DHAKA, 28 January 2022, (TON): Bangladesh and Myanmar at a technical level discussion expressed readiness to continue working closely to address the reasons causing delay in the verification of the past residency of the displaced people in Rakhine.

The first-ever meeting of the newly-formed technical level ad-hoc task force for verification of the displaced persons from Rakhine was held virtually between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Shah Rizwan Hayat and Ye Tun Oo, the deputy director general of the Ministry of Immigration and Population of Myanmar, led their respective sides.

RRRC Shah Rizwan highlighted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s humanitarian gesture to give temporary shelters to the huge number of displaced people from Rakhine despite numerous constraints and challenges of Bangladesh.

He expressed dismay over the slow pace of verification of past residency by Myanmar and offered all cooperation under the three bilateral instruments, to expeditiously complete the verification process.

DHAKA, 28 January 2022, (TON): The European Union (EU) Ambassador Charles Whiteley welcomed the Bangladesh government's willingness to allow foreign observers for the next national election.

He said "I would say we very much welcomed the statement of the Foreign Minister that Bangladesh would welcome and have an open approach to any foreign observation missions that would wish to come and follow the elections.”

The envoy added the EU is keen to follow the polls closely.

The ambassador made the remarks at the 'Meet the Reporters' programme organized by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) in the capital.

The envoy said “EU follows elections closely all around the world but it yet to decide in which countries it will observe pools in 2023.”

He said “the incident of US sanctions on RAB would not impact on European business interest in Bangladesh.”

NEW DELHI, 28 January 2022, (TON): An Indian official said “India and five central Asian countries decided to set up a joint working group for providing aid to Afghanistan to tackle the humanitarian crisis and the issue of recognition of the Taliban.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a virtual summit with leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported “India and China are competing for influence in the region. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday chaired a similar virtual summit with leaders of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to build even closer ties.”

A joint declaration after Thursday’s summit said there was a broad regional consensus on the issues related to Afghanistan, which includes the formation of a truly representative and inclusive government, combating extremist groups and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women, children and national ethnic groups and minorities.

Reenat Sandhu, secretary in India’s External Affairs Ministry, told reporters in New Delhi “Modi and the five leaders also agreed to set up another joint working group to develop Chabahar port in Iran to provide sea access to landlocked countries.”

Afghanistan and Central Asian countries lack overland connectivity with India, which has invested in developing and running Chabahar port to promote trade in the region.

NEW DELHI, 28 January 2022, (TON): An Indian official said “India and five central Asian countries decided to set up a joint working group for providing aid to Afghanistan to tackle the humanitarian crisis and the issue of recognition of the Taliban.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a virtual summit with leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported “India and China are competing for influence in the region. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday chaired a similar virtual summit with leaders of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to build even closer ties.”

A joint declaration after Thursday’s summit said there was a broad regional consensus on the issues related to Afghanistan, which includes the formation of a truly representative and inclusive government, combating extremist groups and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women, children and national ethnic groups and minorities.

Reenat Sandhu, secretary in India’s External Affairs Ministry, told reporters in New Delhi “Modi and the five leaders also agreed to set up another joint working group to develop Chabahar port in Iran to provide sea access to landlocked countries.”

Afghanistan and Central Asian countries lack overland connectivity with India, which has invested in developing and running Chabahar port to promote trade in the region.

NEW DELHI, 28 January 2022, (TON): External affairs minister S Jaishankar said “India wants greater urgency and faster movement in negotiations with the European Union for trade and investment pacts, though there are challenges such as the demands of the 27-member bloc and non-trade issues.”

Jaishankar made the remarks while participating in a virtual conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian that focused on the EU-India partnership in the Indo-Pacific during the French presidency of the bloc. Le Drian announced France will host a ministerial forum on the Indo-Pacific on February 22 to come up with concrete proposals for cooperation in security and defence, connectivity and digital, and global challenges.

The two foreign ministers spoke extensively on cooperation between India and France within the Indo-Pacific region on a wide range of issues regulations for the blue economy, connectivity projects that are transparent and respect the sovereignty, and promoting regional peace and stability.

When Jaishankar was asked by the moderator of the discussion about India-EU negotiations for trade and investment agreements, he cited two specific challenges in the case of the European bloc – the involvement so 27 countries, and the need to harmonise and prioritise their demands and some non-trade issues.

