Conference – Rethinking Afghanistan
On November 3, 2021, the South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) hosted a conference by Nazifullah Salarzai, H. E. Ambassador of Afghanistan to the Kingdom of Belgium, EU, and NATO. His excellency shared his deep insights on the current political and economic situation of the country as well as the...
Focus 77 – Technology Transfer in Bangladesh to Accelerate Energy Transition
Abstract
Retail manufacturing is an industry that puts high demand on energy resources. Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest garment exporters; its ready-made garment sector (RMG) accounts for 84% its exports. Nevertheless, in 2020, Bangladesh ranked only 87 out of 115 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition...
Comment 220 – After Kabul – What next for Pakistan?
After the takeover of Kabul by the Pakistan-sponsored Taliban, one can speculate regarding which role will Islamabad play in Afghanistan’s future. This will depend of course on Islamabad’s ties with the wider Taliban in general and with the factions traditionally close to Pakistan in particular, namely the Haqqani Network....
COMMENT 219 – Beijing’s expansionism in the Himalayas
‘China Is Building Entire Villages in Another Country’s Territory’ is the title of a report by Robert Barnett, an eminent scholar on modern Tibetan history and politics. The report regarded an official visit by Chinese authorities to the new village of Gyalaphug (Jieluobu), ‘key to the settlement of the...
COMMENT 218 – From Taliban 2.0 to EU DisInfolab – The outreach of Global...
here are no moderate Taliban – Dr Massouda Jalal so entitled her anticipatory 2011 Wall Street Journal article. Jalal, the first woman running for the Office of President, who also served as a minister for woman affairs in Afghanistan, highlighted that ‘eeking to negotiate with an implacable enemy could...
COMMENT 217 – Terrorism financing: Crypto-Taliban?
The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week in June 2021 focused on the financing of Islamist terror groups. The meeting zeroed in on the ‘misuse of digital space for terrorist financing purposes’. As noted in a statement following the meeting, ‘it was recognized that the pandemic enhanced opportunities for terrorist groups...
WORKING PAPER 28 – (Mis-)Judging the state? The crisis in Pakistan’s judiciary and its...
Abstract
This SADF working paper sheds light on the flaws within Pakistan’s judicial system and its ramifications for the country’s political and economic development. The paper considers judicial risk assessments for potential foreign investors looking to engage in Pakistan, especially in the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). After...
COMMENT 216 – Was the NATO Afghan mission a failure? An urgent evaluation by...
Many commentators in recent days argued that the NATO retreat from Afghanistan represented a failure of Western interventions around the world and even the end of NATO – or at least the need for a European autonomy from the US. However, it is perhaps too early for such conclusions....
Focus 73 – European FDI to India and Covid-19
ABSTRACT
This paper aims to discuss where India stands on the foreign direct investment (FDI) market, especially as regards FDI from the EU. In 2020-2021 the Covid-19 outbreak largely hit financial markets and global FDI plummeted. Only a few countries, among which India, still recorded high and positive FDI inflows....