At the end of February 2020, India sent medical supplies to China. Crisis management. However, the fight against the pandemic should give a further boost to those who advocate that the executive should comprehensively control and compile data. Asia. In this excerpt from our Watch List 2020 – Autumn Update, Crisis Group urges the EU and its member states to continue pushing for a more inclusive peace process, specifically in terms of women’s representation in the negotiations, avoid singling out the Taliban as responsible for obstacles for peace, and reassure the Afghan government by continuing aid into the future. Political uncertainty puts Southeast Asia's economic recovery from coronavirus at risk, expert says Published Sun, Aug 9 2020 7:32 PM EDT Yen Nee Lee @YenNee_Lee In the Gulf region alone, an estimated six to seven million Indian guest workers are employed. Newly introduced restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as well as the possibility for greater degrees of centralization, could outlive the end of the pandemic. The fight against the virus thus did not lead to a renewed rapprochement between the two hostile neighbors. An additional 120 million children in South Asia could be pushed into poverty due to the continuing spread of coronavirus throughout much of the region, according to … This region of Asia has seen some dramatic improvements regarding human rights in past years but still has room to improve, especially in human rights genres such as children's rights or women's rights. The abrupt shutdown of key industries, such as textile production in Bangladesh or the tourism industry in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, will drive up debt and accelerate the threat of recession. Latest articles. State and society of a country / a region, As the states also closed their borders, many migrant workers have been stranded, and their lack of supplies has become a further problem. All governments then face a similar dilemma: They are ultimately responsible for deciding whether more people will die from the virus or from the measures taken to contain it. South Asia is among the fastest growing regions in the world. In the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, the world’s largest democracy reached only 142nd place, Pakistan 145th, Bangladesh 151st, and Afghanistan 122nd. In the struggle for influence in South Asia, India is likely to lose further ground to China. In testimony to the European Parliament about efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, Crisis Group expert Andrew Watkins describes the current scale of fighting, Taliban policies and how outside actors can support the peace process. The low infection figures officially reported in mid-April were mainly due to a lack of testing capacity. As a consequence, polarization between the religious communities will probably continue to increase. current situation: Tanzania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, ... South Asia, and Yemen are forced to work in Tanzania’s agricultural, mining, and domestic service sectors or may be sex trafficked ... No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tanzania Transnational Issues 2020 information contained here. 4 min. Mar 6, 2021, 2:00 pm. Current Issue Online First All Issues Submissions Call for Papers ... Vol. Vol 13 No 2 (2020): Negotiating Transdisciplinarity Humanity and nature around the globe are facing increasingly complex and interdependent challenges, which require not only rapid action and structural change, but presumably a more inclusive research framework and a pluralistic concept of knowledge. South Asia includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – each state having varying degrees of effective human rights policies and/or goals. The economic damage will increase the levels of poverty and inequality, and it is likely to exacerbate rather than mitigate a number of existing conflicts. In India, this is likely to increase reservations about the Muslims in the country. One of the few rays of hope in India is that many poor families now also have a bank account to which the government can transfer state social benefits directly. This installment addresses U.S.-ASEAN relations, climate change and the imperiled Mekong, and domestic politics. However, the region also has 40% of the world’s poor. By VOA News. Empirical and theoretical research articles are published with a view to promoting and disseminating scholarship in and on the region. Existing trade instruments, such as the Generalised System of Preferences, are at least one option to make it easier for countries from South Asia to return to the world market. As the economy comes to an abrupt halt, the problems associated with it unfold, such as growing unemployment, poverty, and supply shortages. There were also isolated violent clashes with the police. If the extensive initial restrictions continue, migrant workers will not only lose their incomes, but in many cases there could also be crop failures and local famines. Surprisingly, the threat of Covid-19 has led to a revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). See all volumes and issues. 9 March 2021. 13 No. South Asia’s economic outlook is grim The region is set to plunge in 2020 into its worst-ever recession as the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on South Asian economies linger on, taking a disproportionate toll on informal workers and pushing millions of South Asians into extreme poverty. The country has 7 hospital beds per 1,000 persons, Pakistan has 6 beds, Bangladesh has 8, China has 42, and the United States has 29. The Trump administration leaves a legacy of confusion over cybersecurity issues with few positives. For example, the rankings for freedom of the press and freedom of opinion in India have been deteriorating for years. The political, economic, and humanitarian problems in South Asia will continue to occupy the international community even after the corona crisis. Kashmiri militancy is growing, often with Pakistani encouragement. Indian economist appointed to key World Bank position in South Asia 23 May, 2020, 11.19 AM IST. A marked deceleration in merchandise trade and investment, driven by distortionary trade measures and an uncertain policy environment, is weighing on activity, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Covers Current Strategic Trends focused on India extending to the Indo Asia Pacific. Given the weaknesses of national health care systems, the fight against the virus seems to be lost before it has even begun. East Asia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. April 2020, In addition, around 90 percent of all employees in the country work in the informal sector. GDP in South Asia should expand robustly in 2021, as the impact of the pandemic on domestic activity across the region fades and a strong recovery in global demand boosts exports. China confirms African swine fever outbreaks in Sichuan, Hubei provinces. 