WASHINGTON , 27 January 2022, (TON): The US State Department approved two major military equipment sales to Egypt of transport aircraft and radar systems, despite ongoing concerns in Washington over Cairo’s human rights record.

The sale of 12 C-130 J Super Hercules transports and accompanying equipment is worth $2.2 billion.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said “the sale, still not finalized, will improve Egypt’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing airlift support for its forces by moving supplies, equipment, and people.”

It added “The aircraft can also be used for maritime patrol and rescue missions.”

In a second deal, Egypt can buy ground-based air defense systems worth $355 million to help it fend off air threats.

The deals come despite ongoing unease in Washington over Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s tough treatment of political opponents, with rights groups estimating that Egypt holds about 60,000 political prisoners.

In September, the State Department put a hold on $130 million in military aid already budgeted for Egypt because of lack of improvement in the human rights situation in the country.

RIYADH, 27 January 2022, (TON): The Kingdom’s foreign ministry said “Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Sierra Leonean counterpart David Francis, during his visit to the capital Riyadh.”

During the meeting, thanked the Sierra Leonean government for supporting the Kingdom’s request to host the Expo 2030 in Riyadh.

The meeting reviewed relations between the two countries and opportunities to enhance cooperation in all fields, in addition to discussing a number of issues of common interest and the most prominent regional and international developments.

During his visit, Francis met with Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to discuss humanitarian and relief affairs. Francis expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s global humanitarian efforts.

He also held talks with the CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Sultan Al-Marshad, where they reviewed the Kingdom’s development projects and programs financed by the fund to support Sierra Leone, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Francis praised SFD’s efforts in financing development projects and programs over the past years, adding that he personally benefited from one of the educational programs funded by the Kingdom.

WASHINGTON, 27 January 2022, (TON): The White House said “President Joe Biden will address the soaring US crime wave during a trip next week to New York, where five police officers have been shot this year.”

Rising urban violence is a major political liability for the Democrat, with a January study by the Council on Criminal Justice showing homicides in 22 cities increased five percent in 2021 and a whopping 44 percent over 2019 levels.

Biden will meet with Mayor Eric Adams, who took over the Big Apple at the start of the year and was immediately confronted with a spate of high-profile crimes. Two police officers have been killed and three others wounded just this month.

And the city has been unsettled by a series of other violent crimes this month, including another shooting in which a 19-year-old Puerto Rican woman was killed at the fast food restaurant where she worked.

The White House said “they will discuss the administration’s comprehensive strategy to combat gun crime, which includes historic levels of funding for cities and states to put more cops on the beat and invest in community violence prevention and intervention programs, as well as stepped up federal law enforcement efforts against illegal gun traffickers.”

MADRID, 27 January 2022, (TON): Emergency services on Spain’s Canary Islands say “319 people, including 59 women and 24 children, were rescued from seven different boats trying to reach the archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, while activists say at least 18 migrants have died.”

Spanish rescue vessels reached the boats in different locations late Tuesday and early Wednesday, a Maritime Rescue Service spokeswoman told The Associated Press, adding that rescuers didn’t find any bodies on or near the boats.

Walking Borders, a non-governmental organization working with migrants in the region that is often contacted by people in distress or their relatives, said at least 18 people traveling on one of the boats had died.

Helena Maleno, the NGO’s founder, wrote in a tweet “Rescue means were activated too late, despite having the boat’s location.”

The maritime rescue service spokeswoman, who was not authorized to be named in media reports, said during one of the operations late Tuesday, rescuers found nine people clinging to a capsized boat 45 nautical miles off the island of Lanzarote, but that no bodies or people adrift were found.

She said the rescue boat had to tend another distress call immediately after.

BRUSSELS, 27 January 2022, (TON): The EP said in a statement on Wednesday “a high-level delegation of eight MEPs, led by the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Security and Defence Subcommittee Chairs David McAllister (EPP, DE) and Nathalie Loiseau (Renew, FR), will carry out a fact-finding mission to Ukraine, departing this Sunday.”

During the visit, from 30 January to 2 February, MEPs will observe the situation on the ground, and demonstrate the European Parliament’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people and its opposition to any steps by Russia to further escalate the crisis.

The visit is part of large-scale diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation and avoid the disastrous consequences of a possible war in Ukraine.

The European Parliament delegation will meet with the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and has requested meetings with the President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers and the deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

They will also hold talks with the Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council and Members of the Verkhova Rada’s Committees on Foreign Affairs, on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union, and on Security and Defence.