Introduction

Greek and Turkish claims coexist on islands in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean. Concerning this issue, the two NATO members are at odds over islands in the Aegean Sea. One particular issue that Turkey takes with is Greece’s militarization of various islands. The Turkish ambassador to Greece claims that Greece and Turkey disagree on a number of matters pertaining to the Aegean Sea, such as the size of territorial seas, the definition of the continental shelf, the demilitarization of islands, and the length of airspace. Even though all of the issues are related, Greece only acknowledges the continental shelf dispute. From the Greece perspective, Turkey is asserting things that neither the current situation nor international law justify. Given the numerous Greek islands and people that reside there, Greece views the Aegean Sea as an integral part of its territory. The Aegean Sea, together with the Black Sea, serves as Europe’s southern border with the Middle East and Asia, giving it significant geopolitical and strategic importance for Greece.

Turkey Warned Greece

The long-standing territorial disputes between Turkey and Greece are being affected by the conflict in Ukraine. In response to Germany’s diplomatic actions, Turkey has taken a more hostile position towards Greece as a result conflicts over the eastern Mediterranean islands are frequently turning violent. It involves opposing claims to maritime borders, energy disputes and resources like oil and gas. The two nations resumed their consultative talks in 2021 after a five-year break in order to find diplomatic solutions to their differences. But recently, the tensions have been escalated among the two countries. According to experts, Turkey’s interpretation consequently presents a complicated scenario with regard to sovereign rights in the East Aegean. Legally speaking, the status of the Aegean islands in relation to their demilitarization is a complicated matter, and the two sides have quite different interpretations of the duties resulting from these treaties. It is challenging to see how a bilateral dialogue can be reached and will be successful in the atmosphere of mistrust existing. Recently, Recep Tayyip Erdogan the President of Turkey, warned Greece earlier this month over what Ankara described as recent “harassment” of Turkish fighter jets in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. Greece is allegedly breaking international treaties by maintaining a military presence on islands close to the Turkish shore in the Aegean Sea, according to Ankara. Additionally, during NATO exercises over the eastern Mediterranean, it has claimed that Greek air defenses closed on to Turkish fighter jets. He asserted that occupying the islands does not bind us. We will do what is necessary when the time comes.

Greece is looking toward its Allies

Greece is urging its partners to denounce Turkey for its recent provocative rhetoric, in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested that tensions between the two nations may escalate to an open battle. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has addressed letters to NATO, EU, and the UN urging them to condemn Ankara for Erdogan’s remarks. Dendias, who appeared to be alluding to the crisis in Ukraine, stated that allowing Turkey to continue to threaten Greece would increase the likelihood of yet another battle in Europe. The top Greek diplomat said in a letter to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that Turkey’s position is a destabilizing element for NATO’s unity and cohesiveness, undermining the southern flank of the alliance at a time of crisis. Greece has modernized its armed forces and arming islands close to Turkish coastline.

Conclusion

Greece and Ankara have been able to stay out of war for decades despite having serious disagreements over a number of issues. A military war in the region would also have a negative impact on Turkey and Greece politically and economically due to the uncertainty brought on by the conflict in Ukraine. Domestic problems in both countries, nevertheless, might compel political leaders to take bold actions and make serious decisions. Not only is war between Greece and Turkey is possible, but it can also happen at any point with serious implications. Therefore, both the countries should handle the concerns diplomatically and learn from the continuing Ukraine conflict by considering that the possibility of war cannot be underestimated.

Introduction

Albania and Iran have had tense relations ever since Albania accepted over 3,000 members of the Iranian opposition group People’s Mujahideen Organization, also known as Mujahideen-e-Khalq in Farsi, who had set up camp outside Durres, the country’s major port, in 2014. Recently, the tensions have further escalated between the two countries over a cyber-attack as Albania claims that the country has evidence which reflects the direct involvement of Iran behind the cyber-attack. The Albanian Government has experienced a significant cyber-attack on July 15, as per reports hackers destroyed the data, shut down the government service e-portal and exposed information about the Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a video statement, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama stated that the Government has made the decision to sever diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, to be effective immediately. He continued by saying that the hacking group’s objective was the damage of the Republic of Albania’s Government’s digital infrastructure, as well as the theft of data and electronic communications from networks base on Government level.