2019 was a momentous year of events and change in Central Asia. In the regional context, China could further expand its influence at the expense of India. 2020 will close out a decade of infrastructure planning meant to make Lao P.D.R. In India, the crisis could reinforce the already prevailing trend toward protectionism. The journal focuses on current political developments in Southeast Asia. At the beginning of April, India reported a mortality rate of 3 percent, Pakistan 1 percent, and Bangladesh 10 percent. The crisis could have a particularly dramatic impact on agriculture, as it is still the largest employment sector in many states and often dependent on seasonal or migrant workers. 9 Biggest Social Justice Issues of 2020. Nov 14, 2020. less than 1 min. The lifting of this curfew will be the next test for federalism. As the country now shifts from planning to building, 2020 will see the completion of the Lao-China railway project, progress on major roads, and the beginning of an east-west railway corridor to Vietnam and its seaports. Top; Published for South Asian Studies Association of Australia (SASAA) About this journal. South Korea is one of the few countries in Asia to be a party to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. All states have responded to the emergency situation with national aid packages. Fatalities in 2020 Fatalities in 2021 1978 Afghanistan conflict. March 16, 2020. Peace talks in Afghanistan have only inched forward even as the pace of conflict has picked up. India is the country with the largest volume of remittances from guest workers abroad. The states are affected differently by the pandemic, so a high degree of coordination will be necessary to prevent a renewed spread of Covid-19. Sri Lanka's GDP expected to contract by 5.5% in 2020 and grow by 4.1% in 2021 – ADO 2020 Update Sri Lanka's inflation rates forecasted at 4.5% in 2020 and 4.2% in 2021 – ADO 2020 Update The government expects up to 18.5 million people to lose their jobs as a result of the crisis, or more than 30 percent of the workforce. What Future for Afghan Peace Talks under a Biden Administration? For many, it might feel like there are still more concerns to come. Economy and finances of a country / a region, Now the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated it. Religious events are a particular problem in many states. What we are witnessing is the emergence of India as a major power and one of the balancer of power in the near future. In India, Pakistan, and Bang, ranged by Prime Minister Modi, was attended, https://www.swp-berlin.org/en/about-swp/ quality-management-for-swp-publications/, Economy and finances of a country / a region, State and society of a country / a region, Download The government should move to improve camp living conditions, in particular by lifting the education ban and fighting crime. These structural deficits are more acute than ever in the current crisis. As the country currently has double-digit inflation and the IMF did not grant it a rescue package to stabilize the economy until November 2019, Pakistan will have the hardest time obtaining further international aid. Table of contents for Journal of South Asian Development, 15, 3, Dec 01, 2020 To respond to the crisis, India would like to expand its pharmaceutical industry, but it is highly dependent on Chinese imports. The series is written for policymakers, diplomats, scholars and students of the region with emphasis on empirical and observable trends, and less on theory-building or historical accounts of events. From designating a neutral mediator to agreeing on “rules of the road”, Crisis Group lays out twelve prerequisites for keeping the talks going. In contrast, India invested only 1.28 percent of its GDP in the public health care system in 2018/19. ... Dec 28, 2020. Find top stories in South Asia at straitstimes.com. In this two-part series, Dr. Amy Searight, senior adviser and director of the CSIS Southeast Asia Program, previews five key issues to watch in Southeast Asia in 2020. International financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have drastically revised downwards their growth forecasts for the countries in the region. They were part of clinical trials. In addition, modern medical facilities are mainly to be found in urban centers, whereas rural areas are significantly worse off. Soviet–Afghan War; Afghan Civil War (1989–1992) Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) Afghan Civil War (1996–2001) Current phase. It is therefore expected that the existing authoritarian and populist tendencies in countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka will continue to grow. Current Issue Online First All Issues Submissions Call for Papers ... and 14 – particularly given its economic role it plays in the Global South, also in the region of Southeast Asia. After the crisis had spread to India, China sent extensive aid packages in return, especially protective clothing for health professionals. Both countries are helping each other to contain Covid-19. For further information on our quality control procedures, please visit the SWP website: https://www.swp-berlin.org/en/about-swp/ quality-management-for-swp-publications/, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Ludwigkirchplatz 