Microscopic Analysis- Week # 80; Dated 9th Aug- 15th Aug; Zone 1-Asia

Religious Education in Kazakhstan; Religious Revival and Government Regulation:
In 2010 Kazakhstan will serve as Chair of the 56-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and thus has been under increased international scrutiny. Generally noted for its relatively good human rights record and tolerant policies towards its more than 90 ethnic minorities, recently the government's efforts to amend the country's religion law threatened increased official control over Kazakhstan's highly diverse religious communities…Read More

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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on the Gilani Research Foundation website.

Micro Analysis-Week # 79-80; Dated 2nd Aug-15th Aug; Zone 2-Africa

Micro Analysis- Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army: a two decade rebellion

The Lord's Resistance Army began in 1987 in northern Uganda and southern Sudan, primarily as a group of Acholi supporters of the former head of state, Tito Okello, who was forced out of office by Museveni's NRA in 1986. The group consisted of remnants of the Holy Spirit Movement, with Joseph Kony as its current Spiritual leader. It is accused of widespread human rights violations including murder, mutilation, abduction, sexual enslavement and the conscription of child soldiers…Read More
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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on the Gilani Research Foundation website.

Condensed Zonal Summary on Africa for week # 79 & 80- Dated 2nd Aug-15th Aug; Zone 2-Africa

Politics of Security and Conflict Issues
West Africa: In a recent symposium on the envisaged United States of Africa held in Senegal, President Abdoulaye Wade criticized African leaders for putting a premium on the protection of their states' sovereignty working on …Read More
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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on the Gilani Research Foundation website.

Microscopic Analysis-Week # 78; Dated 5th July- 31st July; Zone 2-Africa

Boko Haram, Nigeria’s Radical Islamic Group:
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation is roughly equally divided between Christians and Muslims and more than 200 ethnic groups which generally coexist peacefully. The stricter enforcement of Sharia however, in 12 of Nigeria's 36 states in 2000 alienated a sizeable Christian population in the north and sparked clashes which killed thousands. …Read More
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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on the Gilani Research Foundation website.

Telescopic Analysis-Week # 78; Dated 5th July- 31st July; Zone 2-Africa

Technological Progress in Africa
Technological progress is believed to be the golden grail for sustainable development world wide. The activity on the African front in this sector, though not stunning in its proportions, is still note worthy.
On the technology front, Rwanda Internet users in Kigali City will soon be utilizing fast speed mobile wireless Internet called WiBro.Also In Ghana a competition organized by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) introduced an "Electric Cream" capable of generating intense heat of up to 100 degrees Celsius within four minutes …Read More

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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on the Gilani Research Foundation website.

Americas- Weekly Telescopic Report #79

War on TerrorFulfilling his campaign promises is Obama’s target, one of which is the closure of the Gitmo prison in Cuba. Obama administration is now planning of bringing the remaining inmates to the USA for trial possibly in the Midwestern states.The Portuguese government has accepted to welcome two Gitmo inmates of Syrian origin in Portugal. Portugal became the first European country to say it was ready to accept Guantanamo detainees in order to help the new US administration close the prison.…Read More

Americas-Weekly Microscopic Report #79: The Obama Healthcare Plan

What does the report suggest?
The new health-care proposal intends to make health insurance mandatory for all American citizens. Furthermore the bill proposes to overhaul the whole healthcare system to reduce its cost, increase and standardize its quality and increase its effectiveness. …Read More

Telescopic analysis: Clinton’s 7-Nation Africa Tour-a carrot and stick policy? Week # 79

Hillary Clinton wrapped up her 7 nation Africa tour last Friday (14th Aug, 2009). The 11-day trip was her first, as the secretary of state, to sub-Saharan Africa, where some had feared the continent was not an early priority for the Obama administration.
Clinton sought to build ties with three African powers -- Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa -- and showed support for three nations recovering from conflict -- Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia --while also stopping in small US ally Cape Verde…Read More

Micro Analysis,Asia: Is the Indian BJP Holding on too Tightly to the Hindutva Ideology: Week # 79

Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh recently declared that there was no question of the party compromising on “Hindutva ideology” or its “original political thinking” because it lost the recent Lok Sabha elections. This stance was directed against the views of some political analysts who said the BJP should rethink its ideology and political thinking in the wake of the parliamentary poll debacle. …Read More

