Category: Country Reports
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August 2020
Overview. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the government will reveal the irregularities that have been occurring in the country’s health sector. Economic losses as a result of C19 might have reached USD 21 billion in the just concluded fiscal year. Bangladesh Bank has created a loan fund for the July wages of export-oriented sector…
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July 2020
Overview. Iran’s C19 reopening appeared to be premature as authorities walked back easing of restrictions in some areas. A US-Iran prisoner swap briefly excites ideas of first steps to talks, but this appears highly unlikely. Iran will make mask-wearing mandatory in certain areas and allow virus-hit provinces to re-impose restrictions.…… Read the rest
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August 2020
Overview. Another terrible month for Iran as the regime struggles to manage a sharp deterioration in the value of the rial and spike in inflation. These twin factors will hamstring economic recovery and hopes for job creation as the C19 pandemic continues to weigh heavily on the economy, exacerbating structural weaknesses and straining state finances.………
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July 2020
Overview. Sisi celebrated six years in office in June and despite the problems being created back home by the C19 pandemic, he made big moves on the international stage by flexing his military muscles at both Ethiopia and Libya. His ultimate concerns have been to secure Egypt’s long western border with Libya and retain Egypt’s…
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July 2020
Overview. Security continued to deteriorate through June whilst the government remained heavily engaged in fighting the pandemic and its socio-economic effects. The clash between India and China in Ladakh has some ominous portent for Pakistan. Rises in petroleum and daily commodity prices, rising unemployment in the wake of the lockdown, the already poor economic situation,…
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July 2020
Overview. The government announced a Tk. 568,000 crore budget for the next fiscal year, with the overall budget deficit target at 6% of GDP. ADB has downgraded Bangladesh’s GDP growth projection for the current fiscal year to 4.5% in the wake of the ongoing pandemic. The country is at risk of having more than 16…