3–410719 BerlinTelephone +49 30 880 07-0Fax +49 30 880 [email protected], Opportunities and Risks of European Self-Defence, SWP Comment 2020/C 19, In 2019, those politics were momentous. Today, 60 percent of the world’s population lives in Asia – with 40 percent concentrated in China and India alone – and the region will continue to host the majority of the world’s population through 2050. Merger and acquisition value in South Africa was US$10.1 billion in 2019, but is expected to drop to $5.2 billion in 2020, before rising to $9.4 billion in 2021 and $12 billion in 2022. India is the world’s largest producer of hydroxychloroquine, which was initially seen in some states as a promising treatment for Covid-19. The good, the bad, and the ugly of the coronavirus fallout for each government in East, Southeast, South, and Central Asia. 2 (2020): ... and more precisely with a transdisciplinary capacity building project in Southeast Asia and Europe funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education program. While the Asia and Pacific region is generally on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, this is not the case for reducing malnutrition and maternal mortality. In the end, Thailand’s 2019 ASEAN chairmanship is likely to amount to little more than a hyphen between Singapore’s 2018 and Vietnam’s 2020 chairmanships. Bangladesh is hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees who have little hope of going home any time soon. Allies should urge New Delhi to relax its clampdown and Islamabad to stop backing jihadist proxies. SWP Comments are subject to internal peer review, fact-checking and copy-editing. Economic development will suffer a marked setback in all South Asian states. The Horn: What Does Reconciliation among Gulf States Mean for Africa? https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/5-global-issues-to-watch-in-2020 In India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, for example, some of the infections could be traced back to meetings of the Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim missionary society. SATP is the largest website on terrorism and low intensity warfare in South Asia, and creates the database and analytic context for research and analysis of … A federal government misstep – lifting a lockdown too soon – has placed Pakistan among the twelve countries hardest hit by coronavirus. Pakistan was one of the few Muslim countries whose government did not succeed in closing the mosques by mid-April. The peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban offer a genuine opportunity for peace although obstacles abound. They are therefore demand, in many states. In 2020, Vietnam gained global recognition for its response to COVID-19. From a political point of view, it is to be feared that the pandemic will further strengthen the authoritarian and centralist tendencies that are already in effect. Pakistan defended itself against India’s claim to regional leadership and gave $3 million to the SAARC Secretariat. A Close-up View of Myanmar’s Leaderless Mass Protests, War & Peace: Planning for Nuclear Armageddon, The War on Drugs in Colombia’s Countryside, Time for International Re-engagement in Western Sahara, The Failure of U.S. “Maximum Pressure” against Iran. The pandemic is hitting poorer population groups in particular with full force. The politically-motivated Presidential Commission of Enquiry has been distorting politically-connected criminal suspects into victims, and investigators and legal reformers into criminals. Home Blog 9 Biggest Social Justice Issues of 2020. Prime Minister Modi has already announced that he will expand the “Make in India” initiative he launched in 2014 to strengthen national industry. With 2020 more than halfway over, there are countless challenges that social workers are currently facing. Originally published in World Politics Review. 4 min. Speech by Laurel Miller, Program Director for Asia, at the United Nations Security Council Arria Formula Meeting on the Peace Process in Afghanistan. The Trends in Southeast Asia series serves as in-depth analysis of contemporary geopolitical and socio-economic forces in the region. Find examples by browsing current events related to the region (or one country within the region) above. The Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs is a peer reviewed, Open Access journal. Not only India and Pakistan – the two largest economies in the region – but also Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were already in the midst of an economic downturn before the crisis. South Asia is home to as much as a quarter of the earth’s population, so it is fair to say that the politics of the region are the politics of the world. By Diplomat Risk Intelligence for The Diplomat April 14, 2020 Donors should support such steps. Nor has the economy recovered as intended. Flooding kills 300 in south Asia as millions forced to flee homes. In 500-600 words which must be accompanied by either images or videos. These approximately 450 million people have no social security net whatsoever. Asia. Browse our archives of magazine articles, interviews, and in-depth essays from experts in South Asia. The region as a whole is expected to grow by only 0.9 percent in 2020, the lowest rate since 1967. Quarter of women and girls have been abused by a partner, says WHO. An additional 120 million children in South Asia could be pushed into poverty due to the continuing spread of coronavirus throughout much of the region, according to … Latest articles. Afghanistan’s fate hinges in large part on how the Biden team decides to approach the country’s conflict and its tenuous, still-nascent peace process. At the same time, in 2020 more than 320,000 people were internally displaced due to conflict in 32 out of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. SWP Comment 2020/C 19, April 2020, 4 Pages. Given the overwhelming disasters that nations, including the U.S., have been or still are going through, it is important to be aware of the most pressing global issues. They should develop clear negotiating positions on key issues and work to convince their members that peace requires compromise. Political uncertainty puts Southeast Asia's economic recovery from coronavirus at risk, expert says Published Sun, Aug 9 2020 7:32 PM EDT Yen Nee Lee @YenNee_Lee South Asia News - Get latest South Asia Countries breaking news today. India’s efforts to get the pandemic under control are also a test of federalism. See all volumes and issues. This section highlights the health issues and trends in developing Asia and the Pacific. In 2018, the Narendra Modi government also launched a new health insurance program for poorer population groups. 