UK And The United States Support To Albania

In contemporary times, NATO member Albania is the first Government to be known to have terminated diplomatic ties with another country in reaction to a cyber-attack and gave the diplomats, security officers, and employees of the embassy in Tirana 24 hours to leave the country. The decision to expel its ambassadors was criticized as being “anti-Iranian”, and a statement made in response hinted that “third parties” may have been involved in the charges which points the U.S. indirectly. Albania’s action was backed by a number of countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. However, Albania’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Iran was strongly opposed by Tehran, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Albania’s justifications have been rejected while considering them as baseless allegations. The hackers, which had ties to Iran, carried out a cyber-attack using malicious data-wiping software targeting Iranian opposition group, according to Mandiant, a U.S. cyber-security company that first reported the hacking activity. The attack was carried out by one or more threat actors who have acted in support of Iranian objectives, as per Mandiant, which stated it had reached this conclusion with confidence. After weeks of inquiry, the United States claimed it had come to the conclusion that Iran was responsible for conducting a reckless attack. In order to hold Iran responsible for activities that endanger the security of a U.S. ally and create unfavorable precedent for cyberspace, the United States will take additional measures has said by U.S. National Security Council in a White House statement. This could result in creating more tensions between the U.S. and Iran as the United States firmly denounced the cyber-attack on a NATO ally and vowed to hold Iran responsible for any actions that endangered Albania’s security.

Conclusion

The history shows that there have been major cyber incidents occurring for many years which caused threat to high tech, defense and government. Today, a number of actors have access to cyberspace for geopolitical influence or financial advantage as a result of the proliferation and commodification of cyber offensive capabilities. Countries have interfered in elections, halted public services, infiltrated IT infrastructure with malware, and even disrupted adversary security systems during the past few years. The capability of technology and the reach of the internet, along with creative thinking, have altered how nations engage in warfare. It is alarming, if the nation-states use offensive cyber-attacks whether against one another directly or by enlisting the help of cybercriminals, it will leave people vulnerable and complicate the existing complex cyber threat scenario. It is a time when the internet is relied upon for both domestic and international benefits. Many experts predict that over the coming years, cyber warfare will both expand and become more complex. Global cyber security threats have become a serious challenge, and every government needs to take greater action in the area of cyber security and maintain a specialized unit to combat cybercrime by performing their fair share and positive part to prevent, identify, and lessen the impacts of cyber-attacks through cyberspace governance and investing in the appropriate strategies.

Women from rural areas have almost no access to participation and expression they may not use them through social media either. Apart from this cultural reason, because the media itself has portrayed the media as a male-dominated field, and somehow it is men don’t let their women into the media because they think it’s not safe for them women. They fear that women will be harassed. The role of gender is also intended for the media. The media plays a vital role in determining how women and men are perceived by society. It also shapes values. Gender bias begins in media through the options and choices of media managers and other media professionals. Women are often portrayed in the media as housewives, objects beauty, vulnerable, soft targets, victims of violence, etc. Less attention is given older women and working class and minorities. Stereotypes are negative and destructive because they neglect the individuality and uniqueness of people and result judgments against a particular gender. The media does not only have dogmatic views about women but about also men. The media portrays men as strong and emotionless and that is not the case.

Qatar invites businessmen of both countries to contribute to the development of bilateral trade cooperation and strives to bring Qatari companies and their Pakistani counterparts closer to cooperation for the benefit of both countries. Bringing Pakistanis to work in Qatar and facilities provided in this regard. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, has ordered an increase in the number of Pakistani workers in the State of Qatar. Pakistan was among the first eight countries selected by the State of Qatar to open “Qatar Visa Centers Abroad” to curb illegal practices and guarantee workers’ rights by validating contracts. Cooperation in the field of education and healthcare. Pakistan has become the biggest beneficiary of Qatar’s initiative to educate 10 million out-of-school children as Qatar supported the Federal Ministry of Education and Training to launch an education program for 1 million out-of-school children in Pakistan, according to an agreement signed in 2018. The “Lives and Livelihoods Fund”, led by the “Qatar Fund for Development” in the period 2019-2020, finances the project “Support to the National Polio Eradication Program 2019-2022.

