion, leaving several recipients vulnerable. The Centre for Global Development, a think-tank, says BRI investments have "significantly" increased the risk of debt crises in eight countries: Mongolia, Laos, Maldives, Montenegro, Pakistan, Djibouti, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. But Freund said they were the exception, and Chinese loans remained a relatively small part of the total debt burdens of most countries involved in the BRI. "Most of the countries borrowing from China in this BRI are in a pretty sound fiscal condition and are not in great risk of debt distress," said David Dollar, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former World Bank official. But for a small number of countries, there are "serious concerns," he acknowledged. Among them is Pakistan, which relied heavily on BRI funding for a $54-billion project linking its Gwadar port to China. It now faces a balance-of-payments crisis and sent its finance minister to Bali this week seeking an IMF bailout. Rising US interest rates are likely to make the situation worse for many countries, because BRI loans are mostly denominated in US dollars. 'Market forces' Loan recipients who fail to meet their obligations can face serious consequences, with Sri Lanka forced to cede control of a deepwater port financed by the BRI to Beijing. In August, Malaysia acted preemptively, shelving three China-backed projects, including a $20-billion railway line, that it said it could no longer afford. "We fully respect Malaysia's decision-making, based on their sustainability situation," Chinese Finance vice-minister Zou Jiayi told a panel at the Bali meeting. "The Chinese government attaches great importance to the sustainability, we are the creditor," she added. But, she emphasised, the initiative is not an aid programme. "It's not like the Marshall plan, it's a development initiative based on the market mechanisms, and driven by market forces," she said. Beijing's commitment to market forces has been questioned by some however, with most projects financed with BRI money awarded to Chinese companies and built with Chinese labour. A French treasury report released this week praised the BRI for contributing to areas with serious infrastructure shortfalls, but noted just 3.4 percent of projects financed by China were awarded to foreign companies. And in Pakistan, it said, 91 percent of the revenue generated by the Gwadar port project over the next 40 years will benefit China. Zou said the overwhelming reliance on Chinese labour was simply "cost-effective," but acknowledged Beijing could encourage Chinese companies to "take more advantage of the local labour." The programme has also been criticised for funding politically-driven "white elephants" that are structurally unsound or largely useless. Speaking in Beijing earlier this year, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde praised the "early indications of progress" under the initiative, but also warned of the need to ensure "that Belt and Road only travels where it is needed."

China's Belt and Road tempts states, but comes with risks

While China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been in the news for a while, Japan is slowly funding the building of supplementary trade corridors in the Mekong region, projecting itself as not only interested in building infrastructure but also trade facilitation through the human capacity building in the region. With a growth rate exceeding 5 per cent and a combined population of over 240 million, the Mekong region, which was devastated by the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s, has now emerged as a new growth centre of Asia. With the exception of Thailand, the population of the region — that also includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam — is young, with more than 20 per cent of its residents below 15 years of age. In 2015, the combined total GDP in the region amounted to $673 billion, and the middle classes are growing right across the region. 
 
Japan’s renewed interest in the region is fuelled by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s enthusiasm for the US-inspired ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy’, which also ropes in India and Australia. China views this as a strategy to contain Beijing’s economic rise and increasing political clout in the region. Under Japan’s new initiative that has targeted mainly Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, it is not only funding building of highways, railways and bridges, but also trade facilitation through the training of human capital for better flows of people and goods. A major criticism of the BRI has been the emphasis on the building of infrastructure and the lack of attention to building human resources in the countries concerned.&nbsp;

This has led to suspicions that China is building these trade routes for its own benefit and not to promote two-way trade. The ASEAN, whose membership includes all the Mekong countries plus five others, is worried that the increasing rivalry between Asia’s two major powers may sideline the ASEAN-centrality strategy of the regional grouping with respect to development issues. 
 
During the ASEAN Foreign Minister’s meeting in Singapore in August 2018, it was emphasized that the ‘Indo-Pacific’ strategy should respect ‘Asean-centrality’ in building the regional economic architecture. At the same meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China would welcome the Japanese initiative for security and economic cooperation in the region, but warned that it needs more funding than what Japan is offering. The Japanese government has pledged $ 110 billion towards ‘high-quality’ infrastructure projects in Asia.

