From 1418e586bbe2d39815014d48ba1357fcbdafe10a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Yo Robot Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2022 22:11:11 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] auto-update week 25 --- africa/ag.json | 4 ++-- africa/ao.json | 4 ++-- africa/bc.json | 4 ++-- africa/bn.json | 2 +- africa/by.json | 6 +++--- africa/cd.json | 10 +++++----- africa/cf.json | 6 +++--- africa/cg.json | 6 +++--- africa/cm.json | 6 +++--- africa/ct.json | 6 +++--- africa/cv.json | 6 +++--- africa/dj.json | 4 ++-- africa/eg.json | 2 +- africa/ek.json | 2 +- africa/er.json | 2 +- africa/et.json | 15 +++++++-------- africa/ga.json | 4 ++-- africa/gb.json | 2 +- africa/gh.json | 12 ++++++------ africa/gv.json | 18 +++++++++--------- africa/iv.json | 12 ++++++------ africa/ke.json | 10 +++++----- africa/li.json | 9 ++------- africa/lt.json | 8 ++++---- africa/ly.json | 6 +++--- africa/ma.json | 6 +++--- africa/mi.json | 8 ++++---- africa/ml.json | 8 ++++---- africa/mo.json | 2 +- africa/mp.json | 2 +- africa/mr.json | 6 +++--- africa/mz.json | 12 ++++++------ africa/ng.json | 8 ++++---- africa/ni.json | 14 +++++++------- africa/od.json | 6 +++--- africa/pu.json | 12 ++++++------ africa/rw.json | 2 +- africa/sg.json | 12 ++++++------ africa/sl.json | 12 ++++++------ africa/so.json | 8 ++++---- africa/su.json | 6 +++--- africa/to.json | 13 +++++++------ africa/ts.json | 2 +- africa/tz.json | 4 ++-- africa/ug.json | 2 +- africa/uv.json | 6 +++--- africa/wa.json | 4 ++-- africa/wz.json | 4 ++-- africa/za.json | 4 ++-- africa/zi.json | 4 ++-- australia-oceania/as.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/fj.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/fm.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/fp.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/gq.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/kr.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/nc.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/ne.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/nf.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/nr.json | 2 +- australia-oceania/nz.json | 4 ++-- australia-oceania/rm.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json | 4 ++-- central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/av.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json | 4 ++-- central-america-n-caribbean/bq.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/do.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/es.json | 4 ++-- central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json | 4 ++-- central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json | 6 +++--- central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json | 4 ++-- central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json | 4 ++-- central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json | 2 +- central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json | 2 +- central-asia/kg.json | 4 ++-- central-asia/kz.json | 4 ++-- central-asia/rs.json | 4 ++-- central-asia/ti.json | 2 +- central-asia/tx.json | 2 +- central-asia/uz.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json | 4 ++-- east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json | 11 +++++------ east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/id.json | 6 +++--- east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json | 4 ++-- east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json | 4 ++-- east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/la.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/my.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json | 4 ++-- east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json | 2 +- east-n-southeast-asia/th.json | 2 +- europe/au.json | 6 +++--- europe/be.json | 4 ++-- europe/bk.json | 8 ++++---- europe/bo.json | 8 ++++---- europe/bu.json | 4 ++-- europe/cy.json | 6 +++--- europe/da.json | 4 ++-- europe/ee.json | 2 +- europe/ei.json | 6 +++--- europe/en.json | 4 ++-- europe/ez.json | 4 ++-- europe/fi.json | 6 +++--- europe/fr.json | 10 +++++----- europe/gm.json | 4 ++-- europe/gr.json | 4 ++-- europe/hr.json | 6 +++--- europe/hu.json | 6 +++--- europe/ic.json | 2 +- europe/im.json | 2 +- europe/it.json | 8 ++++---- europe/je.json | 2 +- europe/jn.json | 2 +- europe/kv.json | 8 ++++---- europe/lg.json | 6 +++--- europe/lh.json | 8 ++++---- europe/lo.json | 4 ++-- europe/lu.json | 4 ++-- europe/md.json | 10 +++++----- europe/mj.json | 6 +++--- europe/mk.json | 2 +- europe/mn.json | 2 +- europe/mt.json | 4 ++-- europe/nl.json | 4 ++-- europe/no.json | 6 +++--- europe/pl.json | 4 ++-- europe/po.json | 2 +- europe/ri.json | 6 +++--- europe/ro.json | 4 ++-- europe/si.json | 4 ++-- europe/sp.json | 6 +++--- europe/sw.json | 4 ++-- europe/sz.json | 4 ++-- europe/uk.json | 4 ++-- europe/up.json | 6 +++--- middle-east/ae.json | 2 +- middle-east/aj.json | 4 ++-- middle-east/am.json | 2 +- middle-east/ba.json | 4 ++-- middle-east/gg.json | 8 ++++---- middle-east/ir.json | 4 ++-- middle-east/is.json | 6 +++--- middle-east/iz.json | 8 ++++---- middle-east/jo.json | 2 +- middle-east/ku.json | 2 +- middle-east/le.json | 6 +++--- middle-east/mu.json | 2 +- middle-east/qa.json | 4 ++-- middle-east/sy.json | 2 +- middle-east/tu.json | 6 +++--- middle-east/ym.json | 4 ++-- north-america/bd.json | 2 +- north-america/ca.json | 2 +- north-america/gl.json | 2 +- north-america/mx.json | 4 ++-- south-america/ar.json | 2 +- south-america/bl.json | 2 +- south-america/br.json | 5 ++++- south-america/ci.json | 2 +- south-america/co.json | 8 ++++---- south-america/gy.json | 2 +- south-america/pe.json | 2 +- south-america/ve.json | 2 +- south-asia/af.json | 4 ++-- south-asia/bg.json | 6 +++--- south-asia/bt.json | 2 +- south-asia/ce.json | 4 ++-- south-asia/in.json | 2 +- south-asia/mv.json | 4 ++-- south-asia/np.json | 2 +- south-asia/pk.json | 4 ++-- world/xx.json | 2 +- 186 files changed, 416 insertions(+), 419 deletions(-) diff --git a/africa/ag.json b/africa/ag.json index 2cf0af77..9e6def64 100644 --- a/africa/ag.json +++ b/africa/ag.json @@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Gautam RANA (since 20 January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Elizabeth Moore AUBIN (since 9 February 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030, Alger" @@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Algeria has a steadily developing telecom infrastructure through sound regulatory measures and government policies aimed at providing Internet connections across the country, including underserved areas; mobile penetration and LTE services are growing steadily; in common with other markets in the region, mobile connections account for the vast majority of Internet accesses; well served by satellite and submarine cable connections; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)" + "text": "Algeria has a steadily developing telecom infrastructure with growth encouraged by supportive regulatory measures and by government policies aimed at delivering serviceable internet connections across the country; mobile broadband is largely based on 3G and LTE, and the data rates are also low in global terms; LTE is available in all provinces, investment is required from the MNOs to improve the quality of service; the state has previously been hesitant to commit to 5G, instead encouraging the MNOs to undertake upgrades to LTE infrastructure before investing in commercial 5G services; in March 2022, the state is in the process of freeing up the requisite spectrum to enable the MNOs to launch 5G services sometime this year; fixed internet speeds remain slow, and the country ranks poorly in international tables; the government has pressed Algérie Télécom in early 2021 to increase the minimum rate available from 4Mb/s to 10Mb/s. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "a limited network of fixed-lines with a teledensity of slightly less than 11 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; mobile-cellular teledensity was approximately 104 telephones per 100 persons in 2020 (2020)" diff --git a/africa/ao.json b/africa/ao.json index 3094f6ae..bd5707ed 100644 --- a/africa/ao.json +++ b/africa/ao.json @@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Nina Maria FITE (since 14 February 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador Tulinabo S. MUSHINGI, (since 9 March 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda" @@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Angola’s telecom sector shows consistent recovery following political stability, encouraging foreign investment; while the government opened the telecom sector to new competitors, there has been slow progress in LTE network development; only a small proportion of the country is covered by the 3G network infrastructure; Internet and mobile phone penetration remains low, hindered by high costs and poor infrastructure that limits access, especially in rural areas; upgrading telecom will support e-commerce, and rural access to education and health care; AngoSat-2 satellite expected to be ready in 2021; government aims to connect an additional 160,000 people to free Wi-Fi; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)" + "text": "Angola’s telecom sector in recent years has benefited from political stability, which has encouraged foreign investment in the sector; the government and regulator have also set in train mechanisms to open up the telecom sector to new competitors, with Africell having secured a universal license and in so doing becoming the country’s fourth MNO; following an extensive investment program, the company launched mobile services in April 2022; the MNOs were slow to develop LTE services, instead relying on their GSM and 3G network capabilities; Angola Telecom did not launch LTE services until mid-2018; there has been slow progress in LTE network development, with only a small proportion of the country covered by network infrastructure; some progress  has been made with 5G; the Ministry of Telecommunications in early 2021 set up a 5G hub to assess 5G user cases, while Unitel and the new MNO Africell since mid-2021 have contracted vendors to provide 5G-ready transmission networks; the regulator in November 2021 granted licenses to Africell, Movicel, and Unitel to enable them to offer 5G services; the government has continued to develop telecom infrastructure to help diversify the country’s economy and lessen its dependence on offshore crude oil production; by extending and upgrading telecom networks the government expects businesses to become more efficient and for e-commerce to become a more prominent feature of economic growth; networks will facilitate rural access to education and health care. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "only about one fixed-line per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 45 telephones per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/africa/bc.json b/africa/bc.json index 58543d04..0371fd9a 100644 --- a/africa/bc.json +++ b/africa/bc.json @@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Craig Lewis CLOUD (since 2 April 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Amanda S. JACOBSEN" }, "embassy": { "text": "Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone" @@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "

due to effective regulatory reform and active competition, Botswana’s telecom market is one of the most liberalized in the region; strategy to drive nationwide ICT penetration is slowed; one of the highest mobile penetration rates in Africa; operators developing 3G and LTE; Internet use rising due to lower prices; government has embraced digitalization, e-government and identity programs that require citizens to provide detailed personal information; previously dependent on satellites for international connectivity, country’s new submarine cable landings improved competition and tripled international Internet capacity; importer of broadcast equipment from Hong Kong and China (2020)

(2020)" + "text": "effective regulatory reform has made Botswana’s telecom market one of the most liberalized in the region; there is a service-neutral licensing regime adapted to the convergence of technologies and services, and several operators now compete in all telecom sectors; Botswana has one of the highest mobile subscription rates in Africa, though with this growth in the number of subscribers has slowed sharply in recent years; the popular use of multiple SIM cards from different operators convinced that regulator that there was no need introduce mobile number portability, and although the government pursued the idea for some years, it accepted in April 2021 that it would not be implemented after all; in a bid to generate new revenue streams and secure market share, the three MNOs – Mascom Wireless (an affiliate of South Africa’s MTN), Orange Botswana (backed by Orange Group) and BTC – have entered the underdeveloped broadband sector by adopting of 3G, LTE, and WiMAX technologies;  in the fixed-line broadband market they compete with a large number of ISPs, some of which have rolled out their own wireless access infrastructure; the landlocked country depends on satellites for international bandwidth, and on other countries for transit capacity to the landing points of international submarine cables; the landing of additional cables in the region in recent years has improved the competitive situation in this sector, while prices for connectivity have fallen dramatically; Paratus Teleco in mid-2021 completed the first stage of a private network covering the entire country, and linking to the company’s international cables (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity has declined in recent years and now stands at roughly 6 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 162 telephones per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/africa/bn.json b/africa/bn.json index ceb1da2a..8ef83226 100644 --- a/africa/bn.json +++ b/africa/bn.json @@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Benin’s telecom market is restricted by poor fixed-line infrastructure; low use of fixed-line voice and Internet; mobile networks account for almost all Internet and voice traffic; progress on fiber infrastructure through World Bank and the government investment to extend broadband and develop Smart Government program; monopolized fixed-line Internet services access is limited; ICT development will provide telecom services to 80% of the country, mostly via mobile and DSL infrastructure; Benin Smart City construction has begun; improved international Internet connectivity supports growth of m-commerce and m-banking; submarine cable connectivity from African coast to Europe (2020)" + "text": "Benin’s telecom market continues to be restricted by the poor condition of the country’s fixed-line infrastructure;  this has hampered the development of fixed-line voice and internet services, and there is negligible revenue derived from these sectors; mobile networks account for almost all internet connections, and also carry most voice traffic; there is promise for considerable change in the mobile sector, which has been a duopoly between Moov and MTN since the closure of services from Glo Mobile and Libercom in 2018; slow progress is being made in developing competition in the mobile sector; the national infrastructure provider SBIN has been licensed to provide mobile services, and in mid-2021 Sonatel Group was awarded a five-year contract to oversee progress; in May 2021 the government sought foreign companies unaffiliated with MTN Group or Maroc Telecom to bid for a fourth mobile license; improved international internet connectivity has contributed to a reduction in end-user pricing, and provided the potential to transform many areas of the country’s economy, bringing a greater proportion of the population into the orbit of internet commerce and connectivity; a 2,000km fiber project started in 2016 was finally completed in mid-2021, prompting the government to secure a loan to build additional fiber infrastructure connecting four of the country’s 12 departments.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity only about 1 per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular providers, cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly, nearing 92 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/africa/by.json b/africa/by.json index 2f7e956b..648ae268 100644 --- a/africa/by.json +++ b/africa/by.json @@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to the effects of weather - about 1 million people are estimated to be severely food insecure between January and March 2022, due to livelihood losses and displacements caused by the rising water level of Lake Tanganyika and the overflow of rivers, sustained repatriation flows and the socio-economic impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic (2022)" + "text": "due to the effects of weather - about 1 million people are estimated to be severely food insecure between January and March 2022, due to livelihood losses and displacements caused by the rising water level of Lake Tanganyika and the overflow of rivers, sustained repatriation flows and the socio-economic impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1029,7 +1029,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Burundi’s high population density and low telecom penetration rates make it an attractive market for investors; mobile operators have launched 3G and LTE to meet the demand for Internet; mobile subscription remains low; government/World Bank joint project to build a national broadband backbone connecting to submarine cable landings in Kenya and Tanzania; government launched e-health project (2020)" + "text": "Burundi provides an attractive telecom market given its high population density and existing low subscription rates for all services; one downside for investors is that the country has a very low economic output, disposable income is also very low, and fixed-line infrastructure is poor outside the main urban areas; this is a greater motivation for investors to focus on improving mobile networks than in expanding fixed-line infrastructure; to overcome difficulties associated with the poor telecom infrastructure, the government has supported a number of prominent telcos building a national fiber backbone network; this network offers onward connectivity to submarine cable infrastructure landings in Kenya and Tanzania; the first sections of this network were switched on in early 2014, and additional provinces have since been connected; in addition, the government in early 2018 kick-started the Burundi Broadband project, which aims to deliver national connectivity by 2025; based on this improved infrastructure the government and ITU have developed an ICT strategy to make use of telecoms to promote the country’s socio-economic development through to 2028; progress made by Tanzania with its own national backbone network has benefited Burundi, which has been provided with onward connectivity to most countries in the region; International bandwidth capacity has continued to increase in recent years, including a 38% increase in the nine months to September 2021, resulting in lower retail prices for consumers; two of the mobile operators have launched 3G and LTE services to capitalize on the growing demand for internet access; the number of mobile subscribers increased 7% in the third quarter of 2021, quarter-on-quarter; similar growth is expected for the next two years at least, which will help bring the mobile level closer to the average for the region. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is about 56 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1159,7 +1159,7 @@ "text": "84,961 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "109,169 (some ethnic Tutsis remain displaced from intercommunal violence that broke out after the 1,993 coup and fighting between government forces and rebel groups; violence since April 2015) (2021)" + "text": "84,791 (some ethnic Tutsis remain displaced from intercommunal violence that broke out after the 1,993 coup and fighting between government forces and rebel groups; violence since April 2015) (2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "767 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/africa/cd.json b/africa/cd.json index 3d9e22cf..49a60e30 100644 --- a/africa/cd.json +++ b/africa/cd.json @@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to civil insecurity and shortfall in cereal production - according to the latest analysis, about 965 000 people were estimated to be in \"Crisis\" and above, between October and December 2021 due to persisting insecurity in Lac and Tibesti regions that disrupted livelihood activities and caused population displacements; domestic cereal production was estimated at a below-average level in 2021 due to adverse weather and the civil conflict; as a result, between June and August 2022, 1.74 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity (2022)" + "text": "due to civil insecurity and shortfall in cereal production - according to the latest analysis, about 965 000 people were estimated to be in \"Crisis\" and above, between October and December 2021 due to persisting insecurity in Lac and Tibesti regions that disrupted livelihood activities and caused population displacements; domestic cereal production was estimated at a below-average level in 2021 due to adverse weather and the civil conflict; as a result, between June and August 2022, 1.74 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David GILMOUR (since December 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ellen THORBURN (since 8 November 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Rond-Point Chagoua, B.P. 413, N’Djamena" @@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Chad’s inadequate telecom infrastructure, corruption, and high taxes hinder penetration in fixed, mobile, and Internet sectors; with tax reform, operators are investing in voice and data infrastructure to 3G/4G; government approved telecom infrastructure upgrade; World Bank-funded Central African Backbone (CAB) project; Trans-Saharan Backbone project will link a fiber cable to Nigeria and Algeria (2020)" + "text": "the telecom infrastructure is particularly poor; fixed, mobile and internet is well below African averages; Chad’s telecom market offers some potential for investors to develop services given the low starting base; the two main operators Moov Africa Chad and Airtel Chad have invested in infrastructure and have become the main providers of voice and data services; the mobile sector has developed steadily under the auspices of these two operators; the national telco and fixed-line operator Sotel Tchad operates the country’s third mobile network, as Salam Mobile, though it is mainly focused on voice services since it depends on GPRS and EDGE technologies (which can provide only basic mobile data services); the country’s first 3G/LTE mobile license was awarded in April 2014; Chad finally gained access to international fiber bandwidth in 2012 its national backbone infrastructure remains underdeveloped; the World Bank-funded Central African Backbone (CAB) project takes in Chad, while the country is also party to a Trans-Saharan Backbone project which will link a fiber cable to Nigeria and Algeria. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership base of about 53 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1195,10 +1195,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "388,550 (Sudan), 122,958 (Central African Republic), 42,549 (Cameroon), 19,886 (Nigeria) (2022)" + "text": "392,168 (Sudan), 122,958 (Central African Republic), 42,518 (Cameroon), 19,886 (Nigeria) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "406,573 (majority are in the east) (2022)" + "text": "381,289 (majority are in the east) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/cf.json b/africa/cf.json index c1817908..51239223 100644 --- a/africa/cf.json +++ b/africa/cf.json @@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to floods - on 29 November 2021, a state of emergency was declared due to floods in northern areas that caused crop and livestock losses, and displaced people, particularly in Likouala, Sangha, Cuvette and Plateaux departments; it is estimated that about 71,700 people have been affected, (2022)" + "text": "due to floods - on 29 November 2021, a state of emergency was declared due to floods in northern areas that caused crop and livestock losses, and displaced people, particularly in Likouala, Sangha, Cuvette and Plateaux departments; it is estimated that about 71,700 people have been affected, (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ellen B. THORBURN (since January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Eugene S. YOUNG (since 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "70-83 Section D, Boulevard Denis Sassou N'Guesso, Brazzaville" @@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ "text": "29,090 (Central African Republic), 22,114 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "304,430 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2021)" + "text": "159,830 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2022)" } } } diff --git a/africa/cg.json b/africa/cg.json index 157df093..e148f457 100644 --- a/africa/cg.json +++ b/africa/cg.json @@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to internal conflict in eastern regions and economic downturn - according to a November 2021 analysis, 26 million people are projected to be severely food insecure, in \"Crisis\" or above, between January and June 2022; this is due to persisting conflict in eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, which continues to cause displacements, coupled with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)" + "text": "due to internal conflict in eastern regions and economic downturn - according to a November 2021 analysis, 26 million people are projected to be severely food insecure, in \"Crisis\" or above, between January and June 2022; this is due to persisting conflict in eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, which continues to cause displacements, coupled with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "due to decades of conflict and poor infrastructure, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s telecom system is one of the least developed in the region; government aims to improve loose regulation through legislation; mobile networks are principal providers of telecom; LTE is geographically limited; investment from China and other foreign donors for fiber backbone; international bandwidth through WACS submarine cable; operator licensed to build landing station for submarine cable and tower upgrade that will provide competition in broadband, fixed, and mobile Internet services; operator added fiber link between Brazzaville and Kinshasa (2020)" + "text": "the telecom system remains one of the least developed in the region; the government can only loosely regulate the sector, and since the national telco SCPT has little capital to invest, much of the investment made in infrastructure is derived from donor countries or from the efforts of foreign (particularly Chinese) companies and banks; efforts have been made to improve the regulation of the telecom sector; the limited fixed-line infrastructure has become the principal providers of basic telecom services; the development of the DRC’s internet and broadband market has been held back by the poorly developed national and international infrastructure; the country was finally connected to international bandwidth through the WACS submarine cable in 2013, while SCPT continues to roll out a fiber national backbone network with support from China; breakages in the WACS cable have exposed the vulnerability of international bandwidth, which is still limited; Liquid Intelligence Technologies has built a landing station for the Equiano submarine cable, and has also completed a 5,000km cable running through the DRC to link to cable systems landing in countries facing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans; the first commercial LTE networks were launched in May 2018 soon after LTE licenses were issued; mobile operators are keen to develop mobile data services, capitalizing on the growth of smartphones usage; there has been some progress with updating technologies, with Vodacom DRC having upgraded much of its GSM network to 3G by late 2021.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "inadequate fixed-line infrastructure with fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriptions over 45 per 100 persons (2019)" @@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "210,476 (Rwanda), 210,357 (Central African Republic), 56,356 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 40,522 (Burundi) (2022)" + "text": "210,094 (Rwanda), 209,495 (Central African Republic), 56,303 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 41,286 (Burundi) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "5.61 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/cm.json b/africa/cm.json index 428bbef7..3a1da0ce 100644 --- a/africa/cm.json +++ b/africa/cm.json @@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to civil insecurity and population displacements - according to October 2021 analysis, about 2.4 million people were estimated to be severely food insecure between October and December 2021; this mainly results from the impacts of Boko Haram incursions in Far North Region, the socio‑political unrest in Northwest and Southwest regions and COVID‑19‑related economic shocks, which disrupted trade flows and agricultural practices, deteriorated livelihoods and displaced people (2022)" + "text": "due to civil insecurity and population displacements - according to October 2021 analysis, about 2.4 million people were estimated to be severely food insecure between October and December 2021; this mainly results from the impacts of Boko Haram incursions in Far North Region, the socio‑political unrest in Northwest and Southwest regions and COVID‑19‑related economic shocks, which disrupted trade flows and agricultural practices, deteriorated livelihoods and displaced people (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant);  Deputy Chief of Mission (currently serving as Charge d'Affaires) Mary E. DASCHBACH" + "text": "Ambassador Christopher J. LAMORA (since 21 March 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé" @@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Cameroon’s 3G and LTE services are improving through growing competition and a government program to improve national connectivity and support digital economy; saturated use of transactions through m-commerce; developing broadband sector; improved submarine and terrestrial cable connectivity strengthened international bandwidth and lowered prices; pushing start of fiber link to Congo; fiber rollout continues with new government funding; operators opened new data center in 2020 and developed contracts for satellite broadband; government awarded contract to provide connectivity to universities (2020)" + "text": "Cameroon was for many years one of the few countries in Africa with only two competing mobile operators; after some delays, Viettel Cameroon launched a third network and has since grown its subscriber base rapidly; Camtel became the fourth mobile operator in early 2020 after securing three licenses, however it suspended the launch of services in early 2021; despite this, by the end of the year a launch under the Blue brand was imminent; the investment programs among operators over the next few years will considerably boost mobile broadband services in rural areas of the country, many of which are under served by fixed-line infrastructure; the ICT sector in Cameroon is making steady progress, enabling the country to make better use of the digital economy; about 95% of all electronic transactions are carried through the m-money services operated by MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroon; the government has also been supportive, having launched its ‘Cameroon Digital 2020’ program, aimed at improving connectivity nationally. A large number of small ICT projects form part of the overall program; improved submarine and terrestrial cable connectivity has substantially increased international bandwidth, in turn leading to reductions in access prices for consumers; other projects such as Acceleration of the Digital Transformation of Cameroon are aimed at developing the digital economy, and accelerating the use of ICT in areas such as government services, agriculture, and commerce.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "only a little above 3 per 100 persons for fixed-line subscriptions; mobile-cellular usage has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of roughly 95 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/africa/ct.json b/africa/ct.json index 00a020b0..b91c5451 100644 --- a/africa/ct.json +++ b/africa/ct.json @@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies": { - "text": "due to internal conflict - persisting conflicts and displacements are expected to continue affecting agricultural activities and limit farmers’ access to crop growing areas and inputs, with a negative impact on 2022 crop production; in most prefectures, civil insecurity in 2021 continued to cause population displacements and widespread disruption of agricultural and marketing activities with negative consequences on food availability and access; the socio‑economic effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic, coupled with the high level of prices of some food staples, reduced substantially the households’ purchasing power (2022)" + "text": "due to internal conflict - persisting conflicts and displacements are expected to continue affecting agricultural activities and limit farmers’ access to crop growing areas and inputs, with a negative impact on 2022 crop production; in most prefectures, civil insecurity in 2021 continued to cause population displacements and widespread disruption of agricultural and marketing activities with negative consequences on food availability and access; the socio‑economic effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic, coupled with the high level of prices of some food staples, reduced substantially the households’ purchasing power (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 11 January 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Patricia A. MAHONEY (since 8 April 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Avenue David Dacko, Bangui" @@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ "text": "5,702 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "652,036 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2022)" + "text": "658,265 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2022)" } } } diff --git a/africa/cv.json b/africa/cv.json index 543deefa..e8a7d810 100644 --- a/africa/cv.json +++ b/africa/cv.json @@ -1092,13 +1092,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 1,200 personnel including about 100 in the Coast Guard (2021)" + "text": "approximately 1,200 personnel including about 100 in the Coast Guard (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated and second-hand equipment, largely from China, European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2021)" + "text": "the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated and second-hand equipment, largely from China, European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 2-years conscript service obligation; 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2021)" + "text": "18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 2-years conscript service obligation; 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2022)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "

as of 2022, the FACV/National Guard was mostly a ground force with 2 infantry battalions and a small air component with a maritime patrol squadron; the Coast Guard had a few coastal patrol craft and patrol boats

" diff --git a/africa/dj.json b/africa/dj.json index f007f705..2a537d1d 100644 --- a/africa/dj.json +++ b/africa/dj.json @@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to floods - about 194,000 people were estimated to be severely food insecure in the January‑August 2021 period, mainly due to livelihood losses caused by floods and landslides, and as a result of the socio‑economic impact of the pandemic on the livelihoods of vulnerable households; Cyclone Sagar struck the country on 19 and 20 May 2021, bringing torrential rains; the precipitation received, about 110 mm, was the equivalent of the average rainfall for an entire year and triggered heavy flooding, especially in the capital, Djibouti City and surrounding areas (2022)" + "text": "due to floods - about 194,000 people were estimated to be severely food insecure in the January‑August 2021 period, mainly due to livelihood losses caused by floods and landslides, and as a result of the socio‑economic impact of the pandemic on the livelihoods of vulnerable households; Cyclone Sagar struck the country on 19 and 20 May 2021, bringing torrential rains; the precipitation received, about 110 mm, was the equivalent of the average rainfall for an entire year and triggered heavy flooding, especially in the capital, Djibouti City and surrounding areas (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Djibouti has a poor domestic infrastructure and a monopolized telecom system relying on microwave radio relay; rural areas connected via wireless local loop; mobile coverage limited to Djibouti city; despite challenges, foreign investment lends progress toward improvements; one of the best international fiber cables in the region, the Djibouti Internet Exchange, is a meeting point for cable systems passing between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean; national operator managed the Australia West Cable landing and signed an agreement for IP traffic through Paris and Marseille; international operator signed MoU for extension of cable from the Gulf to Djibouti (2020)" + "text": "Djibouti remains one of the last bastions where the national telco has a monopoly on all telecom services, including fixed lines, mobile, internet, and broadband; the lack of competition to Djibouti Telecom for such services has meant that the market has not lived up to its potential; despite the country benefiting from its location as a hub for international submarine cables, and with Djibouti Telecom being a partner in at least eight of them, prices for telecom services remain relatively high, and out of reach for a number of customers, weighing on market advancement; the government has long harbored plans to privatize Djibouti Telecom, though thus far such plans have been delayed repeatedly; it has been encouraged by the experience of neighboring Ethiopia, which recently licensed the Global Partnership for Ethiopia consortium (controlled by Safaricom) and so broke the monopoly held by Ethio Telecom; the Djibouti government is aiming to sell a minority stake in the incumbent telco (retaining some control of decisions) while securing the financial backing and the management acumen of a foreign operator; this is part of a larger plan to modernize the country’s economy more generally; the state expects to conduct of a sale of up to 40% of the company to an international investor by end-2022.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "about 4 per 100 fixed-line teledensity and nearly 44 per 100 mobile-cellular; Djibouti Telecom (DT) is the sole provider of telecommunications services and utilizes mostly a microwave radio relay network; fiber-optic cable is installed in the capital; rural areas connected via wireless local loop radio systems; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city (2020)" diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index e269216e..2809441b 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "with a large urbanized population and effective competition, Egypt has one of the largest fixed-line and mobile telecom markets in North Africa; investment has spurred broadband infrastructure and migration to digital economy; operator has ambitions for satellite/smart infrastructure based on 5G and fiber networks; Egypt’s geographical position enabled inexpensive bandwidth through fiber and cable connection to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; rural Internet connections continue to suffer from poor quality and low speeds; government disrupted service during political crises (2020)" + "text": "Egypt’s large telecom market is supported by a population of about 103 million and benefits from effective competition in most sectors; a liberal regulatory regime allows for unified licenses which permit operators to offer fixed-line as well as mobile services; in recent years the government has developed a number of digital migration projects aimed at increasing average broadband speeds, delivering fiber broadband to about 60% of the population, developing an in-house satellite program, and creating a knowledge-based economy through the greater adoption of ICTs; the New Administrative Capital being built is only one of more than a dozen smart city projects, which together are stimulating investment in 5G and fiber broadband, as well as the adoption of IoT and AI solutions; the country endeavor to be a significant ICT hub in the North Africa and Middle East regions; Egypt’s mature mobile market has one of the highest subscription rates in Africa; progress in the adoption of mobile data services has been hampered by the lack of sufficient spectrum; the regulator in September 2020 made available 60MHz in the 2.6GHz band, though the spectrum was not allocated until late 2021; the additional spectrum will go far to enabling the MNOs to improve the quality of mobile broadband services offered; further 5G trials are to be held later in 2022, focused on the New Administrative Capital; the international cable infrastructure remains an important asset for Egypt, which benefits from its geographical position; Telecom Egypt has become one of the largest concerns in this segment, being a participating member in numerous cable systems; in mid-2021 the telco announced plans to build the Hybrid African Ring Path system, connecting a number of landlocked countries in Africa with Italy, France, and Portugal; the system will partly use the company’s existing terrestrial and sub sea cable networks. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line roughly 10 per 100, mobile-cellular 93 per 100 (2020)" diff --git a/africa/ek.json b/africa/ek.json index 46e1364c..99bd9082 100644 --- a/africa/ek.json +++ b/africa/ek.json @@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Susan N. STEVENSON (since 11 April 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador David R. GILMOUR (since 24 May 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Malabo II Highway (between the Headquarters of Sonagas and the offices of the United Nations), Malabo" diff --git a/africa/er.json b/africa/er.json index c69c91cc..74b12705 100644 --- a/africa/er.json +++ b/africa/er.json @@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "least developed telecommunications market in Africa, largely due to restrictions of state-owned telecom monopoly; most fixed-line telephones are in Asmara; cell phone use is limited by government control of SIM card issuance; low penetration of computer use and Internet; market ripe for competition and investment; direct phone service between Eritrea and Ethiopia restored in September 2018; government operator working on roll-out of 3G network (2020)" + "text": "Eritrea’s telecom sector operates under a state-owned monopoly for fixed and mobile services; the country has the least developed telecommunications market in Africa; mobile subscriptions stands at only about 20%, while fixed-line internet use barely registers; this is exacerbated by the very low use of computers, with only about 4% of households having a computer, and most of these being in the capital, Asmara; the provision of internet services is open to competition, about 2% of households have access to the internet; the national telco, the Eritrean Telecommunication Services Corporation (EriTel), continues to roll out a 3G network which provides basic internet access to the majority or Eritreans; considerable investment in telecom infrastructure is still required to improve the quality of services; the government has embarked on a work program aimed at extending services to remote areas, improving the quality of services, and ensuring that more telecoms infrastructure is supported by solar power to compensate for the poor state of the electricity network; additional foreign investment in telecom infrastructure, as well as introduction of more competition, would help transform what remains a virtually untapped market. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscribership is less than 2 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular is just over 20 per 100 (2019)" diff --git a/africa/et.json b/africa/et.json index 256ec8cc..8efc1811 100644 --- a/africa/et.json +++ b/africa/et.json @@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to civil conflict and drought - more than 16 million people were estimated to be severely food insecure in the May−June 2021 period; the high levels of food insecurity are mainly due to the lingering impact of the measures implemented in 2020 to curb the spread of the COVID‑19 pandemic, macro‑economic challenges resulting in high food prices, localized but significant locust‑induced crop and pasture losses, the negative impact on crop and livestock production of erratic rains in the first half of the year and to the intensification of inter‑communal violence since 2020 in several areas and the ongoing conflict in Tigray Region (2022)" + "text": "due to civil conflict and drought - more than 16 million people were estimated to be severely food insecure in the May−June 2021 period; the high levels of food insecurity are mainly due to the lingering impact of the measures implemented in 2020 to curb the spread of the COVID‑19 pandemic, macro‑economic challenges resulting in high food prices, localized but significant locust‑induced crop and pasture losses, the negative impact on crop and livestock production of erratic rains in the first half of the year and to the intensification of inter‑communal violence since 2020 in several areas and the ongoing conflict in Tigray Region (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Geeta PASI (since 1 March 2021)

 

" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON (since 25 February 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Entoto Street, P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa" @@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "telecom market challenged by political factionalism and reorganization of ruling party; despite some gains in access, Ethiopia remains one of the least-connected countries in the world; state-owned telecom held a monopoly over services until 2019 when government approved legislation and opened the market to competition and foreign investment; new expansion of LTE services; government reduced tariffs leading to increases in data and voice traffic; government launched mobile app as part of e-government initiative to build smart city; Huawei provides infrastructure to government operator and built data center in Addis Ababa; government disrupted service during political crises; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the slow process to open up Ethiopia’s telecom market was completed with the licensing of the Safaricom-led Global Partnership for Ethiopia consortium; the country had been one of the last in Africa to allow its national telco a monopoly on all telecom services including fixed, mobile, internet and data communications; this has stifled innovation, restricted network expansion, and limited the scope of services on offer; the consortium was in some respects a proxy for the wider influence over Ethiopia’s telecom sector between the interests of the US and China; only one of the two licenses on offer was secured, with uncertainty as to the timetable for issuing the second license; the government in mid-2021 began the process of selling a 45% stake in the incumbent telco Ethio Telecom; the World Bank in early 2021 provided a $200 million loan to help develop the country’s digital transformation, while the government has embarked on its 2020-2030 program as well as its Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy, both aimed at making better use of digital technologies to promote socioeconomic development; the country’s mobile platform has mostly been provided by ZTE and Huawei, which have offered vendor financing; Ethio Telecom has placed the expansion of LTE services as a cornerstone of its investment program to 2022; the new licensee has been barred from contracting Chinese vendors, thus opening the door to western vendors.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscriptions at about 1 per 100 while mobile-cellular stands at a little over 37 per 100; the number of mobile telephones is increasing steadily (2019)" @@ -1244,11 +1244,10 @@ "note": "note - in November 2021, the Ethiopian Government issued a nationwide state of emergency that enabled officials to order military-age citizens to undergo training and accept military duty in support of the Tigray conflict" }, "Military deployments": { - "text": "5-10,000 Somalia (4,500 for ATMIS; the remainder under a bilateral agreement with Somalia; note - bilateral figures are prior to the conflict with Tigray); 250 Sudan (UNISFA); 1,500 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2022)", - "note": "note - in August 2021, Sudan asked the UN to remove the Ethiopian troops from the UNISFA mission" + "text": "5-10,000 Somalia (4,500 for ATMIS; the remainder under a bilateral agreement with Somalia; note - bilateral figures are prior to the conflict with Tigray); 250 Sudan (UNISFA); 1,500 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2022)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "each of the nine states has a regional and/or a \"special\" paramilitary security forces that report to regional civilian authorities; local militias operate across the country in loose and varying coordination with these regional security and police forces, the Ethiopian Federal Police (EFP), and the Ethiopian military; the EFP reports to the Ministry of Peace, which was created in October of 2018

since November 2020, the Government of Ethiopia has been engaged in a protracted military conflict with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the former governing party of the Tigray Region; the government deemed a TPLF attack on Ethiopia military forces as a domestic terrorism incident and launched a military offensive in response; the TPLF asserted that its actions were self-defense in the face of planned Ethiopian Government action to remove it from the provincial government; the Ethiopian Government sent large elements of the ENDF into Tigray to remove the TPLF and invited militia and paramilitary forces from the states of Afar and Amara, as well as the military forces of Eritrea, to assist; the fighting included heavy civilian and military casualties with widespread abuses reported; in March 2022, the Ethiopian Government declared a  truce to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid into the Tigray region; the TPLF reciprocated with a truce of its own; since the announcement, both sides have observed the truce and ceased hostilities, although tensions remained high, and Ethiopian military operations continued against the OLA in Oromia as of mid-2022

the military forces of the Tigray regional government are known as the Tigray Defense Force (TDF); the TDF is comprised of state paramilitary forces, local militia, and troops that defected from the ENDF; it reportedly had up to 250,000 fighters at the start of the conflict; in August 2021, the TPLF struck an alliance with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)" + "text": "each of the nine states has a regional and/or a \"special\" paramilitary security forces that report to regional civilian authorities; local militias operate across the country in loose and varying coordination with these regional security and police forces, the Ethiopian Federal Police (EFP), and the Ethiopian military; the EFP reports to the Ministry of Peace, which was created in October of 2018

since November 2020, the Government of Ethiopia has been engaged in a protracted military conflict with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the former governing party of the Tigray Region; the government deemed a TPLF attack on Ethiopia military forces as a domestic terrorism incident and launched a military offensive in response; the TPLF asserted that its actions were self-defense in the face of planned Ethiopian Government action to remove it from the provincial government; the Ethiopian Government sent large elements of the ENDF into Tigray to remove the TPLF and invited militia and paramilitary forces from the states of Afar and Amara, as well as the military forces of Eritrea, to assist; the fighting included heavy civilian and military casualties with widespread abuses reported; in March 2022, the Ethiopian Government declared a  truce to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid into the Tigray region; the TPLF reciprocated with a truce of its own; since the announcement, both sides have reportedly observed the truce, although tensions remained high, and Ethiopian military operations continued against the OLA in Oromia as of mid-2022

the military forces of the Tigray regional government are known as the Tigray Defense Force (TDF); the TDF is comprised of state paramilitary forces, local militia, and troops that defected from the ENDF; it reportedly had up to 250,000 fighters at the start of the conflict; in August 2021, the TPLF struck an alliance with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1263,10 +1262,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "402,099 (South Sudan), 246,427 (Somalia), 159,369 (Eritrea), 47,179 (Sudan) (2022)" + "text": "402,099 (South Sudan), 246,427 (Somalia), 159,935 (Eritrea), 47,427 (Sudan) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "1,990,168 (includes conflict- and climate-induced IDPs, excluding unverified estimates from the Amhara region; border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Somali and Oromia regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2021)" + "text": "2,114,653 (includes conflict- and climate-induced IDPs, excluding unverified estimates from the Amhara region; border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Somali and Oromia regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/ga.json b/africa/ga.json index a9249153..7625ea18 100644 --- a/africa/ga.json +++ b/africa/ga.json @@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Richard Carlton \"Carl\" PASCHALL (since 9 April 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Sharon L. CROMER (since 18 March 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul" @@ -1022,7 +1022,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "state-owned telecom partially privatized but retains a monopoly with fixed-line service; multiple mobile networks provide 2G to almost all citizens and above the African average; high poverty rates continue to limit access to the Internet, especially via fixed-line services in rural areas; weak political support for development of communications infrastructure, including National Broadband Network program; government depends on donors and loans from China and Islamic Development banks; two submarine cables provide international connectivity within African continent and Europe (2020)" + "text": "Gambia’s telecom market is dominated by the incumbent telco Gamtel, which retains a monopoly on fixed-line telephony services; there are five mobile networks providing effective competition, though Giraffe Telecom was only licensed in January 2022 and has not yet been allocated a frequency; the market leader is Africell, with about 62% of the market, while Comium and QCell compete closely for second and third place; Gamtel’s mobile unit Gamcel is by far the smallest network, having suffered from low investment in recent years; Comium has also suffered from financial difficulties: its failure to pay accumulated fees resulted in the government having sought a temporary suspension of its services in mid-2021; mobile subscriptions are well above the African average, itself a testament to the poor condition of the fixed-line infrastructure and the lack of availability of fixed services in many rural areas of the country; the incumbent has a relatively well-developed national fiber backbone network, low fixed-line subscriptions have hindered internet usage; there are only four licensed ISPs, which are small networks serving local areas, and so competition is minimal; their limited services are complemented by the fixed-wireless offerings of three of the MNOs; the government has embarked on a National Broadband Network program aimed at closing the digital divide affecting many parts of the country; Gamtel launched services based on this network in late 2019, though on a limited scale; despite efforts to improve internet connectivity, the country ranks among the lowest globally in terms of digital readiness. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscriptions nearly 2 per 100 with one dominant company and mobile-cellular teledensity nearly 111 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/africa/gb.json b/africa/gb.json index fc63f369..e0b1ee67 100644 --- a/africa/gb.json +++ b/africa/gb.json @@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "politically stable and oil laden, Gabon is one of wealthiest nations in Africa; liberalized and competitive market led development of mobile broadband, data service, and tests of 5G; fixed-line sector underdeveloped due to the lack of competition and high prices; South Korean investment in fiber segments as part of Central African backbone; sufficient international bandwidth through submarine cable systems; government committed to backbone infrastructure and e-health services; efforts towards new legal and regulatory improvements (2020)" + "text": "the telecom market was liberalized in 1999 when the government awarded three mobile telephony licenses and two ISP licenses and established an independent regulatory authority; Moov Gabon (known as Gabon Telecom before a rebranding exercise in January 2021), was privatized in 2007 when Maroc Telecom bought a 51% stake in the network; in June 2016 Maroc Telecom merged its two business in Gabon, thereby reducing the number of mobile networks from four to three; the 2009 entry of USAN (operated by Bintel Group under the brand name Azur) into a competitive market with high subscriptions triggered a price war that saw falling revenue and profits, forcing the networks to streamline their businesses and to look for new income streams; following more than a year of delays, a license to offer 3G mobile broadband services was awarded in late 2011; Azur failed and ceased trading in late 2017, encumbered by debts and fined by the regulator for failing to observe its quality of service obligations; in contrast with the mobile market, Gabon’s fixed-line and internet sectors have remained underdeveloped due to a lack of competition and high prices; the country has sufficient international bandwidth on the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine cable but this facility is monopolized by Moov Gabon; the arrival of the ACE submarine cable, combined with progressing work on the CAB cable, has increased back haul capacity supporting mobile data traffic, and broke Moov Gabon’s monopoly on international internet traffic. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line is a little over 1 per 100 subscriptions; a growing mobile cellular network with multiple providers is making telephone service more widely available with mobile cellular teledensity at nearly 139 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/africa/gh.json b/africa/gh.json index 4799f759..f0c03a18 100644 --- a/africa/gh.json +++ b/africa/gh.json @@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Stephanie S. SULLIVAN (since 23 January 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Virginia E. PALMER (since 16 June 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "No.24, Fourth Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra, P.O. Box 2288, Accra" @@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "challenged by unreliable electricity and shortage of skilled labor, Ghana seeks to extend telecom services nationally; investment in fiber infrastructure and off-grid solutions provide data coverage to over 23 million people; launch of LTE has improved mobile data services, including m-commerce and banking; moderately competitive Internet market, most through mobile networks; international submarine cables, and terrestrial cables have improved Internet capacity (2022)" + "text": "challenged by unreliable electricity and shortage of skilled labor, Ghana seeks to extend telecom services nationally; investment in fiber infrastructure and off-grid solutions provide data coverage to over 23 million people; launch of LTE has improved mobile data services, including m-commerce and banking; moderately competitive Internet market, most through mobile networks; international submarine cables, and terrestrial cables have improved Internet capacity; LTE services are widely available, only MTN Ghana has thus far signaled a willingness to invest in 5G; the relatively high cost of 5G-compatible devices also inhibits most subscribers from migrating from 3G and LTE platforms. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line data about 1 per 200 subscriptions; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a voice subscribership of more than 130 per 100 persons (2022)" @@ -1197,13 +1197,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)" + "text": "approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the inventory of the Ghana Armed Forces is a mix of Russian, Chinese, and Western equipment; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of arms (2021)" + "text": "the inventory of the Ghana Armed Forces is a mix of Russian, Chinese, and Western equipment; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of arms (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2021)" + "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2022)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "150 Mali (MINUSMA); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 730 (plus about 300 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (Jan 2022)" @@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "5,779 (Cote d'Ivoire) (flight from 2010 post-election fighting) (2022)" + "text": "5,635 (Cote d'Ivoire) (flight from 2010 post-election fighting) (2022)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/gv.json b/africa/gv.json index cdd5afe9..9ba71b43 100644 --- a/africa/gv.json +++ b/africa/gv.json @@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to reduced incomes - about 740,000 people are projected to face severe food insecurity in the upcoming June to August 2022 period (2022)" + "text": "due to reduced incomes - about 740,000 people are projected to face severe food insecurity in the upcoming June to August 2022 period (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ }, "Constitution": { "history": { - "text": "currently suspended on September 5, 2021 via t coup d’etat. On September 27, 2021 the Transitional Charter was released.  It supersedes the constitution until a new constitution is promulgated. previous 1958, 1990, and 2010" + "text": "previous 1958, 1990; latest 2010, which was suspended on 5 September 2021 via a coup d’etat; on 27 September, the Transitional Charter was released, which supersedes the constitution until a new constitution is promulgated" }, "amendments": { "text": "proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; consideration of proposals requires approval by simple majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires approval in referendum; the president can opt to submit amendments directly to the Assembly, in which case approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote; revised in 2020" @@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ "text": "formerly, Prime Minister Mohamed BEAVOGUI (since 6 October 2021); note - on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, the constitution suspended, and the government of Prime Minister Ibrahima Kassory FOFANA dissolved" }, "cabinet": { - "text": "formerly, the Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note: on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup on 5 September 2021 in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, the constitution suspended, and the government and legislature dissolved" + "text": "formerly, the Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note: on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, the constitution suspended, and the government and legislature dissolved" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "formerly, the president was directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) and the prime minister appointed by the president; election last held on 18 October 2020; note - on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, and on 1 October 2021,Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transitional president" @@ -626,10 +626,10 @@ }, "Judicial branch": { "highest courts": { - "text": "Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Administrative Chamber and Civil, Penal, and Social Chamber; court consists of the first president, 2 chamber presidents, 10 councilors, the solicitor general, and NA deputies)." + "text": "Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Administrative Chamber and Civil, Penal, and Social Chamber; court consists of the first president, 2 chamber presidents, 10 councilors, the solicitor general, and NA deputies); Constitutional Court - suspended on 5 September 2021" }, "judge selection and term of office": { - "text": "Supreme Court first president appointed by the national president after consultation with the National Assembly; other members appointed by presidential decree; members serve until age 65; members serve single 9-year terms" + "text": "Supreme Court first president appointed by the national president after consultation with the National Assembly; other members appointed by presidential decree; members serve 9-year terms until age 65" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; High Court of Justice or Cour d'Assises; Court of Account (Court of Auditors); Courts of First Instance (Tribunal de Premiere Instance); labor court; military tribunal; justices of the peace; specialized courts" @@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Guinea’s mobile subscribership growing through investment of South African telecom operators and Chinese Huawei management; m-transactions supported commerce; broadband still limited and expensive though submarine cable and IXP improved reliability of infrastructure; 4G Wi-Fi in the capital; National Backbone Network will connect regional administrative centers; ECOWAS countries to launch free roaming; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "Guinea’s telecom market is dominated by MTN and Orange; after the entry of these regional players, the number of mobile subscribers grew strongly while revenue also increased steadily; the debt-stricken incumbent fixed-line network Sotelgui provided a mobile service until it was closed down in late 2012, following a long period of mismanagement; the company itself was declared bankrupt in 2013, and stopped operating; the government since 2019 has sought to secure partners and investors to help launch a replacement operator, Guinea Telecom, but with no success; fixed broadband services are still very limited and expensive, though there have been some positive developments in recent years; the landing of the first international submarine cable in 2012, and the setting up of an IXP in mid-2013, increased the bandwidth available to the ISPs, and helped reduce the cost of internet services for end-users; a National Backbone Network was completed in mid-2020, connecting administrative centers across the country; almost all internet connections are made via mobile networks; GSM services account for a dwindling proportion of connections, in line with the greater reach of services based on 3G and LTE.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "there is national coverage and Conakry is reasonably well-served; coverage elsewhere remains inadequate but is improving; fixed-line teledensity is less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership is just over 100 per 100 persons (2019)" @@ -1177,13 +1177,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "Guinean National Armed Forces are comprised of approximately 12,000 active personnel
(9,000 Army; 400 Navy; 800 Air Force; 300 BASP; 1,500 Gendarmerie) (2021)" + "text": "Guinean National Armed Forces are comprised of approximately 12,000 active personnel
(9,000 Army; 400 Navy; 800 Air Force; 300 BASP; 1,500 Gendarmerie) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the inventory of the Guinean military consists largely of ageing and outdated (mostly Soviet-era) equipment; since 2010, it has received small amounts of equipment from China, France, Russia, and South Africa (2021)" + "text": "the inventory of the Guinean military consists largely of ageing and outdated (mostly Soviet-era) equipment; since 2010, it has received small amounts of equipment from China, France, Russia, and South Africa (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "Voluntary and selective conscripted service, 9-24 mos (2021)" + "text": "Voluntary and selective conscripted service, 9-24 mos (2022)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "670 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2022)" diff --git a/africa/iv.json b/africa/iv.json index d8eab199..de080f13 100644 --- a/africa/iv.json +++ b/africa/iv.json @@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Côte d'Ivoire telecom systems continue to benefit from strong economic growth; fixed-line, Internet, and broadband sectors remain underdeveloped; mobile sector is strong; progress in national backbone network and connection to submarine cable that will increase Internet bandwidth; country is poised to develop broadband market and digital economy; government further tightened SIM card registration rules (2020)" + "text": "in recent years the government of Ivory Coast has helped develop a competitive telecom sector focused on the provision of converged services, thus allowing operators to offer fixed-line and mobile services under a universal services license regime; there are two fixed network operators, the market is dominated by Orange Group’s local unit, Orange Côte d’Ivoire; the mobile market is more competitive, with Orange Côte d’Ivoire operating alongside MTN Côte d’Ivoire and Moov; over the years a number of alternative operators have either folded, had their licenses evoked, or failed to launch services; the fixed internet and broadband sectors remain underdeveloped; this is a legacy of poor international connectivity, which resulted in high wholesale prices, limited bandwidth, and a lack of access for alternative operators to international infrastructure; these limitations were addressed following the landing of a second cable in November 2011, and the end to the access monopoly held by Orange Côte d’Ivoire; Orange Group has also launched its 20,000km Djoliba cable system, reaching across eight countries in the region, while the 2Africa submarine cable is being developed by a consortium of companies; with a landing station providing connectivity to Côte d'Ivoire, the system is expected to be completed in late 2023.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "1 per 100 fixed-line teledensity; with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, mobile subscriptions have increased to 152 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1212,19 +1212,19 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); est. 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2021)" + "text": "approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); est. 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; since 2016, it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of countries (2021)" + "text": "the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; since 2016, it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of countries (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2021)" + "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2022)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "860 Mali (MINUSMA) (2022)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the military has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country’s political turmoil; as of 2022, the FACI was focused on internal security and the growing threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in Burkina Faso; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d’Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and completed building a joint counter-terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2020

the UN maintained a 9,000-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) from 2004 until 2017" + "text": "the military has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country’s political turmoil; as of 2022, the FACI was focused on internal security and the growing threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in Burkina Faso; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d’Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and completed building a joint counter-terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2020

the UN maintained a 9,000-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) from 2004 until 2017 (2022)" }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide; Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea\"" @@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "308,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; land disputes; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2019)" + "text": "302,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; land disputes; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "952,969 (mid-year 2021); note - many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country's 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government's mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers; in September 2020, Cote d'Ivoire adopted Africa's first statelessness determination procedure to regularize the status of stateless people" diff --git a/africa/ke.json b/africa/ke.json index 32be7727..9bf48f70 100644 --- a/africa/ke.json +++ b/africa/ke.json @@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies": { - "text": "due to drought conditions - about 3.1 million people were estimated to be severely food insecure in February 2022 reflecting consecutive poor rainy seasons since late 2020 that affected crop and livestock production, mainly in northern and eastern pastoral, agro-pastoral and marginal agricultural areas; the deterioration of the food security situation is mainly due to the negative impact of two consecutive poor rainy seasons since October 2020 on crop and livestock production and on on‑farm income‑earning opportunities; the impact of the measures implemented to curb the spread of the COVID‑19 pandemic on economic activities exacerbated food insecurity (2022)" + "text": "due to drought conditions - about 3.1 million people were estimated to be severely food insecure in February 2022 reflecting consecutive poor rainy seasons since late 2020 that affected crop and livestock production, mainly in northern and eastern pastoral, agro-pastoral and marginal agricultural areas; the deterioration of the food security situation is mainly due to the negative impact of two consecutive poor rainy seasons since October 2020 on crop and livestock production and on on‑farm income‑earning opportunities; the impact of the measures implemented to curb the spread of the COVID‑19 pandemic on economic activities exacerbated food insecurity (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eric W. Kneedler (since 20 January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eric W. KNEEDLER (since 20 January 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "P.O. Box 606 Village Market, 00621 Nairobi" @@ -1249,14 +1249,14 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; as of March 2019, Kenya provides shelter to nearly 475,000 refugees and asylum seekers, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the \"Ilemi Triangle,\" which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Uganda-Kenya: Kenya and Uganda have begun a joint demarcation of the boundary in 2021 

" + "text": "

as of March 2022, Kenya provides shelter to nearly 548,000 refugees and asylum seekers, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army rebels

Kenya-Ethiopia: their border was demarcated in the 1950s and approved in 1970; in 2012, Kenya and Ethiopia agreed to redemarcate their boundary following disputes over beacons and crossborder crime

Kenya-Somalia: Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; in 2021, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gave Somalia control over a disputed ocean area where the seabeds are believed to hold vasts oil and gas deposits; the ICJ ruling gives Somalia the rights to several offshore oil exploration blocks previously claimed by Kenya; Kenya did not recognize the court’s decision

Kenya-South Sudan: two thirds of the boundary that separates Kenya and South Sudan's sovereignty known as the Ilemi Triangle has been unclear since British colonial times; Kenya has administered the area since colonial times; officials from Kenya and South Sudan signed a M.o.U. on boundary delimitation and demarcation and agreed to set up a joint committee; as of July 2019, the demarcation process was to begin in 90 days, but was delayed due to a lack of funding

Kenya-Sudan: Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005

Kenya-Tanzania: Kenya and Tanzania were conducting a joint reaffirmation process in November 2021 to ensure the border was visibly marked with pillars

Kenya-Uganda: Kenya and Uganda began a joint demarcation of the boundary in 2021 

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "279,197 (Somalia), 142,113 (South Sudan), 21,001 (Ethiopia), 19,036 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 7,521 (Burundi) (2022)" + "text": "279,197 (Somalia), 142,113 (South Sudan), 21,047 (Ethiopia), 19,036 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 7,770 (Burundi), 5,011 (Sudan) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "190,000 (election-related violence, intercommunal violence, resource conflicts, al-Shabaab attacks in 2017 and 2018) (2020)" + "text": "190,000 (election-related violence, intercommunal violence, resource conflicts, al-Shabaab attacks in 2017 and 2018) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "16,820 (mid-year 2021); note - the stateless population consists of Nubians, Kenyan Somalis, and coastal Arabs; the Nubians are descendants of Sudanese soldiers recruited by the British to fight for them in East Africa more than a century ago; Nubians did not receive Kenyan citizenship when the country became independent in 1963; only recently have Nubians become a formally recognized tribe and had less trouble obtaining national IDs; Galjeel and other Somalis who have lived in Kenya for decades are included with more recent Somali refugees and denied ID cards" diff --git a/africa/li.json b/africa/li.json index d797e7ce..9db72f1d 100644 --- a/africa/li.json +++ b/africa/li.json @@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to high food prices - production of rice, a main staple food, was estimated at a below-average level in 2021, a factor that is expected to further aggravate food insecurity in 2022 (2022)" + "text": "due to high food prices - production of rice, a main staple food, was estimated at a below-average level in 2021, a factor that is expected to further aggravate food insecurity in 2022 (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1160,12 +1160,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

as the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) continues to drawdown prior to the 1 March 2018 closure date, the peacekeeping force is being reduced to 434 soldiers and two police units; some Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia shelters 7,811 Ivoirian refugees, as of February 2022

" - }, - "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { - "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "8,054 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2022)" - } + "text": "

Liberia-Guinea: none identified

Liberia-Sierra Leone: none identified

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

not a significant transit country for illicit narcotics but proximity to major drug routes contribute to trafficking; not a significant producer of illicit narcotics; local drug use involves marijuana, heroin, cocaine, the synthetic opioid tramadol, and amphetamine-type stimulants

" diff --git a/africa/lt.json b/africa/lt.json index 930edf3c..faf73b47 100644 --- a/africa/lt.json +++ b/africa/lt.json @@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to loss of income-generating activities -  the number of people facing \"Crisis\" levels of food insecurity between January and March 2022 is estimated at 338,000, reflecting the effects of a slow economic recovery that has impinged on households’ economic capacity to access food (2022)" + "text": "due to loss of income-generating activities -  the number of people facing \"Crisis\" levels of food insecurity between January and March 2022 is estimated at 338,000, reflecting the effects of a slow economic recovery that has impinged on households’ economic capacity to access food (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Masopha Phoofolo Moses KAO, Counselor (28 May 2021)

 

" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Masopha Phoofolo Moses KAO, Counselor (28 May 2021)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008" @@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Rebecca E. GONZALES (since 8 February 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador Maria E. BREWER (since 10 March 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "254 Kingsway Avenue, Maseru" @@ -1134,7 +1134,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

" + "text": "

Lesotho-South Africa: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

 

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/africa/ly.json b/africa/ly.json index 9c3960ce..0adb3e61 100644 --- a/africa/ly.json +++ b/africa/ly.json @@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to civil insecurity, economic and political instability, and high food prices - an estimated 800,000 people, 10% of the population, need humanitarian assistance, of which 500,000 require food assistance (2022)" + "text": "due to civil insecurity, economic and political instability, and high food prices - an estimated 800,000 people, 10% of the population, need humanitarian assistance, of which 500,000 require food assistance (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1097,11 +1097,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Libya-Algeria: dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria

Libya-Chad: various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya

" + "text": "

Libya-Algeria: dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria

Libya-Chad: various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya; Libyan forces clashed with Chadian rebels in September 2021

Libya-Egypt: none identified

Libya-Niger: the boundary is poorly defined but has never been disputed by either country

Libya-Sudan: none identified

Libya-Tunisia: none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "18,675 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,919 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" + "text": "19,348 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 15,207 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "168,011 (conflict between pro-QADHAFI and anti-QADHAFI forces in 2011; post-QADHAFI tribal clashes 2014) (2022)" diff --git a/africa/ma.json b/africa/ma.json index 05724574..d4c2d55b 100644 --- a/africa/ma.json +++ b/africa/ma.json @@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to the effects of extreme weather events - cyclones and tropical storms in early 2022 have affected a large number of people, particularly in eastern regions, and the number of food insecure people is expected to increase later in 2022; moreover, drought conditions continue to affect households in the south, which is likely to result in an increase in the severity and prevalence of food insecurity in these areas (2022)" + "text": "due to the effects of extreme weather events - cyclones and tropical storms in early 2022 have affected a large number of people, particularly in eastern regions, and the number of food insecure people is expected to increase later in 2022; moreover, drought conditions continue to affect households in the south, which is likely to result in an increase in the severity and prevalence of food insecurity in these areas (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Amy J. HYATT (since June 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Tobias H. GLUCKSMAN" }, "embassy": { "text": "Lot 207A, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105 Antananarivo" @@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

" + "text": "

Madagascar-France: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claim of France

Madagascar-Comoros: the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claim of the Comoros

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin" diff --git a/africa/mi.json b/africa/mi.json index a110bfc1..6efb0f51 100644 --- a/africa/mi.json +++ b/africa/mi.json @@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to reduced incomes and shortfalls in cereal producation - an estimated 1.65 million people are facing \"Crisis\" levels of food insecurity between January and March 2022, underpinned by localized shortfalls in cereal production and the lingering impact of an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the effects of poor rains at the start of the cropping season and tropical storm Ana in January 2022 are expected to cause an increase in humanitarian needs later in 2022, due to crop and livelihood losses (2022)" + "text": "due to reduced incomes and shortfalls in cereal production - an estimated 1.65 million people are facing \"Crisis\" levels of food insecurity between January and March 2022, underpinned by localized shortfalls in cereal production and the lingering impact of an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the effects of poor rains at the start of the cropping season and tropical storm Ana in January 2022 are expected to cause an increase in humanitarian needs later in 2022, due to crop and livelihood losses (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Charge d' Affaires Jeremy NEITZKE (26 October 2021 " + "text": "Ambassador David YOUNG (since 5 May 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3" @@ -1198,11 +1198,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River; Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is its territory, while Tanzania claims the border is in the center of the lake; the conflict was reignited in 2012 when Malawi awarded a license to a British company for oil exploration in the lake

" + "text": "

Malawi-Mozambique: the two countries have held exercises to reaffirm boundaries a number of times

Malawi-Tanzania: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River; Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is its territory, while Tanzania claims the border is in the center of the lake; the conflict was reignited in 2012 when Malawi awarded a license to a British company for oil exploration in the lake

Malawi-Zambia: border demarcation was completed in 2011; in 2018, the redemarcation exercise determined that some parts of Malawi actually belonged to Zambia

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "33,606 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 12,377 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,526 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" + "text": "33,606 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 12,530 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,596 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" } } } diff --git a/africa/ml.json b/africa/ml.json index 7f107dc9..7af7afe3 100644 --- a/africa/ml.json +++ b/africa/ml.json @@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "

due to civil insecurity and shortfall in staple food production - between June and August 2022, 1.84 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity, driven in part by a shortfall in staple food production in 2021; sanctions imposed on the country, following the postponement of elections by the transitional military government, are likely to slow down economic activity and further weigh on households’ economic capacity to access food

(2022)" + "text": "

due to civil insecurity and shortfall in staple food production - between June and August 2022, 1.84 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity, driven in part by a shortfall in staple food production in 2021; sanctions imposed on the country, following the postponement of elections by the transitional military government, are likely to slow down economic activity and further weigh on households’ economic capacity to access food

(2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1206,14 +1206,14 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso

" + "text": "

Mali-Burkina Faso: demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "17,124 (Burkina Faso), 14,951 (Mauritania), 12,845 (Niger) (2022)" + "text": "22,051 (Burkina Faso), 14,950 (Mauritania), 13,585 (Niger) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "350,110 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2021)" + "text": "370,548 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/mo.json b/africa/mo.json index 91f647d6..6120caed 100644 --- a/africa/mo.json +++ b/africa/mo.json @@ -1249,7 +1249,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; the National Liberation Front's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco is a dormant dispute

" + "text": "

Morocco-Algeria: Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling

Morocco-Mauritania: tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag

Morocco-Spain: Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

one of the world’s largest cannabis-producing country with Europe as the main  market; hashish is also smuggled to South America and the Caribbean where it is exchanged for cocaine which is distributed in Europe; MDMA (ecstasy), originating in Belgium and the Netherlands is smuggled into northern Morocco for sale on the domestic market

" diff --git a/africa/mp.json b/africa/mp.json index d2dcd227..47c1f5d9 100644 --- a/africa/mp.json +++ b/africa/mp.json @@ -1110,7 +1110,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); claims French-administered Tromelin Island

" + "text": "

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Mauritius-France: Mauritius has claimed French-administered Tromelin Island (part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands) since 1976

Mauritius-UK: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Islands (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/africa/mr.json b/africa/mr.json index febf3581..a43dda9d 100644 --- a/africa/mr.json +++ b/africa/mr.json @@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to poor performance of cereal production - domestic cereal production declined in 2021 due to poor weather, which is likely to worsen conditions of the most vulnerable households; in the upcoming peak of the lean season, between June and August 2022, 660,000 people are projected to face severe food insecurity (2022)" + "text": "due to poor performance of cereal production - domestic cereal production declined in 2021 due to poor weather, which is likely to worsen conditions of the most vulnerable households; in the upcoming peak of the lean season, between June and August 2022, 660,000 people are projected to face severe food insecurity (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1218,11 +1218,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

" + "text": "

Mauritania-Algeria: none identified

Mauritania-Mali: there are no border disputes, but the border has not been demarcated; talks on demarcation were reportedly being held in February 2022

Mauritania-Morocco: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant; tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag

Mauritania-Senegal: none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "26,001 (Sahrawis) (mid-year 2021); 84,526 (Mali) (2022)" + "text": "26,001 (Sahrawis) (mid-year 2021); 85,083 (Mali) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/mz.json b/africa/mz.json index 3c18fbc5..37c6f9de 100644 --- a/africa/mz.json +++ b/africa/mz.json @@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "

due to localized shortfalls in staple food production, insecurity in northern areas, extreme weather events - an estimated 1.9 million people require humanitarian assistance until at least March 2022, primarily due to shortfalls in food production and the impact of insecurity in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, where populations are experiencing the severest levels of acute food insecurity; approximately 24,000 people are facing \"Emergency\" levels of food insecurity; cyclones and tropical storms in early 2022 have affected a large number of people, particularly in central provinces, and the number of food insecure people is expected to increase in late 2022

(2022)" + "text": "

due to localized shortfalls in staple food production, insecurity in northern areas, and extreme weather events - an estimated 1.9 million people require humanitarian assistance until at least March 2022, primarily due to shortfalls in food production and the impact of insecurity in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, where populations are experiencing the severest levels of acute food insecurity; approximately 24,000 people are facing \"Emergency\" levels of food insecurity; cyclones and tropical storms in early 2022 have affected a large number of people, particularly in central provinces, and the number of food insecure people is expected to increase in late 2022

(2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Dennis Walter HEARNE (since 3 April 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Peter Hendrick VROOMAN (since 3 March 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193, Caixa Postal, 783, Maputo" @@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information limited and varied; approximately 12,000 personnel (11,000 Army; 200 Navy; 800 Air Force) (2021)" + "text": "information limited and varied; approximately 12,000 personnel (11,000 Army and about 1,000 Air Force and Navy) (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 it has received limited quantities of more modern equipment from a variety of countries, mostly as aid/donations (2021)" @@ -1226,7 +1226,7 @@ "text": "registration for military service is mandatory for all males and females at 18 years of age; 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation; women may serve as officers or enlisted (2021)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the Government of Mozambique is facing an insurgency driven by militants with ties to the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS-Mozambique, which was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in March 2021) in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, an area known for rich liquid natural gas deposits; insurgent attacks in the province began in 2017 and as of 2022, the fighting had left an estimated 3,000 dead and over 700,000 displaced; the FADM is widely assessed as lacking the training, equipment, and overall capabilities to address the insurgency; as of 2022, several countries from the Southern Africa Development Community and the European Union, as well as Rwanda and the US were providing various forms of military assistance; African countries have provided approximately 3,100 troops" + "text": "the Government of Mozambique is facing an insurgency driven by militants with ties to the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS-Mozambique, which was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in March 2021) in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, an area known for rich liquid natural gas deposits; insurgent attacks in the province began in 2017 and as of 2022, the fighting had left an estimated 4,000 dead and over 700,000 displaced; the FADM is widely assessed as lacking the training, equipment, and overall capabilities to address the insurgency; as of 2022, several countries from the Southern Africa Development Community and the European Union, as well as Rwanda and the US were providing various forms of military assistance; African countries have provided approximately 3,100 troops (2022)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1237,14 +1237,14 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

" + "text": "

Mozambique-Eswatini: none identified

Mozambique-Malawi:  the two countries have held exercises to reaffirm boundaries a number of times

Mozambique-South Africa: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

Mozambique-Tanzania: none identified

Mozambique-Zambia: none identified

Mozambique-Zimbabwe: none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "10,911 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,558 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "881,047 (violence between the government and an opposition group, violence associated with extremists groups in 2018, political violence 2019) (2022)" + "text": "744,949 (violence between the government and an opposition group, violence associated with extremists groups in 2018, political violence 2019) (2022)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/ng.json b/africa/ng.json index cf27ddc0..205fa89f 100644 --- a/africa/ng.json +++ b/africa/ng.json @@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies": { - "text": "due to internal conflict and shortfall in cereal production - as of January 2022, an estimated 265,000 people have been displaced due to civil conflict; in addition, domestic cereal production was estimated at a below-average level in 2021, due to effects of adverse weather and the civil conflict, which is expected to further aggravate conditions; the aggregate cereal production in 2021 is officially estimated at 3.5 million mt, nearly 40% below the five‑year average; as a result, between June and August 2022, 3.64 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity; this is a 40% increase compared to the current post‑harvest period, underpinned by the reduced cereal production in 2021, high food prices and the high likelihood of persisting disruptions of markets and agricultural activities amid increasing insecurity (2022)" + "text": "due to internal conflict and shortfall in cereal production - as of January 2022, an estimated 265,000 people have been displaced due to civil conflict; in addition, domestic cereal production was estimated at a below-average level in 2021, due to effects of adverse weather and the civil conflict, which is expected to further aggravate conditions; the aggregate cereal production in 2021 is officially estimated at 3.5 million mt, nearly 40% below the five‑year average; as a result, between June and August 2022, 3.64 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity; this is a 40% increase compared to the current post‑harvest period, underpinned by the reduced cereal production in 2021, high food prices and the high likelihood of persisting disruptions of markets and agricultural activities amid increasing insecurity (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information varies; approximately 10,000 active troops (est. 6,000 Army; 200 Air Force; 4,000 Gendarmerie); est. 3,000 National Guard (2022)" + "text": "information varies; approximately 12,000 active troops (est. 8,000 Army; 200 Air Force; 4,000 Gendarmerie); est. 3,000 National Guard (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FAN's inventory consists of a wide variety of older weapons; since 2010, the FAN has received small amounts of mostly second-hand equipment and donations from several countries with the US as the top provider (2022)" @@ -1212,11 +1212,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty that also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries; the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the ICJ in 2010