In the recent meeting of the representatives of the two states, economic ties between the states has been discussed. The focus was on enhancing the economic ties and strengthen the relationship through these diplomatic means. According to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif: ‘’Pakistan and Qatar have a clear vision of the future, with new opportunities and greater awareness to upgrade bilateral relations, particularly on the economic front. There is greater awareness between the two countries of the need for upgrading the bilateral relations by making economic cooperation the pivot of bilateral ties.’’ The PM encouraged the Qatari investors to take advantage of the opportunities given by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and reassured them that the government would fully support them as they strengthened their presence in Pakistan (CPEC). Qatar is also ready to avail the opportunity.

Over the past ten years, there have been numerous geopolitical changes in the larger Middle East and South Asia that have changed the traditional alignment patterns between the states in the two regions. The historical ties that were already in place have been undermined by these shifts, but new partnerships amongst regional stakeholders have also been formed. The partnerships between Turkey, Qatar, and Pakistan fall within the scope of this new engagement, which has gained relevance as a result of the close bilateral ties and political, diplomatic, and security coordination between the three parties on a variety of regional concerns. The three parties’ unique strategic compatibility—in which they don’t truly differ on important geopolitical problems that affect both the area and internationally to their cooperation.

Media is a communication channel. The media allows each individual to be represent themselves. Media is a platform used by everyone where they can freely talk about problems they face. So every gender should have equal access to it. When Pakistani women are entering media, they don’t have a good mentor to help them, train them and make them learn and polish their skills to become successful. The training takes place at the work level. There are far fewer women in Pakistan work in leadership positions. Women in the media are not encouraged to speak freely because of cultural norms. Women also use social networks but comparatively in a lower percentage. Many women are seen in the mainstream media. One of the reasons is that most people find it culturally unacceptable for their women to participate in media.

Women from rural areas have almost no access to participation and expression they may not use them through social media either. Apart from this cultural reason, because the media itself has portrayed the media as a male-dominated field, and somehow it is men don’t let their women into the media because they think it’s not safe for them women. They fear that women will be harassed. The role of gender is also intended for the media. The media plays a vital role in determining how women and men are perceived by society. It also shapes values. Gender bias begins in media through the options and choices of media managers and other media professionals. Women are often portrayed in the media as housewives, objects beauty, vulnerable, soft targets, victims of violence, etc. Less attention is given older women and working class and minorities. Stereotypes are negative and destructive because they neglect the individuality and uniqueness of people and result judgments against a particular gender. The media does not only have dogmatic views about women but about also men. The media portrays men as strong and emotionless and that is not the case.

Media houses in Pakistan lack strategies or policies to address this challenge women who are currently reporting a soft beat. It’s because this thing doesn’t take as a problem and was not recognized as a stereotype or bias against women. When times are assigned by personnel managers, hard tacts which include politics, economic issues and sports are usually assigned to men. They are females mostly focused on social issues. This is the case with mainstream electronic media. Pakistani women also write for newspapers and magazines. In Pakistan, attributes assigned to women are of lesser value than those assigned to men. This creates an uneven balance of power between gender, which leads to discrimination of their rights, unequal opportunities jobs. When women are not given the opportunity to join the mainstream media, they raise voice through social media. Social media is also very powerful tool to let people hear your voice, for entertainment, fashion, communication, etc. Girls from the rural areas are not allowed to use social media and if something bad happens to them like domestic violence, sexual harassment or any other problem, they don’t know how to report it. There are many examples in the case of Pakistan where through social media, different genders got justice. Such as the Zainab rape case. There are also such many cases where women face domestic violence and still choose to stay away from it media because they are worried about their reputation. Also, whenever there is any conflict or disaster like floods, earthquake etc. female reporters are needed to address the issues of women in an affected area.

If women participate in the media, they will first be aware of their rights and along with this, they will speak for other women as well. They will also solve the problems of other girls and women and they will gender-sensitive reporting. Equal participation of all genders would lead to peace journalism in a way that when there is gender sensitive reporting and not propaganda against any gender. Mainstream media operates at the government level, so the voice of each gender should be heard from it equally. Most transgender people they are not educated and no one studies media studies so they are not capable of it representation and participation in mainstream media. There should be proper training and space for them to express themselves and fight for their rights through the media. Equal participation of women and men in the media can play a role in conflict-sensitive reporting well.