The Chinese government, over the last few years, has pledged some $4 trillion for numerous infrastructure projects in developing countries, that has the potential to make Asia the centre of the global economy. When China announced its grand Silk Route revival initiative (later renamed BRI) a few years ago, Japan expressed scepticism. But in May 2017, Abe sent a special envoy to the BRI forum in Beijing. And at the Hamburg G20 summit in July 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Abe met and discussed Japan’s interest in collaborating with China in implementing the BRI. While perceived disputes in the South China Sea have global attention, there is a greater conflict brewing along the Mekong river, where China has formed its own Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) organisation.

At the 2016 MLC Summit, China pledged $10 billion in preferential loans and another $10 billion in credit for the five countries to develop the region. It has triggered some 132 development projects in the region, but that includes building dams along the river that has upset Vietnam which is downstream. “It is impossible to discuss the LMC without putting it into the context of the BRI. The Mekong sub-region represents a key area for the BRI,” argues Nguyen Khac Giang, lead political researcher at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi. 
 
He points out that the so-called “signature projects” of the LMC, such as the Kunming-Bangkok road, China-Laos railway and Long Jiang Industrial Park (in Vietnam) are in the BRI framework; and most of the finance for LMC projects will come from China, either through the LMC special fund or the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund.” The link with China’s ‘initiative of the 21st Century’ indicates that the LMC is part of a bigger bid by Beijing to seek a leadership role in the region, notes Giang. In the 1970s, Japan was credited with having helped the development of South East Asia with strategic investments in setting up industrial parks, where Japanese companies set up manufacturing plants to make use of the region’s cheap labour.

China began its investment in South East Asia much later and started committing funds for infrastructure development after 2000. China’s initiatives for connectivity gained momentum in 2013 when President Xi Jinping proposed the BRI.

“In the colonial past, the Mekong region was divided between two rival powers: Great Britain and France,” notes Furuoka. “With recent developments, the Mekong countries may want to work out an astute and ingenious diplomatic policy to counteract potentially contradicting interests in the region. Otherwise, they could once again find themselves becoming a ‘playground’ for rival powers in Asia,” he warns. 
 
(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-sino-japan-rivalry-intensifies-in-asia-s-growth-region-2672774">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

While China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been in the news for a while, Japan is slowly funding the building of supplementary trade corridors in the Mekong region, projecting itself as not only interested in building infrastructure but also trade facilitation through the human capacity building in the region.