" + "text": "

Niger-Benin-Nigeria: location of Niger-Benin-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved

Niger-Burkina Faso: the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2010; the ICJ ruled in 2013 that 786 sq km should go to Burkina Faso and 277 sq km to Niger; the ruling was implemented in 2015 and 2016, with Burkina Faso gaining 14 towns and Niger 4

Niger-Cameroon-Nigeria: only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty that also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Niger-Libya: Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tummo region

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "187,139 (Nigeria), 62,077 (Mali) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" + "text": "187,139 (Nigeria), 62,658 (Mali) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "264,257 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2022)" diff --git a/africa/ni.json b/africa/ni.json index 5da0aae3..763ea511 100644 --- a/africa/ni.json +++ b/africa/ni.json @@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to persistent civil conflict in the northern areas - according to the latest analysis, between June and August 2022, the number of food insecure is projected to increase to 18 million people period as a result of worsening conflict that is driving new population displacements; the areas inaccessible to humanitarian interventions are facing the worst food insecurity conditions (2022)" + "text": "due to persistent civil conflict in the northern areas - according to the latest analysis, between June and August 2022, the number of food insecure is projected to increase to 18 million people period as a result of worsening conflict that is driving new population displacements; the areas inaccessible to humanitarian interventions are facing the worst food insecurity conditions (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ "text": "Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constrained constitutionally to include at least one member from each of the 36 states" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held on 25 February 2023); note: the election was scheduled for 16 February 2019, but postponed on 16 February 2019" + "text": "president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held on 25 February 2023)" }, "election results": { "text": "Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 39%, other 8%" @@ -1250,13 +1250,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information varies; approximately 135,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 20,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 15,000 Air Force); est. 80,000 Security and Civil Defense Corps (2021)" + "text": "information varies; approximately 135,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 20,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 15,000 Air Force); est. 80,000 Security and Civil Defense Corps (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Nigerian Armed Forces' inventory consists of a wide variety of imported weapons systems of Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, Russian (including Soviet-era), and US origin; since 2010, Nigeria has undertaken a considerable military modernization program, and has received equipment from some 20 countries with China, Russia, and the US as the leading suppliers; Nigeria is also developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2021)" + "text": "the Nigerian Armed Forces' inventory consists of a wide variety of imported weapons systems of Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, Russian (including Soviet-era), and US origin; since 2010, Nigeria has undertaken a considerable military modernization program, and has received equipment from some 20 countries with China, Russia, and the US as the leading suppliers; Nigeria is also developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); no conscription (2021)" + "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); no conscription (2022)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "200 Ghana (ECOMIG) (2022)", @@ -1277,11 +1277,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phaseout of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved

" + "text": "

Nigeria-Benin: none identified

Nigeria-Cameroon: Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phaseout of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; demarcation of the Bakassi Peninsula and adjoining border areas should be finalized in 2022; as Lake Chad’s evaporation exposed dry land, only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Nigeria-Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea: the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation

Nigeria-Niger: none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "77,878 (Cameroon) (2022)" + "text": "78,077 (Cameroon) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "3,030,544 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2022)" diff --git a/africa/od.json b/africa/od.json index 294160a6..a7b1f23e 100644 --- a/africa/od.json +++ b/africa/od.json @@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to economic downturn, civil insecurity, lingering impact of floods and prolonged conflict - despite sustained humanitarian assistance, food insecurity still affects large segments of the population, driven by insufficient food supplies, an economic downturn, high food prices and the lingering impact of widespread floods in 2020; particular concern exists for households in Jonglei, Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal and Warrap states, and in neighbouring Pibor Administrative Area, where 60-85% of the population were estimated to be severely food insecure (2022)" + "text": "due to economic downturn, civil insecurity, lingering impact of floods and prolonged conflict - despite sustained humanitarian assistance, food insecurity still affects large segments of the population, driven by insufficient food supplies, an economic downturn, high food prices and the lingering impact of widespread floods in 2020; particular concern exists for households in Jonglei, Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal and Warrap states, and in neighbouring Pibor Administrative Area, where 60-85% of the population were estimated to be severely food insecure (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission Jon F. DANILOWICZ (since September 2020)
" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William FLENS (since 4 June 2022)
" }, "embassy": { "text": "Kololo Road adjacent to the EU's compound, Juba" @@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ "text": "311,819 (Sudan), 18,407 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "1,436,000 (alleged coup attempt and ethnic conflict beginning in December 2013; information is lacking on those displaced in earlier years by: fighting in Abyei between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in May 2011; clashes between the SPLA and dissident militia groups in South Sudan; inter-ethnic conflicts over resources and cattle; attacks from the Lord's Resistance Army; floods and drought) (2020)" + "text": "2,017,236 (alleged coup attempt and ethnic conflict beginning in December 2013; information is lacking on those displaced in earlier years by: fighting in Abyei between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in May 2011; clashes between the SPLA and dissident militia groups in South Sudan; inter-ethnic conflicts over resources and cattle; attacks from the Lord's Resistance Army; floods and drought) (2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "10,000 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/africa/pu.json b/africa/pu.json index 5d7acd6e..6aeb2ccb 100644 --- a/africa/pu.json +++ b/africa/pu.json @@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Umaro Sissoko EMBALO (since 27 February 2020); note - President EMBALO was declared winner of the 29 December 2019 runoff presidential election by the electoral commission. In late February 2020, Embalo inaugurated himself with only military leadership present, even though the Supreme Court of Justice had yet to rule on an electoral litigation appeal lodged by his political rival Domingos Simoes PEREIRA." + "text": "President Umaro Sissoko EMBALO (since 27 February 2020); note - President EMBALO was declared winner of the 29 December 2019 runoff presidential election by the electoral commission. In late February 2020, EMBALO inaugurated himself with only military leadership present, even though the Supreme Court of Justice had yet to rule on an electoral litigation appeal lodged by his political rival Domingos Simoes PEREIRA" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Nuno NABIAM (since 27 February 2020)" @@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "embassy": { - "text": "the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau. U.S. diplomatic representation in Guinea-Bissau is conducted through the U.S. Embassy in Dakar and the Guinea-Bissau Liaison Office located in Bissau." + "text": "the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau; US diplomatic representation in Guinea-Bissau is conducted through the US Embassy in Dakar and the Guinea-Bissau Liaison Office located in Bissau" }, "mailing address": { "text": "2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC  20521-2080" @@ -1069,16 +1069,16 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 4,000 total active troops, including a few hundred air and naval personnel (2021)" + "text": "approximately 4,000 total active troops, including a few hundred air and naval personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FARP is poorly armed with an inventory consisting of Soviet-era equipment, much of which is reportedly unserviceable; the only reported deliveries of military equipment since 2015 were patrol boats from Spain in 2017 and non-lethal equipment from China in 2015; Guinea-Bissau has also discussed acquiring military equipment with Indonesia (2021)" + "text": "the FARP is poorly armed with an inventory consisting of Soviet-era equipment, much of which is reportedly unserviceable; the only reported deliveries of military equipment since 2015 were patrol boats from Spain in 2017 and non-lethal equipment from China in 2015; Guinea-Bissau has also discussed acquiring military equipment with Indonesia (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service (2021)" + "text": "18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service (2022)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "

from 2012-2020, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) deployed a security force to Guinea-Bissau to manage the post-coup transition, including protecting key political figures and public buildings, restoring civil institutions, and re-establishing the rule of law; at the height of the deployment, the force, known as the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), deployed nearly 700 military and police personnel from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal

" + "text": "from 2012-2020, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) deployed a security force to Guinea-Bissau to manage the post-coup transition, including protecting key political figures and public buildings, restoring civil institutions, and re-establishing the rule of law; at the height of the deployment, the force, known as the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), deployed nearly 700 military and police personnel from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal (2022)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/rw.json b/africa/rw.json index 623c7b3a..7bf8de43 100644 --- a/africa/rw.json +++ b/africa/rw.json @@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Peter H. VROOMAN (since 5 April 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Deb MacLEAN (since February 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kaciyiru), P. O. Box 28 Kigali" diff --git a/africa/sg.json b/africa/sg.json index e0d3a0cc..cdb6a225 100644 --- a/africa/sg.json +++ b/africa/sg.json @@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to localized shortfalls in cereal production - about 770,000 people are projected to face severe food insecurity between June and August 2022, reflecting persisting food access constraints; mostly on account of localized shortfalls in cereal production and reduced incomes owing to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)" + "text": "due to localized shortfalls in cereal production - about 770,000 people are projected to face severe food insecurity between June and August 2022, reflecting persisting food access constraints; mostly on account of localized shortfalls in cereal production and reduced incomes owing to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1205,13 +1205,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 19,000 active personnel (12,000 Army; 1,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 1,000 Air Force; 5,000 National Gendarmerie) (2021)" + "text": "approximately 19,000 active personnel (12,000 Army; 1,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 1,000 Air Force; 5,000 National Gendarmerie) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FAS inventory includes mostly older or second-hand equipment from a variety of countries, including France, South Africa, and Russia/former Soviet Union; in recent years, the FAS has undertaken a modernization program; since 2010, it has received newer equipment from nearly 15 countries, with France as the leading supplier (2021)" + "text": "the FAS inventory includes mostly older or second-hand equipment from a variety of countries, including France, South Africa, and Russia/former Soviet Union; in recent years, the FAS has undertaken a modernization program; since 2010, it has received newer equipment from nearly 15 countries, with France as the leading supplier (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); 20 years of age for selective conscript service; 2-year service obligation; women have been accepted into military service since 2008 (2021)" + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); 20 years of age for selective conscript service; 2-year service obligation; women have been accepted into military service since 2008 (2022)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "750 Gambia (ECOMIG); 970 Mali (MINUSMA); note - Senegal also has about 1,100 police deployed on various UN peacekeeping missions (2022)" @@ -1231,10 +1231,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "18,375 (Mauritania) (2022)" + "text": "14,199 (Mauritania) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "8,400 (2020)" + "text": "8,400 (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/sl.json b/africa/sl.json index 2d875d51..5d17b43d 100644 --- a/africa/sl.json +++ b/africa/sl.json @@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to high food prices - about 1.45 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity in the upcoming June to August 2022 period on account of high food prices and low purchasing power, resulting in acute constraints on households’ economic access to food (2022)" + "text": "due to high food prices - about 1.45 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity in the upcoming June to August 2022 period on account of high food prices and low purchasing power, resulting in acute constraints on households’ economic access to food (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ "text": "last held on 7 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - n/a; seats by party - APC 68, SLPP 49, C4C 8, other 7; composition - men 131, women 15, percent of women 10.3%" + "text": "percent of vote by party - n/a; seats by party - APC 68, SLPP 49, C4C 8, other 7; composition - men 128, women 18, percent of women 12.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1136,13 +1136,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) have approximately 9,000 personnel, mostly ground forces (2021)" + "text": "approximately 9,000 personnel, mostly ground forces (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the RSLAF's small inventory includes a mix of Soviet-origin and other older foreign-supplied equipment; since 2010, it has received limited quantities of material (mostly donations of second-hand equipment) from China and South Africa (2021)" + "text": "the RSLAF's small inventory includes a mix of Soviet-origin and other older foreign-supplied equipment; since 2010, it has received limited quantities of material (mostly donations of second-hand equipment) from China and South Africa (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-29 for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve; no conscription (2021)" + "text": "18-29 for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve; no conscription (2022)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "after the end of the civil war in 2002, the military was reduced in size and restructured with British military assistance; the RSLAF’s origins lie in the Sierra Leone Battalion of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Sierra Leone, and Gambia; the RWAFF fought in both World Wars (2022)" @@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "5,500 (displacement caused by post-electoral violence in 2018 and clashes in the Pujehun region in 2019) (2020)" + "text": "5,500 (displacement caused by post-electoral violence in 2018 and clashes in the Pujehun region in 2019) (2021)" } } } diff --git a/africa/so.json b/africa/so.json index 5307ad7c..2b3ca666 100644 --- a/africa/so.json +++ b/africa/so.json @@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies": { - "text": "due to drought conditions and internal conflict - an estimated 4.15 million people are facing severe food insecurity between February and March 2022, mainly as a result of consecutive poor rainy seasons since late 2020, which severely affected crop and livestock production, and due to heightened conflict since early 2021; two consecutive poor rainy seasons resulted in significant crop and livestock production shortfalls, while food access has been severely affected in recent months by declining employment opportunities in rural areas and by the escalation of conflict (2022)" + "text": "due to drought conditions and internal conflict - an estimated 4.15 million people are facing severe food insecurity between February and March 2022, mainly as a result of consecutive poor rainy seasons since late 2020, which severely affected crop and livestock production, and due to heightened conflict since early 2021; two consecutive poor rainy seasons resulted in significant crop and livestock production shortfalls, while food access has been severely affected in recent months by declining employment opportunities in rural areas and by the escalation of conflict (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -538,13 +538,13 @@ "text": "President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (since 23 May 2022)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein ROBLE (since 27 September 2020)" + "text": "Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein ROBLE (since 27 September 2020); note - President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud nominated Hamza Abdi BARRE on 15 June 2022 to replace ROBLE as Prime Minister but the nomination awaits Somali Federal Parliament approval" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the House of the People" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament by two-thirds majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 15 May 2022; prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People; note - elections were originally scheduled for 10 October 2021 but did not take place; on 13 April 2022, the election of the House of the People representatives was completed and the presidential election date was set for 15 May" + "text": "president indirectly elected by the President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud by two-thirds majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 15 May 2022; prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People; note - elections were originally scheduled for 10 October 2021 but did not take place; on 13 April 2022, the election of the House of the People representatives was completed and the presidential election date was set for 15 May" }, "election results": { "text": "
2022: an indirect election by Somalia's Federal Parliament was held on 15 May 2022 resulting in the defeat of former president Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed \"Farmaajo\"; HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud elected president in third round - Federal Parliament third round vote - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 214, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed \"Farmaajo\" (TPP) 110

2017: Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed \"Farmaajo\" elected president in second round; Federal Parliament second round vote - Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed \"Farmaajo\" (TPP) 184, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 97, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (ARS) 46" @@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscription is authorized, but not currently utilized (2021)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "

as of 2022, large parts of the country remained outside government control and under the control of the insurgent Islamist group al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab contested government control in some other areas (see Appendix T)

as of 2022, a significant portion of the SNA was comprised of militia forces that lacked the discipline, structure, weapons, and overall capabilities for effective military operations; of the SNA’s approximately 13 brigades, the most effective were assessed to be the US-trained Danab (\"Lightning\") Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor (\"Eagle\") Special Division; in 2020-2021, the Danab Brigade conducted most of the SNA’s offensive operations in Somalia and nearly all counterterrorism operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of 2021, it numbered about 1,000 troops with an eventual projected strength of 3,000, while the Gorgor Division was estimated to have 4,500-5,000 trained troops

the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has operated in the country with the approval of the UN since 2007; its peacekeeping mission includes assisting Somali forces in providing security for a stable political process, enabling the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and reducing the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups; as of early 2022, AMISOM had about 20,000 military troops from six African countries deployed in Somalia; note - as of April 2022, the UN Security Council had authorized the African Union (AU) to reconfigure AMISOM and replace it with the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS); the ATMIS mission is to support the Somalia Federal Government (FGS) in implementing the security objectives of the FGS's security transition plan, a comprehensive strategy developed by the FGS and its international partners to gradually transfer security responsibilities from AMISOM to Somali security forces

UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM; established 2013) is mandated by the Security Council to work with the FGS to support national reconciliation, provide advice on peace-building and state-building, monitor the human rights situation, and help coordinate the efforts of the international community

the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS; established 2015) is responsible for providing logistical field support to AMISOM, UNSOM, the Somali National Army, and the Somali Police Force on joint operations with AMISOM

the European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S) has operated in the country since 2010; the EUTM provides advice and training to the Somali military; the US and Turkey maintain separate unilateral military training missions in Somalia; the UAE also maintains a military presence in Somalia (Somaliland)" + "text": "

as of 2022, large parts of the country remained outside government control and under the control of the insurgent Islamist group al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab contested government control in some other areas (see Appendix T)

as of 2022, a significant portion of the SNA was comprised of militia forces that lacked the discipline, structure, weapons, and overall capabilities for effective military operations; of the SNA’s approximately 13 brigades, the most effective were assessed to be the US-trained Danab (\"Lightning\") Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor (\"Eagle\") Special Division; in 2020-2021, the Danab Brigade conducted most of the SNA’s offensive operations in Somalia and nearly all counterterrorism operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of 2021, it numbered about 1,000 troops with an eventual projected strength of 3,000, while the Gorgor Division was estimated to have 4,500-5,000 trained troops

the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) operated in the country with the approval of the UN from 2007-2022; its peacekeeping mission included assisting Somali forces in providing security for a stable political process, enabling the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and reducing the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups; in May 2022, AMISOM was reconfigured and replaced with the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS); the ATMIS mission is to support the Somalia Federal Government (FGS) in implementing the security objectives of the FGS's security transition plan, a comprehensive strategy developed by the FGS and its international partners to gradually transfer security responsibilities from ATMIS to Somali security forces; ATMIS is projected to gradually reduce staffing from its 2022 level of about 20,000 personnel (civilians, military, and police) to zero by the end of 2024 

UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM; established 2013) is mandated by the Security Council to work with the FGS to support national reconciliation, provide advice on peace-building and state-building, monitor the human rights situation, and help coordinate the efforts of the international community

the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS; established 2015) is responsible for providing logistical field support to AMISOM, UNSOM, the Somali National Army, and the Somali Police Force on joint operations with AMISOM

the European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S) has operated in the country since 2010; the EUTM provides advice and training to the Somali military; the US and Turkey maintain separate unilateral military training missions in Somalia; the UAE also maintains a military presence in Somalia (Somaliland)" }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center (PRC) received one incident of piracy and armed robbery in 2021 for the Horn of Africa; while there were no recorded incidents, the IMB PRC warns that Somalia pirates continue to possess the capacity to carry out attacks in the Somali basin and wider Indian Ocean; in particular, the report warns that, \"Masters and crew must remain vigilant and cautious when transiting these waters.\"; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022; naval units from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the US, and other countries also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa

" diff --git a/africa/su.json b/africa/su.json index 0b6fc279..29a649db 100644 --- a/africa/su.json +++ b/africa/su.json @@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to conflict, civil insecurity, and soaring food prices - the number of severely food insecure people was estimated at 6 million between October 2021 and February 2022, mainly due to high food prices and inter-communal conflict (2022)" + "text": "due to conflict, civil insecurity, and soaring food prices - the number of severely food insecure people was estimated at 6 million between October 2021 and February 2022, mainly due to high food prices and inter-communal conflict (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1210,10 +1210,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "805,989 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 128,996 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 93,482 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 73,335 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 28,033 (Central African Republic) (2022)" + "text": "805,989 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 130,379 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 93,480 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 72,555 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 28,033 (Central African Republic) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "2,276,000 (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region; government and rebel fighting along South Sudan border; inter-tribal clashes) (2020)" + "text": "3,036,593 (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region; government and rebel fighting along South Sudan border; inter-tribal clashes) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/to.json b/africa/to.json index edcba964..250bc9fe 100644 --- a/africa/to.json +++ b/africa/to.json @@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Eric W. STROHMAYER (since 11 April 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Elizabeth FITZSIMMONS (since 26 April 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Boulevard Eyadema, B.P. 852, Lome" @@ -1164,8 +1164,8 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army (l'Armee de Terre), Togolese Navy (Forces Naval Togolaises), Togolese Air Force (Armee de l’Air), National Gendarmerie (2022)", - "note": "note - the Gendarmerie falls under the Ministry of the Armed Forces but also reports to the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection on many matters involving law enforcement and internal security" + "text": "Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army (l'Armee de Terre), Togolese Navy (Forces Naval Togolaises), Togolese Air Force (Armee de l’Air), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale Togolaise or GNT) (2022)", + "note": "note - the GNT falls under the Ministry of the Armed Forces but also reports to the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection on many matters involving law enforcement and internal security" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { @@ -1185,13 +1185,14 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 9,000 personnel, including about 8,000 Army (2021)" + "text": "approximately 10-11,000 personnel (7,000 Army; 500 Air and Navy; 3,000 Gendarmerie) (2022)", + "note": "note - in January 2022, the Togolese Government announced its intent to boost the size of the FAT to more than 20,000 by 2025" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FAT's small inventory is a mix of older equipment from a variety of countries, including Brazil, France, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of newer--largely secondhand--equipment, such as patrol boats, from China, France, South Africa, and the US (2021)" + "text": "the FAT's small inventory is a mix of older equipment from a variety of countries, including Brazil, France, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of newer--largely secondhand--equipment, such as patrol boats, from China, France, South Africa, and the US (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for military service; 2-year service obligation; no conscription; women have been able to serve since 2007 (2021)" + "text": "18 years of age for military service; 2-year service obligation; no conscription; women have been able to serve since 2007 (2022)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "730 (plus about 300 police) Mali (MINUSMA) (Feb 2022)" diff --git a/africa/ts.json b/africa/ts.json index 31c411d2..1991b4c8 100644 --- a/africa/ts.json +++ b/africa/ts.json @@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Donald A. BLOME (since 7 February 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Natasha FRANCESCHI (since April 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis" diff --git a/africa/tz.json b/africa/tz.json index d0f4caf5..81cc93fb 100644 --- a/africa/tz.json +++ b/africa/tz.json @@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to localized shortfalls in staple food production - about 437,000 people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance between November 2021 and April 2022, mainly located in northeastern Mara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions, reflecting a reduced “Vuli” harvest due to poor rains (2022)" + "text": "due to localized shortfalls in staple food production - about 437,000 people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance between November 2021 and April 2022, mainly located in northeastern Mara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions, reflecting a reduced “Vuli” harvest due to poor rains (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1256,7 +1256,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "127,104 (Burundi), 80,599 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2022)" + "text": "127,330 (Burundi), 80,599 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/ug.json b/africa/ug.json index 2efb10ac..06eab09e 100644 --- a/africa/ug.json +++ b/africa/ug.json @@ -1222,7 +1222,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "951,713 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 462,120 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 42,036 (Burundi), 56,894 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 25,915 (Rwanda), 22,505 (Eritrea) (2022)" + "text": "938,138 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 462,120 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 41,766 (Burundi), 56,894 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 25,915 (Rwanda), 22,505 (Eritrea) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/uv.json b/africa/uv.json index 1d411806..bf2349b2 100644 --- a/africa/uv.json +++ b/africa/uv.json @@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to civil insecurity in the north - in the upcoming peak of the lean season, between June and August 2022, 2.6 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity; domestic cereal production in 2021 was estimated at a below-average level due to effects of adverse weather and the civil conflict, further aggravating conditions; in Centre-Nord and Sahel regions, insecurity continues to cause population displacements, further deteriorating the food security situation; a coup d’état on January 2022 is an additional factor that could increase civil insecurity and further stress food insecurity conditions (2022)" + "text": "due to civil insecurity in the north - in the upcoming peak of the lean season, between June and August 2022, 2.6 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity; domestic cereal production in 2021 was estimated at a below-average level due to effects of adverse weather and the civil conflict, further aggravating conditions; in Centre-Nord and Sahel regions, insecurity continues to cause population displacements, further deteriorating the food security situation; a coup d’état on January 2022 is an additional factor that could increase civil insecurity and further stress food insecurity conditions (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Burkina Faso’s telecom services are some of the most expensive in the world, hindered by regulatory procedures, insufficient mobile spectrum, poor fixed-line networks; mobile telephony but below African average; Internet is provided by mobile operators; Internet penetration is low and expensive, despite improved international bandwidth via fiber links through submarine cables to adjacent countries; increased telecom tax; government infrastructure project largely completed; parliament launched inquiry on mobile network infrastructure coverage, pricing of services, and quality of service; government began computer subsidy program for university students; government progressed with large project to provide metropolitan fiber-optic infrastructure (2020)" + "text": "Burkina Faso’s telecom sector in recent years has made some gains in providing the necessary infrastructure and bandwidth to support telecom services; an IXP completed in September 2020 increased international bandwidth capacity by a third, while in mid-2021 the government was able to start the second phase of a national fiber backbone project; this will link the capital city to an addition 145 municipalities, and provide additional connectivity to terrestrial cables in neighboring countries; this new infrastructure is also making it possible for the government to trial tele medicine, and so address the very poor availability of medical services in almost all parts of the country; the activities of the militants in side areas of the country jeopardize overall security, and render it difficult for the telcos to safeguard their networks and equipment; Burkina Faso joins G5 Sahel countries to eliminate roaming fees (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage nearly 106 per 100, with multiple providers there is competition and the hope for growth from a low base; Internet penetration is 16% (2020)" @@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ "note": "note - Burkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "including the most recent in January 2022, the military has conducted 7 coups since 1960; as of 2022, the military was also actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS, particularly in the northern and eastern regions; in the north, the terrorist groups Ansarul Islam and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) have exploited ethnic tensions and perceptions of state neglect, as well as grievances over corruption, patronage politics, social stratification, and land disputes; the east is reportedly a stronghold of the Islamic State-Greater Sahara (ISGS) (2022)" + "text": "including the most recent in January 2022, the military has conducted 7 coups since 1960; as of 2022, the military was also actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS, particularly in the northern and eastern regions; in the north, the terrorist groups Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has exploited ethnic tensions and perceptions of state neglect, as well as grievances over corruption, patronage politics, social stratification, and land disputes; the east is reportedly a stronghold of the Islamic State-Greater Sahara (ISGS) (2022)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/wa.json b/africa/wa.json index 3da1e4c0..f5c106d9 100644 --- a/africa/wa.json +++ b/africa/wa.json @@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to localized shortfalls in cereal production - an estimated 750,000 people are projected to face \"Crisis\" levels of food insecurity between December 2021 and March 2022, as a result of localized areas that suffered from poor harvests in 2021 and the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily through income and job losses that constrained households’ access to food (2022)" + "text": "due to localized shortfalls in cereal production - an estimated 750,000 people are projected to face \"Crisis\" levels of food insecurity between December 2021 and March 2022, as a result of localized areas that suffered from poor harvests in 2021 and the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily through income and job losses that constrained households’ access to food (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1203,7 +1203,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Namibia-Angola: None identified

" + "text": "

Namibia-Angola-Botswana: concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border

Namibia-Botswana-Zambia-Zimbabwe: Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; the Kazungula Bridge opened to traffic in May 2021

Namibia-South Africa: the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River; Namibia claims a median line boundary, while South Africa supports the northern bank of the river

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/africa/wz.json b/africa/wz.json index 73083afc..8094cfbd 100644 --- a/africa/wz.json +++ b/africa/wz.json @@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to economic downturn - nearly 336,000 people were assessed to be food insecure at least until March 2022, prior to the main harvest period, primarily due to food access constraints, underpinned by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy (2022)" + "text": "due to economic downturn - nearly 336,000 people were assessed to be food insecure at least until March 2022, prior to the main harvest period, primarily due to food access constraints, underpinned by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "earlier government monopoly in telecom market hindered growth; liberalized regulators aided expansion in the telecom sector; lack of fixed-line infrastructure and competition stymies development of DSL and backbone network; 2G, 3G, 4G, and LTE services with coverage to most of the population; landlocked country depends on neighbors for international bandwidth; operator completed terrestrial cable linking Maputo through Eswatini to Johannesburg; importer of broadcasting equipment from South Africa (2019)" + "text": "Eswatini (or eSwatini) was one of the last countries in the world to open up its telecom market to competition; until 2011 the state-owned Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications also acted as the industry regulator and had a stake in the country’s sole mobile network, in an uneasy partnership with MTN Eswatini; a new independent regulatory authority was established in late 2013 and has since embarked on significant changes to the sector;  Eswatini Telecom was provided with a unified license in early 2016, while MTN Eswatini secured spectrum in the 1800MHz band to provide LTE services; Eswatini Mobile has launched GSM, 3G and LTE services, supported by a network sharing agreement with MTN Eswatini; mobile market subscriptions have been affected by the common use among subscribers when they use SIM cards from different networks in order to access cheaper on-net calls; subscriber growth has slowed in recent years, but was expected to have reached 8% in 2021, as people adapted to the changing needs for connectivity caused by the pandemic; the internet sector has been open to competition with a small number of licensed ISPs; DSL services were introduced in 2008, development of the sector has been hampered by the limited fixed-line infrastructure and by a lack of competition in the access and backbone networks; Eswatini is landlocked and so depends on neighboring countries for international bandwidth; this has meant that access pricing is relatively high, and market subscriptions remains relatively low; prices have fallen recently in line with greater bandwidth availability resulting from several new submarine cable systems which have reached the region in recent years; in addition, Paratus in September 2020 completed a terrestrial cable linking Mozambique with Eswatini and South Africa. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "Eswatini has 2 mobile-cellular providers; communication infrastructure has a geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscriber base; fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 94 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay (2019)" diff --git a/africa/za.json b/africa/za.json index 9dba51df..f454dd36 100644 --- a/africa/za.json +++ b/africa/za.json @@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to reduced incomes and localized shortfalls in cereal production - an estimated 1.58 million people are projected to need humanitarian assistance at least up until March 2022, down from 2 million assessed to be food insecure in the corresponding period in 2020/21; the overall large national agricultural output in 2021 helped to reduce the prevalence of food insecurity in early 2022, however, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have constrained households’ economic access to food as well as localized shortfalls in crop production, have limited a larger improvement (2022)" + "text": "due to reduced incomes and localized shortfalls in cereal production - an estimated 1.58 million people are projected to need humanitarian assistance at least up until March 2022, down from 2 million assessed to be food insecure in the corresponding period in 2020/21; the overall large national agricultural output in 2021 helped to reduce the prevalence of food insecurity in early 2022, however, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have constrained households’ economic access to food as well as localized shortfalls in crop production, have limited a larger improvement (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David J. YOUNG (since 2 March 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Martin \"Marty\" DALE (since 2 November 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka" diff --git a/africa/zi.json b/africa/zi.json index bd079fc0..46bb8877 100644 --- a/africa/zi.json +++ b/africa/zi.json @@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to high food prices and economic downturn - an estimated 3 million people are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance between January and March 2022, largely on account of poor food access due to prevailing high food prices and reduced incomes owing to the effects of an economic downturn; below-average rainfall and extreme weather events in 2021/22 are likely to result in a decrease in cereal production and heighten food insecurity later in 2022 (2022)" + "text": "due to high food prices and economic downturn - an estimated 3 million people are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance between January and March 2022, largely on account of poor food access due to prevailing high food prices and reduced incomes owing to the effects of an economic downturn; below-average rainfall and extreme weather events in 2021/22 are likely to result in a decrease in cereal production and heighten food insecurity later in 2022 (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Thomas R. HASTINGS (since August 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Thomas R. HASTINGS (since August 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare" diff --git a/australia-oceania/as.json b/australia-oceania/as.json index f2ff3659..d113e0d1 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/as.json +++ b/australia-oceania/as.json @@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "excellent domestic and international service with comprehensive population coverage through LTE; domestic satellite system; rapid growth of mobile and fixed-wireless broadband services through multi-technology architecture; emphasis on new technologies; diminished fixed-line market due to mobile and mobile broadband; in fixed broadband, shift to fiber networks through infrastructure build out; mobile network operators continue to work towards the launch of 5G; predicted to be one of the top markets driving the growth of 5G and data markets in Asia; fiber backbone to connect with submarine cables; Oman-Australia cable is estimated to be in service by mid-2022; two of Australia's major imports are broadcast equipment and computers from China (2021)" + "text": "the Australian telecom market since 2020 has been impacted by the pandemic, which forced many people to school and work from home and thus adopt fixed-line broadband services; internet traffic, both fixed and mobile, increased substantially as a result; in the fixed sector, there is an ongoing migration from copper-based platforms to fiber; NBN Co increased the number of premises migrated from hybrid fiber/copper infrastructure to FttP; by the end of 2023 NBN Co is expected to deliver a 1Gb/s service across 75% of its fixed-line network; the extension of fixed wireless access will mean that up to 120,000 premises currently dependent on satellite broadband will be able to access 5G-based fixed services; the fixed-line market has been falling steadily over the past five years; in the Australian fixed broadband market, there is a dynamic shift among customers to fiber networks; this infrastructure is being built out by NBN Co (also known as nbn), the company responsible for deploying the national broadband network, which is based on a multi-technology mix including VDSL, fibre, HFC, fixed wireless, and satellite; the DSL sector is steadily shrinking as customers are migrated to the NBN, while subscribers on HFC infrastructure will continue to be provided by existing cable within the NBN’s multi-technology mix, with a steady migration to full fiber connectivity; the mobile market is dominated by the three MNOs Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom; these offer LTE services on a wholesale basis, thus encouraging growth in the LTE sector, while also deploying services based on 5G; Optus and (since mid-2022) Telstra provide 5G access to their MVNOs. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 24 per 100 fixed-line and 108 per 100 mobile-cellular; more subscribers to mobile services than there are people; 90% of all mobile device sales are now smartphones, growth in mobile traffic brisk (2020)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/fj.json b/australia-oceania/fj.json index b731713d..4b72338f 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fj.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fj.json @@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Fiji has a relatively sophisticated communications infrastructure with the highest mobile and Internet penetration in the Pacific Islands; aggressively developing LTE and 5G, though the pandemic negatively affected the economy, largely reliant on tourism; population is spread across more than 100 islands, yet most live on two main islands, with communications based on link by a submarine cable system; cables provide a secure link during natural disasters, protecting telecom connectivity; provider plans to expand fiber infrastructure to remote islands (2020)" + "text": "Fiji is the leading market to watch in terms of both LTE and 5G development in the region; the market boasts relatively sophisticated, advanced digital infrastructure, with telcos’ heavy investment resulting in the country having the highest mobile and internet subscriptions in the Pacific Islands region; LTE, LTE-A, and fiber technologies have received the most investment by the Fijian mobile operators, which include Digicel Fiji, Vodafone Fiji, and Telecom Fiji. Notably, LTE now accounts for the largest share of connections in the mobile segment; concentrating on the more highly populated areas, the operators are preparing for the next growth area of high-speed data; they also have 5G in mind, and are preparing their networks to be 5G-ready, anticipating an easier migration to the technology based on the relatively high LTE subscription rate; the sale of Digicel to Telstra also passed a major hurdle when the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission approved the transaction in March 2022; Fiji presents a challenging geographic environment for infrastructure development due to its population being spread across more than 100 islands; the majority of Fijians live on the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu; in July 2018, the two islands were linked by the Savusavu submarine cable system, which provides a more secure link in times of emergency weather events such as the regular tropical cyclones that often cause massive destruction to the area, including destroying essential infrastructure such as electricity and telecommunications equipment; notably, the December 2021 eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano in Tonga damaged the Tonga Cable which connects Fiji, and Tonga blocking the latter off from internet services; cable theft and damage of critical communications infrastructure has also become a concern in Fiji, prompting authorities to establish a joint task force to tackle the issue. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line nearly 9 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 118 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/fm.json b/australia-oceania/fm.json index b43c2035..8d350116 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fm.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fm.json @@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "major consumer of cannabis" diff --git a/australia-oceania/fp.json b/australia-oceania/fp.json index ecbccba7..8663787d 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fp.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fp.json @@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "French Polynesia has one of the most advanced telecom infrastructures in the Pacific islands; high penetration of mobile broadband coverage; almost half of mobile connections on 3G, growing subscribership to 4G LTE; universal mobile penetration; host of uplink systems for the Galileo satellite network, creating hub for communications in the region and vastly improving international connectivity; submarine cable connections increase international bandwidth; additional domestic submarine cable will connect remote islands (2020)" + "text": "French Polynesia has one of the most advanced telecoms infrastructures in the Pacific Islands region; the remoteness of the country with its scattering of 130 islands and atolls has made connectivity vital for its inhabitants; Office des Postes et Télécommunications is the primary provider of domestic telecom services, mobile telephony, and internet services, while its subsidiary, Tahiti Nui Telecommunications, provides international voice services and manages the submarine cable infrastructure; the first submarine cable was deployed in 2010 and since then additional cables have been connected to the islands, vastly improving French Polynesia’s international connectivity; an additional domestic submarine cable, the Natitua Sud, will connect more remote islands by the end of 2022; French Polynesia is also a hub for satellite communications in the region; it hosts one of the up link systems of the Galileo satellite network, the Kacific-1 satellite and the Intelsat satellite network, for example; with improved international connectivity, fixed broadband subscriptions have become the highest in the region; a considerable number of consumers access FttP-based services; with the first data center in French Polynesia on the cards, the quality and price of broadband services is expected to improve as content will be able to be cached locally, reducing costs for consumers; for 2022, fixed broadband subscriptions reached an estimated 22%; about 43% of the country’s mobile connections are on 3G networks, while LTE accounts for 12%; by 2025, LTE is expected to account for more than half of all connections; it is also estimated that 77% of mobile subscribers will have smart phones by 2025. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscriptions nearly 22 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular density is roughly 104 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/gq.json b/australia-oceania/gq.json index 6033443f..24f9e3f4 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/gq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/gq.json @@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers (2020)" + "text": "Guam’s telecommunications companies provide important services that allow other businesses on island to operate; Guam plays a larger, and growing role, in global telecommunications infrastructure, the submarine fiber optic cables that land on Guam benefit island residents and the local economy; in the Asia-Pacific region the demand for 4G, 5G, and broadband access is rapidly increasing; Echo and Bifrost will support further growth for hundreds of millions of people and millions of businesses; the 11 submarine cables that currently land on Guam, connecting the U.S. to the Asia-Pacific region, are some of the more than 400 cables that are the backbone of global telecommunications, providing nearly all of the world’s internet and phone service. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "three major companies provide both fixed-line and mobile services, as well as access to the Internet; fixed-line subscriptions in 2018 were 42 per 100 and 62 per 100 mobile-cellular subscriptions in 2004 (2019)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/kr.json b/australia-oceania/kr.json index ffec67c1..de987902 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/kr.json +++ b/australia-oceania/kr.json @@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/australia-oceania/nc.json b/australia-oceania/nc.json index 819e7b79..176fec38 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nc.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nc.json @@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