Definition of food security as per the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security is: ‘’All people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.’’ Food security is one of the very important part of the national security as well. Food security is directly linked with the population of the state and involves the humanitarian factor that is why it cannot be neglected and can pose to the national security of a state. Massive amount of population resides in the rural area of Pakistan where all the agricultural activities are taking place as well. Food security is equally important for both, rural and urban areas of the country.

How Can Rural Areas Be Made Food Secure?

There are some food related difficulties faced by the people in rural areas due to the lack of facilities, and once they are addressed, only then food security can be achieved. For example, Families cannot cultivate vegetables on the majority of the household-level land in the region due to salinity. Small, on-site versions of a vertical gardening system are built during Farmer Field Schools, filled with good soil, and then used to grow vegetables. Therefore, the best and most cost-effective solution is a vertical garden system. The majority of the resources used in this learning process are found nearby and are recycled, including wheels and plastic bottles. Improvement in farming methods is needed to increase agricultural production. Agricultural productivity and food availability are negatively impacted by issues like salinity and waterlogging, which have a direct impact on nutrition. Through adaptability and enhanced farming practices, these obstacles can be addressed. Crop yields, food diversity, security, and nutrition are all predicted to grow with improved adaptive farming techniques. Community fish farms are also another crucial component of the idea. Many impoverished communities living in distant regions far from large cities cannot buy fresh and high-quality seafood. The project’s delivery of goats and chickens is essential because it gives families reliable and secure food sources. For instance, goat’s milk has the same nutritional value as breast milk and its fat content improves digestion.

Change in eating habits is also required to prevent malnutrition. For long-term improvements in under nutrition, social and behavioral changes in regard to eating patterns are crucial because they contribute to a more complete rise in food diversity. In the developing countries like Pakistan, there is under or uneven development. By these two terms it means that the urban areas are more developed and more is invested in the city sides and the rural areas remain less developed. For example, Baluchistan is a province rich in mineral and resources but it is less developed while Punjab is comparatively more develop. So, instead of investing more in development of Punjab, first the underdeveloped regions should be taken into consideration. Same is the case with urban and rural areas. Rural areas should be provided with some basic facilities which can ensure the food security there. Understanding how agricultural policies affect food supply, income, and the poor and vulnerable in rural and urban regions, as well as how this burden is transferred on to other sectors, is necessary for managing food security in Pakistan. Another important think when we talk about food security is to keep a check and balance on food wastage as well. Food waste occurs at the retail, food service, and residential levels while food loss happens from the farm up to and excluding retail. Poor handling, improper shipping or storage, a lack of cold chain capacity, adverse weather conditions, low hygienic standards, and consumers with poor planning and preparation abilities are just a few of the causes. Simply put, less food wasted or lost means more food for everyone.

What is “Our Common Agenda?”

The world leaders urged the Secretary-General Guterres to outline a vision, for future international cooperation and suggest ways to revitalize multilateralism in order to address the interlinked challenges of the ongoing century. Following a recommendation in the September 2020 declaration on the celebration of the UN’s 75th anniversary, the Secretary-General released Our Common Agenda in September 2021. About 90 recommendations and solutions are included in the report and are said to be “a beginning point for collaborative efforts to build global governance together on foundations of trust, solidarity, and human rights”. The Secretary General’s vision for the future of international cooperation and the revitalization of inclusive and successful multilateralism is reflected in the “Our Common Agenda” report, which looks ahead 25 years for sustainable development. It was launched in a time when humanity needed it the most during COVID-19 pandemic, the report outlines a course for the future built around a renewal of social contract and increased solidarity with youth and future generations. An inclusive approach has been adopted among the network of partners from all regions. Moreover, 12 areas of action have been decided by the member states to accelerate the functioning of SDGs in order to attain sustainable development for future generations and leaving no one behind.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In recent years, alarms have been raised that if rapid and worldwide progress is not achieved on a variety of sustainability fronts, future generations could confront a future with inequalities and environmental catastrophes. Therefore, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also referred as Global Goals, were enacted by the United Nations in 2015 as a global call to for all by the year 2030, it also known as the Agenda 2030. The framework for achieving a better, more sustainable future for everybody is the main objective of the Sustainable Development Goals.. It is believed by many that sustainable development is a worldwide concern that should be on agenda, however it can be challenging to incorporate this global agenda into governmental policies. It is because of the challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice, that humanity is experiencing which have created hurdles for achieving Agenda 2030 and particularly in developing countries.

