Latest news with #non-UN
Arab News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Bangladesh plans to send hundreds of troops to serve in Qatari forces
DHAKA: Bangladesh is planning to send hundreds of soldiers to work for the Qatar Armed Forces, a government spokesperson said, following this week's talks between the Qatari leadership and the head of the Bangladeshi interim government. Bangladesh's chief adviser, Prof. Mohammed Yunus, was in Doha from Monday to Friday to attend the Earthna Summit organized by the Qatar Foundation. On the sidelines of the summit, the Nobel-winning economist also held meetings with top Qatari officials. Yunus discussed the deployment of Bangladeshi troops with Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar's deputy prime minister and minister of state for defense affairs. 'An agreement was reached to send 725 members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces on deputation to work with the Qatar Armed Forces,' Azad Majumder, deputy press secretary to the chief adviser, told Arab News on Friday. 'During the discussion, our National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman was also present. So, all our topmost responsible authorities held this discussion with Qatari authorities.' As the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Yunus also oversees its defense portfolio. His caretaker administration assumed office in August last year, when former prime minister Sheikh Hasina quit and fled the country amid violent protests. Talks between the Bangladeshi and Qatari armed forces will determine the structure of the team that will be dispatched from Bangladesh and identify areas where Qatar requires its expertise. 'It could be in sectors such as medical, infantry, engineering, etc. The details are still being worked out,' Majumder said. 'This is not a tough job for us, as Bangladesh already has this experience. For many years, Bangladesh has been sending soldiers to different UN missions. Bangladeshi armed forces members have also been serving in Kuwait for many years.' Bangladeshi soldiers are known for contributing to UN peacekeeping missions, with more than 6,300 personnel currently deployed to 10 such operations worldwide. Beyond these commitments, Bangladesh also engages non-UN international deployments, with its most prominent military presence being in Kuwait. About 6,000 members of the Bangladesh Military Contingent are currently enlisted with the Kuwait Armed Forces, according to data from the Bangladeshi embassy in the Gulf state. Kuwait has been recruiting soldiers from Bangladesh under a bilateral agreement with the Bangladeshi government since the end of the 1991 Gulf War. Initially, they were deployed to conduct extensive land mine clearance operations, but their responsibilities have expanded over the years to include engineering, construction, medical support and logistical assistance.
Arab News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Syria, South Korea establish diplomatic ties, open embassies
LONDON: The Syrian Arab Republic and South Korea established diplomatic relations on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in foreign policy for both republics. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani signed an agreement with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, in Damascus to establish diplomatic relations. A high-level South Korean delegation met Syria's President Ahmad Al-Sharaa at the People's Palace in the Syrian capital. The agreement would initiate friendship and cooperation between Syria and Korea, opening embassies and exchanging diplomatic missions between the two countries, the SANA agency reported. Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the move was aimed at restoring the country's international standing, which had weakened due to the policies of the former Assad regime. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: 'This development opens a new chapter of cooperation with Syria, whose bilateral relations with South Korea had been severed due to its close ties with North Korea.' Syria was the only UN member without diplomatic ties to South Korea, which gained independence in 1948. It is now the 191st country to establish official relations with Seoul. The Assad regime, which collapsed in December 2024, had built close ties with Seoul's neighboring foe, North Korea, which provided it with military assistance during the Cold War. Three non-UN members, the South Pacific island nations of the Cook Islands and Niue, and the Holy See, have not yet established ties with Seoul.
