Overseas Security Advisory Council Daily News 2/28/2023

 

February 28, 2023

Today's Headlines OSAC's daily selection of global security news

Africa

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi said on Monday that a conflict with rebels in the east of the country could disrupt preparations for general elections scheduled for December 20.

Provisional results from Nigeria's disputed presidential election over the weekend showed Bola Tinubu from the ruling party in the lead, a Reuters tally of votes in 25 of the country's 36 states showed on Tuesday.

East Asia & Pacific

The ruling Communist Party is waging an ambitious propaganda campaign to rewrite the public’s memory of its handling of the pandemic, which included some of the harshest restrictions in the world.

Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport, Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters on Tuesday. “From tomorrow we are completely returning to normalcy,” Lee said. “This year and the next year,

North Korea's economy has been strained by international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program and strict self-imposed border lockdowns aimed at stopping Covid-19 outbreaks.

Europe

Christian Schmidt uses his ‘Bonn powers’ to suspend RS Law on Immovable Property Used for Functioning of Public Authority - Anadolu Agency

Moldova’s national intelligence agency says two foreign nationals who posed as tourists have been expelled from the country

Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said on February 22 that his country was prepared for a "full spectrum of threats."

Indigenous campaigners demanding the removal of wind turbines from reindeer pastures in Norway expanded their protest on Tuesday, blocking access to the finance ministry as they pressed on with a demonstration at the nearby energy ministry.

Russian forces kept up their offensive in eastern Ukraine as they pressed to encircle the small mining city of Bakhmut, the scene of the toughest fighting in battlefields saturated by rain and an early spring thaw.

The new Brexit deal signed by the U.K. and the European Union on Monday was heralded as a "turning point" for Northern Ireland, but must still pass muster in Belfast.

Middle East & North Africa

An Israeli American has been shot and killed in the occupied West Bank as retaliatory unrest intensifies.

The Syrian opposition-run civil defence said on Tuesday 22 people had died from an outbreak of cholera in the northwestern region in the aftermath of the devastating quake that hit Turkey and Syria.

South & Central Asia

An Islamabad court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case. According to Aaj News, the court had asked Imran to appear before 3:15 pm...

Sri Lanka's government said Tuesday it was banning strikes in several key sectors, a day ahead of a planned one-day national stoppage called by unions to protest against painfully high taxes and utility bills.

Uzbekistan is once again going through the motions of tinkering with its constitution. The president says he wants a more person-centered form of governance, but critics wonder if this is his attempt to maintain his grip on power.

Western Hemisphere

Forest fires raged on in Cuba's eastern region on Monday, inching toward more populated ground more than a week after sparking near a national park.

Rural gangs have clashed with police in Haiti’s primary agricultural region in the latest sign of criminal violence disrupting food production and pushing the Caribbean nation closer to an acute hunger crisis.

A shooting by Mexican army soldiers left five people dead in the rough border city of Nuevo Laredo, igniting a clash between the soldiers and residents who came to the scene to protest.

The United States has asked Mexico to extradite a son of the infamous drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, Mexican officials say. Ovidio Guzmán was arrested on 5 January in Sinaloa state, in northern Mexico.

OSAC Analysis Unclassified OSAC analytical reports and other resources

East Asia & Pacific

Published: February 27, 2023

Two years after Burma’s military removed the country’s civilian-led government in a coup on February 1, 2021, the security situation in the country has deteriorated significantly. The military-appointed de facto authorities have maintained a hold ov...

Europe

Published: February 23, 2023

This is OSAC Ukraine situation report is released on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. It highlights pertinent health, safety, security, and logistical information to aid OSAC member...

Consular Messages - Department of State travel advisories and alerts

East Asia & Pacific

Do not travel to Burma due to civil unrest and armed conflict. Reconsider travel to Burma due to limited and/or inadequate healthcare resources. Exercise increased caution due to wrongful detentions and areas with land mines and unexploded ordnanc...