UN General Assembly Consultation

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) held a consultation on “Our Common Agenda” in the first week of August 2022. During his briefing, the Secretary-General stated that summits on future, sustainable development goals are the ‘last best chance’ to manage and address global challenges. Additionally, he gave Member States an update on how far the report’s recommendations had been put into practice. According to the Secretary-General, the second SDG Summit in 2023 and the proposed Summit of the Future are “twin summits” with the shared goal of creating conditions for a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive future. He also outlined the connections between the Summit of the Future and the SDG Summit. The latter, he said, will take place in 2023, “at the midway of implementation of the 2030 Agenda,” to review progress on the SDGs, recommend policies, and undertake measures to save the Global Goals.

Sustainable Development: Need of the Hour

Sustainable development aims to achieve equilibrium and harmony between environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and socio-political sustainability. It is defined as development that fulfills present demands without affecting the capacity of future generations to satisfy their needs. To achieve these objectives, “Our Common Agenda” is a good initiative, because of this member states will make serious efforts to speed up the processes necessary for achieving sustainability at all levels. The SDG Summit will help to track the progress of the countries regarding SDGs to achieve sustainable development and growth. In today’s world, the sustainable development is important than ever before, to maintain a balance between social, economic and environmental demands so that both current and future generations can prosper in healthy way. By embracing sustainable practices, sustainable development promotes resource conservation. Countries should take into account measures and regulations that help to address the basic necessities of the citizens including jobs, food, energy, water, and sanitation. A sustainable population level is undoubtedly necessary. In order to ensure that developing and under developing economies expand at a level with those of industrialized countries. Therefore, sustainability should be encouraged for development and growth. It will support social advancement, equality, environmental preservation, resource conservation, and steady economic growth that will fulfill the existing and future demands as well as needs in sustainable manner.

Introduction

The Maldives’s location in the Indian Ocean makes country strategically important to India as part of the “Neighborhood First” policy. The Maldives is “a valued partner in the Indian Ocean neighborhood”, according to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that India and the Maldives ties are built on a very strong foundation, the boundaries of these ties can be defined by shared strategic, security, economic, and developmental goals. India and its neighbor to the north, the Maldives have long-standing ties in terms of ethnicity, language, culture, religion, and trade. The diplomatic ties were formally established in 1965, bilateral relations have been nurtured and strengthened between two countries by regular contacts at the highest levels. Despite the long-standing friendship and diversity of the relationship between India and the Maldives, the country’s recent regime instability has posed serious challenges, particularly in the political and strategic areas. The greatest concern for New Delhi has been how the political unrest in the neighborhood will affect its security and growth.

Trade and Economic Support

A pact for trade between India and the Maldives was formed in 1981 to allow export and imports of the goods. Indian exports to the Maldives include food items and a range of engineering and industrial products, while Indian imports from the Maldives mostly consist of scrap metals. India has become the second-largest trading partner of Maldives, previously in the year of 2021, India was the third-largest trading partner. In 2021, trade between India and the Maldives reached a record-breaking $ 323.29 million, the first time it had ever surpassed $300 million. The Maldives depend heavily on tourism for its economy, and one of the priority destinations for Indian tourists. Outside of trade connections, India continues to be the Maldives major source market for tourism. India, which accounts for 14.7% of the market, is the top-ranking tourism market in July 2022.

India-Maldives Security and Strategic Partnership

Maldives is a small island nation in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Despite having barely 500,000 residents, its position in Indian Ocean gives it significant strategic importance. The rising competition between China and India has brought the Maldives to the attention of the world in recent years. Considering, India-Maldives relations, support and resistance have frequently alternated in the Maldives’ relationship with India. Last year, the “India Out” campaign was started by those who opposed having Indian troops stationed in the Maldives which ignited the protests by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) in Malé, the capital of the Maldives. President Solih of the Maldives responded by issuing an order that discouraged the campaign to reaffirm the country’s “India First” policy. Also, stated that India is the closest ally and trusted neighbor of the country. India has significantly increased its aid to the Maldives since 2018 in response to the concerns raised over China’s expanding influence during the previous Government. Therefore, India is also supporting country’s infrastructure, Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) of worth $500 million, an agreement for financial support and building the largest infrastructure in the Maldives, was announced last year. This project will help Male, the capital of Maldives to connect with three Islands.