" + "text": "

New Caledonia-France-Vanuatu: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/australia-oceania/ne.json b/australia-oceania/ne.json index 9ad1fe52..244f7949 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/ne.json +++ b/australia-oceania/ne.json @@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/australia-oceania/nf.json b/australia-oceania/nf.json index 329861ef..a744793b 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nf.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nf.json @@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/australia-oceania/nr.json b/australia-oceania/nr.json index e50adfac..0f14587c 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nr.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nr.json @@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/nz.json b/australia-oceania/nz.json index 657e3fc0..51ca4fd0 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nz.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nz.json @@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Tom S. UDALL (since 1 December 2021) note - also accredited to Samoa" + "text": "Ambassador Thomas Stewart UDALL (since 1 December 2021) note - also accredited to Samoa" }, "embassy": { "text": "29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011" @@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

" + "text": "

New Zealand-Antarctica: asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "significant consumer of amphetamines" diff --git a/australia-oceania/rm.json b/australia-oceania/rm.json index e9f6d33b..07ad6c26 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/rm.json +++ b/australia-oceania/rm.json @@ -1062,7 +1062,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

claims US territory of Wake Island

" + "text": "

Marshall Islands-US: claims US territory of Wake Island; the Marshall Islands put its claim on record with the UN in 2016

 

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json index 8d0ba25e..88c5738b 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json @@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Accion21 [Miguel MANSUR]
Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel \"Mike\" EMAN]
Democratic Electoral Network or RED [L.R. CROES]
Movimiento Aruba Soberano or MAS [Marisol LOPEZ-TROMP]
People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]
Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [Alan HOWELL]
RAIZ (ROOTS) [Ursell ARENDS]" + "text": "Accion21 [Miguel MANSUR]
Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel \"Mike\" EMAN]
Democratic Electoral Network or RED [L.R. CROES]
Movimiento Aruba Soberano or MAS [Marisol LOPEZ-TROMP]
People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]
Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [Alan Howell]
RAIZ (ROOTS) [Ursell ARENDS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU" @@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "modern fully automatic telecommunications system; increased competition through privatization has increased mobile-cellular teledensity; three mobile-cellular service providers are now licensed; MNO (mobile network operator) launched island-wide LTE services; MNP (mobile number portability) introduced (2018)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "ongoing changes in regulations and competition improving teledensity; approximately 34 per 100 fixed-line and 135 per 100 mobile-cellular (2018)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json index 30391731..1c65a268 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json @@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "good automatic telephone system with fiber-optic lines; telecom sector contributes heavily to GDP; numerous mobile network competitors licensed, but small and local; govt. to spend EC80 million in 2019 to improve state-owned telecom market competitiveness; legislative amendments extend jurisdiction of its telecom regulator in Barbuda to include mobile services (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is about 193 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json index 463c3c52..7ee671dd 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json @@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "modern internal telephone system with fiber-optic trunk lines; telecom sector provides a relatively high contribution to overall GDP; numerous competitors licensed, but small and localized; major growth sectors include the mobile telephony and data segments (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity is about 42 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 182 per 100 persons (2018)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json index 080977f2..b3f25e03 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json @@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "island-wide automatic telephone system; telecom sector across the Caribbean region remains one of the key growth areas and contributors to the overall GDP; numerous competitors licensed, but small and localized (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity of roughly 45 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density about 115 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json index b60ef6ad..5b6cab3b 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json @@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "the telecom sector across the Caribbean continues to be a growth area, contributing to the country's overall GDP; totally automatic system; highly developed; operators focus investment on mobile networks; the activation of (mobile number portability) MNP in April 2017, allowing mobile subscribers to port their numbers between competing MNO (mobile network operators) has contributed to the competition and liberalization of the market (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "23 per 100 fixed-line, 109 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json index 739878b4..dae928de 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json @@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Leyla MOSES-ONES(since August 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Leyla MOSES-ONES (since August 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo" @@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Belize’s fixed-line tele-density and mobile penetration is lower than average for the region, due to insufficient competition, underinvestment in services, and lax standards; mobile accounts for 90% of all phones; operator aims to provide cheaper prices and customer retention through investment in broadband to over 80% of premises and LTE infrastructure; operator launched safe cities project to fight crime; government distributed tablets to students to promote e-learning; submarine cable to Ambergris Caye enables FttP service in San Pedro; importer of broadcast equipment from the United States (2020)" + "text": "Belize’s fixed-line teledensity and mobile subscriptions remain lower than average for the region, a legacy of insufficient market competition and low investment in telecoms services, exacerbated by lax managerial standards within the incumbent telco Digi; Digi has undertaken significant investment in infrastructure, launching an LTE-A service at the end of 2016 and in mid-2017 completing a submarine cable to Ambergris Caye, enabling it to launch an FttP service in San Pedro; loans secured since 2017 enabled the company to migrate its infrastructure from legacy copper to fiber; BTL invested BZ$93 million dollars to provide high speed broadband to 80% of residences across Belize; the telecom market was liberalized in 2003 yet Digi continues to hold a monopoly in fixed-line services, and it remains the dominant provider of mobile and broadband services; the government has undertaken some measures to improve competition, notably by obliging Digi in mid-2013 to open its networks to VoIP services. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 5 per 100 fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of 65 per 100 persons; mobile sector accounting for over 90% of all phone subscriptions (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bq.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bq.json index 52b2a369..e45dd9c5 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bq.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bq.json @@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

" + "text": "

Navassa Island (US)-Haiti: claimed by Haiti and is in Haiti’s constitution; the waters around Navassa island are a source of subsistence for Haitian fishermen

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json index 2e5b9766..c701a360 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json @@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "reasonably good overall telephone system with a high fixed-line teledensity; given the high dependence of tourism and activities such as fisheries and offshore financial services, the telecom sector provides a relatively high contribution to overall GDP; good competition in all sectors promotes advancement in mobile telephony and data segments (2017)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004 boosted subscriptions; nearly 55 per 100 fixed-line and 153 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json index b2368979..8386c3d4 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json @@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Costa Rica has broad telecom coverage though geographical distribution of digital service is unequal; recent regulator liberalization spurred expansion in all sectors; broadband market is the most advanced and highest penetration in Central America yet lags behind many South American countries; operators investing in NGN technology; number portability and cheaper broadband costs will increase competition; government aims to subsidize tele-health and e-learning (2018)" + "text": "in Aug 2021 Liberty Latin America (LLA) completed its acquisition of Telefónica Costa Rica (Movistar) — Costa Rica’s second-largest mobile network operator — for around $505 million; the deal followed on the heels of the failure of Millicom to buy Movistar earlier in the year, at a higher price; LLA’s local unit Cabletica will be able to combine its fixed telecom services with Movistar’s mobile offerings; a rebranding exercise is anticipated in 2022, with the Movistar brand likely to be phased out; the fixed broadband market is one of the few parts of Costa Rica’s telecom sector to experience solid growth in recent years, both in size and revenue; the country’s fiber network expanded by 56% in 2020, reaching about 176,200km; fixed-line broadband traffic volume also increased by more than 30%, year-on-year;  other areas of the market have proven relatively lack luster, with slow or even negative growth; ome of this can be attributed to the economic and social impacts of the pandemic, but the fixed-line and mobile sectors have both been struggling to produce decent results since well before the start of the crisis; the rollout of 5G network infrastructure in Costa Rica is unlikely to occur to any scale before 2023, but this may be one of the few remaining areas of opportunity open to investors outside of fixed-line internet and pay TV services.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 11 per 100 fixed-line and 148 per 100 mobile-cellular; point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available (2020)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json index 4f7854b1..7e318751 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json @@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "internet availability has increased substantially over the past few years, but only about 64 percent of Cubans have Internet access, and even fewer Cubans--about 60 percent of the population--have access to cell phone service; in 2021 the Cuban Government passed a decree that strengthened its authority to censor Internet and telephonic communications; state control of the telecom sector hinders development; Cuba has the lowest mobile phone and Internet penetration rates in the region; fixed-line density is also very low; thaw of US-Cuba relations encouraged access to services, such as Wi-Fi hotspots; access to sites is controlled and censored; DSL and Internet are available in Havana, though costs are too high for most Cubans; international investment and agreement to improve Internet access through cost-free and direct connection between networks (2021)" + "text": "internet availability has increased substantially over the past few years, but only about 64 percent of Cubans have Internet access, and even fewer Cubans--about 60 percent of the population--have access to cell phone service; in 2021 the Cuban Government passed a decree that strengthened its authority to censor Internet and telephonic communications; state control of the telecom sector hinders development; Cuba has the lowest mobile phone and Internet subscription rates in the region; fixed-line density is also very low; thaw of US-Cuba relations encouraged access to services, such as Wi-Fi hot spots; access to sites is controlled and censored; DSL and Internet are available in Havana, though costs are too high for most Cubans; international investment and agreement to improve Internet access through cost-free and direct connection between networks (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line density remains low at a little over 13 per 100 inhabitants; mobile-cellular service has expanded to about 59 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json index eadbdc1b..5577bd9d 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json @@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "fully automatic network; there are multiple competing operators licensed to provide services, most of them are small and localized; the telecom sector across the Caribbean region remains one of the key growth areas (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections continue to decline slowly with only two active operators providing about 4 fixed-line connections per 100 persons; subscribership among the three mobile-cellular providers is about 105 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json index d5d77d01..2576dccf 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json @@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "the Dominican Republic’s fixed-line tele-density is well below the Latin American average due to lack of infrastructure; distribution of telephony services is proportionate to income inequalities; small, localized operators provide services; telecom and mobile broadband growing with LTE available to most of the population; government program aims for universal access to broadband services, and development of a national backbone; 5G launch anticipated in 2021 (2020)" + "text": "the Dominican Republic’s telecom sector continued its solid form throughout 2020 and into 2021, shrugging off the economic turmoil unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain a decade-long run of low but positive growth across all areas of the market; the Dominican Republic remains behind most of its counterparts in the Latin American region, especially in terms of fixed-line network coverage; mobile subscriptions are on par with the regional average, but at subscription levels of around 88% there is still ample opportunity for growth; in terms of growth, the standout winner was once again the mobile broadband segment; the market is expected to see close to 8% growth in 2021, building further on the gains it already made in 2020 when lock downs and work-from-home rules encouraged many people to find ways to upgrade their internet access and performance; the limited coverage of fixed-line broadband networks makes mobile the first, if not only, choice for most people in the country. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity is about 11 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of nearly 83 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json index 0c892844..c15d47e1 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json @@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Brendan O’BRIEN (since 24 November 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Patrick H. VENTRELL" }, "embassy": { "text": "Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador" @@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "El Salvador’s telecom sector is challenged by low population, poor infrastructure, and unequal income distribution compounded by corruption and criminal influence; liberal regulation promotes mobile penetration in replacement of fixed-line density; operators testing 5G in 2020 (2020)" + "text": "El Salvador is the smallest country in central America geographically, it has the fourth largest economy in the region; the country’s telecom sector has been restricted by poor infrastructure and unequal income distribution; there have been organizational delays which have slowed the development of telecom services; El Salvador’s fixed-line teledensity is substantially lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average; there has been a significant drop in the number of fixed lines since 2010, particularly in 2017, largely due to the substitution for mobile-only alternatives; about 94% of all telephony lines in the country are on mobile networks; mobile subscriptions are remarkably high considering El Salvador’s economic indicators, being about a third higher than average for Latin America and the Caribbean; the country was one of the last in the region to provide LTE services, mainly due to the inadequate provision of suitable spectrum; the multi-spectrum auction conducted at the end of 2019 has allowed MNOs to improve the reach and quality of their service offerings; El Salvador’s telecom legislation is one of the more liberal in Latin America, encouraging competition in most areas and permitting foreign investment; there are no regulations which promote wholesale broadband, and thus in the DSL market leader Claro retains a virtual monopoly; the only effective cross-platform competition in the broadband market comes from the few cable operators; there has been some market consolidation in recent years, including Telemóvil’s acquisition of the regional cable TV provider Caribena Cable; in May 2019, the competition authority began assessing the sale of Telefónica El Salvador to América Móvil, which operates in the country under the Claro brand; Telefónica sold the unit in October 2021, though at a considerably reduced price. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line services, roughly 14 per 100, has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition now at 161 subscribers per 100 inhabitants (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json index 4e96b039..074ecde9 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json @@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "adequate, island-wide telephone system; lack of local competition, but telecoms are a high contributors to overall GDP; growth sectors include the mobile telephony and data segments (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links; 29 per 100 for fixed-line and 102 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2019)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json index 070bc493..26f91cc2 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json @@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "due to years of underinvestment in infrastructure, has one of the lowest fixed-line tele densities in the region; rural areas rely on mobile services with little access to fixed-line access; mobile tele-density on par with region and is the most developed sector, with near universal phone connections; private investment to bring free Internet to parks; two submarine cables due for completion will support growth in fixed and mobile broadband (2020)" + "text": "Guatemala’s telecom infrastructure has suffered from years of under investment from state and provincial government; the poor state of fixed-line infrastructure has led to Guatemala having one of the lowest fixed-line teledensities in the region; in many rural regions of the country there is no fixed-line access available, and so mobile services are adopted by necessity; private investment has been supported by government and regulatory efforts, resulting in a steady growth in the number of fixed lines which has supported growth in the fixed broadband segment; delays in launching LTE services left the country lagging behind in the development of mobile broadband and the benefits which it can bring to the country's social and economic growth; two new submarine cables are due for completion by 2022; improved international connectivity should drive further uptake of both fixed and mobile broadband services; key players including Millicom (operating as Tigo Guatemala) and América Móvil are regional and global powerhouses which can tap into expertise and financial resources to bolster their Guatemalan businesses; the acquisition of Telefónica’s Guatemala business by América Móvil in 2019 created a strong competitor to Millicom, which dominates the mobile sector; intense competition among the networks has helped to improve services and lower prices for end-users; given the commercial impetus of networks, insufficient government financial investment has resulted in many regional areas remaining with poor or non-existent services; the country benefits from one of the most open regulatory frameworks, with all telecom sectors having been open to competition since 1996; América Móvil controls about 85.1% of the fixed-lines market through its subsidiaries Claro and Movistar; mobile telephony is the most developed telecom market sector in Guatemala, accounting for 90% of connections in the country; mobile subscriptions are on par with the regional average, though the slower growth in the mobile subscriber base suggests a level of market saturation, with the emphasis among networks being on generating revenue via mobile data services.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity roughly 13 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are concentrating on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 114 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1215,7 +1215,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "242,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2020)" + "text": "243,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json index 2ff4e222..b0382bc1 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json @@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to reduced agricultural production and socio-political turmoil - about 4.56 million people are estimated to be facing severe acute food insecurity and in need of urgent food assistance between March and June 2022; the high levels of food insecurity are the result of consecutive reduced cereal harvests between 2018 and 2021, and elevated food prices, exacerbated by sociopolitical turmoil; two natural disasters (a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a tropical storm) that struck in August 2021, destroyed productive assets and infrastructures, and caused losses of stored food, further aggravating conditions; the lack of income-earning opportunities amid worsening insecurity and difficult macroeconomic conditions is likely to heighten food insecurity (2022)" + "text": "due to reduced agricultural production and socio-political turmoil - about 4.56 million people are estimated to be facing severe acute food insecurity and in need of urgent food assistance between March and June 2022; the high levels of food insecurity are the result of consecutive reduced cereal harvests between 2018 and 2021, and elevated food prices, exacerbated by sociopolitical turmoil; two natural disasters (a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a tropical storm) that struck in August 2021, destroyed productive assets and infrastructures, and caused losses of stored food, further aggravating conditions; the lack of income-earning opportunities amid worsening insecurity and difficult macroeconomic conditions is likely to heighten food insecurity (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "plagued by political and economic turmoil complicated by natural disasters, Haiti’s telecommunications infrastructure is among the least-developed in the world; it relies on satellite and wireless mobile technology due to poor fixed-line infrastructure; investment boosted broadband availability though customer base is poor and theft of equipment remains problematic; promotion of LTE will enable access to remote areas and e-money services; World Bank grant to provide digital preparation and response for any future crises (2020)" + "text": "Haiti is in desperate need of maintaining effective communication services to enable it to keep going through the countless natural disasters, the country’s telecoms sector is really only surviving on the back of international goodwill to repair and replace the systems destroyed in the latest upheaval; Haiti’s fixed-line infrastructure is now practically non-existent, having been torn apart by Hurricane Matthew in 2016; what aid and additional investment has been forthcoming has been directed towards mobile solutions; over half of the country can afford a mobile handset or the cost of a monthly subscription; and mobile broadband subscriptions is half of that again – an estimated 28% in 2022; international aid continues to flow in to try and help the country’s telecoms sector recover – the World Bank has released a further $120 million to go on top of the $60 million grant provided after the last major 7.2 earthquake in August 2021. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line is less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular telephone services have expanded greatly in the last decade due to low-cost GSM (Global Systems for Mobile) phones and pay-as-you-go plans; mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 61 per 100 persons (2019)" @@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "17,105 (violence among armed gangs in the metropolitan area os Port-au-Prince) (2021)" + "text": "17,000 (violence among armed gangs in the metropolitan area os Port-au-Prince) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,992 (2018); note - individuals without a nationality who were born in the Dominican Republic prior to January 2010" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json index 4f204e0f..b9d9e7d0 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json @@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "

among the poorest countries in Central America, Honduras has a neglected telecom sector complicated by political stalemate and geographic challenges; mobile subscribership is growing; DSL and cable Internet available in urban areas but expensive; government proposed ICT master plan to boost e-government and business, including free Internet to households; US based network ready to deploy 5G

(2020)" + "text": "

Honduras is among the poorest countries in Central America and has long been plagued by an unstable political framework which has rendered telecom sector reform difficult; fixed-line teledensity, at only 4.9%, is significantly lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average; poor fixed-line infrastructure has been exacerbated by low investment and topographical difficulties which have made investment in rural areas unattractive or uneconomical; the internet has been slow to develop; DSL and cable modem technologies are available but are relatively expensive, while higher speed services are largely restricted to the major urban centers; the demand for broadband is steadily increasing and there has been some investment in network upgrades to fiber-based infrastructure; these factors have encouraged consumer take-up of mobile services, a sector where there is lively competition supported by international investment; mobile subscriptions are substantially below the regional average; revenue growth from the mobile sector looks promising in coming years as companies invest in their networks, expand their reach and upgrade their capabilities to accommodate mobile broadband services; mobile data as a proportion of overall mobile revenue has increased steadily, though low-end SMS services will continue to account for the bulk of data revenue for some years; political developments during the last few years have not facilitated the much-needed reform of legislation governing the telecoms sector; regulator frees up 3.5GHz fequencies for mobile use; Tigo and Amazon Web Services partner to offer cloud services.

 

(2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "private sub-operators allowed to provide fixed lines in order to expand telephone coverage contributing to a fixed-line teledensity of slightly over 5 per 100; mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 70 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "247,090 (violence, extortion, threats, forced recruitment by urban gangs between 2004 and 2018) (2021)" + "text": "247,000 (violence, extortion, threats, forced recruitment by urban gangs between 2004 and 2018) (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json index baf53f84..155e1cb6 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json @@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "good domestic and international service; mobile sector dominates, accounting for majority of the Internet connections and half of telecom sector revenue; extensive LTE networks providing coverage to most of the island population; regulator encouraging competition with little success due to breach of license; government announced support of national broadband network to aid access to education, hospitals, police, and municipal institutions; operators provided customers with data plans to support educational platforms; US grant to fund New Kingston smart city program (2020)" + "text": "Jamaica’s telecom sector has for many years been propped up by the mobile sector, which accounts for the vast majority of internet connections and voice lines; it also accounts for just over half of telecom sector revenue; the merger between Digicel and Claro’s Jamaican business in 2012 strengthened Digicel’s position in the market, but in recent quarters Digicel Group’s financial difficulties have caused it considerable problems; the Group has considered selling off its units in the Pacific region, while it has renegotiated a number of bonds to reduce its debt to about $5.8 billion; assets have been placed under the management of a newly created holding company; both Digicel and its only rival, Flow (supported by its new owner Liberty Global), have extended their LTE networks across the island, particularly during the pandemic in response to a sharp increase in data traffic; the 700MHz licensee Symbiote Investments, trading as Caricel Jamaica, had its license revoked at the end of 2018 due to breaches of the terms of the Telecommunications Act. The UK-based Privy Council in August 2020 refused Caricel’s application for permission to appeal the revocation of its telecom licenses; to fill the gap in the market, a new operator, Rock Mobile, was licensed in May 2021, with obligations to provide 95% population coverage within two years; in December 2020, the government announced the rollout of a national broadband network costing up to $237 million; the funding will be spent on improving connectivity in under served areas, improving access to education, and deploying networks to public locations such as hospitals, municipal institutions, and police stations; to aid in this national broadband effort, the government received a donation of 650km of fiber cabling from local cable TV providers and the two main toll road operators; to encourage the use of digital channels as the country deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, companies such as Scotiabank have given their customers zero-rated data access to mobile banking applications, while Digicel Jamaica has subsidized data plans and zero-rated data access to some educational platforms and websites.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscriptions nearly 15 per 100, cellular-mobile roughly 97 per 100 subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "the largest Caribbean source of marijuana which is trafficked to other Caribbean countries for illegal weapons and other contraband; transit point for cocaine trafficked from South America to North America and other international markets" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json index 060484f2..caaffdf1 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json @@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json index e7af0c7a..28ecf458 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json @@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; Nicaragua and Costa Rica regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the ICJ; there is an ongoing case in the ICJ to determine Pacific and Atlantic ocean maritime borders as well as land borders; in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region; Nicaragua filed a case against Colombia in 2013 over the delimitation of the Continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles from the Nicaraguan coast, as well as over the alleged violation by Colombia of Nicaraguan maritime space in the Caribbean Sea

" + "text": "

Nicaragua-El Salvador-Honduras: the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; the court ruled, rather, that the Gulf of Fonseca represents a condominium, with control being shared by El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua; the decision allowed for the possibility that the three nations could divide the waters at a later date if they wished to do so

Nicaragua-Costa Rica: Nicaragua and Costa Rica regularly file border dispute cases with the ICJ over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island, virtually uninhabited areas claimed by both countries; there is an ongoing case in the ICJ to determine Pacific and Atlantic ocean maritime borders as well as land borders; in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region; in 2018, the ICJ ruled that Nicaragua must remove a military base from a contested coastal area near the San Juan River, and that Costa Rica had sovereignty over the northern part of Isla Portillos, including the coast, but excluding Harbour Head Lagoon; additionally, Honduras was required to pay reparations for environmental damage to part of the wetlands at the mouth of the San Juan River

Nicaragua-Colombia: Nicaragua filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Colombia in 2013 over the delimitation of the Continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles from the Nicaraguan coast, as well as over the alleged violation by Colombia of Nicaraguan maritime space in the Caribbean Sea, which contains rich oil and fish resources; as of September 2021, Colombia refuses to abide by the ICJ ruling

Nicaragua-Honduras: none identified

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json index 76f16057..c8b4ba4a 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json @@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "good overall telephone service; major expansion sectors include the mobile telephony and data segments, which continue to appeal to operator investment; several operators licensed to provide services within individual markets, most of them are small and localized; telecommunication contributes to overall GDP (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections exceed 24 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscribership is roughly 116 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/central-asia/kg.json b/central-asia/kg.json index 817aa0cd..d01b972f 100644 --- a/central-asia/kg.json +++ b/central-asia/kg.json @@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "fixed-line declining as 4G LTE mobile is universally available; brief interruptions of service with security as pretext; ICT sector rocked by allegation of corruption in 2020; digital radio-relay stations and fiber-optic links; 5G in development; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE and computers from China; Chinese Economic Corridor investment into domestic backbone; World Bank investment into digital infrastructure with aims to provide broadband Internet to 60% of the population; social disparity evident in pandemic as many school children could not attend classes on-line (2020 )" + "text": "the country’s telecom sector (specifically the mobile segment) has likewise been able to prosper; ongoing political tension, increasing repression of the media and information, and continuing problems with corporate governance may be putting a strain on further growth by reducing the country’s appeal to much-needed foreign investors; Kyrgyzstan has been reasonably successful in its attempts to liberalize its economy and open up its telecom market to competition; the privatization of state-owned entities particularly the fixed-line incumbent provider Kyrgyztelecom and the mobile operator Alfa Telecom has been less well received, with government ownership continuing despite repeated attempts to offload its stakes in those companies; they simply haven’t been able to generate enough interest from the private sector; the mobile market has achieved high levels of penetration (140% in 2021) along with a fairly competitive operating environment with four major players; mobile broadband has come along strongly, reaching over 125% penetration in 2019 before falling back slightly during the Covid-19 crisis; slow-to-moderate growth is expected for both segments in coming years, supported by the anticipated rollout of 5G services starting from late 2022.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line penetration at nearly 5 per 100 persons remains low and concentrated in urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 134 per 100 persons (2019)" @@ -1160,7 +1160,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of approximately 15% or 200 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas

" + "text": "

Kyrgyzstan-China: a 2009 treaty settled a border dispute, with Kyrgyzstan receiving the Khan Tengri Peak and Kyrgyzstan ceding to China the Uzengi-Kush area

Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan: in January 2019, Kyrgyzstan ratified the 2017 agreement on the demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border

Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan: as the last major Central Asian boundary dispute with lengthy undelimited sections, the lowland (NE part) of the Kyrgz-Tajik line seems intractable despite recent Kyrgyz-Uzbek compromises and agreements on delimitation and demarcation

Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan: delimitation of approximately 15% or 200 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas; Kyrgyz and Uzbek officials signed an agreement in March 2021 on the final delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border; the accord included several land swaps that gave Kyrgyzstan more territory but was offset by Uzbekistan retaining use of reservoirs on Kyrgyz land; although a Kyrgyz official returned from the March 2021 meetings and said the decades-old border dispute was 100% resolved, his talks with residents in some affected areas showed that agreement had not been reached on all border segments

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/central-asia/kz.json b/central-asia/kz.json index aa1c3ede..fa03d266 100644 --- a/central-asia/kz.json +++ b/central-asia/kz.json @@ -1029,7 +1029,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "one of the most progressive telecom sectors in Central Asia; vast 4G network; low fixed-line and fixed-broadband penetration; moderate mobile broadband penetration and high mobile penetration depending on location; mobile market highly competitive and growth is slow due to saturation (2020)" + "text": "Kazakhstan has one of the most developed telecommunications sectors in the Central Asian region; this is especially true of the mobile segment, where widespread network coverage has enabled very high penetration rates reaching 180% as far back as 2012; the mobile and fixed-line segments have both pared back their subscriber numbers to more modest levels; the telcos have still been successful in terms of improving their margins and revenues by growing value-added services along with exploiting the capabilities of their higher speed networks (4G LTE as well as fiber) to drive significant increases in data usage; Kazakhstan has enjoyed a  high fixed-line teledensity thanks to concerted efforts to invest in the fixed-line infrastructure as well as next-generation networks; demand for traditional voice services is on the wane as customers take a preference for the flexibility and ubiquity of the mobile platform for voice as well as data services; mobile clearly dominates the telecom sector in Kazakhstan, yet 2020 saw a sharp drop in subscriber numbers for both mobile voice and mobile broadband services as the Covid-19 crisis took hold; with the exception of fixed-line voice services, Kazakhstan’s telecom market is expected to return to moderate growth from 2022 onwards; the extensive deployment of LTE networks across the country (along with the prospect of 5G services being added to the mix in 2023) points towards an even greater uptake of lucrative mobile broadband services, in particular.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is approximately 17 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriber base 134 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1206,7 +1206,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

in January 2019, the Kyrgyz Republic ratified the demarcation agreement of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border; the demarcation of the Kazakh-Uzbek borders is ongoing; the ongoing demarcation with Russia began in 2007; demarcation with China completed in 2002

" + "text": "

Kazakhstan-China: in 1998, Kazakhstan and China agreed to split two disputed border areas nearly evenly; demarcation with China completed in 2002

Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan: in January 2019, Kyrgyzstan ratified the 2017 agreement on the demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border

Kazakhstan-Russia: Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005; field demarcation commenced in 2007 and was expected to be completed by 2013

Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan: Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed a treaty on the delimitation and demarcation process in 2001; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005; Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan agreed to their border in the Caspian Sea in 2014

Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan: field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; disputed territory is held by Uzbekistan but the overwhelming majority of residents are ethnic Kazakhs; the two countries agreed on draft final demarcation documents in March 2022 and planned to hold another meeting in April 2022