While China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been in the news for a while, Japan is slowly funding the building of supplementary trade corridors in the Mekong region, projecting itself as not only interested in building infrastructure but also trade facilitation through the human capacity building in the region. With a growth rate exceeding 5 per cent and a combined population of over 240 million, the Mekong region, which was devastated by the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s, has now emerged as a new growth centre of Asia. With the exception of Thailand, the population of the region — that also includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam — is young, with more than 20 per cent of its residents below 15 years of age. In 2015, the combined total GDP in the region amounted to $673 billion, and the middle classes are growing right across the region. Japan’s renewed interest in the region is fuelled by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s enthusiasm for the US-inspired ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy’, which also ropes in India and Australia. China views this as a strategy to contain Beijing’s economic rise and increasing political clout in the region. Under Japan’s new initiative that has targeted mainly Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, it is not only funding building of highways, railways and bridges, but also trade facilitation through the training of human capital for better flows of people and goods. A major criticism of the BRI has been the emphasis on the building of infrastructure and the lack of attention to building human resources in the countries concerned. This has led to suspicions that China is building these trade routes for its own benefit and not to promote two-way trade. The ASEAN, whose membership includes all the Mekong countries plus five others, is worried that the increasing rivalry between Asia’s two major powers may sideline the ASEAN-centrality strategy of the regional grouping with respect to development issues. During the ASEAN Foreign Minister’s meeting in Singapore in August 2018, it was emphasized that the ‘Indo-Pacific’ strategy should respect ‘Asean-centrality’ in building the regional economic architecture. At the same meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China would welcome the Japanese initiative for security and economic cooperation in the region, but warned that it needs more funding than what Japan is offering. The Japanese government has pledged $ 110 billion towards ‘high-quality’ infrastructure projects in Asia. The Chinese government, over the last few years, has pledged some $4 trillion for numerous infrastructure projects in developing countries, that has the potential to make Asia the centre of the global economy. When China announced its grand Silk Route revival initiative (later renamed BRI) a few years ago, Japan expressed scepticism. But in May 2017, Abe sent a special envoy to the BRI forum in Beijing. And at the Hamburg G20 summit in July 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Abe met and discussed Japan’s interest in collaborating with China in implementing the BRI. While perceived disputes in the South China Sea have global attention, there is a greater conflict brewing along the Mekong river, where China has formed its own Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) organisation. At the 2016 MLC Summit, China pledged $10 billion in preferential loans and another $10 billion in credit for the five countries to develop the region. It has triggered some 132 development projects in the region, but that includes building dams along the river that has upset Vietnam which is downstream. “It is impossible to discuss the LMC without putting it into the context of the BRI. The Mekong sub-region represents a key area for the BRI,” argues Nguyen Khac Giang, lead political researcher at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi. He points out that the so-called “signature projects” of the LMC, such as the Kunming-Bangkok road, China-Laos railway and Long Jiang Industrial Park (in Vietnam) are in the BRI framework; and most of the finance for LMC projects will come from China, either through the LMC special fund or the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund.” The link with China’s ‘initiative of the 21st Century’ indicates that the LMC is part of a bigger bid by Beijing to seek a leadership role in the region, notes Giang. In the 1970s, Japan was credited with having helped the development of South East Asia with strategic investments in setting up industrial parks, where Japanese companies set up manufacturing plants to make use of the region’s cheap labour. China began its investment in South East Asia much later and started committing funds for infrastructure development after 2000. China’s initiatives for connectivity gained momentum in 2013 when President Xi Jinping proposed the BRI. “In the colonial past, the Mekong region was divided between two rival powers: Great Britain and France,” notes Furuoka. “With recent developments, the Mekong countries may want to work out an astute and ingenious diplomatic policy to counteract potentially contradicting interests in the region. Otherwise, they could once again find themselves becoming a ‘playground’ for rival powers in Asia,” he warns. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Sino-Japan rivalry intensifies in Asia’s growth region

The recent defeat of pro-China government in Maldives has added to the list of the nations who have developed an anti-China rhetoric in South Asia.

Amid rising concerns that the country may fall into a debt trap, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, during the election campaign, had assured the people that his government would review Chinese investment.

The Maldives, which moved closer to China since 2013 after Abdulla Yameen took to power, had received significant grants and loan from China's Belt and Road Initiative. The Island nation also renovated the international airport in the capital of Male and a bridge connecting the airport to town with the help of funds from China.

While the new government in the Maldives seems to reassess its relation with China due to its immense financial assistance, Solih, at the same time, is expected to improve its ties with India.

Two other Muslim majority nations in the subcontinent had also fought elections with a promise to keep a check on China's growing influence in their countries.

China's great ambition to emerge as one of the biggest economies has compelled it to invest billions of dollars in the development project in South Asia.

To maintain its stronghold over the subcontinent, China has initiated projects in several South Asian countries.&nbsp;

One of such projects was recently struck down in Malaysia after the new government assumed office in May.

The change of power in Malaysia after May 9 elections, which swept aside the government of Najib Razak and reinstated Mahathir Mohamad, has eliminated China backed energy pipeline and a rain project along peninsular Malaysia's eastern coast to reduce the national debt that grew under Najib's rule.&nbsp;

The projects were part of China's ambitious "Belt and Road", but Mahathir said the deals undertaken by Najib were too costly and unfair to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the recent reports from Pakistan have hinted on the country's growing uneasiness with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Imran Khan has assured greater transparency with the country's project with China and promised that the contracts with Beijing would be made public.

