Category: Country Reports
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April 2021
Overview. March was dominated by the celebration of Bangladesh’s golden jubilee and the centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth, with many leaders from the region coming to Bangladesh as part of the celebration. The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proved to be contentious, with clashes between police and Islamist organization Hefazat-e Islam…
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April 2021
Overview. 20th March marked two years of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s five-year presidency term, and this year Kazakhstan celebrates 30 years of Independence. The country’s C19 vaccination campaign began on 1st February with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. After a peak in February, the oil price – central to the Kazakh economy – started to decline in…
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February 2021
Overview. Tehran raised its pressure on Washington to move quickly on sanctions relief amid signs that President Biden’s administration is not in a rush to do so. Iranian politicians’ announcements on further deviations from nuclear compliance exemplify this. Biden’s team will coordinate with European allies on Iran policy in a marked change from his predecessor’s.………
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March 2021
Overview. Additional degrees were added to the political temperature this month thanks to by-elections in four constituencies. Policy and law makers are focused on senate elections to be held on 3rd March. Surprisingly, despite the re-opening of educational establishments, there was an (official) drop in C19 cases, and an accompanying general relaxation in related restrictions.………
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March 2021
Overview. The ruling Awami League have won in a whopping 88% of municipalities in the fourth phase of the ongoing municipal elections. The central bank has ordered non-bank financial institutions not to give dividends of more than 15% for the financial year. The country’s foreign reserves set a new record of more than USD 44…
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February 2021
Overview. Despite everything going on internationally Egypt is holding steady and doing remarkably well given the circumstances. The economy is stable, C19 infection numbers, at least the official ones, are dropping and President Sisi’s ever voracious appetite for big plans and developments remains un-sated. State of Emergency. As expected, Sisi has extended the State of…