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index ee277c78..dc353c65 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "telecom market is largest in Europe, centered in large cities; competition active in Moscow and St Petersburg; most users access Internet through mobile platforms; fiber broadband sector is growing, supported by government in aim to extend reach to outlying regions; tests of 5G with Moscow adopting smart city technology; government justifies censorship and website blocks under a range of laws and regulations; government program aims to provide 97% of households with fixed broadband by 2024; publicly accessible Internet connections in institutions such as hospitals, libraries, schools, and mass transit available in cities; in rural areas, the availability of public Internet connections remains limited; major importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2020)" + "text": "telecom market is the largest in Europe, supported by a population approaching 147 million; the overall market is dominated by the western regions, particularly Moscow and St Petersburg which are the main cities and economic centres; all sectors of the market have been liberalised, with competition most prevalent in the two largest regional markets; the incumbent telco Rostelecom, which absorbed most of the regional players, in late 2019 acquired the remaining 55% of Tele2 Russia which it did not already own; Telcos continue to deploy and modernise fixed-line network infrastructure to offer improved broadband services as well as a range of IP-delivered content; tthe fibre broadband sector has shown considerable growth, supported by the government’s program to extend the reach of broadband to outlying regions; MegaFon is thus far the only MNO to provide commercial 5G services. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low-density; nearly 19 per 100 for fixed-line and mobile-cellular a bit over 164 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "1,136,243 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 9 June 2022)" + "text": "1,230,800 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 16 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "56,960 (mid-year 2021); note - Russia's stateless population consists of Roma, Meskhetian Turks, and ex-Soviet citizens from the former republics; between 2003 and 2010 more than 600,000 stateless people were naturalized; most Meskhetian Turks, followers of Islam with origins in Georgia, fled or were evacuated from Uzbekistan after a 1989 pogrom and have lived in Russia for more than the required five-year residency period; they continue to be denied registration for citizenship and basic rights by local Krasnodar Krai authorities on the grounds that they are temporary illegal migrants" diff --git a/central-asia/ti.json b/central-asia/ti.json index a7cdaeba..6e129716 100644 --- a/central-asia/ti.json +++ b/central-asia/ti.json @@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Tajikistan’s telecom sector continues to struggle due to geographic isolation, lack of electricity, dysfunctional business climate, and impoverished citizenry; despite the launch of 4G/LTE services, one of the lowest fixed-line penetrations in Asia and one of the lowest broadband levels in the world; with help from foreign investment, mobile sector near saturation phase; Russian loans and Chinese investment in infrastructure through Economic Corridor initiatives; a few cities have 4G coverage; LTE-based smart city concept in Dushanbe; government restricts political rights and civil liberties, controlling information through media interruptions; government raised rates on Internet-based calls and Internet services in 2020, making price one of the highest in the world; importer of video displays and broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "The nation of Tajikistan has had to struggle through a further two years of economic hardship following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic; the strain on financial resources inevitably means a continuation of the absence of any meaningful investment or development programs for telecommunications infrastructure; the fixed line telephony and fixed broadband markets continue to languish far behind the mobile sector in terms of teledensity and penetration; with only around 6,000 fixed broadband customers (0.07% penetration), there would appear to be massive growth potential but the limited fixed line infrastructure in the country suggests there’s little likelihood of that occurring any time soon; the size of Tajikistan’s mobile market dwarfs the fixed line segment, with an estimated penetration rate of nearly 120%; with a number of private sector companies active in the mobile market, there been more commitment to investment in network upgrades and expansion; three MNOs, MegaFon, Tcell, and ZET Mobile have all launched commercial 5G services, initially in areas of the capital city Dushanbe; the move towards higher speed mobile services should further underpin the growth in the nascent mobile broadband market, which is still estimated to be at a relatively low penetration level of 42% (at least relative to most other Asian nations) but is predicted to be a strong compound annual growth rate of more than 8% for at least the next five years.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed line availability has not changed significantly since 1998, while mobile cellular subscribership, aided by competition among multiple operators, has expanded; coverage now extends to all major cities and towns; fixed-line over 5 per 100 and mobile-cellular over 111 per 100 (2019)" diff --git a/central-asia/tx.json b/central-asia/tx.json index e178a32a..ad26758a 100644 --- a/central-asia/tx.json +++ b/central-asia/tx.json @@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "stagnant economy, rural geography, and authoritarian rule limit development of the telecom sector; in cooperation with Russian-based partners, operators have installed high-speed fiber-optic lines and upgraded most of the country's telephone switch centers with digital technology; some rural areas lack fixed-line coverage; mobile broadband is in the early stages of development; services are extremely slow, though Trans-Caspian cable will provide international Internet capacity and improvement in services; freedom of press and expression restricted through monitoring, media interruption, and removal of receivers from households; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2020)" + "text": "the nation of Turkmenistan, which rivals only North Korea for its isolationism, continues to keep its telecom sector along with the broader populace under tight control; the country inched up just one point off the bottom of the world rankings for press and internet freedom in the most recent report from Reporters Without Borders; most social networks in the country are blocked, although locals do have access to the government-developed Biz Byarde (We Are Here) platform released in 2019; all internet users, however, need to identify themselves before logging on, and strict censorship over what can be viewed is in force; the end result is that Turkmenistan has one of the lowest penetration rates for internet access in the world. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line nearly 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 163 per 100 persons; first telecommunication satellite was launched in 2015 (2019)" diff --git a/central-asia/uz.json b/central-asia/uz.json index 4c639064..1eee279f 100644 --- a/central-asia/uz.json +++ b/central-asia/uz.json @@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "land-locked, authoritarian state with government grip on ICT technology and no integrated plan; government plans to develop infrastructure to improve geographical disparities in service; increased investment in infrastructure, with aims of expanding subscriber base and rising revenue; some villages have no connectivity, and 70% have 2G with development of 3G and 4G; free WiFi spots across country to boost tourism; Russian operator invested in joint venture on mobile services; government in discussion with Huawei on additional ventures; digital exchanges in large cities and some rural areas; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; introduction of prepaid Internet has contributed to home Internet usage; consumers largely reliant on terrestrial links and VSAT networks; media controlled by state; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "Uzbekistan’s telecom markets both wireline and wireless have been playing \"catch up\" in terms of their development following the country's independence from the former Soviet Union; the government has formally adopted the principles of operating as a market economy, many elements of the old centrally planned economic model remain; this has had the effect of reducing the level of interest from foreign companies and investors in building out the necessary underlying infrastructure, which in turn has constrained the rate of growth in the country’s telecoms sector; the last five years has seen an upswing in prospects for the sector as fiber network roll outs continue beyond the main urban centers, while the mobile market experiences some consolidation for stronger, more efficient competitors; the fixed line market is dominated by the incumbent state owned provider Uztelecom, which has 98% of the market share; with teledensity at 11%, the fixed line segment remains relatively underdeveloped; Uztelecom has been diligently expanding its fiber footprint across the country, and so utilization is increasing as consumers are able to take on VoIP services as part of their fiber packages;  growth is present in the fixed broadband segment thanks to that same network expansion with penetration projected to reach 24% by 2027 (a 5-year CAGR of 6.2%); despite the promising signs in the fixed markets, it is the mobile segment that continues to dominate Uzbekistan’s telecoms sector in terms of penetration, revenue, and growth;  there are four major operators providing a modicum of competition; three of the four are government owned entities although private operator Beeline Uzbekistan has been able to capture up to a third of the market; the mobile market is expected to reach 100% penetration in 2023 a 50% increase in the last five years.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line nearly 11 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity nearly 100 per 100 persons; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbek Telecom, owner of the fixed-line telecommunications system, has used loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital exchanges; mobile-cellular services are provided by 2 private and 3 state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 22.8 million as of January 2018 (2020)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json index 5d712995..7c7ebf63 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json @@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to conflict, political instability, and economic constraints - the political crisis, following the military takeover on 1 February 2021, resulted in increased tensions and unrest throughout the country; the current uncertain political situation may further compromise the fragile situation of vulnerable households and the Rohingya IDPs residing in the country; armed conflict between the military and non‑state armed groups led to population displacements, disrupted agricultural activities and limited access for humanitarian support especially in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Kayah and Shan states; income losses and a decline in remittances, due to the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, have affected the food security situation of vulnerable households (2022)" + "text": "due to conflict, political instability, and economic constraints - the political crisis, following the military takeover on 1 February 2021, resulted in increased tensions and unrest throughout the country; the current uncertain political situation may further compromise the fragile situation of vulnerable households and the Rohingya IDPs residing in the country; armed conflict between the military and non‑state armed groups led to population displacements, disrupted agricultural activities and limited access for humanitarian support especially in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Kayah and Shan states; income losses and a decline in remittances, due to the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, have affected the food security situation of vulnerable households (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "505,000 (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand, natural disasters, forced land evictions) (2020)" + "text": "671,011 (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand, natural disasters, forced land evictions) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "600,000 (mid-year 2021); note - Rohingya Muslims, living predominantly in Rakhine State, are Burma's main group of stateless people; the Burmese Government does not recognize the Rohingya as a \"national race\" and stripped them of their citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law, categorizing them as \"non-nationals\" or \"foreign residents\"; under the Rakhine State Action Plan drafted in October 2014, the Rohingya must demonstrate their family has lived in Burma for at least 60 years to qualify for a lesser naturalized citizenship and the classification of Bengali or be put in detention camps and face deportation; native-born but non-indigenous people, such as Indians, are also stateless; the Burmese Government does not grant citizenship to children born outside of the country to Burmese parents who left the country illegally or fled persecution, such as those born in Thailand; the number of stateless persons has decreased dramatically because hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August 2017 to escape violence" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json index d4a54475..178aaf6b 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json @@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Brunei is improving its national telecom network; telecommunications infrastructure and services are of high standard, due to healthy investment in networks and services; relatively mature telecom system compared to other Asian countries; mobile subscription increasing steadily to high penetration; launch of 5G pilot services in April 2021 aimed to increase awareness of the benefits of 5G and boost the mobile broadband sector; access to telecom services via the Kacific-1 satellite (2021)" + "text": "Brunei Darussalam seemed poised to start its economic recovery from the double blow it received to its GDP in 2020 from the Covid-19 crisis and a global slump in oil prices; Brunei’s mobile market experienced a sharp a sharp drop-off in subscriber numbers in 2020; in 2022 there was a concerted effort to build out the fixed-line infrastructure while progressing towards introducing 5G mobile services; Brunei’s fixed-line market is one of the few countries in the world to have displayed significant growth rather than a decline in teledensity in the last few years; this upward trend is set to continue as the new Unified National Network (UNN) works diligently to expand and enhance the fixed-line infrastructure around the country; strong growth was also seen in the fixed broadband space, on the back of those same infrastructure developments that are part of the Brunei Vision 2035 initiative; fixed broadband is starting from a relatively low base by international standards and is still only at 18%, leaving lots of room for growth; mobile and mobile broadband, on the other hand, are still suffering from the market contractions first felt in 2020; rates for both segments were already extremely high so the decline may simply be a reflection of those users with services that were purely discretionary; Brunei’s 2G GSM network is shut down, with the spectrum to be reallocated to 3G, 4G, and potentially 5G use.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "every service available; nearly 24 per 100 fixed-line, 120 per 100 mobile-cellular (2020)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json index 5f4ea736..bec1c5f6 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json @@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Cambodia’s telecom infrastructure struggles with poor infrastructure and power outages; improvement through competition and foreign investment; fixed-line and fixed/mobile broadband penetration is still low compared to other Asian nations; government and operators preparing for 5G services through Huawei’s infrastructure that will drive mobile broadband through faster speeds; online Internet content subject to government restrictions (2020)" + "text": "Cambodia’s mobile-dominated telecoms sector spent much of 2020 battling two major challenges: the global pandemic, and the government’s retraction of trial licenses for the rollout of 5G; citing concerns about waste and inefficiency occurring if each operator built a separate 5G infrastructure in order to maximize their own network’s coverage (and, presumably, to capture greater market share), the regulator withdrew the licenses that the operators had been using for their 5G trials; this was despite all of the operators having already announced a successful completion of their trials; more than a year later, the market is still waiting on the government to release its 5G policy and roadmap, along with the allocation of spectrum and approvals to permit commercial operation; there is little expectation of any further progress happening before the start of 2022; the mobile network operators have maintained their focus and investment strategies on upgrading and expanding their existing LTE networks around the country, and to 5G-enable their base stations; when the 5G market eventually arrives, the underlying infrastructure will at least be ready to support a rapid adoption of the higher-value applications and services; the mobile market fell back slightly during 2020 and 2021 (in terms of total subscriber numbers) as the Covid-19 crisis wore on, but it remains in relatively good health as mobile users increased their data usage over the period; the mobile broadband market experienced a small but very rare contraction in 2020, although rates were already very high in this area; there is likely to be a quick rebound to previous levels once economic conditions stabilize, followed by a modest rates of growth over the next five years; the number of fixed telephony lines in service continues to fall sharply as customers migrate to mobile platforms for both voice and data; the lack of any widespread fixed-line infrastructure has had a flow-on effect in the fixed-line broadband market, a sector that also remains largely under-developed (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, aided by competition among service providers, is about 130 per 100 persons (2020)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json index ffa2b10e..d1dae3ee 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json @@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ "text": "State Council appointed by National People's Congress" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president and vice president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 17 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress" + "text": "president and vice president indirectly elected by National People's Congress (no term limits); election last held on 17 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress" }, "election results": { "text": "XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,970 (unanimously); WANG Qishan elected vice president with 2,969 votes" @@ -637,8 +637,7 @@ }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "Higher People's Courts; Intermediate People's Courts; District and County People's Courts; Autonomous Region People's Courts; International Commercial Courts; Special People's Courts for military, maritime, transportation, and forestry issues" - }, - "note": "note - in 2018, China established an investigatory National Supervisory Commission to oversee all state employees" + } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "Chinese Communist Party or CCP [XI Jinping]", @@ -714,12 +713,12 @@ } }, "Government - note": { - "text": "in 2018, the Chinese Government established an investigatory National Supervisory Commission to oversee all state employees" + "text": "in 2018, the Beijing established an investigatory National Supervisory Commission to oversee all state employees" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { - "text": "

Since the late 1970s, China has moved from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major global role. China has implemented reforms in a gradualist fashion, resulting in efficiency gains that have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Reforms began with the phaseout of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, growth of the private sector, development of stock markets and a modern banking system, and opening to foreign trade and investment. China continues to pursue an industrial policy, state support of key sectors, and a restrictive investment regime. From 2013 to 2017, China had one of the fastest growing economies in the world, averaging slightly more than 7% real growth per year. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2017 stood as the largest economy in the world, surpassing the US in 2014 for the first time in modern history. China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013. Still, China's per capita income is below the world average.

 

In July 2005 moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. From mid-2005 to late 2008, the renminbi (RMB) appreciated more than 20% against the US dollar, but the exchange rate remained virtually pegged to the dollar from the onset of the global financial crisis until June 2010, when Beijing announced it would resume a gradual appreciation. From 2013 until early 2015, the renminbi held steady against the dollar, but it depreciated 13% from mid-2015 until end-2016 amid strong capital outflows; in 2017 the RMB resumed appreciating against the dollar – roughly 7% from end-of-2016 to end-of-2017. In 2015, the People’s Bank of China announced it would continue to carefully push for full convertibility of the renminbi, after the currency was accepted as part of the IMF’s special drawing rights basket. However, since late 2015 the Chinese Government has strengthened capital controls and oversight of overseas investments to better manage the exchange rate and maintain financial stability.

 

The Chinese Government faces numerous economic challenges including: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic household consumption; (b) managing its high corporate debt burden to maintain financial stability; (c) controlling off-balance sheet local government debt used to finance infrastructure stimulus; (d) facilitating higher-wage job opportunities for the aspiring middle class, including rural migrants and college graduates, while maintaining competitiveness; (e) dampening speculative investment in the real estate sector without sharply slowing the economy; (f) reducing industrial overcapacity; and (g) raising productivity growth rates through the more efficient allocation of capital and state-support for innovation. Economic development has progressed further in coastal provinces than in the interior, and by 2016 more than 169.3 million migrant workers and their dependents had relocated to urban areas to find work. One consequence of China’s population control policy known as the \"one-child policy\" - which was relaxed in 2016 to permit all families to have two children - is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the North - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and urbanization. The Chinese Government is seeking to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil, focusing on natural gas, nuclear, and clean energy development. In 2016, China ratified the Paris Agreement, a multilateral agreement to combat climate change, and committed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions between 2025 and 2030.

 

The government's 13th Five-Year Plan, unveiled in March 2016, emphasizes the need to increase innovation and boost domestic consumption to make the economy less dependent on government investment, exports, and heavy industry. However, China has made more progress on subsidizing innovation than rebalancing the economy. Beijing has committed to giving the market a more decisive role in allocating resources, but the Chinese Government’s policies continue to favor state-owned enterprises and emphasize stability. Chinese leaders in 2010 pledged to double China’s GDP by 2020, and the 13th Five Year Plan includes annual economic growth targets of at least 6.5% through 2020 to achieve that goal. In recent years, China has renewed its support for state-owned enterprises in sectors considered important to \"economic security,\" explicitly looking to foster globally competitive industries. Chinese leaders also have undermined some market-oriented reforms by reaffirming the \"dominant\" role of the state in the economy, a stance that threatens to discourage private initiative and make the economy less efficient over time. The slight acceleration in economic growth in 2017—the first such uptick since 2010—gives Beijing more latitude to pursue its economic reforms, focusing on financial sector deleveraging and its Supply-Side Structural Reform agenda, first announced in late 2015.

" + "text": "

Since the late 1970s, China has moved from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major global role. China has implemented reforms in a gradualist fashion, resulting in efficiency gains that have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Reforms began with the phaseout of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, growth of the private sector, development of stock markets and a modern banking system, and opening to foreign trade and investment. China continues to pursue an industrial policy, state support of key sectors, and a restrictive investment regime. From 2013 to 2017, China had one of the fastest growing economies in the world, averaging slightly more than 7% real growth per year. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2017 stood as the largest economy in the world, surpassing the US in 2014 for the first time in modern history. China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013. Still, China's per capita income is below the world average.

 

In July 2005 moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. From mid-2005 to late 2008, the renminbi (RMB) appreciated more than 20% against the US dollar, but the exchange rate remained virtually pegged to the dollar from the onset of the global financial crisis until June 2010, when Beijing announced it would resume a gradual appreciation. From 2013 until early 2015, the renminbi held steady against the dollar, but it depreciated 13% from mid-2015 until end-2016 amid strong capital outflows; in 2017 the RMB resumed appreciating against the dollar – roughly 7% from end-of-2016 to end-of-2017. In 2015, the People’s Bank of China announced it would continue to carefully push for full convertibility of the renminbi, after the currency was accepted as part of the IMF’s special drawing rights basket. However, since late 2015 Beijing has strengthened capital controls and oversight of overseas investments to better manage the exchange rate and maintain financial stability.

 

Beijing faces numerous economic challenges including: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic household consumption; (b) managing its high corporate debt burden to maintain financial stability; (c) controlling off-balance sheet local government debt used to finance infrastructure stimulus; (d) facilitating higher-wage job opportunities for the aspiring middle class, including rural migrants and college graduates, while maintaining competitiveness; (e) dampening speculative investment in the real estate sector without sharply slowing the economy; (f) reducing industrial overcapacity; and (g) raising productivity growth rates through the more efficient allocation of capital and state-support for innovation. Economic development has progressed further in coastal provinces than in the interior, and by 2016 more than 169.3 million migrant workers and their dependents had relocated to urban areas to find work. One consequence of China’s population control policy known as the \"one-child policy\" - which was relaxed in 2016 to permit all families to have two children - is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the North - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and urbanization. Beijing is seeking to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil, focusing on natural gas, nuclear, and clean energy development. In 2016, China ratified the Paris Agreement, a multilateral agreement to combat climate change, and committed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions between 2025 and 2030.

 

The government's 13th Five-Year Plan, unveiled in March 2016, emphasizes the need to increase innovation and boost domestic consumption to make the economy less dependent on government investment, exports, and heavy industry. However, China has made more progress on subsidizing innovation than rebalancing the economy. Beijing has committed to giving the market a more decisive role in allocating resources, but its policies continue to favor state-owned enterprises and emphasize stability. Beijing in 2010 pledged to double China’s GDP by 2020, and the 13th Five Year Plan includes annual economic growth targets of at least 6.5% through 2020 to achieve that goal. In recent years, China has renewed its support for state-owned enterprises in sectors considered important to \"economic security,\" explicitly looking to foster globally competitive industries. Beijing also has undermined some market-oriented reforms by reaffirming the \"dominant\" role of the state in the economy, a stance that threatens to discourage private initiative and make the economy less efficient over time. The slight acceleration in economic growth in 2017—the first such uptick since 2010—gives Beijing more latitude to pursue its economic reforms, focusing on financial sector deleveraging and its Supply-Side Structural Reform agenda, first announced in late 2015.

" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { @@ -1245,7 +1244,7 @@ "text": "425 Mali (MINUSMA); 225 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 420 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,050 South Sudan (UNMISS); up to 2,000 Djibouti (Feb 2022)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "

established in 1927, the PLA is the military arm of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which oversees the PLA through its Central Military Commission; the Central Military Commission is China’s top military decision making body

the PRC's internal security forces consist primarily of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the militia; the PLA support the internal security forces as necessary:

the MPS controls the civilian national police, which serves as the first-line force for public order; its primary mission is domestic law enforcement and maintaining order, including anti-rioting and anti-terrorism

the MSS is the PRC’s main civilian intelligence and counterintelligence service

the PAP is a paramilitary component (or adjunct) of the PLA; its primary missions include internal security, maintaining public order, maritime security, and assisting the PLA in times of war; it is under the command of the Central Military Commission (CMC); the China Coast Guard (CCG) administratively falls under the PAP; the CCG has a variety of missions, such as maritime sovereignty enforcement, surveillance, resource protection, anti-smuggling, and general law enforcement

the militia is an armed reserve of civilians which serves as an auxiliary and reserve force for the PLA upon mobilization; it is distinct from the PLA’s reserve forces; militia units are organized around towns, villages, urban sub-districts, and enterprises, and vary widely in composition and mission; they have dual civilian-military command structures; a key component of the militia are the local maritime forces, commonly referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM); the PAFMM consists of mariners (and their vessels) who receive training, equipment, and other forms of support from the Navy and CCG (although the PAFMM remains separate from both) to perform tasks such as maritime patrolling, surveillance and reconnaissance, emergency/disaster response, transportation, search and rescue, and auxiliary tasks in support of naval operations in wartime; the PAFMM’s tasks are often conducted in conjunction or coordination with the Navy and the CCG; it has been used to assert Chinese maritime claims in the East and South China seas

(2022)" + "text": "

established in 1927, the PLA is the military arm of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which oversees the PLA through its Central Military Commission; the Central Military Commission is China’s top military decision making body

the PRC's internal security forces consist primarily of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the militia; the PLA support the internal security forces as necessary:

the MPS controls the civilian national police, which serves as the first-line force for public order; its primary mission is domestic law enforcement and maintaining order, including anti-rioting and anti-terrorism

the MSS is the PRC’s main civilian intelligence and counterintelligence service

the PAP is a paramilitary component (or adjunct) of the PLA; its primary missions include internal security, maintaining public order, maritime security, and assisting the PLA in times of war; it is under the command of the Central Military Commission (CMC); the China Coast Guard (CCG) administratively falls under the PAP; the CCG has a variety of missions, such as maritime sovereignty enforcement, surveillance, resource protection, anti-smuggling, and general law enforcement

the militia is an armed reserve of civilians which serves as an auxiliary and reserve force for the PLA upon mobilization; it is distinct from the PLA’s reserve forces; militia units are organized around towns, villages, urban sub-districts, and enterprises, and vary widely in composition and mission; they have dual civilian-military command structures; a key component of the militia are the local maritime forces, commonly referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM); the PAFMM consists of mariners (and their vessels) who receive training, equipment, and other forms of support from the Navy and CCG (although the PAFMM remains separate from both) to perform tasks such as maritime patrolling, surveillance and reconnaissance, emergency/disaster response, transportation, search and rescue, and auxiliary tasks in support of naval operations in wartime; the PAFMM’s tasks are often conducted in conjunction or coordination with the Navy and the CCG; it has been used to assert Beijing's maritime claims in the East and South China seas

(2022)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json index 1dae1d2a..b5d094be 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json @@ -895,7 +895,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "excellent domestic and international services; some of the highest peak average broadband speeds and penetration rates in the world; HK government helps subsidize 5G projects and aims to be among earliest adopters of 5G mobile technology; almost all households have access to high-speed broadband connectivity through fiber; high mobile subscribership reflects tourism and multiple-device culture; government has organized the development of smart city and digital economy to encourage social inclusion and economic development, including health care, education, and utilities; US prevented use of Pacific Light submarine cable network due to security issues (2020)" + "text": "Hong Kong’s telecommunications sector continues to stay near the top of world rankings for the industry; it has kept its #1 spot in the Asian region in terms of the maturity of its telecom market – a reflection of the high subscription rates across mobile, mobile broadband, and fixed broadband; fixed-line teledensity in Hong Kong is impressive at over 50%, although it too has started a gradual decline in keeping with most other telecom markets around the world, as consumers slowly transition over to the mobile platform for all of their communication needs; concerns over national security prompted the US Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense to prevent the branch line of the newly completed Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) linking Los Angeles with Taiwan from being lit; and ongoing issues with the deployment of Huawei technology inside the core infrastructure of telecom networks (something that has been done extensively in Hong Kong, including in its 5G networks) means that the territory – along with its telecom sector – may become increasingly isolated from the rest of the world; Hong Kong is likely to drop back from its position as a regional and global leader in the telecom market.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network; fixed-line is over 52 per 100 and mobile-cellular is nearly 292 subscriptions per 100 (2020)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json index e94d66c8..99079223 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json @@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "

Ambassador Sung Y. KIM (since 21 October 2020)

" + "text": "Ambassador Sung Y. KIM (since 21 October 2020)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 3-5, Jakarta 10110" @@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Indonesia’s telecom sector is based on 3G/LTE mobile infrastructure and inadequate fixed-line capacity; large population and disbursed island geography make upgrades difficult; market is attracting foreign investment, especially in data center and cloud based services; tests of 5G challenged by lack of spectrum; satellite improvements in 2020 (2020)" + "text": "Indonesia faces more than the usual number of obstacles in terms of enabling widespread access to quality telecommunications services for its population of more than 270 million; the geographical challenges have been further compounded by a variety of social, political, and economic problems over the years that have kept the country’s wealth distributed very thinly; the fixed-line (fiber) and mobile operators have continued to expand and upgrade their networks across the country; Indonesia’s 18,000 islands (many of which, however, are sparsely populated) makes the deployment of fixed-line infrastructure on a broad scale largely impractica; the relatively low subscription rate of 4.6% is also a by-product of years of under-investment by the previously state-owned incumbent Telkom; there has been renewed activity in fiber optic cable, but the bundling of fixed-line telephony with TV and internet services will see the country’s teledensity stabilize; mobile subscriptions have reached more than 130% and is projected to exceed 150% by 2026; with 4G LTE universally available, the major mobile companies have been busy launching 5G services in selected areas; Telkomsel was the first to go live in Jakarta in May 2021, followed by Indosat Ooredoo’s launch in the city of Solo a month later; the rollout of 5G will be hampered by the lack of availability of suitable frequencies; Telkomsel, for example, was forced to launch using limited frequencies in the 2.3-2.4GHz band, which is only supported by a small number of handsets; the 4G had to be reallocated from broadcasting services, and indications are that the same process is going to have to be followed in order to allow the expansion of 5G into its core frequency bands (3.3 to 4.2GHz). (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscribership roughly 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular 130 per 100 persons; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership growing rapidly (2020)" @@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ "text": "5,792 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "40,000 (inter-communal, inter-faith, and separatist violence between 1998 and 2004 in Aceh and Papua; religious attacks and land conflicts in 2007 and 2013; most IDPs in Aceh, Maluku, East Nusa Tengarra) (2020)" + "text": "73,000 (inter-communal, inter-faith, and separatist violence between 1998 and 2004 in Aceh and Papua; religious attacks and land conflicts in 2007 and 2013; most IDPs in Aceh, Maluku, East Nusa Tengarra) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "668 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json index 8fa259c4..b5d886f8 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json @@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "excellent domestic and international service; exceedingly high mobile, mobile broadband, and fixed broadband penetration; in last decade, government policies supported delivery of fiber-optic broadband to over 90% of households; one of Japan's largest e-commerce companies planning to build its own nationwide stand-alone 5G mobile network; government to implement a telecom tax to pay for rural 5G network; fixed broadband subscriptions grow as DSL is phased out; major importer of integrated circuits from China (2020)" + "text": "Japan has one of the best developed telecom markets globally, the fixed-line segment remains stagnant and the focus for growth is in the mobile sector; the MNOs have shifted their investment from LTE to 5G, and growth in 5G showed early promise although there have been recent setbacks; these have partly been attributed to the economic difficulties, the impact of restrictions imposed during the pandemic, and unfavourable investment climate (not helped by the delay of the Tokyo Olympics from 2020 to 2021), and to restrictions in the supply of 5G-enabled devices; the fixed broadband market is dominated by fiber, with a strong cable platform also evident; fiber will continue to increase its share of the fixed broadband market, largely at the expense of DSL; the mobile market is dominated by three MNOs (NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, and SoftBank Mobile), while Rakuten Mobile also has a presence; the company is building out its network, and while it is focused of providing 5G services in the major metro areas it relies on roaming agreements to offer services elsewhere; mobile broadband subscriber growth is expected to be relatively low over the next five years, partly due to the high existing subscriptions though growth has been stimulated by measures which have encouraged people to school and work from home; there has also been a boost in accessing entertainment via mobile devices since 2020; NTT DoCoMo becomes wholly owned by NTT Corp, plans to provide 55% population coverage with 5G by March 2022 and nationwide 5G coverage by 2023 (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind; 49 per 100 for fixed-line and 152 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the \"Northern Territories\" and in Russia as the \"Southern Kuril Islands,\" occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954; the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands are also claimed by China and Taiwan

" + "text": "

Japan-China-Taiwan: the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) are also claimed by China and Taiwan; Senkaku-shoto is situated near key shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds, and possibly significant oil and natural gas reserves

Japan-Russia: the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the \"Northern Territories\" and in Russia as the \"Southern Kuril Islands,\" occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities

Japan-South Korea: Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json index d1b97aa9..6c78287e 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json @@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to low food consumption levels, poor dietary diversity, and economic downturn - a large portion of the population suffers from low levels of food consumption and very poor dietary diversity; the economic constraints, particularly resulting from the global impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, have increased the population’s vulnerability to food insecurity; the food gap is estimated at about 860,000 mt, equivalent to approximately 2-3 months of food use, if this gap is not adequately covered through commercial imports and/or food aid, households could experience a harsh lean period (2022)" + "text": "due to low food consumption levels, poor dietary diversity, and economic downturn - a large portion of the population suffers from low levels of food consumption and very poor dietary diversity; the economic constraints, particularly resulting from the global impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, have increased the population’s vulnerability to food insecurity; the food gap is estimated at about 860,000 mt, equivalent to approximately 2-3 months of food use, if this gap is not adequately covered through commercial imports and/or food aid, households could experience a harsh lean period (2022)" } }, "Total water withdrawal": { @@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen Rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

" + "text": "

North Korea-China: risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen Rivers

North Korea-Japan: North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

North Korea-South Korea: Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json index b8ebd6c7..20a4e8ae 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json @@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limit Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

" + "text": "

South Korea-Japan: South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

South Korea-North Korea: Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limit Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json index a6eda42d..76d8fff4 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json @@ -1172,7 +1172,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; Cambodia and Laos have a longstanding border demarcation dispute; concern among Mekong River Commission members that China's construction of eight dams on the Upper Mekong River and construction of more dams on its tributaries will affect water levels, sediment flows, and fisheries; Cambodia and Vietnam are concerned about Laos' extensive plans for upstream dam construction for the same reasons

" + "text": "

Laos-Burma: none identified

Laos-Cambodia: in 2021, the two countries agreed to increase efforts to combat drug trafficking and other transnational crimes and to complete the last 14% of their border demarcation

Laos-Cambodia-Vietnam: Cambodia and Vietnam are concerned about Laos' extensive plans for upstream dam construction and the potential harm it poses to fisheries and farming downstream

Laos-China: concern among Mekong River Commission members that China's construction of eight dams on the Upper Mekong River and construction of more dams on its tributaries will affect water levels, sediment flows, and fisheries

Laos-Thailand: talks continue as of 2018 on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River

Laos-Vietnam: Laos and Vietnam completed border demarcation in 2016

 

 

" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

Bokeo Province part of the “Golden Triangle,” a notorious drug production and transit area; remains a poppy cultivator and source of illicit opium and a transit hub for other illicit drugs such as amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and chemical precursors; estimate of 4,925 ha of opium poppy cultivated in Laos in 2018

" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json index a5031e2a..0d2cf76a 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json @@ -926,7 +926,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json index 4f52b841..c7bc7361 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json @@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json index 06bb6c73..4b0b480c 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json @@ -1222,7 +1222,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

while the 2002 \"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea\" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding \"code of conduct\" sought by some parties, which is currently being negotiated between China and ASEAN; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; land and maritime negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

" + "text": "

piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Malaysia-Brunei: per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei; in 2009, the media reported that Brunei had dropped its claims to the Limbang corridor, but Brunei responded that the subject had never been discussed during recent talks between the two countries

Malaysia-China-Philippines-Vietnam: while the 2002 \"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea\" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding \"code of conduct\" sought by some parties, which is currently being negotiated between China and ASEAN; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Malaysia-Indonesia: land and maritime negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea

Malaysia-Philippines: Philippines retains a dormant claim to the eastern part of Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo

Malaysia-Singapore: disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge

Malaysia-Thailand: in 2008, separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts Malaysia to take measures to close and to monitor the border with Thailand to stem terrorist activities

 

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json index 2eb4fa6e..bcd1dceb 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json @@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Erin Elizabeth MCKEE (since 27 November 2019); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joe ZADROZNY (since 14 April 2022); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu" }, "embassy": { "text": "P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby" @@ -1166,7 +1166,7 @@ "text": "11,601 (Indonesia) (mid-year 2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "14,000 (natural disasters, tribal conflict, inter-communal violence, development projects) (2020)" + "text": "24,000 (natural disasters, tribal conflict, inter-communal violence, development projects) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "9 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json index 21d481d2..100659d0 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json @@ -1246,7 +1246,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "153,000 (government troops fighting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and the New People's Army; clan feuds; armed attacks, political violence, and communal tensions in Mindanao) (2020)" + "text": "108,000 (government troops fighting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and the New People's Army; clan feuds; armed attacks, political violence, and communal tensions in Mindanao) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "392 (mid-year 2021); note - stateless persons are descendants of Indonesian migrants" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json index 46e3d03d..524f8636 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json @@ -1247,7 +1247,7 @@ "text": "91,349 (Burma) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "41,000" + "text": "41,000 (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "554,103 (mid-year 2021) (estimate represents stateless persons registered with the Thai Government; actual number may be as high as 3.5 million); note - about half of Thailand's northern hill tribe people do not have citizenship and make up the bulk of Thailand's stateless population; most lack documentation showing they or one of their parents were born in Thailand; children born to Burmese refugees are not eligible for Burmese or Thai citizenship and are stateless; most Chao Lay, maritime nomadic peoples, who travel from island to island in the Andaman Sea west of Thailand are also stateless; stateless Rohingya refugees from Burma are considered illegal migrants by Thai authorities and are detained in inhumane conditions or expelled; stateless persons are denied access to voting, property, education, employment, healthcare, and driving" diff --git a/europe/au.json b/europe/au.json index 83ff535a..36755a25 100644 --- a/europe/au.json +++ b/europe/au.json @@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant), Mario MESQUITA (since 12 July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Victoria Reggie KENNEDY (since 12 January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna" @@ -1008,7 +1008,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "mature telecom market benefitting from effective competition; government and regulator are focused on improving telecom infrastructure; program to provide a national gigabit service by 2030 based on 5G networks; fixed-line broadband market is dominated by DSL sector, while cable broadband enjoys steady share of connections; fiber penetration remains low pending build out network infrastructure; EU-funded projects develop infrastructure to enable an 'Internet of Services; Vienna is a smart city; importer of broadcasting equipment from Vietnam and China (2020)" + "text": "mature telecom market, dominated by Telekom Austria, Magenta Telekom (formed from the merger of T-Mobile Austria and the cableco UPC Austria), and 3 Austria; the mobile market benefits from a growing number of MVNOs; the telcos as well as the government and regulator have been focused on delivering improved telecom infrastructure; the government has a program to provide a national gigabit service by 2030, delivered by private enterprise though with some state funding; this is based on fibrer networks supported by 5G, with the MNOs able to expand the reach of their 5G services following auctions held in March 2019 and September 2020; the fixed-line broadband market is still dominated by the DSL sector, while the cable broadband sector has held a steady share of connections in recent years; the fiber sector was slow to develop, and although fiber remains low there are plans to build out the network infrastructure; by February 2021, A1 Telekom’s fibre network reached more than 2.3 million premises; Magenta Telekom continues to invest in DOCSIS3.1 technology, and by mid-2021 about a third of premises (some 1.4 million) nationally could access the company’s gigabit service.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "developed and efficient; 42 per 100 fixed-line for households, 174 per 100 for companies; roughly 119 per 100 mobile-cellular; broadband: 138 per 100 on smartphones; roughly 29 per 100 fixed broadband and 107 per 100 mobile broadband (2020)" @@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "57,887 (Syria), 41,037 (Afghanistan), 9,661 (Iraq), 8,212 (Somalia), 7,046 (Iran), 7,003 (Russia) (mid-year 2021); 70,153 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "57,887 (Syria), 41,037 (Afghanistan), 9,661 (Iraq), 8,212 (Somalia), 7,046 (Iran), 7,003 (Russia) (mid-year 2021); 71,422 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,229 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/be.json b/europe/be.json index 98700b7c..5cddf2eb 100644 --- a/europe/be.json +++ b/europe/be.json @@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Belgium has a highly developed, technologically advanced telecom system; LTE is nearly universal; ongoing investment in 5G with services to dozens of cities and towns; competition between the DSL and cable platforms with investment in fiber networks; 5G; operators accelerating fiber roll-out program; Brussels Airport collaborating with operator to deploy 5G and IoT solutions; international connections through satellite and submarine cables; importer of broadcast equipment from EU neighbors (2020)" + "text": "Belgium’s mobile market is served by the three network operators Proximus, Orange Belgium and BASE, and by a good number of MVNOs; mobile networks have been upgraded to support growing mobile data use among subscribers, with near-comprehensive LTE coverage; operators have also trialed 5G in preparation for launching services; the auction of 5G-suitable spectrum has been delayed to the beginning of 2022, while the onerous restrictions on radiation have meant that some 5G trials have been suspended; there is effective competition in Belgium between the DSL and cable platforms, while in recent years government support has also encouraged investment in fiber networks; Telenet, supported by its parent Liberty Global, has extended the reach of services based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard, while Proximus also has extensive fibre/VDSL and FttP deployments and is currently investing in €3 billion 'Fibre for Belgium' program through to 2027; in a bid to encourage investment in under served areas, the regulator in 2018 amended the conditions by which market players grant wholesale access to copper and fiber infrastructure; in May 2019 it opened a further consultation on cost models for access to the networks of cablecos and those of Proximus’s fibre infrastructure.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "about 31 per 100 fixed-line and 99 per 100 mobile-cellular; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network (2020)" @@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "18,493 (Syria), 5,094 (Iraq) (2020); 45,882 (Ukraine) (as of 6 June 2022)" + "text": "18,493 (Syria), 5,094 (Iraq) (2020); 47,477 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,159 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/bk.json b/europe/bk.json index 5164ebf6..69a2273b 100644 --- a/europe/bk.json +++ b/europe/bk.json @@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Eric NELSON (since 19 February 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Michael J. MURPHY (since 23 February 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo" @@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "

