South Asia
The Nepalese Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation said that India has agreed to import power from Nepal’s hydropower projects during the upcoming monsoon season. Nepal is expected to witness an energy surplus of around 500 MW in the coming monsoon and India’s decision to import power will prevent Nepal from facing power spillage. [Kathmandu Post]
The United Nations condemned the killing of eight Afghan polio vaccination workers who were “murdered” in the city of Kunduz. The World Health Organisation urged Taliban authorities to identify and prosecute the perpetrators. [UN News]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Thursday stressed the importance of maintaining “national accord and unanimity” amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Georgia, which was invaded by Russia in 2008, called Russia’s actions a “tragic day for all peace-loving democracies in Europe and the world.” [Agenda.ge]
Armenian and Turkish special envoys met in Vienna for the second time this year for talks on normalising ties, which have been strained since 1991. They said that the aim of the meeting was to achieve full normalisation and discuss “concrete steps that can be mutually undertaken to that end.” [Armen Press]
East and Southeast Asia
South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced on Thursday that his administration would join other democratic countries by imposing economic sanctions on Russia over its military actions in Ukraine. Park has not elaborated on what the sanctions may be. [Channel News Asia]
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met with his Malaysian counterpart Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday. “We focused on cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 and vowed to further promote bilateral trade, investment, health, tourism, science and technology, and the people-to-people exchanges with the view to bolstering the post-Covid-19 economic recovery,” Hun Sen said during the joint press conference. [The Straits Times]
Europe
Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Thursday imposed stricter security in the country over concerns that Russia may invade it next. There are currently 1,500 Russian troops in Moldova’s Kremlin-backed separatist territory of Transnistria, which reported hearing explosions. Similar to Ukraine, Moldova has a Western-leaning government, making it a vulnerable target. [bne Intellinews]
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russia’s “barbaric” attack on Ukraine and imposed a raft of sanctions targeting the Russian economy and the Kremlin’s ability to finance the war. Von der Leyen said, “We will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking their access to key technologies and markets. We will weaken Russia’s economic base and its capacity to modernise. In addition, we will freeze Russian assets in the EU and stop the access of Russian banks to the European financial market.” [Euronews]
The United Kingdom announced a string of sanctions against Russia over its decision to launch a military operation in Ukraine. The measures target Russian individuals, companies, including two major defence companies, and banks and aim to “constrain Russia’s military, industrial, and technological capabilities for years to come.” [Politico]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Reactions from Latin American leaders to Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine have been wide-ranging. While Vladimir Putin has found support in his counterparts from Venezuela and Cuba, the leaders of Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina have expressed concern about the violation of international law and of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Likewise, the presidents of Ecuador and Argentina have urged restraint and called for dialogue. [MercoPress]
A Nicaraguan court convicted seven more critics of President Daniel Ortega’s administration for conspiracy, three of whom had been planning to run in the election back in November, during which Ortega won a controversial fifth term after jailing dozens of critics and would-be opponents. The prosecution is demanding sentences between eight and 13 years. [BBC]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Israel condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday as a “serious violation of the international order.” Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said that Israel is “prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to the citizens of Ukraine.” [Israel MFA
World Food Programme (WFP) Chief David Beasley told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Yemen is in a “very bad situation” due to the ongoing civil war and a lack of funding for humanitarian aid. Beasley warned that if the situation is not addressed, 13 million Yemenis will be faced with the threat of starvation. [Associated Press]
North America
On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed strong condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a blatant violation of international laws. Canada imposed sanctions on 58 more Russian individuals and financial institutions, in addition to restrictions on senior members of the Russian government. Trudeau also introduced supportive measures focussed on the safety of Ukrainians. [PM Office Canada]
The United States (US) Africa Command confirmed on Thursday that US forces had conducted a drone strike against Al Shabaab militants in Somalia, its first strike in the region since last August. The MQ-9 Reaper strike was carried out in collaboration with Somali security forces, with the US providing only remote assistance. Washington said no civilians were harmed during the attack but provided no confirmations on militant deaths. [The New York Times]
Oceania
On Friday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced further sanctions against Russia and said the country would send non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies to Ukraine. The additional sanctions target Russian oligarchs and members of the Russian Parliament who voted to move Russian troops into Ukraine. The sanctions also target influential Belarusian individuals and entities involved in the aggression. Morrison condemned the unlawful attack launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday morning and expressed concern over the “terrible violence” inflicted on the people of Ukraine. [Sky News]
Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and demand de-escalation and the withdrawal of troops from Ukraine. Dutton said, “Really, there’s one person now, there’s one world leader that’s standing out from the rest who are condemning President Putin, and that is President Xi.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine has thus far resulted in 137 deaths and 316 injuries. [Sky News]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has been in office since 2013, has officially endorsed opposition leader Raila Odinga to succeed him in the presidential election in August of this year. Odinga is expected to run under the banner of the Azimio la Umoja alliance, which is a grouping of 10 parties, including both Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement and Kenyatta’s Jubilee party. [Africa Feeds]
Following a plea by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres earlier this week, the Central African Republic released the four French soldiers who were operating as MINUSCA peacekeepers in the country. The soldiers had been accused of plotting to assassinate President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. [Africanews]