CSP WEEKLY UPDATES (February 11-17, 2023)

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & THE UNITED NATIONS

Ø  Counterterrorism effort
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736682

Ø  Is Pakistan Poised to Take on the TTP?
https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/02/pakistan-poised-take-ttp

Ø  After Beijing’s Balloon, What’s Next for U.S.-China Ties?
https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/02/after-beijings-balloon-whats-next-us-china-ties

Ø  Frozen Afghan Funds Have Done Little to Sway Taliban
https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/frozen-afghan-funds-have-done-little-to-sway-taliban-11675883036

Ø  Pakistan-US defence dialogue to begin today
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1062459/pakistan-us-defence-dialogue-to-begin-today/

Ø  Experts React: Can IPEF Be a Watershed Moment for U.S.-India?
https://www.csis.org/analysis/experts-react-can-ipef-be-watershed-moment-us-india

Ø  UN chief says rising seas a ‘death sentence’ for some countries
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/15/un-chief-says-rising-seas-a-death-sentence-for-some-countries

Ø  ISIL terror threat still high and increasing in conflict zones, Security Council hears
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1133357

Ø  Earthquake disaster: ‘We must put people first’ urges Guterres in race to save lives
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1133322

Ø  At UN, Pakistan urges int’l cooperation on growing water crisis
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1062943/at-un-pakistan-urges-intl-cooperation-on-growing-water-crisis/

RUSSIA & EUROPE

Ø  The agreement would provide for monitoring mechanisms designed to prevent war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/16/armenia-offers-peace-treaty-project-to-azerbaijan

Ø  Jens Stoltenberg says Nordic nations becoming members together is not top priority as Turkey continues to block Sweden.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/14/nato-chief-hints-finland-sweden-could-join-alliance-separately

Ø  A commission investigating the issue said 77 percent of perpetrators were priests, and most of the victims were men.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/13/over-4000-children-abused-by-portugals-catholic-church-report

Ø  Türkiye quakes deadliest natural disaster on alliance territory: NATO chief
https://www.trtworld.com/article/65452

Ø  Next EU sanctions to target ‘Russian state propagandists’
https://www.trtworld.com/article/65293

Ø  Pakistan denies supplying ammunition to Ukraine
https://www.dawn.com/news/1737577/pakistan-denies-supplying-ammunition-to-ukraine

Ø  US, Canada, European powers oppose Israeli settlement authorization
https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/ben-gvir1676466161-0/ben-gvir1676466161-0.jpg

Ø  NATO chief Stoltenberg to step down in October
https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/Nato-chief1645982322-0/Nato-chief1645982322-0.jpg

Ø  Foreign Secretary meets with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway
https://mofa.gov.pk/foreign-secretary-meets-with-deputy-foreign-minister-of-norway/

Ø  Visit of the Foreign Minister to Germany for Participation in the Munich Security Conference and bilateral visits to Lithuania and Hungary
https://mofa.gov.pk/curtain-raiser-visit-of-the-foreign-minister-to-germany-for-participation-in-munich-security-conference-and-bilateral-visits-to-lithuania-and-hungary/

POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS

Ø  Rs170b mini-budget approved
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401628/rs170b-mini-budget-approved

Ø  A ‘project’ economy
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736798/a-project-economy

Ø  Panic over suspended imports peaks in crisis-hit Pakistan
https://www.geo.tv/latest/470656-panic-over-suspended-imports-peaks-in-crisis-hit-pakistan

Ø  Lack of terminal capacity causes outrage
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401636/lack-of-terminal-capacity-causes-outrage

Ø  In 8 years, Pakistan can make $60b: OICCI report
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401647/in-8-years-pakistan-can-make-60b-oicci-report

Ø  IMF’s most loyal customer
https://www.geo.tv/latest/471166-why-pakistan-is-imfs-most-loyal-customer

Ø  Inflation could average 33% in 2023: Moody’s economist
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401440/inflation-could-average-33-in-2023-moodys-economist

Ø  Finance: Massive reforms needed
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736799/finance-massive-reforms-needed

Ø  Fitch downgrades Pakistan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401131/fitch-downgrades-pakistan-1

Ø  Maintaining status quo under IMF
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736803/maintaining-status-quo-under-imf

Ø  Remittances hit new low at $1.89b
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2400991/remittances-hit-new-low-at-189b

Ø  Challenging circular debt monster
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736790/challenging-circular-debt-monster

Ø  Growth of global Islamic finance
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736792/growth-of-global-islamic-finance

Ø  Impact of consumer pessimism
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2400858/impact-of-consumer-pessimism

Ø  Roadmap to reduce distortions in economy unveiled
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736461/roadmap-to-reduce-distortions-in-economy-unveiled

Ø  Morgan Stanley reclassifies Pakistani stocks
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2400761/morgan-stanley-reclassifies-pakistani-stocks

Ø  Are protectionist policies keeping productivity low?
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2400859/are-protectionist-policies-keeping-productivity-low

Ø  With loans piling, why is Pakistan waiting to reform its policies?
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2400857/with-loans-piling-why-is-pakistan-waiting-to-reform-its-policies

Ø  Lifestyle recalibration
https://www.dawn.com/news/1737603

Ø  Oil prices on track to finish week 2.5% lower on U.S. rate hike worries
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/oil-prices-fall-us-rate-hike-worries-overshadow-demand-outlook-2023-02-17/

Ø  UNDP for speeding up SDGs-related projects
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2400616/undp-for-speeding-up-sdgs-related-projects

Ø  Govt plans to quadruple domestic coal-fired energy
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401260/govt-plans-to-quadruple-domestic-coal-fired-energy

Ø  The rising and falling interest in climate change
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401380/the-rising-and-falling-interest-in-climate-change

Ø  Study: IPCC asks emerging countries to drop coal faster than rich nations did
https://climatechangenews.com/2023/02/15/study-ipcc-asks-emerging-countries-to-drop-coal-faster-than-rich-nations-did/