Telescopic Analysis- Asia; Diplomatic Resolution of Disputes: Week # 79

_Diplomatic overtures are in evidence this week for resolving problems of insurgency in the Asia region. Efforts are under way to resume talks with insurgent groups in the Philippines as well as Turkey. Though recent past does not give even a single example where such disputes got resolved through talks, the political circles are still hopeful for amiable solutions seeking stability …Read More
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Telescopic Summary on Africa for week # 78

Politics, Conflict & Security

In Ghana the attorney-general and Minister for Justice in the wake of law reform has urged civil society to resort to the law against violation of intellectual property rights.
In Zimbabwe National People’s Constitutional Convention recommended an immediate halt to the parliament-led constitution-making process or risk the rejection of a draft constitution resulting from the flawed procedure at a referendum. The committee called for an independent and democratic constitutional reform process.
In Kenya the government is being pushed to resign in seven days for failure to deliver a “sound option” for the trial of post-election violence suspects. Referring to shady cabinet deliberations, media reports criticized the proceedings as continuity in the deplorable tradition of ‘national amnesia’.
Alarm over Mungiki gang’s Influence in the Kenyan government was voiced by the National Security Intelligence Service adding that Media coverage and propaganda were partly to blame for challenges the government faced in its war against the group and other criminal gangs.
The leader of an Islamic sect blamed for days of deadly violence in Nigeria was killed in police custody. Yusuf lead Boko Haram, a sect which wants to overthrow the government and impose a strict version of Islamic law. Hundreds of people have died in five days of clashes between his followers and security forces.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice criticized Eritrea’s support of extremists in neighboring Somalia while threatening the implementation of sanctions. In the mean while the identification and voter registration process for the upcoming elections in Côte d’Ivoire has encountered some difficulties, including strikes in some parts of the country.
On the regional front the South African troops deployed as part of the African Union Special Task Force in Burundi are to be formally withdrawn soon. At the same time the Security Council has extended its Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur by another Year.
A United Nations-backed meeting of former high-ranking officials from Somalia’s military, police, and prison system and intelligence services kicked off recently in the latest bid at bolstering the war-wracked country’s security institutions.
While in a much welcome development the Burundi peace process has made much progress in recent months where the last rebel group, the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People has renounced the use of arms and been registered as a political party, changing its name to the National Forces of Liberation (FNL).


Human Rights, Social Issues & Domestic Politics

More than 130 civil society and human rights groups from across Africa issued a statement this week calling upon African states that are parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reaffirm their commitment and obligation to cooperate. The statement followed a decision by the African Union (AU) at its summit meeting on July 1-3, 2009 to not cooperate with the ICC in the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan.
UN World Food Programme (WFP) is struggling to keep its planes flying in parts of Africa due to a dramatic shortage of funds. In the mean while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for classifying rape as a form of genocide. Recognizing sexual violence, he said, is a step in the process of group destruction "of the spirit, of the will to live, and of life itself".
UN agency reported that Somali clashes are forcing more refugees across the Gulf of Aden. In a developing dilemma the war in Somalia has left Kenya with a difficult choice between the security of her own citizens and humanitarian concerns of fleeing Somali refugees.
United Nations humanitarian workers have taken part this week in a joint assessment mission in a border area of southern Sudan where hundreds of people have fled recent attacks by the notorious rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). On a more promising note UN demobilizes the first batch of child soldiers in Darfur, where Thirty-six child soldiers who once served with an armed rebel movement in Sudan's Darfur region have been voluntarily demobilized and given assistance.
In a region plagued by chaos security forces have killed innocent civilians and unarmed men in a crackdown on the radical religious group known as Boko Haram, reportedly leaving several hundred people dead in northeastern Nigeria.
Also in an unfolding crisis the number of people fleeing fighting and reprisal attacks by Rwandan Hutu Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda (FDLR) militia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) South Kivu Province has increased by up to 600 percent in a few weeks, say humanitarian officials

While on the legal front, despite Sierra Leone’s innovative laws reinforcing women's rights, 2007 social services struggle to implement the laws. While there have been demands to legalize abortions in Rwanda where the ministry of health reports 50% fatalities amongst women resulting from reproductive health complications.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to lift a ban on the FM broadcasts of Radio France Internationale (RFI) across the Central African country. The government allegedly silenced the station in response to its coverage of the ongoing conflict in the east.