Recent Developments

President Solih came to India for his four-day (1-4 August) visit for a stronger India-Maldives partnership, both sides reviewed existing projects and set targets for new projects. Six high-level agreements including disaster management, women’s empowerment, cyber-security, police infrastructure, and social housing have been signed. Before that, in the month of July, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and the Maldives was observed for judicial collaboration to enhance court digitalization and improve opportunities for IT start-ups in both nations. Even though the Maldives is a small country, but several developed and developing countries are considering its importance due to the Maldives’ strategic importance in relation to important international shipping lanes (ISLs). It is a vital route for world in terms of energy and economic flows around the Indian Ocean. The Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Aden in the western Indian Ocean, on the one hand, and the Strait of Malacca in the eastern Indian Ocean, on the other, are both choke points for shipping in the Indian Ocean. Geographically, the Maldives is situated in between these two choke points. Other than that, in China’s “String of Pearls” strategy in South Asia, the Maldives has become a significant part. India is worried about China’s expanding strategic presence in the Maldives. Therefore, India is promoting good relations with Maldives and making serious efforts for political stability and security of Maldives in Indian Ocean to ensure safety of Indian trade and investments. Also, initiatives are being contemplated by Indian Government for maritime security in view of growing influence of China.

Introduction

Pakistan is a significant coastal state with an about 1050 km long coastal line, a 240 000 sq. km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and an additional 50,000 km continental shelf. Due to Pakistan’s unique geostrategic location, its ports have a special relevance for maritime trade. Additionally, the development of Gwadar as a port for trans-shipment and transit as part of CPEC has increased Pakistan’s marine potential as a significant player in the Indian Ocean region. With the help of Blue Economy, Pakistan’s needs for food, transportation, and energy can be met via investments in coastal and different marine resource areas. This is significant because of Pakistan’s recent strained economic development, financial instability, investment volatility, and steadily rising unemployment rates. Pakistan needs to explore beyond conventional land-based investment opportunities in order to diversify its economy, particularly Blue Economy.

Blue Economy: Emerging Paradigm in Pakistan

The Blue Economy is described by the World Bank as “Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of oceanic ecosystem”. The Rio+20 Conference of the United Nations on Sustainable Development and Growth is where the phrase “Blue Economy” first coined. The blue economy has been regarded as the solution to all of the economic issues of less developed coastal nations due to the abundance of oceanic resources. It simply means utilizing coastal and marine resources for commercial gain, with a focus on environmental friendly growth and sustainable development. Through SDG 14, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development clearly connects the Blue Economy and sustainable economic growth. In 2020, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs led the initiative of Blue Economy in Pakistan and then Prime Minister, Imran Khan declared 2020 as the year of Blue Economy but the coronavirus pandemic prevented its official launch. In Pakistan, blue economy concepts cover a wide range of industries, including waste management, ports, shipping firms, energy and renewable energy, fisheries, maritime transportation, tourism, and climate change. The Marine Food Processing Chain, Exploitation of EEZ, LPG Terminal, LNG Terminal, Silk Route and BRI, Coastal Development, and Shipping Industry are few of the potential investment prospects by the Blue Economy sector.

Importance of Blue Economy

Any country’s economic development and growth can be greatly influenced by its access to maritime resources, and states with seashores have an advantage over states without access to the sea or any coastline lines. Every maritime state recognizes the value of its maritime resources and makes the best use of them. Despite having a direct route to the ocean, Pakistan has not been able to fully exploit the water and its resources, primarily because of a lack of knowledge about the blue economy. By using the untapped potential of blue economy, Pakistan can improve its economy and overall GDP. In addition, it can be proved a potential source in enhancing the following areas:

Fishery and Aqua-Culture:

One of the key export sectors of the Blue economy is fishing. It is crucial for improving a nation’s food and agricultural needs. The coastal regions of Pakistan have a variety of key fish species. Currently, Pakistan exports fish for $250–300 million annually. However, the sector has the potential to increase to $2 billion annually by using the right techniques for fish catching and adhering to the required packaging protocols. Additionally, 400,000 people in Pakistan are associated with the fishing sector, therefore by improving the sector, there would be additional job prospects and opportunities for employment. Moreover, Pakistan has a lot of potential for raising freshwater and saltwater aquatic populations in well-managed aquaculture settings along its coastline.