Published: February 28, 2023

The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazard Department (VMGHD, http://vmgd.gov.vu) has issued a warning as Tropical Cyclone (TC) Judy approaches the archipelago. As of 8 a.m. local time February 28, the center of the storm was forecast to arrive off the ...

Europe

Event: A protest is planned for Tuesday, February 28 at 12:30 PM in downtown Chisinau, near City Hall.  Additional police presence and traffic congestion in the area is expected due to street closures associated with the protest.  A section of Ștefa...

Western Hemisphere

Published: February 27, 2023

U.S. Embassy Santiago encourages all citizens in Chile to be prepared for natural disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and mudslides occur here. The Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED...

Events - Upcoming OSAC meetings, webinars, and training courses

Global

The OSAC Academia Sector Committee cordially invites all ASC members to attend the Spring Health, Safety, & Security Seminar hosted by Vanderbilt University, April 13 - 14.

Event Start Date: March 01, 2023

All OSAC Somalia Chapter members are invited to attend meeting on Wednesday, 01MAR23 at 1300 local time. The meeting will focus local and regional ATFP issues and include a presentation from HALO Trust.

The OSAC Energy Sector Committee (ESC) invites all ESC members to attend the upcoming ESC Spring Meeting at ExxonMobil Houston Campus in Spring, Texas on March 22 - 23, 2023.

The Europe Regional Committee (ERC) in partnership with the OSAC United Kingdom Country Chapter will be delivering a half day Crisis Management Workshop for Young Professionals in London on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. A full day Spring Conference and...

Event Start Date: March 29, 2023

Africa

The OSAC Africa Regional Committee cordially invites all Full-Access Members to attend a two-and-a-half day conference hosted at the Hilton Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa.

East Asia & Pacific

All OSAC Pan-Asia Regional Committee (PARC) members are invited to attend the "Bouncing Back: Security in 2023 & Beyond" PARC Summit on April 26 - 27, 2023 at Bloomberg in Singapore.

Event Start Date: February 28, 2023

OSAC Manila country chapter members are invited to a virtual meeting on 28FEB2023 from 2-4 pm local.

Manila country chapter members are invited to a virtual country chapter meeting on 28FEB2023 from 2-4 pm local.

Europe

Event Start Date: March 15, 2023

Please join the OSAC Germany for a country chapter meeting on March 15, 2023.

Event Start Date: March 01, 2023

OSAC Milan - Italy Chapter will hold a hybrid Country Chapter Kickoff Meeting on Wednesday, March 1 at 9:00am local time.

Middle East & North Africa

Event Start Date: March 15, 2023

The OSAC Iraq-Baghdad Chapter will meet in-person on Wednesday, March 15.

South & Central Asia

All OSAC Pan-Asia Regional Committee (PARC) members are invited to attend the "Bouncing Back: Security in 2023 & Beyond" PARC Summit on April 26 - 27, 2023 at Bloomberg in Singapore.

Western Hemisphere

OSAC's Latin America Regional Committee (LARC) invites all members to save the date for the LARC's Spring Conference in Miami, FL from March 7-9.

Event Start Date: March 06, 2023

Join OSAC Bahamas for a Chapter Revitalization meeting on Monday, March 6 at 3:00 PM ET!

Event Start Date: March 02, 2023

All OSAC Barbados Chapter members are invited to attend an in-person meeting on Thursday, March 2 at 14:00 Bridgetown local.

Join the OSAC Energy Sector Committee (ESC) on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 12:00 PM EST for the second session of the ESC's monthly "coffee chat" series. This session will highlight country-level threats in Mexico, how threats translate into spec...

Event Start Date: March 01, 2023

Please join the OSAC Council for a webinar on "How to Stop a Crisis" led by Michelle Newcome on 01 March 2023 at 11 a.m. ET.

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of State or any affiliated organization(s). Nor have these opinions been approved or sanctioned by these organizations. This product is unclassified based on the definitions in E.O. 13526. OSAC’s full disclaimer and copyright policy is available on our site.

Comments