Health & Environment

As part of Ghana's preparedness to address an outbreak of swine influenza, a communication strategic plan has been developed to ensure effective and efficient co-ordination between stakeholders. Jointly prepared by the GHS-Ghana Health Service and UNICEF, the plan's thematic areas are communication, surveillance, prevention and containment, planning and co-ordination and human response.
As new legislation is discussed in Angola that may lead to 3-10 year jail sentence for convicts who have knowingly passed on HIV; various civil society organizations have voiced fears regarding its possible adverse effects.
Also on the health front African first ladies have vowed to raise awareness on cervical cancer which is one of the leading causes of death among women on the continent.
Ethiopia as one of the countries considered by WHO to be in the "meningitis belt", has reported 18 deaths to the disease.
The threat of advancing desert has necessitated the birth of tree planting campaign in Nigeria, which has become an annual exercise. Such positive efforts towards environmental protection are aiming at increasing social awareness in the country as well.
While the Zimbabwe Investment Agency (ZIA) has recently made public their new investment prospectus chalking out opportunities in waste management and recycling which is a substantial hassle for resource starved local authorities.
On the technology front, Rwanda Internet users in Kigali City will soon be utilizing fast speed mobile wireless Internet called WiBro.
Also In Ghana a competition organized by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) introduced an "Electric Cream" capable of generating intense heat of up to 100 degrees Celsius within four minutes, intended to solve the energy problems of the country. This discovery has been tested and approved by the Chemistry Department of the University of Ghana.
The African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) is currently evaluating the path covered in 20 years, their challenges and what could be done to improve the future.

On the social front a domestic workers' training manual, intended at serving as a reference for both domestic workers and their employers has been launched by LAWA Alumnae Incorporated (LAWA-Ghana).

Economy

The UN has urged the free flow of labour on the African Continent asserting that unless appropriate steps are taken enabling free flow of skills and talent, the African Union's (AU's) facilitation of regional economic co-operation and integration will remain a pipe dream

While oil production in Uganda is expected to shift its economic centre of gravity as the western ledge is likely to become the national power house. Also Ethiopia Airlines is all set for buying 12 Airbuses expected to bring new levels of efficiency for medium-and-long haul operations
At the same time as the East African Investment Conference has stated that the region has a huge renewable energy untapped potential, which investors should help the region to exploit.
China’s foot hold in Africa continues to be quite strong at multiple fronts. Where it is deemed beneficial in certain cases, critical commentary about certain projects is also evident in the media. There is greater cooperation between Nigeria and China with various delegations holding Business Parleys. A Chinese firm is scheduled to take over Munali Mine in Mazabuka next month. In Ghana there was some critique about illegal mining by Chinese investors near River Ankobra resulting in wider spread of flooding near the river.
In the financial sector Gambia’s Oceanic Bank International Plc has expanded its operations by opening shop in Mainland China, a move highly lauded by analysts.
On the international front, the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan have acknowledged the support from Gambia and other allies in West Africa in their bid to join world bodies like the World Health Organization and the United Nations. While a Report commissioned by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) declared that the Chinese Agricultural Boom ‘Holds Lessons for Continent’.
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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Weekly Telescopic Report #78: Americas, Europe & Australasia

Opinion Poll:

A majority of people in Britain see the Afghan war as impossible to win, according to a new poll taken amid steeply rising casualties and growing government emphasis on finding a political solution to the conflict. More than half of those questioned by pollster ComRes — 52 percent — said British troops should be pulled out of Afghanistan right away, while 43 percent thought they should stay. Fifty-eight percent of respondents viewed the war as un-winnable, while only 31 percent thought it could be won.

The Latest News for the Week (July 26-August 01, 2009):

The ‘War on Terror’ and related issues remained an important news item for this zone. The U.S. continued to debate the implications of shutting down the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle scheduled a hearing of Mohammed Jawad who has been held in the prison for many years, without substantial evidence against him. This issue became very contentious as the judge urged the government to release him, but the government changed the details of the case to prevent that from happening.
On the other hand, countries in the West have decided to further increase their cooperation regarding terrorism and data sharing, leading to privacy advocates to warn that the governments were encroaching on citizens’ privacy. European Union nations unanimously supported expanding the bloc's anti-terror cooperation with the United States to stop the transfer of funds supporting terror groups.
All remaining British troops in Iraq have been relocated to Kuwait because the Iraqi government has yet to extend their right to remain. A mandate allowing UK forces to stay in Iraq expires on 31 July and about 150 personnel have been moved out until an agreement is reached. The mandate has not yet passed its third reading in the Iraqi parliament