Boat and Shipping Industry in Pakistan:

By volume, the sea accounts for more than 90% of Pakistan’s trade. However, the results are disappointing when compared to regional nations like Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka given Pakistan’s fleet size with no general cargo and containership. In today’s globalized world, where 80% of trade takes place on the sea, the shipping industry is of utmost importance to any economy. Pakistan should therefore think about possibilities while including various stakeholders that could support Pakistan’s maritime and boating industries.

Blue Tourism:

Pakistan is ranked 121 out of 140 countries worldwide and is one of the least competitive nations in south Asia for tourism, as per World Economic Forum report. For this cause, Pakistan can follow the model of regional country like Maldives who is getting benefits from tourism industry by capitalizing blue economy. It is done by making efficient use ocean resources. Pakistan have a long coastal area of 1050 km having diverse range of landforms including sand beaches, rock cliffs, headlands, bays, lagoons, deltas, islands that offer the backdrop to a variety of maritime and recreational activities must be utilized efficiently. In addition, Pakistan’s beaches needs to update existing hotels and restaurants etc.
To conclude, sea blindness in Pakistan has increased the burden on Pakistan’s traditional economy, but blue economy can help it to recover. Pakistan has a huge maritime potential, to unlock its total benefits, Government should formulate comprehensive policy and ensure its implementation. Besides, engagement of multiple international, national and local stakeholders, public-private partnerships must be considered for promoting sustainable growth and Blue Economy in Pakistan.

Introduction

Amid of Ukraine war, the energy crisis in Europe is worsening. European Union is of opinion that Russia is using natural gas as a political and economic weapon while influencing the energy security of the region as the prices of electricity and gas are skyrocketing. In addition to that, the deadly war between Russia and Ukraine has affected the energy markets at a large scale and has disrupted energy security at the global level. To deal with the ongoing crisis, member states of the European Union are making efforts to limit actually to end their reliance on Russian gas in order to fulfill the needs of consumers and the country. In March 2022, the Task Force on European Energy Security has been established to take necessary steps for reducing the demand of Russian gas and to find new ways which can diversify energy supply technologies. Apart from that, Gulf countries are being considered as the potential solution for the existing energy problem in Europe. The spokesperson of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, Peter Stano in a statement has said “EU seeks to enhance relations with GCC and Saudi Arabia because it is will be helpful for the people of all the countries”. He added, “the development of our relationship and our cooperation is something that the European Union, Saudi Arabia, and all of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations are interested in”. That is why, earlier this year European Union and Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) made a joint action program for a period of (2022-2027) five years.

GCC-EU Joint Action Program

The program was brought in a sense of emergency among the foreign ministers of GCC and EU that was coming in the form of the Ukraine war. The instability of energy supplies and pricing were negatively impacted Europe’s energy dependence, which also constrained its options for handling crucial foreign policy issues with other members. The current joint action program is a wide-ranging partnership of the stakeholders on the basis of energy which was initiated three days before the Ukraine war in February 2022. The cooperation between GCC-EU started in 1989 for several joint ventures including energy programs because Gulf countries can be proved as a source of diversification in Europe’s trade and energy issues. The GCC and European Union are working together for enhanced cooperation in terms of economy, climate action, environment, and energy programs.