Expressing concern over the deals with China, his government said the agreement was "badly negotiated" and overly favoured China. 
&nbsp; 
The reports suggest that Pakistan which is reeling under massive debt may rethink its position on the Chinese Silk Road.&nbsp;

Pakistani officials say they remain committed to Chinese investment but want to negotiate on price and affordability.

But in a setback to Islamabad's desire, Beijing is only willing to review projects that have not yet begun, Reuters reported.

Debt-ridden Pakistan may find it very difficult to renegotiate its deal with China as it has already taken massive loans from Beijing. Also, Pakistan's worsening relations with the US may force it to bow down before the demands of Beijing.

In a recent meeting held in Beijing in August, China clarified that the new governments in Malaysia, Pakistan and Maldives were free to decide if they would want to continue with Chinese investment in the projects. It also added that the countries should be ready to compensate for the debts borrowed from China in case they retreat from the projects.

Despite the rising apprehension for China among the South Asian countries, the Dragon may never want to lose its supremacy over the subcontinent. It will try to maintain its grip over the countries through its massive debt trap.

As seen in the case of Sri Lanka where it had to sell its Hambantota Port to China after it failed to clear off the funds that China had been pumping into the country for years.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The recent defeat of pro-China government in Maldives has added to the list of the nations who have developed an anti-China rhetoric in South Asia. Amid rising concerns that the country may fall into a debt trap, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, during the election campaign, had assured the people that his government would review Chinese investment.

The recent defeat of pro-China government in Maldives has added to the list of the nations who have developed an anti-China rhetoric in South Asia. Amid rising concerns that the country may fall into a debt trap, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, during the election campaign, had assured the people that his government would review Chinese investment. The Maldives, which moved closer to China since 2013 after Abdulla Yameen took to power, had received significant grants and loan from China's Belt and Road Initiative. The Island nation also renovated the international airport in the capital of Male and a bridge connecting the airport to town with the help of funds from China. While the new government in the Maldives seems to reassess its relation with China due to its immense financial assistance, Solih, at the same time, is expected to improve its ties with India. Two other Muslim majority nations in the subcontinent had also fought elections with a promise to keep a check on China's growing influence in their countries. China's great ambition to emerge as one of the biggest economies has compelled it to invest billions of dollars in the development project in South Asia. To maintain its stronghold over the subcontinent, China has initiated projects in several South Asian countries. One of such projects was recently struck down in Malaysia after the new government assumed office in May. The change of power in Malaysia after May 9 elections, which swept aside the government of Najib Razak and reinstated Mahathir Mohamad, has eliminated China backed energy pipeline and a rain project along peninsular Malaysia's eastern coast to reduce the national debt that grew under Najib's rule. The projects were part of China's ambitious "Belt and Road", but Mahathir said the deals undertaken by Najib were too costly and unfair to Malaysia. Meanwhile, the recent reports from Pakistan have hinted on the country's growing uneasiness with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. Imran Khan has assured greater transparency with the country's project with China and promised that the contracts with Beijing would be made public. Expressing concern over the deals with China, his government said the agreement was "badly negotiated" and overly favoured China. The reports suggest that Pakistan which is reeling under massive debt may rethink its position on the Chinese Silk Road. Pakistani officials say they remain committed to Chinese investment but want to negotiate on price and affordability. But in a setback to Islamabad's desire, Beijing is only willing to review projects that have not yet begun, Reuters reported. Debt-ridden Pakistan may find it very difficult to renegotiate its deal with China as it has already taken massive loans from Beijing. Also, Pakistan's worsening relations with the US may force it to bow down before the demands of Beijing. In a recent meeting held in Beijing in August, China clarified that the new governments in Malaysia, Pakistan and Maldives were free to decide if they would want to continue with Chinese investment in the projects. It also added that the countries should be ready to compensate for the debts borrowed from China in case they retreat from the projects. Despite the rising apprehension for China among the South Asian countries, the Dragon may never want to lose its supremacy over the subcontinent. It will try to maintain its grip over the countries through its massive debt trap. As seen in the case of Sri Lanka where it had to sell its Hambantota Port to China after it failed to clear off the funds that China had been pumping into the country for years. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Is South Asia losing faith in China? 

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