The U.S. health-care plan introduced by Obama has been a major issue in the U.S. and has spurred intense debates. Obama claims that his health-care plan will allow millions of uninsured Americans to be included in an effective and cheap manner. Opponents claim that Obama’s health-care plan will burden common Americans unnecessarily, while benefiting illegal immigrants etc. This debate is linked with the debates that continue regarding the state of the U.S. economy, as news reports circulated that the American government claimed that the American economy’s long decline leveled off significantly from April through June. Obama stressed that although there were some optimistic signs of recovery, but the recovery will be a gradual process and innovation and creativity would be the key to this recovery.
The Henry Louis Gates Jr. saga raged on in the U.S. as President Obama invited him together with police Sgt. James Crowley to discuss and talk over the issues between them over drinks and snacks. Some observers praised President Obama’s decision to hold this meeting, and termed it as a ‘teachable moment’ in U.S. racial history, while others critiqued it as ineffective and dismissive about the very real problem of racial profiling in the country.
Another issue that has remained on the radar this week has been the issue of immigration and illegal immigrants. Australia has decided to revise and toughen its immigration policy. Thousands of Indian students in Australia are expected to lose college places as the government cracks down on shady migration practices. Similarly Italy has introduced even tougher anti-immigration reforms, which crack-down heavily on illegal immigrants.


A new development that has caught headlines in different countries is the novel way of communication used by some governments to keep citizens informed i.e. Twitter. The UK government has officially introduced the communication tool of Twitter to its repertoire of communication channels, while the Australian state government of Victoria, introduced Twitter as a means to curb drunk driving.
In South America, the Colombia-Venezuela spat continued to dominate the headlines as Colombia accused Venezuela of supplying weapons and funds to the anti-state rebel FARC forces. Venezuela reacted belligerently and ceased diplomatic relations with Colombia and demanded that Colombia apologize and never repeat such accusations against Venezuela. The Organization of American States (OAS) has been trying to smooth out the tensions and try to bring both sides on the negotiation table, but have been largely unsuccessful till now.

Albanian officials confirmed that Prime Minister Sali Berisha's party has won re-election following a lengthy recount process. The opposition still claimed that the results did not reflect the actual support of their party. Albania also made headlines as the governing Democrats have proposed a law allowing same-sex civil weddings in the small, predominantly Muslim country. This step reflected a growing global trend in recognizing same-sex relationships and rights. Recently, the New Delhi high court ruled that homosexuality was no longer illegal in its jurisdiction. Similarly, Australia's centre-left ruling party on Saturday voted for national recognition of same-sex unions but stopped short of lifting a ban on gay marriage. Thus the issue of same-sex marriage has become a major contentious issue in numerous regions of the world, for instance, Portugal's Constitutional Court upheld the country's ban on gay marriage, rejecting a challenge by two lesbians who are seeking to wed.

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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Telescopic Weekly Report # 77: Asia Zonal Report

Political Front

Turkey:
Turkish FM sounds committed to Cyprus peace; asserts negotiations offer ‘the last chance’.

Turkish crackdown on Hizb-ut-Tahiri; Turkish police regularly investigates and makes arrests among the country’s more militant Islamic community.
Tripartite anti-terror meeting to convene in Ankara involving Turkish, Kurdish and US officials; measures to counter the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) to be discussed.

Eardogan, the Turkish PM of the Islamic rooted government voiced concern on Chinese treatment of Uighurs of the Xinjiang province, comparing the ethnic violence to ‘genocide’. The PM was urged to speak up in a similar manner as he did for the Palestinians during the Israeli offensive. At the same time the foreign ministry reaffirmed its commitment to develop ties with China in every field. It proclaimed Uighurs as a bridge of friendship between China and Turkey.

Central Asia:
Azerbaijan’s central election commission is preparing for the coming municipal elections in a bid to increase efficiency by means of training workshops.
Azerbaijan's opposition Mausavat party attempted to rally in front of the Chinese embassy in Baku on July 14th to register their protest against recent unrest in Chinese Muslim population region. Also a bill regarding Azerbaijan's forces involvement in peacekeeping activities was drafted in the parliament while noting successful missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo.

Presidential elections are to be observed in Kyrgyzstan under the close watch of 516 observers from 48 countries. Also the constitutional court decreed the president to cancel membership of party during presidential term. 18 arrests were made for involvement in terrorist activities.
There have been talks for opening a joint anti terrorism centre in Batken or Osh regions between the Russian and Kyrgyz authorities.

Uzbek government criticized for using government operated NGOs (GoNGOs) in a bid to curb civil society.
The Kazakh leader was criticized by local activists for attempting to curb and control internet usage. The motives behind an anti corruption drive targeting many officials were being questioned reported a BBC Asia correspondent Rayhan Demytrie.