The EU-Saudi Ties

Earlier this month, the President of United States Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia. After Biden’s visit, Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman is now on his first visit to Europe since the Ukraine war erupted. In his visit to European Union member states, the first stop was Greece. The deal was made by the two countries for multiple bilateral projects including security, military and digital economy. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has also signed between Greek Foreign Minister and Crown Prince for cooperation in the energy sector, particularly renewable energy efficiency, oil, gas and petrochemical industry. The ruler of Saudi Arabia announced on his visit that the country would use a power connection to connect Riyadh with Greece in order to supply far cheaper green energy to Europe.
After completing visit to Greece, Muhammad Bin Salman met President of France Emmanuel Macron in France on 28th July 20222. The meeting’s top priority was to discuss energy ties and energy supplies as worries about potential power shortages has been intensified as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia reinforced its hold on the Europe’s energy supplies further endangering the economy, important supplies and the European energy market prices which are rising continuously. Europe is suffering Ukraine war effects militarily and implications in terms of geopolitical factors. Other than that it is paying through energy and economic crisis, therefore, Europe is shifting towards Gulf countries in order to fulfill energy needs and reduce its dependence on Russia. Energy security became the key issue for EU member countries, to deal with the problem European countries approached GCC countries that are oil rich to cover the aspects of energy crisis. Initially, GCC member countries were reluctant to increase exports to Europe because of certain production constraints and already exports commitment with Asian countries. The US and its allies including UK, EU member countries sent representatives to major hydrocarbon producer countries to reach an agreement for increasing energy supplies. The current visit of Europe by Saudi Prince and his announcement of providing Europe with cheaper energy can be considered as the result of continued efforts in order to ensure Europe’s Energy Security.

Russia and Ukraine conflict drew unanimity from the international community, who used trade and financial sanctions to isolate Russia economically. Russia’s combat operations reshaped international ties in unanticipated ways with the majority of nations. Russia is the most negatively impacted nation, with production declining by 14.8 percent when sanctions are also imposed by Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States, and the EU. Kingdom. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, and Poland are among the European nations whose economies are most closely allied with Russia in terms of proximity and economic flow. The two economic sectors in Russia that have been most impacted are mining and excavation and export/import. The effects of financial sanctions, exchange rates, commodities prices, and more are not taken into account.

This conflict has caused a number of direct economic effects on the price of key Russian exports, including oil, gas, coal, wheat, and aluminum, among other commodities. At the same time, there was a collapse in global stock markets, a weakening of the ruble, and a rise in the price of gold, a haven for investors during periods of extreme unpredictability. European and other Western nations responded to this military action with immediate, planned, progressive, and more severe than anticipated economic and financial consequences. Since Germany is so heavily dependent on energy, despite the fact that economic sanctions have targeted certain Russian economic sectors, gas imports are nonetheless unrestricted in that country. The purpose of the financial sanctions was to block Russian banks from using the SWIFT system and to freeze Russian assets. Although the conflict has not been ended by these sanctions, they are attempting to make it more challenging to fund this conflict. Despite this, Russia has insisted that it has enough financial assets to sustain financial stability in the face of external threats and sanctions. At this point, it is impossible to tell how long this conflict will last. The numerous negative repercussions, however, will persist for years and have an impact on both Russia and the nations that apply them. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that this conflict will seriously affect the world economy due to increased energy and raw material prices, inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions. In addition, the IMF states that countries close to the countries in the conflict will face serious problems due to the disruption of trade flows and the growing influx of refugees. Economic effects of displaced populations, monetary sanctions, the length of the conflict and the sanctions, the destruction of production capacity, changes in global trade patterns, new geopolitical and trade alliances, and several other factors are not simulated.

Therefore, it is only possible to interpret that for any economic effects that this conflict may have. The effects of these sanctions are also felt in close-proximity European nations with significant commerce with Russia. The effects of these sanctions are also felt in close-proximity European nations with significant commerce with Russia, including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Sweden, among others. However, despite its huge reliance on Russian gas, Germany’s economic impact is very minor. Re-exports and re-imports, mining and quarrying, hotels and restaurants, public administration, metal goods, petroleum, and chemical and non-metallic mineral products are the sectors of the Russian economy that have seen the worst decreases. In other European nations, the reexport and re-import, electrical and machinery, metal products, and food and beverage sectors are also severely impacted. Financial sanctions, the length of the conflict and the sanctions, the destruction of manufacturing capacity, and changes to international trade all have an effect on the economy in a negative way. Economic effects of displaced populations, monetary sanctions, the length of the conflict and the sanctions, the destruction of production capacity, changes in global trade patterns, new geopolitical and trade alliances.