07 October 2020 KwaZulu-Natal Justice Department urges accused persons, complainants and previously subpoenaed witnesses to secure new dates of Court appearance 22 September 2020 2019 was a momentous year of events and change in Central Asia. Another point of criticism is the partial lack of coordination between the central government and the federal states, for example in the imposition of the national curfew. In the name of combating disinformation and fake news, for example, voices critical of the government, television channels, and websites can be controlled even more strictly. As the Afghan government and Taliban await clearer policy signals from the incoming U.S. administration, their primary goal should be to keep the vital negotiations going. Thailand will also not be eager to tackle issues that divide ASEAN members such as standing up to China on the South China Sea or confronting Myanmar on the Rohingya crisis. The government in New Delhi has already increased customs duties in recent years. Combating the pandemic will help the state to exert greater influence over the economy. Malaysia buys additional 12.2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. Last November, it did not join the RCEP initiative (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), which would have facilitated trade with China, among others. Topic: Urbanization. South Asia Stay up to date on the latest news, analysis, and commentary in South Asia. We accept submissions with a focus on international relations and the social, economic, legal, etc. Despite criticism about the management of the crisis, which all governments in the region face, they will most likely emerge stronger than before. In the countries of South Asia, the rampant coronavirus pandemic could affect more than 1.9 billion people – almost a quarter of the world’s population. UK Politics. Socio-Political and Economic Challenges in South Asia brings together some of the best minds to provide fresh insights. For Afghanistan's peace talks to work, the Taliban will need to shift focus to what they want, not what they oppose. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that states are losing important external sources of funding. Although India has already furnished Sri Lanka and the Maldives with medical supplies, China has considerably more resources and provided correspondingly greater support to the region. (Kindle/ Mobi), The Strategic Partnership between Georgia and the United States: Vision Wanted. Asia. Current issue Browse list of issues Explore. Not only do they fear for their most important industries, such as textile production and tourism, but they also want to be able to send their workers abroad again as soon as possible. This book is a compilation of well researched papers that examine the evolving economic, political, and social landscape of South Asia. Advisory – South Asia’s COVID 19 Dilemma . KATHMANDU, Nepal, Mar 10 (IPS) - A young adult man requires 15 m3 or 15 kg of air, 1.5 liters or 1.5 kg of water and 0.75 kg of solid food every day. The question of whether, and to what extent, the government can use communications data to contain the pandemic could be decided in India in favor of public safety and at the expense of data protection. Air Pollution in South Asia: Biomass Burning Emissions & its Impact, Inter Press Service, Tuesday, March 10, 2020 (posted by Global Issues) Navigation Share this Current global issues are growing in number by the day. doi:10.18449/2020C19. This site uses cookies. In the countries of South Asia, the rampant coronavirus pandemic could affect more than 1.9 billion people – almost a quarter of the world’s population. German and European aid will probably concentrate on foreign policy hotspots in the immediate vicinity. SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia is an interdisciplinary journal devoted to the study of social and cultural issues in Southeast Asia. 4 Pages, health – about 4 percent of its gross domes, tic product (GDP). See all volumes and issues. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. In India, the unemployment rate had already climbed to its highest level in decades by 2019. Find a current issue in South East Asia relating to the topic of Urbanization and do some research on it. On the back of a long period of robust economic growth, the region has seen declining poverty rates and improvements in human development indicators. Empirical and theoretical research articles are published with a view to promoting and disseminating scholarship in and on the region. India’s economic growth had already fallen below 5 percent by the end of 2019. Journal metrics ; Aims and scope; Instructions for authors; Society information; Journal information; Editorial board; Related websites; Editorial policies; Latest articles. More than a dozen slum residents in an Indian city say they thought they were being vaccinated. For Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, too, remittances by guest workers to their home countries are important means of economic support. The Supreme Court in India has recognized the right to privacy and the protection of personal data. Tobias Scholz is a political scientist and was an intern in the Asia Division. Current issue Browse ... Insides-Outsides: Northeast Indian Anglophone Literature Special Issue: South Asian Disasters in 20th and 21st Century Literature, Film, and Culture. At that time, only 291 tests per million inhabitants were carried out in India, 506 in Pakistan, 302 in Sri Lanka, and 162 in Bangladesh.