South Asia:
The three major Nepali parties, the communist party of Nepal (UML), the Nepali Congress and the major opposition party Unified Communist party of Nepal (Maoists) has been urged to get to the business of constitution writing in earnestness.

India:
BJP claims credit for leading people to vote for national parties despite there being regional parties. Junagadh BJP lost civic polls to congress while denying any chances of breaking ties with Shiv Sena in upcoming elections in Maharashtra

Recent defense agreement with the US under criticism by opposition; they claim allowing inspection of arms sites would put Indian sovereignty at stake; while the government argues in favor of enhancing Indian space technology with the agreement.

East Asia:
The Indonesian election results showed Yudhoyono and his running mate Boediono acquiring a land slide victory with 60.8% of the vote. Philippine president Arroyo has reiterated the commitment to hold elections in May next year while the Cambodian PM has been accused of cracking down on the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) as well as opposition aligned media.
Indonesian hard line scholar Abu Bakar Bashir refused to condemn last Friday’s hotel attacks in Jakarta. Manila’s national security chief while comparing the Indonesian bombings to the ones in the Philippines related the two incidents to the revival of regional militant group Jemaah Islamiya.

Geo strategic Front

Turkey
Geo- political importance of Turkey and Greece to increase with the Turkey, Italy and Greece pipeline project (ITGI); this development is in the wake of a recently signed Nabucco pipeline project for carrying natural gas from the Caspian and central Asia to Europe reducing EU’s dependence on Russia.
SETA, a Turkish NGO which makes policy recommendations says that there is a need to increase attention and focus on the Caucasus region in the development of relations. ‘Macedonia a door to EU for turkey’, proclaims Macedonian minister.
Syria seeks Turkish mediation in indirect talks with Israel. Syrian president commends an active role for Turkey in regional peace.
Turkish foreign minister deems Balkans as a very important region in Turkish foreign policy.
The Serbian administration attributes special importance to relations with Turkey. Turkish FM proclaims historical responsibility to the Balkan states; aims at building a future together
Bulgarian PM proclaims intention to include representatives of Turkish descent in the government while voicing objective to foster good relations with the Turkish state.

Central Asia:
Azerbaijani FM expressed satisfaction with NATO support in establishing the country’s territorial integrity. Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents met in Moscow on July 18th to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. While the Azerbaijani government provided $100,000 financial assistance for Tajik natural disaster victims.
President of Kazakhstan has put great emphasis on bilateral relations cooperation with Russia.
Growing economic relations between Russia and Tajikistan hold strong.
A joint declaration was signed between Turkmenistan and Romania while talks between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan as well as with US were on the agenda this week.
Uzbekistan has warned against a Russian plan to open a military base near the Uzbek border in southern Kyrgyzstan. US under secretary for political Affairs William Burns during his visit to Uzbekistan expressed his state’s desire to mend ties with the host country.

South Asia:
The United Nations Security Council voted to extend the mandate of its mission in Nepal for a further 6 months until Jan 23rd, 2010.

India:
While the Indo-US relations seem to be strengthening at various fronts, India and China have expressed keenness to improve trade ties.

East Asia:
Malaysia and Pakistan agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields. China has expressed willingness to strengthen ties with Philippines. Singapore and Syria seem hopeful to boost their newly developed diplomatic ties.

GCC:
Saudi Arabia denies link with Jakarta terror attacks that killed 9 and wounded 50. Bahraini prince proposed a new, practical initiative on the Palestine-Israel problem. The said proposal was published in a known American newspaper. Kuwaiti PM recently paid a visit to Africa in a bid to develop ties with African countries.

Social Front

Turkey
Turkey becomes 7th state in the European continent to affect ban on smoking in public places.
Turkish chief negotiator for the EU notes that turkey is going through a major transformation, showing great progress in democratic and cultural realms. Turkish education campaign under the guidance of the first lady, aimed at improving facilities for the disabled.
The coefficient system for students graduating from the imam hatip (Islamic Divinity High school) was raised deeming their students equal to regular high school graduates, thus allowing them to enter different departments in collages such as law, political science etc.
According to a report released in June 2009 by Turkish international Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC), opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan dropped by 19% in 2008 compared to 2007 as a result of NATO presence and Turkish aid in educating the country’s security forces.

Central Asia:
Special social policies made by the government of Azerbaijan have brought 12% reduction in the country’s poverty level.

South Asia:
Plans are being framed to curb the rapidly growing population growth in Bangladesh. Singapore and Nepal are facing health challenges where Dengue virus has been a menace for the former, diarrhea has been for the latter. A major health concern for Bhutan has been swine flu. Srilanka facing major challenge to resettle internally displaces Tamil civilians

India:
The absence of monsoon rains along with shortage of electricity, fertilizers, seeds and water have caused problems for farmers. Heavy flooding caused serious losses in Orissa.

East Asia:
Malaysian ruling party expressed willingness to lead education awareness movement. Nearly a year after upsurge of hostilities between the govt. troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, nearly 50,000 families are in evacuation camps. The UN development program condemned Philippine government’s inability to curb HIV infection. In Thailand swine flu death toll doubled with 44 people dead. The United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) received ASD 4 million from Australia to fight HIV infection in Laos.

GCC:
Swine Flu regarded a serious threat; 249 victims in Saudi Arabia and 50 in Kuwait. A Bahraini proposal to forge a consensus among Gulf States on alternatives to the controversial sponsorship system and for imposing a residence cap on foreigners has been endorsed by 6 GCC countries.

Economic Front

Turkey
Share of foreign investors in Turkey’s main stock market rose to 65.66% amounting to 59.2 billion Turkish liras in stock value.
To facilitate trade with Russia, Turkish banks provide facility to open ruble accounts.
Turkish contractors were invited by the Iraqi deputy PM to take part in giant projects in Iraq, proclaiming them to have become a global brand.
Net profits of Turk telecom fell 20% to 821 million TL (nearly 543 million USD) and the Turkish automotive production also fell in the first half of 2009.
Turkish statistical board (TUIK) says Turkey was ranked 25th among 37 European countries last year in terms of its purchasing power parity.
In the environment of the global economic crisis major Turkish companies showed a decline in profits despite increasing sales. The tourism industry is also suffering because of the economic meltdown.
Most importantly the US dollar decreased to the lowest level of 2009 against Turkish lira in the free market reaching 1.5 TL last week.

Central Asia:
Finance Ministry claimed that the Azerbaijani economy has secured stability despite the negative influence of the global financial crisis. The nation’s grain output is expected to reach 3 million tones. 1 billion Euros are to be invested in Kazakh projects by the European investment Bank. Over the first half of the current year the external trade turnover of Tajikistan has amounted to a little more than 1.54 billion US dollars, which was 78.3 % of the previous year’s level. A landmark deal granting Caspian Sea gas exploration and extraction rights to a German company member of the Nabucco pipeline consortium was signed by Turkmenistan; while the EU countries have expressed interest in buying Turkmen natural gas. Uzbekistan’s GDP has reached 8.2% with government efforts to counter economic crisis. Meanwhile Kyrgyz airlines have been prohibited to operate flights over EU territory, repeatedly showing up in the black list of airlines.


South Asia:
Srilanka received a $2.5 billion loan from IMF for development projects. US $ 5.9 million worth of trade conducted between Pakistan and Maldives last year.

India:
Government claims that budget quota for investment and infrastructure enough for the economy, no added stimulus required. 6% growth in current fiscal year forecasted by standard chartered bank.

East Asia:
Malaysia is seeking investment from the Gulf region. Islamic finance sector fully liberalized in a bid to seek foreign investment. Malaysian companies urged by the PM to become Global Champions. Unlike Malaysia, exports have faced decline in Thailand in the eighth consecutive month. A parallel decline in imports is also evident, weakening the overall economy. Amidst the economic recession Singapore high income earners are saving more and investing less. Vietnam’s economic condition is comparatively better in the region where smooth economic growth has remarkably reduced poverty. Laos’s government plans at personal capacity building to attract investment.

GCC:
In the wake of swine flu and economic melt down GCC countries have seen a 31% growth in domestic tourism compared to 11% last year. UAE economy grew at 7.4% last year augmented by banking sector policy measures and high oil prices. A sharp decrease in food prices declined inflation in Bahrain to 2.7._____________________________________________________
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Weekly Report 75: South Asia

Introduction

The region is in a state of flux and great political, economic and social changes have been occurring. All nations are committed to join the world market and succeed in the mainstream. They aspire to be part of the globalized world and therefore they implement different policies, like releasing their own satellite in to space, initiating action against global warming, establishing a democratic set-up etc.
At the same time, new challenges have appeared in the region, like the Swine flu in Nepal and dengue outbreak in Sri Lanka.

Points to Ponder

Bangladesh wants to have its share of space by sending in to orbit its very own satellite. Similarly, the Executive Council of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved four development projects involving Tk 315 crore. This shows a nation that is aspiring to progress and develop, and this aspiration for a better life has even led over 20, 000 Bangladeshis to emigrate to Sudan as they were deceived by unscrupulous immigration agents who told them that the nation was Sweden.
There is also an air of change in Sri Lanka with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, the process of dialogue and devolution with the Tamils has begun. Further more signaling change and stability five political parties set up offices in Northern Sri Lanka. The nation strives towards greater economic success by utilizing the cutting edge innovation produced by the research and science of the Tea Research Institute.
Change could also be seen in Nepal where the political aftermath of the dissolution of the monarchy has been chaotic. The Maoists continue to threaten to dismantle the new government and lay siege on the parliament. There was a heated debate of the issue of the official language of Nepal, and the government had only 12 days to table the budget or face the halt of all financial services.
The Maldives became very vocal on the issue of climate change as it was greatly affected by it and decided to take an active role in ameliorating the situation. On the other hand, the U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon outlined his vision of a changed Myanmar, one where democracy has gained a foothold. Change was evident from the increased openness shown by the government in allowing gem merchants to take part in the ASEAN gem show in China. Finally, Bhutan committed to change itself and progress and declared 2009 as the year of science and technology. ________________________________________________________
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Weekly Report 75: India

Introduction

India continues to strive towards becoming a regional and global superpower, and maintain its image as ‘Shining India’. Despite the global economic recession hitting Indian markets, India still continues to grow economically and remains optimistic about its future. Dr. Man Mohan Singh declared that he is confident that India will attain a 7% growth rate this year, while the IMF forecasted a 5.4% growth rate for 2009. India continued with its arms deal with Israel, which unnerved USA, especially since Israel started a weaponry partnership with Sweden. At the same time, India was worried about the close military ties between China and Pakistan. Indian elections were praised by the head of the Indian Election Commission as less violent than previous elections, but he admitted that they were still marred by black money, Maoist threats, apathy of urban voters etc.

Points to ponder

Indian is the biggest democracy of the world, is its process of elections free and fair enough to be classified as democratic? The political parties have shifted towards appealing to a much broader spectrum of the electorate than they used to do before, and hence they are shifting towards a more centrist position. The government itself has been focusing on job creation and appealing to the public by introducing welfare based, public friendly budget.
India’s image continues to suffer due to the unrest in Kashmir and the Maoist insurgency, and the issue of the Babri Masjid demolition is yet to be resolved properly.
Indian military deals with Israel and USA also speak volumes of the Indian ambition to become a superpower. It has geared its economy, politics and society towards growth and progress that will integrate it in to the global mainstream. Does the decision of the New Delhi High Court to de-criminalize homosexuality a part of the on-going modernization and globalization trend in India? ________________________________________________________
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Weekly Report 75: GCC

Introduction

A new era seems to be dawning on the petro-industry, oil-rich nations of the GCC. They have realized that the oil reserves will not be last for a very long time, and sustainable development is becoming a new buzzword. Abu Dhabi announced that Masdar city will be the world’s first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city, which will also have the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). While Oman signed contracts for the construction of a huge waste-water management and treatment scheme. At the same time, these countries are busy making contacts and developing ties with different countries. Bahrain and Iraq have singed an agreement which will increase travel and business between them. Qatar has been in talks with Thailand for the importation of man-power etc. The biggest inter-regional project is the gulf power grid that would eventually span throughout the GCC countries and help them meet the rising power demands and prevent power outages. The new dawn is evident with Saudi Arabia engaging in new dialogues about its society and change. Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh claimed that cooperation and a diversity of viewpoints being accepted was beneficial for society, and stood against the singular dominance of one ideology. At the same time Saudi activists and Human Rights organizations keep pressurizing the government to change the restrictive male-guardianship system for women in Saudi Arabia as well as ban the practice of child marriages. Similarly, UAE was severely castigated for backtracking on media freedom by banning a leading Saudi newspaper. Abu Dhabi issued two new generous health insurance cards for people with special needs, orphans and prisoners. All countries in the region are trying to minimize the damage from the global recession, and saw a drop in travel booking.

Points to Ponder

The Gulf power grid further highlights the strengthening and highly inter-connected ties between the GCC countries. These countries have started relying on each other for efficient development, and geo-strategic security. At the same time, these countries are looking outside the region and established contacts with various different countries of the world. Will the GCC eventually become as integrated as the EU has become?
As the petroleum industry’s precarious future becomes clearer these countries have started focusing on renewable energy and environmental protection. The trend has just started with the establishment of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and the waste-water scheme in Oman, but it seems that the trend will catch on furthermore in the upcoming years.
As globalization merges these countries to seek economic and military ties with other countries, their societies are also affected in the process. For example, Saudi Arabia is under increasing pressure to reform the way its society is structured to give more freedom to women, ban child marriages, treat guest-workers better etc.

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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Weekly Report 75: Fertile Crescent

Introduction

The security situation of the region still demands a lot of attention both within and beyond the region with the Israel-Palestine situation commanding center-stage. The Reform and Development Party (RDP) of Egypt, not yet officially recognized, called for peace talks between the government and the Muslim Brotherhood. This call was made in the context of a renewed crackdown against the Brotherhood.

Similarly, Egypt entered in to the first ever talks with Hamas in three years held in order to end the two-years rift between Hamas and the Palestinian leadership of Mahmud Abbas. Thus Egypt was very intimately involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict. At the same time the political and security situation in Iraq remained unstable, especially related to the debates about the Kurdish constitution. Lebanon remained in a state of hostility with Israel and accused Israel of extensive espionage on Lebanese soil. Two brothers, Ali and Youssef Jarrah, were caught by Hezbollah and put to trial in the case of espionage.

Points to Ponder

There were numerous terrorist acts and threats in the region and most countries claimed to have arrested Al-Qaeda or other terrorists. At the same time, the Israel-Palestine issue and the Iraq war led to the further de-stabilization of the region. Egypt security officials arrested 26 suspected Al-Qaeda loyalists who were planning to blow-up foreign ships at the Suez Canal. Similarly, Lebanese authorities convicted 12 Al-Qaeda militants of carrying out terrorist attacks. On the other hand, the Israeli occupation forces kidnapped 380 Palestinians in June.

The Kurdish issue dominates a lot of headlines in Iraq and beyond. The Kurds are to vote by late July to select their new leader and parliament. At the same time, the new Kurdish constitution has been causing a lot of political turmoil. Firstly, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has delayed the holding of the referendum on the Kurdish constitution at least two times already. This has led to a lot of resentment, and secondly there have been anti-Kurdish protests in the province of Nineveh. Further more the issue of Kurds having a separate constitution and enlarging their territory comes also as a threat to other countries, like Turkey, Iran etc. Is it possible for a stable Iraqi governmental set-up to form if there are varying constitutions?

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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.

Weekly Report 75: Central Asia

Introduction

Central Asian states are rich in resources, especially natural gas. Different countries of the world have developed an increased interest in the region and are actively forming ties and agreements with the region. China, Russia and the U.S. are particularly keen on forming major economic and strategic relations with these countries, and are involved in competition with each other over these countries. This region shows a lot of potential for growth and development and has shown increased productivity and increasing markets. The political set-up is still shaky and there have been incidents of political instability, and China’s Xinjiang’s province’s instability also affected this regions stability.

Points to Ponder

International ties are of great importance to this up-coming and rich region. Different countries, especially USA, EU, Russia and China are clamoring to establish mutually beneficial ties with these countries nowadays. We see these growing ties with the rest of the world in many news reports, like how Washington will host the Azerbaijan-US military consultations in late July, how the Turkish investment in Azerbaijan has hit more than $6 billion, and how Kyrgyzstan has signed an agreement allowing the United States allowing U.S. to continue using a key air base serving its interest in Afghanistan. Similarly, Petrolinvest, a Polish company exploring for oil in Kazakhstan held talks to form a joint venture with China’s biggest refiners. Further more Tajik-Latvian negotiations resulted in the signing of three cooperation documents, and Tajik Fm and a UK official discussed bilateral cooperation issues. Is this resource-rich and relatively under-developed region poised to become a region of great foreign interest and competition?
China’s Western region on Xinjiang was a source of great worry for Central Asian states, and was prominently in the headlines in the region. Chinese and Kazakh officials agreed to suspend visas to Kazakh citizens for the Xinjiang region of China. Similarly Kyrgyzstan evacuated its citizens from the Xinjiang area of China due to the rising instability in the region. Similarly events in other regions and countries affected these countries in many other ways. For instance, Kyrgyzstan is highly vulnerable and exposed to terrorist groups from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
This region has been affected by the global recession, but has still managed to register some economic growth and seems on its way to further growth. For example, the productivity of these countries can be seen from the news report that Azerbaijan generated nearly 10.1 billion kilowatt hour of energy in the first quarter of the year. Similarly, grain growers from the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan fulfilled their contractual obligations and produced more than 302,829 tons of grains. Is this region on its way to become more integrated and influential in the global arena?

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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.