Bosnia-Herzegovina aims for national LTE coverage through integration with European Union (EU); roaming agreements with EU and Balkan neighbors; fixed-line broadband is underdeveloped, investments in mobile upgrades facilitate broadband connectivity to a greater extent than in Europe; DSL and cable are the main platforms for fixed-line connectivity while fiber broadband has a small market presence; operators support broadband in rural areas where fixed-line infrastructure is insufficient; LTE services under test licenses; 5G awaits market maturity; importer of broadcasting equipment from China

(2021)" + "text": "the telecom market has been liberalized and a regulatory framework created based on the EU’s regulatory framework for communications; although Bosnia-Herzegovina remains an EU candidate country, in July 2017 it applied amended mobile roaming charges to fit in with changes introduced across the Union; further roaming agreements were made in 2019 with other western Balkan countries; the largest operator BH Telecom is the dominant provider, while Telekom Srpske operates in Republika Srpska and HT Mostar is active in Herzegovina;  these three incumbent operators control 99% of the market; all three are subject to specific obligations designed to improve competition; the fixed-line broadband network is comparatively underdeveloped, with the result that investments made in mobile upgrades by BH Telecom and Telekom Srpske are facilitating broadband connectivity in the country to a greater extent than is common elsewhere in Europe; internet services are available through the incumbents and a number of alternative operators; DSL and cable are the main platforms for fixed-line connectivity, while fiber broadband as yet has only a small market presence; the three MNOs, each affiliated with one of the incumbent fixed-line operators, provide national coverage with 3G, though LTE coverage is only about 89%; their upgraded networks are helping to support broadband in rural areas where fixed-line infrastructure is insufficient; mobile data and mobile broadband offers will provide future revenue growth given the limited potential of mobile voice services; the MNOs tested LTE services under trial licenses from 2013, commercial launches were delayed until the award of spectrum in early 2019; the regulator stipulated that licenses must provide national coverage within five years; trials of 5G technology have been undertaken, though there are no plans to launch services commercially in the short term, given that the MNOs can continue to exploit the capacity of their existing LTE networks. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity roughly 22 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscribership stands at 107 telephones per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1173,12 +1173,12 @@ "text": "5,112 (Croatia) (2020)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "99,000 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced by inter-ethnic violence, human rights violations, and armed conflict during the 1992-95 war) (2020)" + "text": "92,000 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced by inter-ethnic violence, human rights violations, and armed conflict during the 1992-95 war) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "149 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 91,361 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2022)" + "note": "note: 92,443 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/bo.json b/europe/bo.json index 4fa3c63f..aed1b550 100644 --- a/europe/bo.json +++ b/europe/bo.json @@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Julie Fisher (since 23 December 2020); Charge d'Affaires Ruben HARUTUNIAN (since May 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Julie Fisher (since 23 December 2020)" }, "embassy": { "text": "46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002" @@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "government owns and administers backbone network and much of telecom market with no independent regulator; government and telecom regulator are concluding three major programs aimed at developing the telecom sector and digital economy to enable 5G services and extension of fiber infrastructure; growing applications for smart cities; developing mobile broadband and data services to rural areas; commercial LTE services extended to 80% of the population; operators provide standalone 5G service and NB-IoT services; international connection through fiber optic and terrestrial link, nascent satellite system; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the government of Belarus has successfully promoted the migration to an all-IP platform as part of a wider effort towards a digital transformation for the economy; the state-supported infrastructure operator beCloud has built an extensive fiber network which reaches all but the smallest settlements in the country; Belarus has the second highest fiber subscription rate in Europe, behind only Iceland; LTE coverage is almost universal, while considerable progress has also been made in developing 5G services. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved, approximately 47 per 100 fixed-line; mobile-cellular teledensity now roughly 124 telephones per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1027,7 +1027,7 @@ "international": { "text": "country code - 375; Belarus is landlocked and therefore a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations; almost 31,000 base stations in service in 2019 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" + "note": "note: the Coronavirus pandemic is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year, the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure." }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "7 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 5 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2019)" @@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "16,654 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 13 June 2022)" + "text": "16,655 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 15 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "6,104 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/bu.json b/europe/bu.json index 534596dd..a49a7033 100644 --- a/europe/bu.json +++ b/europe/bu.json @@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "

Bulgaria’s telecoms sector benefited from adaptation of EU regulatory measures and privatization; population is moving to fiber over DSL for broadband connection; investment towards rural areas; migration from fixed-line voice to mobile and VoIP; private networks pursuing upgrades and development of services based on 5G; broadband market in Bulgaria enjoys cross-platform competition; operators deploy NB-IoT platform in several cities and released smart platform for utilities; government launched e-learning platform to help students continue their studies during lockdown (2021)

(2020)" + "text": "

Bulgaria’s telecom market was for some years affected by the difficult macroeconomic climate, as well as by relatively high unemployment and a shrinking population; these factors continue to slow investments in the sector, though revenue growth has returned since 2019; there still remains pressure on revenue growth, with consumers migrating from fixed-line voice telephony to mobile and VoIP alternatives, while the volume of SMS and MMS traffic has been affected by the growing use of alternative OTT messaging services; the mature mobile market has effective competition between A1 Bulgaria, Yettel (branded as Telenor Bulgaria before March 2022, the Telenor Group’s local unit that had been sold to the PPF Group in August 2018), and the incumbent telco Vivacom; competition intensified following the implementation of a streamlined mobile number portability process; customer preference for bundled services has put pressure on pricing and encouraged operators to offer generous voice and data packages; Vivacom was sold to United Group in April 2020, following European Commission approval; the company is investing in network upgrades and its development of services based on 5G have stimulated other market players to invest in their own service provision; A1 Bulgaria and Vivacom both launched commercial 5G services in 2020, and by the end of 2022 about 70% of the population is expected to be covered by 5G; the broadband market in Bulgaria enjoys excellent cross-platform competition; the share of the market held by DSL has fallen steadily as a result of customers being migrated to fiber networks, particularly those operated by the incumbent telco Vivacom; by early 2021 about 65% of fixed-line broadband subscribers were on fiber infrastructure; Bulgaria joins the U.S. State Department’s Clean Network initiative in a bid to protect its 5G communications networks

(2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line over 12 per 100 persons, mobile-cellular teledensity, fostered by multiple service providers, is over 114 telephones per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "19,014 (Syria) (mid-year 2021); 78,291 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "19,014 (Syria) (mid-year 2021); 79,196 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,143 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/cy.json b/europe/cy.json index 00c534c1..c3aaa6a8 100644 --- a/europe/cy.json +++ b/europe/cy.json @@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "despite the growth of Cyprus's telecom sector, the market is dominated by its state-owned operator; one of the highest broadband penetration rates in the region; DSL remains the dominant access platform as broadband is restricted to a few towns; fixed-line and mobile cable infrastructure available for more than half of premises; fiber infrastructure in development; improved regulations provide confidence for investment in network infrastructure and competing services; operator expanded FttP services and initiated cable connection to France and Egypt; operator signed vendor agreement with international investor, Huawei, to develop 5G; operators extended LTE services and upgraded transmission capacity on TE-North Cable System (2020)" + "text": "Cyprus has suffered from the effects of the pandemic, which essentially closed down the tourism sector during 2020 and into 2021; the incumbent telco Cyta reported strong revenue growth in 2020, largely due to greater use of broadband and mobile services, though investment fell as a result of pandemic-related delays in completing planned projects; the mobile market is served by four mobile network operators, including Cablenet which initially offered services as an MVNO before becoming an MNO in its own right; Cyta has offered mobile services under the Cytamobile-Vodafone brand since 2004 following a partner agreement with Vodafone Group, while Epic was acquired by Monaco Telecom in mid-2018; in mid-2021 Monaco agreed to sell its entire passive infrastructure in Cyprus; the number of mobile subscribers fell in 2020, largely the result of subscribers scaling back on multiple SIM cards as an economic measure; the broadband market continues to develop steadily, providing the country with one of the highest broadband subscription rates in the region; DSL remains the dominant access platform, accounting for about two-thirds of fixed broadband connections; Cablenet is engaged in investment projects which will see its network pass about 80% of premises, compared to 50% as of early 2021; fiber infrastructure in Cyprus is minimal, in common with other markets in the region there are efforts underway (supported by the government and regulator) to extend an FttP service to about 200,000 premises; the number of DSL subscribers is set to fall steadily in coming years as customers are migrated to the fiber platform; regulator concludes multi-spectrum auction for 5G, issues licenses; Epic signs vendor agreement with Huawei to develop 5G (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line about 35 per 100 and about 139 per 100 for mobile-cellular teledensity; open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay (2020)" @@ -1185,10 +1185,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "9,820 (Syria) (mid-year 2021); 12,500 (Ukraine) (as of 6 June 2022)" + "text": "9,820 (Syria) (mid-year 2021); 13,000 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "228,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced since 1974) (2020)" + "text": "242,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced since 1974) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "66 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/da.json b/europe/da.json index 5fa39048..801cbbf6 100644 --- a/europe/da.json +++ b/europe/da.json @@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Denmark has one of the highest broadband penetration rates globally, with near universal availability of superfast connections; progressive regulator encouraged upgrades to cable and DSL infrastructure; fast growing fiber networks with aim for nation-wide build-out; comprehensive LTE with 90% coverage of 5G; operator expands NB-IoT across its LTE network; survey underway for cable connecting Denmark to Norway; upgrades to submarine cable connection to North America; importer of broadcasting equipment from EU neighbors (2020)" + "text": "Denmark has one of the highest broadband subscription rates globally, with a near universal availability of super fast connections; extensive cable and DSL infrastructure has been supported by a progressive regulatory regime which has encouraged operator access to both copper and fiber networks; fiber networks have a fast-growing footprint, while a number of community and metropolitan schemes have supplemented TDC’s own commitments to build out fiber nationally; a number of wholesale fiber schemes have also added to the wider availability of fiber broadband; the reach of LTE infrastructure is comprehensive, while the MNOs by mid-2021 have also provided about 90% population coverage with 5G; services based on 5G were initially launched using trial 3.5GHz licenses; the multi-spectrum auction held in April 2021 has enabled them to improve the resilience and capacity of 5G; all MNOs are engaged in closing down their 3G networks and re purposing spectrum for LTE and 5G use (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line roughly 16 per 100 and about 123 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "19,833 (Syria), 5,634 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2021); 29,191 (Ukraine) (as of 22 May 2022)" + "text": "19,833 (Syria), 5,634 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2021); 30,286 (Ukraine) (as of 9 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "11,608 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/ee.json b/europe/ee.json index d1ef3f2f..53746104 100644 --- a/europe/ee.json +++ b/europe/ee.json @@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (Vacant); Charge D' Affaires Kelly Adams-Smith (since 1 July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador  Mark GITENSTEIN (since 24 January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Zinnerstraat - 13 - Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels" diff --git a/europe/ei.json b/europe/ei.json index 100a8fe0..def35033 100644 --- a/europe/ei.json +++ b/europe/ei.json @@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "infrastructure projects are underway, including the national plan to deliver fiber-based service of at least 150Mb/s nationally by the end of 2022; operators invested in fiber-based networks to deliver a 1Gb/s service to most premises, and on 5G to cover more than half of population; operator test of satellite broadband; Dublin is a smart city (2020)" + "text": "Ireland’s telecom market has rebounded from a long period in which fiscal constraints inhibited investment in the sector; significant infrastructure projects are underway, including the NBN which aims to deliver a fiber-based service of at least 150Mb/s nationally by the end of 2022; the renewed optimism has been seen in company investment in extending fiber-based networks providing 1Gb/s services; the incumbent telco eir is investing €1 billion in infrastructure, part of which is earmarked for its Ireland’s Fiber Network which will deliver a 1Gb/s service to 85% of premises; the mobile market is dominated by Vodafone Ireland and 3 Ireland, followed by eir; there is room for a small number of MVNOs, the largest of which is Tesco Mobile, though stiff competition and the deployment of low-cost sub-brands by the MNOs has made the MVNO model a difficult proposition and a few players have been forced to exit the market; the mobile sector is preparing for a multi-frequency availibility later in 2021 which will greatly increase the amount of frequencies available, and provide a boost for 5G services; the MNOs are rapidly expanding the reach of 5G, with eir alone covering about 57% of the population by March 2021; Vodafone launches a commercial NB-IoT service, extend 5G services to more cities (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "increasing levels of broadband access particularly in urban areas; fixed-line 34 per 100 and mobile-cellular 106 per 100 subscriptions; digital system using cable and microwave radio relay (2020)" @@ -1167,11 +1167,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

" + "text": "

Ireland-Denmark: Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands signed an agreement in 2019 extending the Faroe Islands’ northern continental shelf area

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "34,842 (Ukraine) (as of 2 June 2022)" + "text": "35,675 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "107 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/en.json b/europe/en.json index ea45a21c..1ccdb8c2 100644 --- a/europe/en.json +++ b/europe/en.json @@ -1016,7 +1016,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "greatly improved telecom service through a range of regulatory measures, competition, and foreign investment, leading to high-quality voice, data, and Internet services; one of the most advanced mobile markets and highest broadband penetration rates in Europe; government commits 20 million euro to rural broadband program; operators supporting LTE infrastructure and launch of smart services; 5G services in major cities; government provides Internet to schools and libraries (2020)" + "text": "the competitive telecom market continues to progress with a range of regulatory measures which have enabled alternative operators to chip away at the fixed-line market share of the incumbent telco Telia Estonia; fixed-line infrastructure upgrades have been focused on fiber, and the legacy DSL network has gradually been replaced; the MNOs Telia, Elisa and Tele2 have comprehensive LTE infrastructure in place; limited commercial 5G deployments have been made though an expansion of service availability awaits the delayed auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band, which is expected to be held later in 2021.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "just under 23 per 100 for fixed-line subscribership and approximately 145 per 100 for mobile-cellular; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of the population files income tax returns online, and online voting - in local and parliamentary elections - has climbed steadily since first being introduced in 2005; a large percent of Estonian households have broadband access (2020)" @@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "39,802 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "42,257 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "71,873 (mid-year 2021); note - following independence in 1991, automatic citizenship was restricted to those who were Estonian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants; thousands of ethnic Russians remained stateless when forced to choose between passing Estonian language and citizenship tests or applying for Russian citizenship; one reason for demurring on Estonian citizenship was to retain the right of visa-free travel to Russia; stateless residents can vote in local elections but not general elections; stateless parents who have been lawful residents of Estonia for at least five years can apply for citizenship for their children before they turn 15 years old" diff --git a/europe/ez.json b/europe/ez.json index 2d2573a8..24d03f3a 100644 --- a/europe/ez.json +++ b/europe/ez.json @@ -1008,7 +1008,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Czechia has a sophisticated telecom market with a developed telephone and Internet service attracting European investment; mobile sector showing steady growth through regulatory support for competition; licensees expanding reach of 5G and LTE networks; mobile penetration among the highest in the EU; operators extended fiber to an additional 143 rural zones in 2020 and commit to extending fiber to one million premises by 2027; its top import is broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the telecom market has attracted investment from among the key regional telcos, including Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, and Vodafone, as also investors such as PPF Group; O2 Czech Republic remains the dominant telco in all segments, though there is effective competition, particularly in the mobile sector; telcos in the Czech Republic have become multi-service providers, offering a full range of fixed and mobile services; O2 CR has struggled to improve revenue growth in recent years, and in response it has transitioned itself to face market challenges; among the changes was its reorganization into separate business divisions and the spinning off of CETIN as a separate unit to manage the fixed and mobile networks while also operating as a national wholesale network provider; CETIN’s owner, PPF Group, in early 2021 considered an IPO for CETIN; the mobile sector is concentrated among the three MNOs, despite the regulator having made efforts to facilitate the entry of a new market player by providing spectrum at the multi-band auction held in November 2020; the auction has enabled the licensees to expand the reach of their 5G networks; this process has also been assisted by them closing down 3G networks and refarming spectrum for 5G and LTE use.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 12 fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and mobile telephone usage of about 121 per 100 inhabitants (2020)" @@ -1178,7 +1178,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "366,632 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "373,965 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,498 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/fi.json b/europe/fi.json index 5569f945..265b65bf 100644 --- a/europe/fi.json +++ b/europe/fi.json @@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ian CAMPBELL (since 14 January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Douglas HICKEY (since 11 May 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki" @@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Finland’s telecom market is among most progressive in Europe through favorable regulatory action and competitive technological innovation; orientation towards high technology, research, and development with high investment in information and communication sectors; large proportion of population on 5G and most on LTE; high broadband and mobile penetration; fixed-voice density falling; government provided universal 5Mb/s broadband (2020)" + "text": "Finland’s telecom market is among the more progressive in Europe, with operators having been at the forefront in deploying technologies and with the regulator being among the first to auction spectrum for 5G use; these efforts have been supported by the government which is working towards its target of providing a broadband service of at least 100Mb/s by 2025; 5G services were available to more than 40% of the population by early 2021, and take-up among subscribers has been strong although most will remain with LTE in the short term; the country enjoys one of the highest broadband and mobile subscription rates in the region, with customers able to make use of the latest iterations of technologies including DOCSIS3.1, LTE-A, 5G, and GPON fiber infrastructure; Finland has emerged as one of the pioneers in 5G; the auction of spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.5GHh bands has enabled network operators to extend the availability of LTE services nationally and to prepare for 5G services; Spectrum in the 2.5GHz band was auctioned in mid-2020 and has since enabled the MNOs to widen their 5G footprint considerably; the incumbent telco Telia remains the dominant player in the DSL sector, but there is an ongoing shift away from DSL to fiber and mobile networks. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line 4 per 100 subscriptions and nearly 129 per 100 mobile-cellular (2020)" @@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "9,053 (Iraq) (mid-year 2021); 26,196 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "9,053 (Iraq) (mid-year 2021); 26,629 (Ukraine) (as of 9 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,416 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/fr.json b/europe/fr.json index f5d96e9d..8b9279ee 100644 --- a/europe/fr.json +++ b/europe/fr.json @@ -603,10 +603,10 @@ "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate or Senat (348 seats - 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges using absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members, and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "
Senate - last held on 24 and 27 September 2020 (next to be held in September 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)" + "text": "
Senate - last held on 24 and 27 September 2020 (next to be held in September 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held in June 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties)  - NA; composition - men 226, women 122, percent of women 35.1%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party first round - LREM 28.2%, LR 15.8%. FN 13.2%, FI 11%, PS 7.4%, other 24.4%; percent of vote by party second round - LREM 43.1%, LR 22.2%, FN 8.8%, MoDEM 6.1%, PS 5.7%. FI 4.9%, other 9.2%; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties) - LREM 306, LR 104, MoDEM 46, UDI/Agir 29, PS 29, UDI 18, FI 17, Liberties and Territories 16, PCF 16, other 14; composition - men 349, women 228, percent of women 39.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 37.8%" + "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties)  - NA; composition - men 226, women 122, percent of women 35.1%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition in the first round - ENS 25.8%, NUPES 25.7%, RN 18.7%, UDC 11.3%, other 18.5%; seats by party/coalition in the first round - NUPES 4, ENS 1; percent of vote in the second round - ENS 38.6%, NUPES 31.6%, RN 17.3%, UDC 7.3%, other 5.2%, seats by party/coalition in the second round - ENS 244, NUPES 127, RN 89, UDC 64, other 48" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ "note": "note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament" }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]
Debout la France or DLF [Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN]
Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU]
Europe Ecology - the Greens or EELV [Julien BAYOU]
French Communist Party or PCF [Fabien ROUSSEL]
Horizons [Edouard PHILIPPE]
La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]
La Republique en Marche! or LREM [Stanislas GUERINI]
Movement of Progressives or MDP  Robert HUE]
National Rally or RN [Marine LE PEN] (formerly National Front or FN)
New Democrats [Aurelien TACHE, Emilie CARIOU] (formerly Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS)
Radical Party of the Left or PRG [Guillaume LACROIX]
Reconquete [Eric ZEMMOUR]
Resistons! [Jean LASSALLE]
Socialist Party or PS [Olivier FAURE]
The Patriots or LP [Florian PHILIPPOT]
The Republicans or LR [Christian JACOB]
Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI [Jean-Christophe LAGARDE]" + "text": "Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]
Debout la France or DLF [Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN]
Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU]
Ecologist Pole or PE
Europe Ecology - the Greens or EELV [Julien BAYOU]
French Communist Party or PCF [Fabien ROUSSEL]
Horizons [Edouard PHILIPPE]
La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]
La Republique en Marche! or LREM [Stanislas GUERINI]
Movement of Progressives or MDP  [Robert HUE]
National Rally or RN [Marine LE PEN] (formerly National Front or FN)
New Democrats [Aurelien TACHE, Emilie CARIOU] (formerly Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS)
New Ecologic and Social People's Union or NUPES [collective leadership] (electoral coalition including FI, PE, PS, PCF)
Radical Party of the Left or PRV [Guillaume LACROIX]
Reconquete [Eric ZEMMOUR]
Resistons! [Jean LASSALLE]
Socialist Party or PS [Olivier FAURE]
The Patriots or LP [Florian PHILIPPOT]
The Republicans or LR [Christian JACOB]
Together or ENS [Richard Ferrand] (electoral coalition including LREM, MoDem, Horizons, PRV)
Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI [Jean-Christophe LAGARDE]
Union of Right and Center or UDC [Christian JACOB] (electoral coalition including LR, UDI)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "one of the largest mobile phone markets in Europe; LTE has universal coverage with extensive 5G; one of the largest broadband subscriber bases in Europe; regional government and telecom companies have invested in higher bandwidth with fiber infrastructure improvements, an investment of more than 20 billion euros; operator investment in developing markets, and on the greater use of artificial intelligence and data; satellite broadband connectivity across France; Paris adopted smart city technology; importer of broadcast equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "France's telecom market is one of the largest in Europe; telecom revenue, at about €30 billion annually, has declined in recent years and came under particular pressure during 2020 when a sequence of local and national lock downs, as well as restrictions on international travel, resulted in a sharp drop in revenue from roaming and device sales; this was partly offset by growth in data traffic and the migration of subscribers to faster fixed-line broadband packages, mostly based on fiber; the incumbent telco Orange Group is one of the world’s major players, with interests in markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa; the company has embarked on a new multi-year Engage 2025 plan which is focused on growth in the developing markets, and on the greater use of artificial intelligence and data; the mobile phone market, worth about €13 billion annually, is dominated by Orange, SFR Group (owned by Altice Group), Bouygues Telecom, and Free Mobile (Iliad); there are many MVNOs in the market, though their share of subscribers fell at the end of 2020 when one of the largest of them was acquired by its host network operator; LTE networks provide near universal coverage, and carry about 95% of mobile data traffic; operators have launched 5G services, and these have been supported by the late-2020 auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz range; France’s fixed broadband market is increasingly focused on fiber, which accounted for 71% of all fixed lines at the beginning of 2021; growth in the fiber sector has been stimulated by households securing faster data packages during the pandemic; the number of DSL lines has fallen sharply as customers migrate to fiber infrastructure.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "nearly 58 per 100 persons for fixed-line and over 111 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1257,7 +1257,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "37,744 (Afghanistan), 23,980 (Sri Lanka), 23,510 (Syria), 21,070 (Sudan), 19,007 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 16,995 (Russia), 15,090 (Guinea), 14,296 (Serbia and Kosovo), 13,180 (Turkey), 10,849 (Cambodia), 9,328 (Iraq) 8,519 (China), 8,338 (Cote d'Ivoire), 8,218 (Eritrea), 7,628 (Vietnam), 6,947 (Bangladesh), 6,649 (Somalia), 6,642 (Albania), 6,371 (Laos), 6,074 (Mauritania), 5,908 (Mali) (mid-year 2021); 43,300 (Ukraine) (as of 27 April 2022)" + "text": "37,744 (Afghanistan), 23,980 (Sri Lanka), 23,510 (Syria), 21,070 (Sudan), 19,007 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 16,995 (Russia), 15,090 (Guinea), 14,296 (Serbia and Kosovo), 13,180 (Turkey), 10,849 (Cambodia), 9,328 (Iraq) 8,519 (China), 8,338 (Cote d'Ivoire), 8,218 (Eritrea), 7,628 (Vietnam), 6,947 (Bangladesh), 6,649 (Somalia), 6,642 (Albania), 6,371 (Laos), 6,074 (Mauritania), 5,908 (Mali) (mid-year 2021); 87,972 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,094 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/gm.json b/europe/gm.json index 9a255fa0..06609b48 100644 --- a/europe/gm.json +++ b/europe/gm.json @@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "one of the world's most technologically advanced telecom systems with additional security measures; LTE universally available and 5G service to over 80% of population; mobile market is driven by data, with increased broadband subscribership; regulatory measures aimed at facilitating wholesale network access to provide fiber-based broadband services; government aims to provide smart technology solutions; over 60 cities use smart technology in urban development, many through joint initiative with private sector, utility companies, and universities; importer of broadcast equipment and computers from China (2020)" + "text": "with one of Europe’s largest telecom markets, Germany hosts a number of significant networks which offer effective competition in the mobile and broadband sectors; Telekom Deutschland remains the dominant provider in the fixed-line segment, though there is increasing competition from networks including freenet, Vodafone Germany, and Telefónica Germany, each of which is making use of regulatory measures aimed at facilitating wholesale network access to provide fiber-based broadband services; the German mobile market is driven by mobile data, with the number of mobile broadband subscribers having increased rapidly in recent years; with LTE now universally available, progress has recently been made in building out 5G networks; Telekom’s 5G service provided about 80% population coverage by March 2021; this was expected to be increased to 90% coverage by the end of the year (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries; approximately 46 per 100 for fixed-line and 128 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2020)" @@ -1226,7 +1226,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "616,325 (Syria), 152,677 (Afghanistan), 147,400 (Iraq), 62,152 (Eritrea), 45,704 (Iran), 34,465 (Turkey), 29,137 (Somalia), 9,329 (Russia), 9,323 (Nigeria), 8,600 (Pakistan), 7,503 (Serbia and Kosovo), 6,057 (Ethiopia) (mid-year 2021); 780,000 (Ukraine) (as of 2 June 2022)" + "text": "616,325 (Syria), 152,677 (Afghanistan), 147,400 (Iraq), 62,152 (Eritrea), 45,704 (Iran), 34,465 (Turkey), 29,137 (Somalia), 9,329 (Russia), 9,323 (Nigeria), 8,600 (Pakistan), 7,503 (Serbia and Kosovo), 6,057 (Ethiopia) (mid-year 2021); 780,000 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "26,980 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/gr.json b/europe/gr.json index 3915314d..2cf4d69e 100644 --- a/europe/gr.json +++ b/europe/gr.json @@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "telecom market is susceptible to country’s volatile economy, but renewed confidence has been renewed through foreign and European Commission investment; increasing urban population with well-developed mobile market; growing adoption of IoT technology; steady development of broadband; investment in LTE and launch of 5G; government project for ultra-fast broadband, largely funded by European Commission with focus on underserved areas (2020)" + "text": "Greece’s telecom market is susceptible to the country’s volatile economy, and as a result revenue among the key networks has been variable; the incumbent telco OTE, supported by the organizational and financial clout of its parent Deutsche Telekom, reported a 16.6% fall in revenue for 2020, and the economic fallout of the pandemic continued to reduce revenue into 2021; broadband subscriptions in Greece are developing steadily despite the difficult economic conditions; the main networks are concentrating investment on fiber-based next generation networks, enabling them to reach the European broadband targets for 2025; their work is also supported by government ultra-fast broadband projects, largely funded by the EC and aimed at delivering a service of at least 100Mb/s to under served areas; Greece’s well-developed mobile market is dominated by the three MNOs Wind Hellas, Vodafone Greece, and Cosmote; Networks continue to invest in LTE infrastructure and technologies to provide networks capable of meeting customer demand for data services; after extensive trials of 5G, the MNOs were able to launch commercial services in early 2021 following the December 2020 allocation of frequencies in a range of bands; the rapid rollout of 5G encouraged Cosmote to close down its 3G network (a process expected to be completed by the end of 2021) and reallocate for LTE and 5G. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands; nearly 46 per 100 subscribers for fixed-line and 110 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2020)" @@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "5,552 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 1,216,968 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022); as of the end of February 2022, Greece hosted an estimated 161,419 refugees and asylum seekers" + "note": "note: 1,217,600 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022); as of the end of February 2022, Greece hosted an estimated 161,419 refugees and asylum seekers" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis products and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime" diff --git a/europe/hr.json b/europe/hr.json index 56b8236f..d7e0245c 100644 --- a/europe/hr.json +++ b/europe/hr.json @@ -1037,7 +1037,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Croatia’s telecom market improved through partnership with the EU in 2013, opening a competitive market in mobile and broadband and conducive regulatory environment; one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the Balkans, covering most remote areas; local lines are digital; international operator investment provides relatively high broadband penetration; tests for 5G technologies in 2020 (2020)" + "text": "Croatia’s telecom market is dominated by the incumbent telco Hrvatski Telekom and the local units of United Group and Telekom Austria, there is effective competition from a number of smaller operators; the regulator has helped promote competition via measures encouraging network access, as well as regional licensing; this has been seen most recently with two 5G licenses having been reserved for regional rather than national operations; the mobile market is served by three MNOs, supplemented by a number of MVNOs; the network operators have focused on improving ARPU by encouraging prepaid subscribers to migrate to postpaid plans, and on developing revenue from mobile data services; 5G services are widely available, though the sector will only show its full potential later in 2021 following the award of licenses in several bands; this will contribute towards the government’s national broadband plan to 2027, which is tied to the EC’s two allied projects aimed at providing gigabit connectivity by the end of 2025; the broadband sector benefits from effective competition between the DSL and cable platforms, while there are also numerous fiber deployments in urban areas; the number of FttP subscribers broached 134,000 in March 2021.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity has dropped somewhat to about 32 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions are about 107 per 100 (2020)" @@ -1213,12 +1213,12 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "13,759 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "14,259 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,910 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 741,049 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-April 2022)" + "note": "note: 743,021 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine  destined for  European markets

 

" diff --git a/europe/hu.json b/europe/hu.json index 74a3ef04..db7ef7bf 100644 --- a/europe/hu.json +++ b/europe/hu.json @@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Hungary benefits from a well-developed telecom infrastructure, with adoption of 5G and upgrade of fixed networks to 1Gb/s service; fixed-line subscribership fell as subscribers migrated to mobile for voice and data; effective infrastructure-based competition, with an extensive cable network competing against DSL and expanding fiber sector; high mobile penetration and highest fixed broadband penetration rate in Eastern Europe; government supports private partnership in smart agriculture applications; as part of EU, fully liberalized and open to investment; broadcasting equipment is one of the country’s top five imports, plus mobile phones, from China (2020)" + "text": "Hungary benefits from having a developed telecom infrastructure, with a focus among operators to develop the 5G sector and upgrade fixed networks to provide a 1Gb/s service; services based on 5G have been supported by the January 2021 multi-spectrum auction for spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands; Digi Mobile failed to secure spectrum, which prompted the operator’s parent company to sell the unit to 4iG; the number of fixed-lines continues to fall as subscribers migrate to the mobile platform for voice and data services; operators have bundled packages to boost revenue and retain subscribers; this strategy encouraged Vodafone Group to acquire UPC Hungary in mid-2019; the broadband market has effective infrastructure-based competition, with an extensive cable network competing against DSL services and a vibrant and rapidly expanding fiber sector.; the regulator has also introduced a number of measures aimed at promoting market competition, which is pushing the drive for higher speed platforms and encouraging operators to invest in technology upgrades; Hungary now has the highest fixed broadband penetration rate in Eastern Europe; by the beginning of 2021, the incumbent telco Maygar Telekom provided a 1Gb/s service to about 2.5 million premises across the country; the number of superfast broadband connections (above 30Mb/s) accounted for 78% of all fixed broadband connections; Maygar Telekom is at the forefront of 5G developments, supported by the government, universities, other telcos and vendors forming the Hungarian 5G Coalition; by March 2021, Vodafone Hungary managed about 300 5G base stations in Budapest and its surrounds, as well as in a number of other cities. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile-cellular phones, and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections, with just under 31 fixed per 100 persons and 107 mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 (2020)" @@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ "international": { "text": "country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 (very small aperture terminal) VSAT system of ground terminals" }, - "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" + "note": "note: the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the telecoms market. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, has offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect has been a reduced (and sometimes negative) subscriber growth, which will continue into 2021. " }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "mixed system of state-supported public service broadcast media and private broadcasters; the 5 publicly owned TV channels and the 2 main privately owned TV stations are the major national broadcasters; a large number of special interest channels; highly developed market for satellite and cable TV services with about two-thirds of viewers utilizing their services; 4 state-supported public-service radio networks; a large number of local stations including commercial, public service, nonprofit, and community radio stations; digital transition completed at the end of 2013; government-linked businesses have greatly consolidated ownership in broadcast and print media (2019)" @@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "764,216 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 13 June 2022)" + "text": "782,742 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 16 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "130 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/ic.json b/europe/ic.json index 88eff9e8..049b7481 100644 --- a/europe/ic.json +++ b/europe/ic.json @@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "small but most progressive telecom market in Europe; telecom infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network; near universal fixed broadband service of at least 100Mb/s by the end of 2021; operator aims for national 5G coverage by end of 2022; good competition among mobile and broadband markets; investment by operators and government in support of NGN, particularly in rural areas; submarine cable to Ireland; importer of broadcasting equipment from Vietnam and China (2020)" + "text": "Iceland has one of the smallest yet most progressive telecom markets in Europe; the country in 2020 became the top in Europe for fiber subscriptions; it aims to provide a fixed broadband service of at least 100Mb/s to 99.9% of the population by the end of 2021, an ambitious target by international standards and one which it is likely to achieve given the progress which operators have made in extending the reach of fiber networks; there is effective competition in the mobile and broadband markets, with a number of players having emerged to challenge the dominance of the two leading operators Síminn and Sýn, which have interests across the telecom sectors; Sýn was formerly Vodafone Iceland before being rebranded to reflect the company’s move into broadband and broadcasting following its December 2017 acquisition of most of the telecoms and media interests of 365 Media; Nova has become the leading player in the mobile market and has quickly expanded its presence in the fixed-line segment, particularly in fiber; the telecom market has shown some resilience in recent years following the significant economic downturn a decade ago, supported by continuing investment in mobile and fixed-line broadband infrastructure by operators and well as by the government’s Telecommunications Fund which is supporting Next Generation Access networks, particularly in rural areas; Síminn contracts Ericsson to build its 5G RAN, aiming for national 5G coverage by end-2022 (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market; roughly 31 per 100 for fixed line and nearing 124 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" diff --git a/europe/im.json b/europe/im.json index 4b235ebf..f95fdbba 100644 --- a/europe/im.json +++ b/europe/im.json @@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index 5eaf0c0a..d0245c3c 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "well-developed, fully automated telephone, and data services; among highest mobile penetration rates in Europe; benefitted from progressive government programs aimed at developing fiber in broadband sector; leading edge of development with 5G in six cities; fiber network reaches more than half of population; Milan developing smart city technology; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2020)" + "text": "Italy’s large telecom market has one of the most progressive fiber sectors in Europe, with regulatory measures encouraging network sharing; the incumbent telco continues to invest in fiber, despite its recent financial difficulties, while the Open Fiber wholesale provider now has a number of retail contracts which have greatly broadened competition in the sector; plans to merge Open Fiber with TIM’s fixed infrastructure are ongoing; regulatory measures have also been introduced to facilitate access to NGNs, and a number of deals have been brokered which enable the main telcos to provide bundled services to large numbers of the population; Italy’s vibrant mobile market has one of the highest subscription rates in Europe, though the number of subscribers has fallen in recent years as customers respond to attractive off-net pricing which has reduced the financial benefit of having SIM cards from different providers; the market underwent considerable changes following the merger of Wind and 3 Italia (becoming Wind Tre), which resulted in a new entrant in the form of Iliad; in mid-2019 Fastweb was recognized as an MNO in its own right, having been an MVNO for some 11 years; the company has secured frequencies in the 3.5GHz and 26GHz bands and has a ten-year deal with Wind Tre providing it with national roaming as well as a partner with which to develop a 5G network; network companies were among the first in Europe to trial services based on 5G; the high cost also encouraged the regulator in early 2021 to consider extending the licenses by an additional six years.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks; 32 per 100 for fixed-line and nearly 128 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1217,16 +1217,16 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa

" + "text": "

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa

Italy-Austria-Switzerland: borders are shifting because glacier peaks that had served as a natural boundary are melting

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "19,441 (Nigeria), 15,337 (Pakistan), 12,962 (Afghanistan), 10,609 (Mali), 7,901 (Somalia), 5,845 (Gambia), 5,079 (Iraq) (mid-year 2021); 125,907 (Ukraine) (as of 31 May 2022)" + "text": "19,441 (Nigeria), 15,337 (Pakistan), 12,962 (Afghanistan), 10,609 (Mali), 7,901 (Somalia), 5,845 (Gambia), 5,079 (Iraq) (mid-year 2021); 129,623 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,000 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 610,671 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" + "note": "note: 615,626 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "important gateway for drug trafficking; organized crime groups allied with Colombian and Spanish groups trafficking cocaine to Europe" diff --git a/europe/je.json b/europe/je.json index 4edef972..37fdf651 100644 --- a/europe/je.json +++ b/europe/je.json @@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/jn.json b/europe/jn.json index 7f1f11d7..ae2c6931 100644 --- a/europe/jn.json +++ b/europe/jn.json @@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/kv.json b/europe/kv.json index ca39ab68..354911ff 100644 --- a/europe/kv.json +++ b/europe/kv.json @@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Philip KOSNETT (since 3 December 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador Jeffrey M. HOVENIER (since 10 January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Arberia/Dragodan, Rr.  4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina" @@ -1012,13 +1012,13 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of its status as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers under UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo authority continue to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens; Kosovo and North Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; Kosovo ratified the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro in March 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed

" + "text": "

NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers under UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo authority continue to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens

Kosovo-Albania: none identified

Kosovo-Montenegro: their 2015 demarcation agreement was ratified by Montenegro in December 2015 and by Kosovo in March 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed; as of March 2021, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin KURTI said that after the new Montenegrin government is formed, he would broach the subject of reopening the agreement

Kosovo-North Macedonia: Kosovo and North Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; both countries ratified the demarcation documents on October 17, 2009, after high-level consultations resolved the disputed section of border around Debelde/Tanusevci

Kosovo-Serbia: Serbia with several other states protest the US’s and other countries’ recognition of Kosovo's declaration of its status as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; Kosovo’s and Serbia’s temporary agreement on license plates expired on 21 April 2022; the two countries are meeting on 13 May to reach a permanent agreement

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "16,000 (primarily ethnic Serbs displaced during the 1998-1999 war fearing reprisals from the majority ethnic-Albanian population; a smaller number of ethnic Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2,004 as a result of violence) (2020)" + "text": "16,000 (primarily ethnic Serbs displaced during the 1998-1999 war fearing reprisals from the majority ethnic-Albanian population; a smaller number of ethnic Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2,004 as a result of violence) (2021)" }, - "note": "note: 7,794 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-April 2022)" + "note": "note: 7,849 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2022)" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/lg.json b/europe/lg.json index a417a1e5..9d6de1fd 100644 --- a/europe/lg.json +++ b/europe/lg.json @@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed-line phones is decreasing as mobile-cellular telephone service expands; EU regulatory policies, and framework provide guidelines for growth; government adopted measures to build a national fiber broadband network, partially funded by European Commission; new competition in mobile markets with extensive LTE-A technologies and 5G service growth; developing sophisticated digital economy with e-commerce and e-government widely available; operator working on cable to Sakhalin in Russia’s Far East (2020)" + "text": "the telecom market continues to benefit from investment and from regulatory measures aimed at developing 5G and fiber based infrastructure; there is effective competition in the mobile market, with extensive services based on LTE-A technologies to boost data speeds; operators such as Bité Latvia and Tele2 Latvia have also begun transitioning their networks to support services and applications based on 5G, though with the existing capacity of LTE infrastructure a large scale 5G deployment is not expected until 2023; to facilitate this progress, the regulator in March 2021 approved an application from Tele2 Latvia and Bité to share almost half of their spectrum assets; in the fixed-line broadband sector, the country is ranked second highest in Europe (after Iceland) for fiber coverage and take-up, closely followed by Lithuania; with this infrastructure in place, the country has also developed a sophisticated digital economy, with e-commerce and e-government services widely available.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line roughly 11 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 109 per 100 subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1188,11 +1188,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

" + "text": "

Latvia-Belarus: Belarus and Latvia signed joint demarcation map in September 2008

Latvia-Estonia: demarcation reportedly completed in 1998

Latvia-Lithuania: boundary demarcation was completed by the end of 1998; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights

Latvia-Russia: Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; in March 2007, Latvia and Russia signed a border treaty, which includes Latvia withdrawing claims to a district now in Russia that was part of Latvia before WWII; the permanent demarcation of the boundary between Latvia and Russia was completed and came into force in April 2018; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "23,382 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "31,561 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "209,168 (mid-year 2021); note - individuals who were Latvian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants were recognized as Latvian citizens when the country's independence was restored in 1991; citizens of the former Soviet Union residing in Latvia who have neither Latvian nor other citizenship are considered non-citizens (officially there is no statelessness in Latvia) and are entitled to non-citizen passports; children born after Latvian independence to stateless parents are entitled to Latvian citizenship upon their parents' request; non-citizens cannot vote or hold certain government jobs and are exempt from military service but can travel visa-free in the EU under the Schengen accord like Latvian citizens; non-citizens can obtain naturalization if they have been permanent residents of Latvia for at least five years, pass tests in Latvian language and history, and know the words of the Latvian national anthem" diff --git a/europe/lh.json b/europe/lh.json index 66e7b236..4da5e7fa 100644 --- a/europe/lh.json +++ b/europe/lh.json @@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Lithuania’s small telecom market is among the most advanced in Europe, with universal access to LTE, extensive fiber footprint, and tests of 5G; operators focus on data speeds; improved international capability and better residential access; high SIM card penetration; increased demand for high-speed Internet for education, entertainment, and shopping during pandemic supporting growth in revenue through fiber lines; importer of broadcast equipment and video displays from neighboring EU countries (2020)" + "text": "Lithuania’s small telecoms market is among the more advanced in Europe, particularly given the universal access to LTE infrastructure and the extensive fiber footprint; a number of alternative operators offer services although the incumbent Telia Lithuania remains the dominant player in the fixed-line and broadband sectors; in line with the country’s Digital Agenda, the focus among telcos has been to invest in fiber, with an emphasis on delivering gigabyte data speeds; SIM card penetration is relatively high for the region and most subscribers are higher ARPU postpaid subscribers; network operators continue to market mobile broadband services, made possible from investments in LTE technologies; LTE services are available nationally, and although there have been some initial trials of 5G commercial services are not expected to be launched until mid to late 2021; the regulator has consulted on the release of spectrum for 5G in a range of bands, and the auction is tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2021; according to regulator data, the total revenue of the electronic communications sector in the third quarter of 2020 was the highest it has been since the fourth quarter of 2010; revenue growth in the mobile sector was driven mainly mobile internet services. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "nearly 12 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions; rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of fixed-line connections; mobile-cellular teledensity stands at about 174 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ "international": { "text": "country code - 370; landing points for the BCS East, BCS East-West Interlink and NordBalt connecting Lithuania to Sweden, and Latvia ; further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (2019)" }, - "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" + "note": "note: the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in demand for high-speed internet access services, as citizens used the internet for education, work, entertainment and shopping; revenues for fixed internet services grew by 1.8% in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019; most of the revenue (76%) was generated from access services via fiber lines." }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "public broadcaster operates 3 channels with the third channel - a satellite channel - introduced in 2007; various privately owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; many privately owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; many privately owned commercial broadcasters, with repeater stations in various regions throughout the country" @@ -1205,11 +1205,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

" + "text": "

Lithuania-Belarus: as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Lithuania-Lativa: boundary demarcated with Latvia was completed in 1998

Lithuania-Russia: Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; in January 2018, demarcation of the Lithuania-Russia border was completed

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "53,913 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "56,223 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,721 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/lo.json b/europe/lo.json index a38146bf..e0f77284 100644 --- a/europe/lo.json +++ b/europe/lo.json @@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "a modern telecom system; one operator has near monopoly of fixed-line market; competition in mobile- and fixed-broadband market; broadband growth in recent years; competition among DSL, cable, and fiber platforms; FttP growth in cities; operator launched 1Gb/s cable broadband service in 3 cities and 200,000 premises in 2019; EU funding for development and improvement of e-government and online services; regulator prepared groundwork for 5G services in 2020 (2020)" + "text": "Slovakia’s incumbent telco Slovak Telekom retains its dominance of the fixed-line voice and broadband sector, though there is effective competition in the mobile market, where most investment is being channeled; the main operators including O2 Slovakia and Orange Slovakia have expanded into offering bundled fixed and mobile services; the broadband market has shown steady growth in recent years; DSL remains the principal technology though in early 2020 it was eclipsed by the fast-developing fiber sector, which has been supported by sympathetic regulatory measures and considerable investment among operators; the cable sector is a distant third in terms of subscribers, though cable is particularly strong in urban areas; the main telco UPC Slovakia has gained customers steadily in recent years (reaching 144,000 by the end of 2020) on the back of its widely available 1Gb/s service offering; Slovakia’s mobile market is served by four MNOs, two of which are the local units of operators with a pan-European reach (Deutsche Telekom and Orange Group), O2 Slovakia was once the local unit of Telefónica Group before being sold to an investment concern; mobile broadband access and content services are developing rapidly in line with operators having upgraded their networks; the regulator prepared the groundwork for 5G services in line with European Union requirements, with concessions in the 3.5GHz range followed by those in the 700MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz bands; commercial services by the first quarter of 2021 were limited, licensees have invested in 5G infrastructure and also have considerable coverage obligations.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "four companies have a license to operate cellular networks and provide nationwide cellular services; a few other companies provide services but do not have their own networks; fixed-line roughly 11 per 100 and mobile-cellular over 133 per 100 teledensity (2020)" @@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "501,335 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 13 June 2022)" + "text": "510,014 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 16 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,532 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/lu.json b/europe/lu.json index 039f1aa8..3b6e1d9b 100644 --- a/europe/lu.json +++ b/europe/lu.json @@ -1125,11 +1125,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "5,300 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "5,245 (Ukraine) (as of 9 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "194 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/md.json b/europe/md.json index 2bb33e1a..7830de62 100644 --- a/europe/md.json +++ b/europe/md.json @@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Kent D. LOGSDON (since February 2022); Deputy Chief of Mission Laura HRUBY (since 21 July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Kent D. LOGSDON (since 16 February 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009" @@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "high unemployment and economic pressures have reduced consumer spending in telecom market; endeavors to join the EU have promoted regulatory issues in line with EU standards; mobile market extended outside of cities and across most of the country; LTE services available; market is competitive, fiber accounts for 62% of all fixed broadband connections and most telecom revenue is from the mobile market; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the telecom market has been affected by a combination of high unemployment and economic difficulties which have led to constraints on consumer spending; this has resulted in telecom revenue having fallen steadily in recent years; this decline continued into 2020, with a 6.3% in revenue from the important mobile sector alone, year-on-year; Moldova’s aspirations to join the EU have encouraged the government and regulator to adopt a range of measures to bring the country’s telecoms sector into line with EU principles and standards; in July 2017 the Electronic Communications Act was amended to accommodate the 2009 European regulatory framework, while further amendments were adopted in December 2017 and additional changes were proposed in 2019; Moldova is also part of the Eastern Partnership group of countries, and as such has set in train a glide path to reducing roaming charges, effective between 2022 and 2026; the country’s broadband strategy through to 2025 has been supported by the ITU and industry counterparts from Korea; the internet market is developing rapidly, and though the penetration rate is well below the average for most European countries there are many opportunities for further development; the market is highly competitive, with 101 active ISPs as of early 2021, though Moldtelecom and Starnet between them account for most connections; the number of cable broadband subscribers is increasing steadily, though fiber is now by far the strongest sector; by the end of 2020 fiber accounted for about 72.3% of all fixed broadband connections; the mobile market has also grown rapidly, and the sector accounts for the majority of total telecoms revenue; the triopoly of operators is dominated by Orange Moldova, while the launch of LTE services has opened up a new revenue growth opportunity centered on mobile broadband; the near comprehensive geographical reach of their mobile networks, market brand recognition and existing customer relationships will make for steady subscriber growth in coming years. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "competition among mobile telephone providers has spurred subscriptions; little interest in expanding fixed-line service which is roughly 25 per 100; mobile-cellular teledensity nearly 85 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ "international": { "text": "country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik" }, - "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" + "note": "note: the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the telecoms market. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes;  in many markets the net effect has been a reduced (and sometimes negative) subscriber growth, which will continue into 2021; overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries. " }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; a total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and some 50 radio stations are in operation; Russian and Romanian channels also are available (2019)" @@ -1161,11 +1161,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops

" + "text": "

Moldova-Romania: none identified

Moldova-Ukraine: Ukraine and Moldova signed an agreement officially delimiting their border in 1999, but the border has not been demarcated due to Moldova's difficulties with the break-away region of Transnistria; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "494,421 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 9 June 2022)" + "text": "502,716 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 16 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,372 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index fbe1bf9f..79f1e860 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -1195,16 +1195,16 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Kosovo ratified the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro in March 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed

" + "text": "

Montenegro-Albania: none identified

Montenegro-Bosnia and Herzegovina: the two countries signed a border agreement in August 2015; sovereignty of the disputed Sutorina territory was given to Montenegro

Montenegro-Croatia: the two countries in 2002 reached a temporary agreement designating the Prevlaka Peninsula as part of Croatia, in October 2020, a Montenegrin official resurrected the dormant dispute over the Prevlaka Peninsula by stating that Montenegro had a good chance of winning it through international arbitration

Montenegro-Kosovo: a 2015 border agreement was ratified by Montenegro in 2015 and by Kosovo in 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed

Montenegro-Serbia: The former republic boundary – when the two countries were one and called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia – serves as the boundary until a line is formally delimited and demarcated

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "7,355 (Ukraine) (as of 30 May 2022)" + "text": "8,336 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "458 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 21,794 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" + "note": "note: 22,153 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of large quantities of cocaine  destined for  European markets

" diff --git a/europe/mk.json b/europe/mk.json index 319a54a9..e32f7d70 100644 --- a/europe/mk.json +++ b/europe/mk.json @@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Kosovo and North Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008

" + "text": "

North Macedonia-Albania: none identified

North Macedonia-Greece: none identified

North Macedonia-Kosovo: North Macedonia and Kosovo completed demarcation of their boundary in October 2009

North Macedonia-Serbia: none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/europe/mn.json b/europe/mn.json index 7e5b469a..cf0a353e 100644 --- a/europe/mn.json +++ b/europe/mn.json @@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/mt.json b/europe/mt.json index d002d924..14812670 100644 --- a/europe/mt.json +++ b/europe/mt.json @@ -1126,13 +1126,13 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { "text": "11 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 8,120 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-April 2022)" + "note": "note: 8,151 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-May 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe" diff --git a/europe/nl.json b/europe/nl.json index 2dee7817..8bc39bb4 100644 --- a/europe/nl.json +++ b/europe/nl.json @@ -1196,11 +1196,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "37,792 (Syria), 14,787 (Eritrea), 8,368 (Somalia), 6,636 (Iraq), 5,346 (Iran) (mid-year 2021); 62,970 (Ukraine) (as of 6 June 2022)" + "text": "37,792 (Syria), 14,787 (Eritrea), 8,368 (Somalia), 6,636 (Iraq), 5,346 (Iran) (mid-year 2021); 64,480 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,087 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/no.json b/europe/no.json index 074a9838..47bcc107 100644 --- a/europe/no.json +++ b/europe/no.json @@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sharon HUDSON-DEAN (since 29 July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Marc NATHANSON (since 16 June 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo" @@ -1157,11 +1157,11 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010

" + "text": "

Norway-Antarctica: Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf)

Norway-Russia: Russia amended its 2001 CLCS submission in 2015 and 2021, each time delineating the outer limits of its continental shelf further into the Arctic Ocean; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010, ending a dispute over an area of the Barents Sea by dividing the territory equally

Norway-Sweden: none identified

 

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "15,542 (Syria), 11,965 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2021); 16,708 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "15,542 (Syria), 11,965 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2021); 18,511 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "4,154 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/pl.json b/europe/pl.json index 02f00aef..8ddfbb00 100644 --- a/europe/pl.json +++ b/europe/pl.json @@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "liberalized telecom market supported by market competition in broadband and mobile sectors ensuring access to cable and fiber infrastructure; rapid extension of LTE networks and development of mobile data service; mobile penetration is above European average; fixed broadband benefits from DSL infrastructure and investment in fiber through EU support; major importer of broadcasting equipment and accessories from Germany (2020)" + "text": "the liberalized telecom market has seen considerable development in the broadband and mobile sectors; the incumbent telco, Orange Poland, dominates the broadband market and has invested in fiber infrastructure to support the growing adoption of bundled services among customers; the regulatory environment has encouraged market competition, partly by encouraging operators to secure spectrum and also by ensuring access to cable and fiber infrastructure; the mobile market in recent years has been characterized by the rapid extension of LTE networks and the development of mobile data services based on newly released and re-farmed spectrum; the regulator’s attempts to auction spectrum in a range of bands has been delayed, with spectrum in the 5G-suitable 3.4-3.8GHz range having been suspended to later in 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and legislative changes.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "several nation-wide networks provide mobile-cellular service; fixed-line roughly 15 per 100 (service lags in rural areas), mobile-cellular over 130 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1244,7 +1244,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "9,870 (Russia) (2019); 3,954,957 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 13 June 2022)" + "text": "9,870 (Russia) (2019); 4,001,921 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 15 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,389 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/po.json b/europe/po.json index 601bb9bb..495d171d 100644 --- a/europe/po.json +++ b/europe/po.json @@ -1201,7 +1201,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "41,456 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "42,246 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "45 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/ri.json b/europe/ri.json index 83872c5a..68e6c011 100644 --- a/europe/ri.json +++ b/europe/ri.json @@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Anthony GODFREY (since 24 October 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Christopher R. HILL (since 1 April 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade" @@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "17,336 (Croatia), 7,997 (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (mid-year 2021); 7,704 (Ukraine) (includes Kosovo; as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "17,336 (Croatia), 7,997 (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (mid-year 2021); 7,704 (Ukraine) (includes Kosovo; as of 14 June 2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "196,995 (most are Kosovar Serbs, some are Roma, Ashkalis, and Egyptian (RAE); some RAE IDPs are unregistered) (2021)" @@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "2,113 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 837,861 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022); Serbia is predominantly a transit country and hosts an estimated 4,650 migrants and asylum seekers as of February 2022" + "note": "note: 841,105 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022); Serbia is predominantly a transit country and hosts an estimated 5,918 migrants and asylum seekers as of May 2022" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine  destined for  European markets

" diff --git a/europe/ro.json b/europe/ro.json index 1b2b507f..5343f70e 100644 --- a/europe/ro.json +++ b/europe/ro.json @@ -1208,12 +1208,12 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "642,159 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 13 June 2022)" + "text": "659,009 (border crossings from Ukraine as of 16 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "314 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 10,157 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" + "note": "note: 10,167 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2022)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/si.json b/europe/si.json index 9644ae1b..4723a9ab 100644 --- a/europe/si.json +++ b/europe/si.json @@ -1168,12 +1168,12 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "6,937 (Ukraine) (as of 1 June 2022)" + "text": "7,097 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "10 (2020)" }, - "note": "note:  538,973 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-April 2022)" + "note": "note:  540,247 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals" diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index 6473c2fd..2812291d 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -1230,12 +1230,12 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "14,823 (Syria) (mid-year 2021); 418,200 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021); 118,199 (Ukraine) (as of 5 June 2022)" + "text": "14,823 (Syria) (mid-year 2021); 418,200 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021); 119,820 (Ukraine) (as of 12 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { - "text": "6,.92 (mid-year 2021)" + "text": "692 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 260,873 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals, including Canary Islands (January 2015-June 2022)" + "note": "note: 261,310 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals, including Canary Islands (January 2015-June 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "primary transit point in Europe for cocaine from South America and for hashish from Morocco; cocaine is shipped in raw or liquid form with mixed cargo to avoid detection; traffickers ship methamphetamine via express mail; increasing number of indoor cannabis grow operations; illegal labs cutting, mixing, and reconstituting cocaine, and heroin and methamphetamine labs; synthetic drugs, including ketamine and MDMA (ecstasy) transit from Spain to the United States" diff --git a/europe/sw.json b/europe/sw.json index 93718e5f..6d7a6fcb 100644 --- a/europe/sw.json +++ b/europe/sw.json @@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Pamela M. TREMONT (since 20 January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Erik D. RAMANATHAN (since 20 January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm" @@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "114,995 (Syria), 28,744 (Afghanistan), 26,911 (Eritrea), 11,574 (Somalia), 11,153 (Iraq), 7,516 (Iran) (2020); 39,592 (Ukraine) (as of 25 May 2022)" + "text": "114,995 (Syria), 28,744 (Afghanistan), 26,911 (Eritrea), 11,574 (Somalia), 11,153 (Iraq), 7,516 (Iran) (2020); 39,769 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "50,098 (mid-year 2021); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia" diff --git a/europe/sz.json b/europe/sz.json index fdeb9005..17fd3993 100644 --- a/europe/sz.json +++ b/europe/sz.json @@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eva Weigold SCHULTZ (since 17 January 2021) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein" + "text": "Ambassador Scott MILLER (since 11 January 2022) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein" }, "embassy": { "text": "Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern" @@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "38,219 (Eritrea), 20,043 (Syria), 14,649 (Afghanistan), 6,069 (Sri Lanka), 6,197 (Turkey) (mid-year 2021); 53,120 (Ukraine) (as of 7 June 2022)" + "text": "38,219 (Eritrea), 20,043 (Syria), 14,649 (Afghanistan), 6,069 (Sri Lanka), 6,197 (Turkey) (mid-year 2021); 55,921 (Ukraine) (as of 14 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "684 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/uk.json b/europe/uk.json index 61619912..9f2690da 100644 --- a/europe/uk.json +++ b/europe/uk.json @@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)" + "text": "Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948); note - Queen ELIZABETH II's reign is the second longest in recorded history" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Boris JOHNSON (Conservative) (since 24 July 2019)" @@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "21,011 (Iran), 14,503 (Eritrea), 11,251 (Sudan), 11,412 (Syria), 9,469 (Afghanistan), 8,357 (Pakistan), 6,933 (Iraq), 5,200 (Sri Lanka) (2020); 37,400 (Ukraine) (as of 3 May 2022)" + "text": "21,011 (Iran), 14,503 (Eritrea), 11,251 (Sudan), 11,412 (Syria), 9,469 (Afghanistan), 8,357 (Pakistan), 6,933 (Iraq), 5,200 (Sri Lanka) (2020); 70,500 (Ukraine) (as of 6 June 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,968 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/europe/up.json b/europe/up.json index 88ea7b08..dc085464 100644 --- a/europe/up.json +++ b/europe/up.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

A peaceful mass protest referred to as the \"Orange Revolution\" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019.

Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a \"referendum\" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The \"referendum\" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the \"referendum\" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel driving an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government that continues to this day. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 to end the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the unrecognized Russian proxy republics, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. By early 2022, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated its conflict with Ukraine by invading the country on several fronts in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. The invasion has received near universal international condemnation, and many countries have imposed sanctions on Russia and also supplied humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. The invasion has also created Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. As of 14 June, approximately 7.57million people had fled Ukraine, and more than 7.13 million people were internally displaced as of 30 May.  More than 9,930 civilian casualties had been reported, as of 12 June.

 

" + "text": "

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

A peaceful mass protest referred to as the \"Orange Revolution\" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019.

Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a \"referendum\" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The \"referendum\" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the \"referendum\" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel driving an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government that continues to this day. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 to end the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the unrecognized Russian proxy republics, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. By early 2022, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated its conflict with Ukraine by invading the country on several fronts in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. The invasion has received near universal international condemnation, and many countries have imposed sanctions on Russia and also supplied humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. The invasion has also created Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. As of 21 June, approximately 8 million people had fled Ukraine, and more than 7.13 million people were internally displaced as of 30 May.  Over 10,000 civilian casualties had been reported, as of 21 June.

 

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Ukraine’s telecom market continues to face challenges resulting from the annexation of Crimea by Russia and unrest in eastern regions; developing telecom market has attracted international investors from Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan; government plan emphasizes improvement of domestic trunk lines, international connections, and a national mobile-cellular system; operators moving from 3G services to 4G, but some areas still use 2G; LTE services available in cities; FttP networks taking over DSL platforms; government approved plan in 2020 for 5G migration and operator is developing IoT capabilities; improvement of licensing requirements for operators and positive reforms for users; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the Ukraine government announced grand plans in November 2020 to enable the commercial launch of 5G mobile services by the end of 2021 (including a spectrum auction slated for October), there has been very little progress made regarding that plan; growth in the mobile sector is flat, while the market waits for the regulator and the three dominant MNOs to move towards making faster and more powerful services available for public consumption; most of the action with Ukraine’s telecom market involves consolidation or, in the case of Vodafone Ukraine, a role-reversal; first up was telecommunications service provider Datagroup, which completed its acquisition of cableco Volia in June 2021; the combined entity now operates one of the largest fiber networks in the country, with a reach of more than four million households; in August 2021, Vodafone Ukraine reversed its position from 2015 when it had sold its fixed internet and fixed telephony operations in Odessa and Kyiv to Vega; the mobile operator instead acquired 99.9% of Vega, as well as the cableco Cable TV-Finance; Vodafone Ukraine broadcast has become a major provider rather than one of the country’s three major MNOs.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity is nearly 8 per 100; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market that is now just over 129 mobile phones per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1220,7 +1220,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "

1,461,700 (Russian-sponsored separatist violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine) (2021); 6.48 million (Russian invasion), according to the UN (2022); note – the more recent invasion total may reflect some double counting, since it is impossible to determine how many of the recent IDPs may also include IDPs from the earlier Russian-sponsored violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine

" + "text": "

1,461,700 (Russian-sponsored separatist violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine) (2021); 7.57 million (Russian invasion), according to the UN (as of 14 June 2022); note – the more recent invasion total may reflect some double counting, since it is impossible to determine how many of the recent IDPs may also include IDPs from the earlier Russian-sponsored violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine

" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "35,875 (mid-year 2021); note - citizens of the former USSR who were permanently resident in Ukraine were granted citizenship upon Ukraine's independence in 1991, but some missed this window of opportunity; people arriving after 1991, Crimean Tatars, ethnic Koreans, people with expired Soviet passports, and people with no documents have difficulty acquiring Ukrainian citizenship; following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, thousands of Crimean Tatars and their descendants deported from Ukraine under the STALIN regime returned to their homeland, some being stateless and others holding the citizenship of Uzbekistan or other former Soviet republics; a 1998 bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Uzbekistan simplified the process of renouncing Uzbek citizenship and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship" diff --git a/middle-east/ae.json b/middle-east/ae.json index 0f1303f2..ac44a28b 100644 --- a/middle-east/ae.json +++ b/middle-east/ae.json @@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sean MURPHY (since January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sean MURPHY (since January 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi" diff --git a/middle-east/aj.json b/middle-east/aj.json index 461878a6..23196b14 100644 --- a/middle-east/aj.json +++ b/middle-east/aj.json @@ -1008,7 +1008,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "a landlocked country with historically poor infrastructure; state control of telecom systems; progress with Digital Hub project despite economic contraction in 2020; government launched e-school and e-service programs; risk of delays in infrastructure and launch of new technologies, including 5G due to slow market demand; LTE supports most data traffic while mobile broadband subscribership grows rapidly; fixed-line broadband market has slight upward trend; Internet access is expensive and suffers from outages and intentional government disruption; importer of broadcasting equipment from Russia (2020)" + "text": "in spite of the telecom sector being one of the major contributors to Azerbaijan’s non-oil GDP, overall development, growth, and investment in the sector has been held back by years of political and civil unrest coupled with endemic corruption; mobile subscription rates reached 100% as far back as 2011, but have largely stagnated since then; the MNOs are slowly extending the reach of their LTE networks around the country, and this increased coverage (along with access to faster data-based services) is expected to produce a moderate resurgence for both mobile and mobile broadband over the next few years as customers migrate from 3G to 4G; 5G services are still some ways off, as the demand for high-speed data and fast broadband can easily be met by existing capacity on LTE networks; fixed-line teledensity continues to drop down each year as customers consolidate their telecommunications services around the mobile platform; the rate of decline is comparatively slow to other countries, since Azerbaijan has a relatively high proportion of (87%) of fixed-line broadband customers still on DSL; fibre (12% of fixed broadband connections) is gradually being rolled out in urban areas, and this makes up the bulk of the (limited) growth being seen in the overall fixed broadband market. DSL’s predominance, however, will serve to keep Azerbaijan’s average access speeds in the sub-10Mbps range for the future. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "teledensity of some 16 fixed-lines per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity of 102 telephones per 100 persons; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan (Nakhchivan) (2020)" @@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ "text": "5,062 (Ukraine) (as of 31 May 2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "735,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh; IDPs are mainly ethnic Azerbaijanis but also include ethnic Kurds, Russians, and Turks predominantly from occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh; includes IDPs' descendants, returned IDPs, and people living in insecure areas and excludes people displaced by natural disasters; around half the IDPs live in the capital Baku) (2020)" + "text": "655,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh; IDPs are mainly ethnic Azerbaijanis but also include ethnic Kurds, Russians, and Turks predominantly from occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh; includes IDPs' descendants, returned IDPs, and people living in insecure areas and excludes people displaced by natural disasters; around half the IDPs live in the capital Baku) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,585 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/middle-east/am.json b/middle-east/am.json index ea160098..9f066740 100644 --- a/middle-east/am.json +++ b/middle-east/am.json @@ -1006,7 +1006,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "telecom market struggles to provide an effective national telecom service; country remains dependent on the economic health of  Russian and EU economies; fixed-line penetration falling, driven by growth in mobile and fixed-line broadband; growth of 4G networks and falling prices due to growing competition; fixed broadband is growing but remains low by international comparisons; flat mobile market; strong growth predicted for mobile broadband market; government participating in a project to ensure eventual nationwide 5G network; government approved plans for a new data center built via public-private partnership; communication technologies sectors have attracted foreign investment; top importer of broadcast equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector was still able to post modest gains at least in the mobile and broadband segments; the fixed-line penetration continues to slide downwards, only buttressed by the rollout of fiber networks which have encouraged the take up of bundled services; the fixed broadband market remains undeveloped, being somewhat hamstrung by the lack of underlying infrastructure outside the main cities; the one bright spot for the sector is mobile broadband, which is expected reach 130% subscriptions rate by 2026, at a CAGR of more than 8.6%, this is subject to the country managing to avoid conflict. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 14 per 100 fixed-line and 118 per 100 mobile-cellular; reliable fixed-line and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan and in major cities and towns; mobile-cellular coverage available in most rural areas (2020)" diff --git a/middle-east/ba.json b/middle-east/ba.json index 815bc21c..cb5e1288 100644 --- a/middle-east/ba.json +++ b/middle-east/ba.json @@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ "text": "King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020); first deputy prime minister (vacant); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa (since September 2005), Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH, ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 11 December 2006), KHALID bin Abdallah Al-Khalifa (since November 2010); note - KHALIFA ibn Salman Al Khalifa, who served as prime minister since Bahrain's independence in 1971, died on 11 November 2020" + "text": "Prime Minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020); first deputy prime minister (vacant); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa (since September 2005), Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH, ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 11 December 2006), KHALID bin Abdallah Al-Khalifa (since November 2010); note - KHALIFA ibn Salman Al Khalifa, who served as prime minister since Bahrain's independence in 1971, died on 11 November 2020" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by the monarch" @@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Bahrain is one of the most technically advanced and connected countries in the world; NGN for increased mobile and Wi-Fi traffic; mobile infrastructure and fiber-optic Internet allows greater Internet penetration and competitive prices; government provides free Internet in schools and public areas, and national broadband with sole control over network; regulator controlled by monarchy; Internet freedom restricted through blocks; well served by satellite and submarine cable access; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2020)" + "text": "Bahrain continues to develop its telecoms sector in a bid to develop its long-term Economic Vision 2030 strategy; this is a multi-faceted strategy aimed at developing a digital transformation across numerous sectors, including e-government, e-health, e-commerce, and e-banking; the major telcos including Batelco, STC Bahrain, and Zain Bahrain have been supported by the government and regulator to develop services and network infrastructure to facilitate implementing the strategy; 5G services have become widely available since they were launched in 2020; the national broadband network operator BNET was also financially separated from Batelco in mid-2021, in a bid to improve its responsibilities as a neutral wholesale access provider; Bahrain’s telecom sector by the Fourth National Telecommunications Plan (initiated in 2016) which focuses on fiber optic infrastructure deployment and establishing affordable prices for high-speed access.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "approximately 16 per 100 fixed-line and 103 per 100 mobile-cellular; modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly expanding mobile-cellular telephones (2020)" diff --git a/middle-east/gg.json b/middle-east/gg.json index 56a8ed4e..aa85eaff 100644 --- a/middle-east/gg.json +++ b/middle-east/gg.json @@ -1006,10 +1006,10 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "despite economic challenges, the telecom market is one of Georgia's fastest growth sectors; LTE services cover the majority of citizens; regulators have strategy to introduce 5G; fixed-line telecommunications network has limited coverage outside Tbilisi; multiple mobile-cellular providers provide services to an increasing subscribership throughout the country; broadband subscribers steadily increasing; with investment in infrastructure, customers are moving from copper to fiber networks (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has been attempting for many years to overcome the decades of under-investment in its fixed-line infrastructure during the Soviet era; concerted efforts to privatize state-owned enterprises and open up the telecom market have been mostly successful, with a large number of networks now competing in both the fixed-line and the mobile segments; more needs to be done, however, to give investors the confidence to enter a market that has barely moved in terms of revenue growth over the last decade, and where regulatory overreach has sometimes come perilously close to arresting further development; Georgia’s government moved fast following the collapse of the Soviet Union to liberalize the country’s telecom market; this resulted in a relatively high number of networks competing in the under-developed fixed-line segment as well as in the emerging mobile market; both segments remain dominated by just a few companies, with SilkNet and MagtiCom holding the lion’s share. (2022)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line subscriptions over 9 per 100, cellular telephone networks cover the entire country; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 128 per 100 persons; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi (2020)" + "text": "fixed-line subscriptions over 9 per 100, cellular telephone networks cover the entire country; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 128 per 100 persons; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; the mobile and mobile broadband segments have both demonstrated solid growth in 2021, (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 995; landing points for the Georgia-Russia, Diamond Link Global, and Caucasus Cable System fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Russia, Romania and Bulgaria; international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available (2019)" @@ -1173,10 +1173,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "19,690 (Ukraine) (as of 22 May 2022)" + "text": "20,386 (Ukraine) (as of 6 June 2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "304,000 (displaced in the 1990s as a result of armed conflict in the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; displaced in 2008 by fighting between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia) (2019)" + "text": "305,000 (displaced in the 1990s as a result of armed conflict in the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; displaced in 2008 by fighting between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "534 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/middle-east/ir.json b/middle-east/ir.json index 934eba0a..fb0fca26 100644 --- a/middle-east/ir.json +++ b/middle-east/ir.json @@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "challenged by censorship and international sanctions; large, youthful, tech-savvy demographic with unmet demand; state-owned operators provided special offerings for services during pandemic, driving mobile broadband and deployment of 4G to nearly all of the population; government expanding fiber network and preparing for 5G to grow digital economy and smart city infrastructure; importer of broadcasting and computer equipment from UAE and China (2020)" + "text": "Iran’s telecom infrastructure has suffered from sanctions in recent years, which prevented the import of equipment and devices and encouraged widespread smuggling, with a consequent loss of tax revenue; to address this, the government introduced a device registration scheme, and bolstered the capacity for domestically manufactured mobile phones; companies have invested in broadening the reach of their LTE networks, which has increased network capacity and improved the quality of mobile broadband services; the country is also looking to 5G, with services having been launched by MCI and MTN Irancell in early 2021; the sector is still limited by low frequency bands; the government is addressing this with plans to reallocate the 3.5GHz band for 5G use; Iran is keen to grow its Iran’s digital economy and the National Internet Network (NIN) is pivotal to Iran’s fixed broadband infrastructure plans and overall Smart City progress; from a broad perspective, Iran offers significant opportunities for growth in the telecoms sector; the country has one of the largest populations in the Middle East, and there is a high proportion of youthful, tech savvy users having considerable demand for both fixed and mobile telecom services; companies are offering national roaming to improve services in rural areas; TCI is allowing infrastructure sharing of its fiber network with competitors; (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "approximately 35 per 100 for fixed-line and 152 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions; investment by Iran's state-owned telecom company has greatly improved and expanded both the fixed-line and mobile cellular networks; a huge percentage of the cell phones in the market have been smuggled into the country (2020)" @@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey

" + "text": "

Iran-Afghanistan: Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey

Iran-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-Russia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified a Caspian seabed delimitation treaty in 2018 based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea

Iran-Iraq: Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf

Iran-UAE: Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; the dispute was rehashed at the September 2021 UN General Assembly meeting; Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corp opened an airport on Greater Tunb in February 2022

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/middle-east/is.json b/middle-east/is.json index 5a7f61cf..8eb3ca18 100644 --- a/middle-east/is.json +++ b/middle-east/is.json @@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "ambassador Thomas NIDES (since 29 November 2021)" + "text": "ambassador Thomas NIDES (since 5 December 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem, 9378322" @@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Israel has a highly developed economy with focus on technology products; investment in cyber-security industry and hub for start-ups; near universal broadband delivery to households and mobile penetration; LTE coverage, expanded fiber network with plans for 5G; emergency law allows mobile tracking; importer of broadcast equipment, integrated circuits, and computers from China; submarine cable connectivity to Europe (2020)" + "text": "Israel’s developed economy largely revolves around high technology products, primarily used in the medical, biotechnology, agricultural, materials, and military industries; the country also attracts investment in its cyber-security industry, and has established itself as a hub for thousands of start-up companies; to underpin these developments, Israel has developed a robust telecoms sector; household broadband subscriptions is high, with a focus on fiber-network deployment; Bezeq offers FttP services with data rates of up to 2.5Gb/s; LTE services are almost universally available, while the August 2020 multi-frequency bands also enabled the MNOs to provide services based on 5G; 5G will be supported by moves to close down GSM and 3G networks in stages through to the end of 2025, with the physical assets and frequencies to be repurposed for LTE and 5G use.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; competition among both fixed-line and mobile cellular providers results in good coverage countrywide; fixed-line nearly 36 per 100 and nearly 132 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

West Bank is Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; in 2002, Israel began construction of a \"seam line\" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; as of mid-2020, plans were to continue barrier construction; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-controlled (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); in March 2019, the US Government recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region

" + "text": "

Israel-West Bank: West Bank is Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; in 2002, Israel began construction of a \"seam line\" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; as of mid-2020, plans were to continue barrier construction

Israel-Gaza Strip: Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005

Israel-Syria: Golan Heights is Israeli-controlled (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); in March 2019, the US Government recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/middle-east/iz.json b/middle-east/iz.json index 5beb0188..1905f1e2 100644 --- a/middle-east/iz.json +++ b/middle-east/iz.json @@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to civil conflict, low oil prices, and economic slowdown - the 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview identified 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, of which 0.96 million have acute humanitarian needs; while the number of people in need remained similar to the previous year, the severity of those needs increased, largely due to the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on top of an existing humanitarian crisis, leading to a 35% increase in the number of people in acute need; more than half of these are concentrated in the governorates of Nineveh and Anbar; the number of severely food insecure people is estimated at about 435,000, while 731,000 are vulnerable to food insecurity (2022)" + "text": "due to civil conflict and economic slowdown - the 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview identified 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, of which 0.96 million have acute humanitarian needs; while the number of people in need remained similar to the previous year, the severity of those needs increased, largely due to the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on top of an existing humanitarian crisis, leading to a 35% increase in the number of people in acute need; more than half of these are concentrated in the governorates of Nineveh and Anbar; the number of severely food insecure people is estimated at about 435,000, while 731,000 are vulnerable to food insecurity (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout the country; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications have slowed due to political unrest; recent efforts create stability and developments in 4G and 5G technologies; operators focus on installations of new fiber-optic cables and growth in mobile broadband subscribers; the most popular plans are pre-paid; operators focused on fixing and replacing networks (2020)" + "text": "Iraq continues to face a number of political and economic challenges, though increasing civil stability has made it easier for mobile and fixed-line operators to rebuild telecom services and infrastructure damaged during the last few years; the government extended the licenses held by the MNOs for an additional three years to compensate for the chaos and destruction caused between 2014 and 2017 when Islamic State held sway in many areas of the country; the three major MNOs are Zain Iraq, Asiacell, and Korek Telecom, which together control over 90% of the mobile market; the companies have struggled to develop LTE services; with LTE services being very low, there is little chance for 5G to be available in the short term; most services are still based on GSM and 3G, except in the Kurdish region where LTE is more widely available.  (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "3G services offered by three major mobile operators; 4G offered by one operator in Iraqi; conflict has destroyed infrastructure in areas; about 10 per 100 for fixed-line and 92 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" @@ -1213,14 +1213,14 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq

" + "text": "

Iraq-Iran: Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf

Iraq-Turkey: Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "15,272 (Turkey), 7,881 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (mid-year 2021); 260,686 (Syria) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "1,198,940 (displacement in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2021)" + "text": "1,184,818 (displacement in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "47,253 (mid-year 2021); note - in the 1970s and 1980s under SADDAM Husayn's regime, thousands of Iraq's Faili Kurds, followers of Shia Islam, were stripped of their Iraqi citizenship, had their property seized by the government, and many were deported; some Faili Kurds had their citizenship reinstated under the 2,006 Iraqi Nationality Law, but others lack the documentation to prove their Iraqi origins; some Palestinian refugees persecuted by the SADDAM regime remain stateless" diff --git a/middle-east/jo.json b/middle-east/jo.json index 1f939748..7dcd01e2 100644 --- a/middle-east/jo.json +++ b/middle-east/jo.json @@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

" + "text": "

Jordan-Iraq: the two countries signed a border agreement in 1984; Jordan has ratified the treaty, but it has not been confirmed that Iraq has ratified it; as of 2010, the agreement had not been registered with the UN

Jordan-Israel: none identified

Jordan-Saudi Arabia: Jordan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to demarcate their maritime borders in 2007

Jordan-Syria: the two countries signed an agreement in 2005 to settle the border dispute based on a 1931 demarcation accord; the two countries began demarcation in 2006

Jordan-West Bank: none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/middle-east/ku.json b/middle-east/ku.json index fce8a9b1..acf2300f 100644 --- a/middle-east/ku.json +++ b/middle-east/ku.json @@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf

" + "text": "

Kuwait-Iraq: no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf

Kuwait-Saudi Arabia: their maritime boundary was established in 2000 and has a neutral zone but its extension to Iran’s maritime boundary has not been negotiated

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/middle-east/le.json b/middle-east/le.json index 4f983333..774c96df 100644 --- a/middle-east/le.json +++ b/middle-east/le.json @@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to the ongoing financial and economic crisis - the World Food Program (WFP) estimates that, as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, over 1.3 million Lebanese citizens, about 36% of the total population, were food insecure by the end of September 2021; the number of Lebanese households with serious food access constraints reached 57% in September 2021, up from 40% in September 2020; domestic cereal production covers, on average, less than 20% of the consumption needs and the country depends heavily on imports (2022)" + "text": "due to the ongoing financial and economic crisis - the World Food Program (WFP) estimates that, as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, over 1.3 million Lebanese citizens, about 36% of the total population, were food insecure by the end of September 2021; the number of Lebanese households with serious food access constraints reached 57% in September 2021, up from 40% in September 2020; domestic cereal production covers, on average, less than 20% of the consumption needs and the country depends heavily on imports (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Dorothy SHEA (since 11 March 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador Dorothy C. SHEA (since 11 March 2020)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Awkar-Facing the Municipality, Main Street, Beirut" @@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon has been in place since 1978

" + "text": "

Lebanon-Syria: lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; in March 2021, Syria signed a contract with a Russian company for oil and gas exploration in a maritime area Lebanon claims as its own based on a 2011 map sent to the UN

Lebanon-Israel: Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights; Lebanon and Israel resumed negotiations over their maritime border in 2020, but their efforts were derailed when Lebanon argued that the map the UN was using needed modifications

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/middle-east/mu.json b/middle-east/mu.json index f3c8843d..137cb192 100644 --- a/middle-east/mu.json +++ b/middle-east/mu.json @@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public

" + "text": "

Oman-Saudi Arabia: none identified

Oman-UAE: boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public; Oman and UAE signed the final demarcation of their land border in 2008

Oman-Yemen: Oman and Yemen signed a border agreement in 1992; demarcation of their border was completed in 1995

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/middle-east/qa.json b/middle-east/qa.json index ffaf1cd4..c072685c 100644 --- a/middle-east/qa.json +++ b/middle-east/qa.json @@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ "etymology": { "text": "the origin of the name is uncertain, but it dates back at least 2,000 years since a term \"Catharrei\" was used to describe the inhabitants of the peninsula by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.), and a \"Catara\" peninsula is depicted on a map by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.)" }, - "note": "note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gattar or cottar" + "note": "note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gat-tar or cot-tar" }, "Government type": { "text": "absolute monarchy" @@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "

chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Natalie A. BAKER (since October 2021)

" + "text": "

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Evyenia SIDEREAS

" }, "embassy": { "text": "22 February Street, Al Luqta District, P.O. Box 2399, Doha" diff --git a/middle-east/sy.json b/middle-east/sy.json index 823a4f54..a837941b 100644 --- a/middle-east/sy.json +++ b/middle-east/sy.json @@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies": { - "text": "due to civil conflict and a stagnant economy - battered by ten years of conflict and spill‑over effects from the financial crisis in Lebanon which used to act as a financial intermediary, the national economy continues to weaken; a nationwide food security assessment estimates that about 12.4 million people (60% of the overall population) are now food insecure in 2021, mostly due to constrained livelihood opportunities and a rapidly worsening economy (2022)" + "text": "due to civil conflict and a stagnant economy - battered by ten years of conflict and spill‑over effects from the financial crisis in Lebanon which used to act as a financial intermediary, the national economy continues to weaken; a nationwide food security assessment estimates that about 12.4 million people (60% of the overall population) are now food insecure in 2021, mostly due to constrained livelihood opportunities and a rapidly worsening economy (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { diff --git a/middle-east/tu.json b/middle-east/tu.json index 491d8599..dd5db752 100644 --- a/middle-east/tu.json +++ b/middle-east/tu.json @@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ "text": "strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; Istanbul, which straddles the Bosporus, is the only metropolis in the world located on two continents; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country" }, "Map description": { - "text": "

Turkey map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

" + "text": "

Turkey (Turkiye) map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

" } }, "People and Society": { @@ -1237,10 +1237,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "3,763,864 (Syria) (2022); 85,000 (Ukraine) (as of 25 April 2022)" + "text": "3,724,240 (Syria) (2022); 145,000 (Ukraine) (as of 19 May 2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2020)" + "text": "1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "117 (2018)" diff --git a/middle-east/ym.json b/middle-east/ym.json index 41ec1700..98b4e46d 100644 --- a/middle-east/ym.json +++ b/middle-east/ym.json @@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to conflict, poverty, floods, high food and fuel prices - between January and June 2021, the number of food insecure was projected to increase by nearly 3 million to 16.2 million people; out of these, an estimated 11 million people will likely be in \"Crisis,\" 5 million in \"Emergency,\" and the number of those in \"Catastrophe\" will likely increase to 47,000; economic conditions in the country remain dire; the conflict is further hampering the already constrained livelihood activities and humanitarian access; income earning opportunities have declined due to COVID‑19‑related business disruptions (2022)" + "text": "due to conflict, poverty, floods, high food and fuel prices - between January and June 2021, the number of food insecure was projected to increase by nearly 3 million to 16.2 million people; out of these, an estimated 11 million people will likely be in \"Crisis,\" 5 million in \"Emergency,\" and the number of those in \"Catastrophe\" will likely increase to 47,000; economic conditions in the country remain dire; the conflict is further hampering the already constrained livelihood activities and humanitarian access; income earning opportunities have declined due to COVID‑19‑related business disruptions (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Cathy WESTLEY (since 23 May 2021); note - the embassy closed in March 2015; Yemen Affairs Unit currently operates out of US Embassy Riyadh" + "text": "Ambassador Steven H. FAGIN (since 1 June 2022); note - the embassy closed in March 2015; Yemen Affairs Unit currently operates out of US Embassy Riyadh" }, "embassy": { "text": "previously - Sa'awan Street, Sanaa" diff --git a/north-america/bd.json b/north-america/bd.json index a4ca9857..9bb89350 100644 --- a/north-america/bd.json +++ b/north-america/bd.json @@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "a good, fully automatic digital telephone system with fiber-optic trunk lines; telecom sector provides a relatively high contribution to overall GDP; numerous competitors licensed, but small and localized; telecom sector a growth area across the Caribbean (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "the system has a high fixed-line teledensity nearing 35 per 100, coupled with a mobile-cellular teledensity of roughly 103 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/north-america/ca.json b/north-america/ca.json index 8f8a2cf3..6792a6f6 100644 --- a/north-america/ca.json +++ b/north-america/ca.json @@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Canada has highly developed, technologically advanced telecom services; LTE and broadband are nearly universal; competition between the DSL and cable platforms with investment in fiber networks; regulatory efforts ensure operators have spectrum available to develop 5G services; policy to improve service speeds and enable digital economy and e-services; operator’s 5G network facilitates smart-city vehicle and pedestrian traffic; high value in e-commerce transactions; international connections through submarine, terrestrial, and satellite systems; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "the Canadian telecom market continues to show steady development as operators invest in network upgrades; much of the investment among telcos has been channelled into LTE infrastructure to capitalize on consumer demand for mobile data services, while there has also been further investment in 5G; investment programs have also been supported by regulatory efforts to ensure that operators have spectrum available to develop 5G services; spectrum in the 600MGz and 3.5GHz ranges has already been auctioned, while other auctions are planned through to 2024; in the 3.5GHz range the regulator set aside 50MHz for new entrants to encourage competition in the wireless segment; an investment in fixed-line infrastructure, focused on FttP and, among cable broadband providers, upgrades to the DOCSIS3.1 standard; the DSL segment is losing market share as customers are migrated to fiber; Telus expected to have completely decommissioned its copper network by the end of 2022; government policy has encouraged the extension of broadband to rural and regional areas, with the result that services are almost universally available and the emphasis now is on improving service speeds to enable the entire population to benefit from the digital economy and society; cable broadband is the principal access platform, followed by DSL; the main cablecos are upgrading their networks to the DOCSIS3.1 standard, which can deliver data at 1Gb/s and above; fiber deployments are also gaining momentum, with a growing number of Gigabit towns now connected; the mobile rate remains comparatively low by international standards, and so the market offers further room for growth; Canadians have provided for LTE and LTE-A infrastructure; despite topographical challenges and the remoteness of many areas, the major players effectively offer 99% population coverage with LTE. In the 5G segment, Telus and Bell Wireless were early triallists, followed by Shaw Communications in May 2018; operators now provide up to 70% population coverage with 5G. (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "Nearly 37 per 100 fixed-line and 96 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity; domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations (2020)" diff --git a/north-america/gl.json b/north-america/gl.json index 9dfcc772..243be1b3 100644 --- a/north-america/gl.json +++ b/north-america/gl.json @@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Joanie SIMON, Consul (since June 2021)" + "text": "Consul Joanie SIMON (since June 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Aalisartut Aqqutaa 47
Nuuk 3900
Greenland" diff --git a/north-america/mx.json b/north-america/mx.json index 71f06698..1fb30942 100644 --- a/north-america/mx.json +++ b/north-america/mx.json @@ -1278,14 +1278,14 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US; Belize and Mexico are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty

" + "text": "

Mexico-Belize: Mexico and Belize are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty

Mexico-Guatemala: Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US

Mexico-US: the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal persons, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico

 

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "22,254 (Honduras), 10,662 (El Salvador) (mid-year 2021); 82,976 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "357,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region; drug cartel violence and government's military response since 2007; violence between and within indigenous groups) (2020)" + "text": "379,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region; drug cartel violence and government's military response since 2007; violence between and within indigenous groups) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "13 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/south-america/ar.json b/south-america/ar.json index f13693e4..0027b890 100644 --- a/south-america/ar.json +++ b/south-america/ar.json @@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Argentina has one of the most developed mobile markets in Latin America; with additional operators in the market, mobile penetration fell in 2020 as incentives for multiple-SIM card ownership eased; LTE with tests of 5G; government plan to boost fixed broadband coverage nationally and declared TV, cable, and mobile services were essential public services; submarine system linking Sao Paolo and Rio De Janeiro with Buenos Aires is operational; national operator increased investment in Uruguay; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)" + "text": "Argentina’s ongoing hyperinflation continues to distort the telecom market’s performance, which shows strong growth in revenue but only modest gains in subscriber numbers each year; fixed-line teledensity continues on its slow, gradual decline year upon year, the fixed broadband segment has increased levels only slightly higher than the fixed-line teledensity; nearly a quarter of the country’s broadband connections are via DSL, although fiber is   increasing it's share of that market as networks expand across most of the main cities; mobile broadband continues to be the preferred platform for internet access, supported by high mobile levels and nationwide LTE coverage; the first 5G service was launched in February 2021 using re-farmed LTE frequencies; the various fixed, mobile, and cable operators are expanding and enhancing their services, the government is also making an active contribution towards boosting broadband connectivity around the country; its national connectivity plan ‘Plan Conectar’, launched in September 2020, provides funding for a range of programs to increase coverage; in August 2021, the telecom regulator announced the release of a further ARS671.6 million in funding to help operators accelerate the rollout of their broadband infrastructure and services.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 16 per 100 fixed-line and 121 per 100 mobile-cellular; microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network (2020)" diff --git a/south-america/bl.json b/south-america/bl.json index ff6f2040..4e358b24 100644 --- a/south-america/bl.json +++ b/south-america/bl.json @@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "

with low national GDP and remote landlocked geography, Bolivia’s telecom services are historically expensive and neglected resulting in low penetration; fixed telecom market is provided by non-profit cooperatives focused on improvement of services such as broadband and paid TV services; some operators adopted fixed-wireless technologies and fiber-optic capacity; fixed broadband services migrating from DSL to fiber remain expensive and largely unavailable in many areas; historically relied on satellite services or terrestrial links and inaugurated a new cable running via Peru to the Pacific; operator aims to increase coverage through mobile networks for voice and data access, especially to rural areas; space agency plans to boost satellite-based Internet; in 2020, communications towers in Yapacani were destroyed due to pandemic conspiracy fears; importer of broadcasting equipment from China

(2021)" + "text": "the structure of Bolivia’s fixed telecom market is different from most other countries; local services are primarily provided by 15 telecom cooperatives; these are non-profit-making companies privately owned and controlled by their users; since the market was liberalized, the cooperatives have also provided long-distance telephony, while several also offer broadband and pay TV service; they have invested in network upgrades in a bid to improve services for customers, and to expand their footprints; Bolivia has a multi-carrier system wherein consumers can choose a long-distance carrier for each call by dialing the carrier’s prefix; several operators have also adopted fixed-wireless technologies, and some rent fiber-optic capacity; state-owned Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Entel) is the country’s incumbent long-distance operator, also offering local telephony, DSL, and pay TV services; its subsidiary Entel Movil is Bolivia’s largest mobile network provider; the fixed broadband services remain expensive, though the cost of bandwidth is only a fraction of what it was only a few years ago; services are still unavailable in many rural and remote areas, and even in some of the major urban areas; being a landlocked country, Bolivia had no direct access to submarine cable networks, and relies on satellite services or terrestrial links across neighboring countries; in September 2020 Entel inaugurated a new cable running via Peru, which has increased capacity and contributed to a dramatic fall in end-user prices; fixed broadband services are fast migrating from DSL to fiber, while there are also cable broadband services available in some major cities; in 2007 Entel has focused on providing telecom services in rural areas under a project known as ‘Territory with Total Coverage’; this project aims to increase telecom coverage through mobile rather than through fixed networks;
Bolivia has almost twenty times as many mobile phone subscribers as fixed line connections, and the trend towards fixed-mobile substitution continues; besides Entel, two other companies offer mobile telephony: Tigo, wholly owned by Luxembourg-based Millicom International, and NuevaTel, trading as Viva and controlled by Trilogy International; a proposed deal to merge Millicom’s business units in the region with those of Liberty Latin America was called off in February 2019; all three mobile companies offer 3G and LTE services; due to the poor quality, high cost, and poor reach of DSL, mobile networks have become the principal platform for voice services and data access; Tigo launched the first LTE services in mid-2014, followed by Viva in mid-2015; by early 2021 both companies’ networks reached more than 95% of the population; about 92% of all internet accesses are via smartphones.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "5 per 100 fixed-line, mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly and teledensity stands at 101 per 100 persons; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and other capital cities (2020)" diff --git a/south-america/br.json b/south-america/br.json index 0776d4c3..0fb7fe3d 100644 --- a/south-america/br.json +++ b/south-america/br.json @@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Brazil is one of the largest mobile and broadband markets in Latin America with healthy competition and pricing; national 5G rollout planned for 2022; countrywide network spectrum auction held in November 2021; large fixed-line broadband market with focus on fiber; landing point for submarine cables and investment into terrestrial fiber cables to neighboring countries; Internet penetration has increased, access varies along geographic and socio-economic lines; government provides free WiFi in urban public spaces; pioneer in the region for M-commerce; major importer of integrated circuits from South Korea and China, and broadcasting equipment from China

 

(2021)" + "text": "Brazil is one of the largest mobile and broadband markets in Latin America with healthy competition and pricing; the development of 5G, was scheduled for March 2020 but was delayed due to interference issues with satellite TV broadcasts and the pandemic; the auction was completed November 2021; the licenses are obliged to provide 5G services to all capital cities by July 2022, as well as about 35,500km of the national highway network; the country also has one of the largest fixed line broadband markets in Latin America, though broadband subscriptions is only slightly above the regional average, trailing behind Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay; amendments to the licensing regime adopted in October 2019 also require that ISPs which have switched to authorizations invest money saved from lighter regulations in the expansion of broadband services; the fixed line broadband market has seen rapid growth for a number of years, with a growing focus on fiber broadband; in 2019 the number of fiber accesses overtook DSL connections; Vivo has the largest share of the fiber market, followed by Oi and Claro; the country is a key landing point for a number of important submarine cables connecting to the US, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa; several new cable systems are due to come into service through to 2022, which will increase bandwidth and push down broadband prices for end-users; investments have also been made into terrestrial fiber cables between Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections stand at roughly 14 per 100 persons; less-expensive mobile-cellular technology has been a major impetus broadening telephone service to the lower-income segments of the population with mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 97 per 100 persons (2020)" @@ -1280,6 +1280,9 @@ "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "261,441 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2020)" }, + "IDPs": { + "text": "21,000" + }, "stateless persons": { "text": "14 (mid-year 2021)" } diff --git a/south-america/ci.json b/south-america/ci.json index 0a74d4c5..2dc2bf46 100644 --- a/south-america/ci.json +++ b/south-america/ci.json @@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Chile’s telecom systems are highly competitive and rapidly evolving; mobile penetration rate is among the highest in South America; deployment of 5G networks expected; fixed broadband penetration is high for region, with fast and inexpensive services; government initiatives provide high-capacity connectivity across the country and increase fixed-line broadband penetration; progress with national satellite system; schools received free broadband as part of the ‘Connectivity for Education 2030’ program; submarine cable project to link Chile with New Zealand and Australia; importer of broadcasting equipment from USA (2020)" + "text": "the market for fixed and mobile telephony is highly competitive and rapidly evolving; the mobile rate is among the highest in South America; Movistar and Entel remain the market leaders, followed by Claro and WOM; LTE infrastructure is extensive and 5G spectrum auctions which took place in February 2021 are expected to prompt the deployment of 5G networks by the end of the year, following extensive trials held by the MNOs; fixed broadband is relatively high for the region, with services among the fastest and least expensive in Latin America; government initiatives such as the National Fiber Optic project and Fibra Óptica Austral are providing high-capacity connectivity across the country and will further increase fixed-line broadband; there is a strong focus on fiber broadband, with the number of fiber subscribers having increased 61.7% in 2020, year-on-year; Movistar dominates the fiber broadband market, with a 49.7% market share at the end of 2020; technological improvements have allowed operators to provide a variety of services via their networks, giving rise to a number of bundled packages at competitive prices, including access to video on demand services which in turn is increasing fixed-line broadband; the leading fixed broadband operators are Telefónica Chile, trading as Movistar, VTR Globalcom (VTR), the GTD Group, Entel, Claro, and WOM; traditional fixed-line teledensity continues to fall as consumers switch to mobile networks and to fixed broadband for voice and data connectivity; Humboldt submarine cable project to link Chile with New Zealand and Australia; more than 8,300 schools receive free broadband as part of the ‘Connectivity for Education 2030’ project; regulator completes multi-band 5G spectrum auction, agrees to SpaceX providing its Starlink satellite broadband service (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "number of fixed-line connections have dropped to about 13 per 100 in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching 131 telephones per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations (2020)" diff --git a/south-america/co.json b/south-america/co.json index 8b2f8f80..6dee6a5d 100644 --- a/south-america/co.json +++ b/south-america/co.json @@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 29 May 2022 with a runoff to be held on 19 June 2022 (next to be held on 31 May 2026); note - political reform in 2015 eliminated presidential reelection" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2022: Percent of vote from the first round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (PHxC) 40.3%, Rodolfo HERNANDEZ Suarez (LIGA) 28.2%, Federico GUTIERREZ (Team for Colombia / CREEMOS) 23.9%, other 7.6%; note - PETRO and HERNANDEZ move on to a runoff election scheduled for 19 June 2022

2018: Ivan DUQUE Marquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Ivan DUQUE Marquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo PETRO (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2%

2014: Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (U Party) 51%, Oscar Ivan ZULUAGA (CD) 45%, other 4%" + "text": "
2022: Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (PHxC) 40.3%, Rodolfo HERNANDEZ Suarez (LIGA) 28.2%, Federico GUTIERREZ (Team for Colombia / CREEMOS) 23.9%, other 7.6%; percent of vote in second round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (PHxC) 50.4%, Rodolfo HERNANDEZ Suarez (LIGA) 47.3%; note - PETRO will take office 7 August 2022

2018: Ivan DUQUE Marquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Ivan DUQUE Marquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo PETRO (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2%

2014: Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (U Party) 51%, Oscar Ivan ZULUAGA (CD) 45%, other 4%" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG (since 19 September 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Francisco L. PALMIERI (since 1 June 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota" @@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Colombia’s telecom infrastructure has improved through a government program of competition to upgrade services based on LTE and 4G, focusing on infrastructure in small urban centers and rural areas; national ICT Plan increased broadband and fiber connectivity; operators are testing 5G through unallocated spectrum pilots and have completed 20k terrestrial cable connecting 80% of the country; benefit due to access to commercial submarine cable (2020)" + "text": "the telecom sector had a solid year thanks to positive performances in the fixed-line broadband, mobile broadband, and mobile voice and data market; fixed-line remained stable by the end of 2020, though began to increase into 2021 as a result of the particular demands on households resulting from government measures associated with addressing the pandemic; at less than 15% it is well below the Latin American average; the mobile market, by contrast, reached a penetration rate of 136% (an increase of over three percentage points on 2019) and managed to keep the same upward growth trajectory that it has sustained over the last ten years; the fixed-line broadband market also expanded, with the number of subscribers increasing 11.4%, and with revenue increasing 9.9% thanks to increased data usage as many customers were forced to work or study from home during the year; the mobile broadband market was the standout performer in 2020, with a 13% increase in the number of subscribers year-on-year, albeit the subscription rate is relatively low compared to other Latin American countries; the surge in mobile broadband traffic — a 51% increase over the previous year — which was again a reflection of the strict lock downs that Colombians had to endure for much of 2020; market leader Claro continued to expand its dominance of the mobile broadband market, increasing its share over the last decade by 10% to reach 54% at the start of 2021; Tigo has seen its share halved over the same period of time, yet its subscriber base has still managed to grow on the back of a strong overall market. Tigo also suffered the most from Colombia’s imposed lock downs in 2020, severely impacting its retail sales (a 20% decline in revenue) with nearly half of its stores being forced to close; Movistar and Claro awarded spectrum in the 3.5GHz band for 5G trials (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections stand at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is 133 per 100 persons; Partners Telecom Colombia's (WOM) market entrance in June 2021 increased competition among cellular service providers and is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed-line services; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations (2021)" @@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ "text": "1,842,390 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "8,244,835 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985) (2022)" + "text": "8,258,460 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985) (2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "11 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/south-america/gy.json b/south-america/gy.json index bb2d5fac..7bfe022e 100644 --- a/south-america/gy.json +++ b/south-america/gy.json @@ -1001,7 +1001,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "revenues gained from newly tapped off-shore oil reserves may provide a boost of Guyana’s infrastructure, including upgrade of aging telecom systems to LTE and fiber broadband; competition in mobile services but monopoly in fixed-line; submarine cable improved broadband availability but service is still slow and expensive; second cable will improve delivery and pricing; government promotes ICT for e-government, e-health, and tele-education, and connection to remote locations (2020)" + "text": "After many years of delays and legal challenges, the 2016 Telecommunications Act was brought into force in October 2020 by the newly elected government of the People’s Party Progressive (PPP); the end of the 31-year monopoly held by the fixed-line incumbent Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) occurred just two months after the PPP took power from the APNU+AFC coalition, which had signed a non-binding agreement with GTT in 2019 to liberalise Guyana’s telecoms market but failed to take any concrete action to make it happen; the Telecommunications Act sets out a framework for enabling competition across all segments of the telecommunications sector in Guyana; the mobile market has been open to competition since 2001, but only one operator, Digicel Guyana, has successfully launched competing GSM and 3G services; while Digicel quickly built a small lead in the mobile market, it remains a duopoly, and subscription levels are well below those of other countries in the region; the Telecommunications Act presents the country with the potential to benefit from a more level playing field that may attract new players, but nevertheless Guyana’s relatively small size and low GDP may restrict it from reaching its full potential for some more years to come.  (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity is about 18 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 83 per 100 persons (2019)" diff --git a/south-america/pe.json b/south-america/pe.json index 662bd58f..e00a02c6 100644 --- a/south-america/pe.json +++ b/south-america/pe.json @@ -1275,7 +1275,7 @@ "text": "1,286,434 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions; as of 2011, no new information on the situation of these IDPs) (2020)" + "text": "60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions; as of 2011, no new information on the situation of these IDPs) (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/south-america/ve.json b/south-america/ve.json index 25afd735..d5302e26 100644 --- a/south-america/ve.json +++ b/south-america/ve.json @@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { - "text": "due to severe economic crisis - the national economy, highly dependent on oil production and exports, is forecast to contract in 2021 for the eighth consecutive year; with the persistent negative effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic that have compounded the already severe macro‑economic crisis, the access to food of the most vulnerable households is expected to deteriorate throughout 2021 due to widespread losses of income‑generating activities and soaring food prices (2022)" + "text": "due to severe economic crisis - the national economy, highly dependent on oil production and exports, is forecast to contract in 2021 for the eighth consecutive year; with the persistent negative effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic that have compounded the already severe macro‑economic crisis, the access to food of the most vulnerable households is expected to deteriorate throughout 2021 due to widespread losses of income‑generating activities and soaring food prices (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { diff --git a/south-asia/af.json b/south-asia/af.json index 68aa865e..4987af0b 100644 --- a/south-asia/af.json +++ b/south-asia/af.json @@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to civil conflict, population displacement, and economic slowdown - between November 2021 and March 2022, during the winter lean season, the food insecurity situation is expected to deteriorate and the number of people in \"Crisis\" or above is likely to increase to 22.8 million, about 35% more than during the same season in 2020/21; following the developments of August 2021 in the country, the international aid flows, an important element of public spending, were halted; the food security situation and agricultural livelihoods in the country is likely to significantly deteriorate in the coming months due to cumulative and cascading impact of multiple shocks, including weather, conflict, economic crisis and the lingering effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic (2022)" + "text": "due to civil conflict, population displacement, and economic slowdown - between November 2021 and March 2022, during the winter lean season, the food insecurity situation is expected to deteriorate and the number of people in \"Crisis\" or above is likely to increase to 22.8 million, about 35% more than during the same season in 2020/21; following the developments of August 2021 in the country, the international aid flows, an important element of public spending, were halted; the food security situation and agricultural livelihoods in the country is likely to significantly deteriorate in the coming months due to cumulative and cascading impact of multiple shocks, including weather, conflict, economic crisis and the lingering effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@ "text": "72,188 (Pakistan) (mid-year 2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "3.547 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2020)" + "text": "4.314 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/south-asia/bg.json b/south-asia/bg.json index f088db6c..cc614ba8 100644 --- a/south-asia/bg.json +++ b/south-asia/bg.json @@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Earl Robert MILLER (since 29 November 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador Peter HAAS (since 15 March 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212" @@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "Bangladesh’s economic constraints hinder network infrastructure, resulting in the lowest fixed-line penetration rate in South Asia and a very low fixed broadband rate; most consumers utilize mobile broadband for data on LTE networks but rates are still well below that of most other Asian countries; the government approved a modernization project to support investment and prepare for 5G launches; 2020 test of 5G technology in Dhaka; government directive allows IoT for smart buildings and automation industries; government project aims to provide network to services and schools; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)" + "text": "Bangladesh’s economic resurgence over the last decade took a battering in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; the country had been on track to move off the United Nation’s Least Developed Countries list by 2026, however the crisis may have pushed that back a few years; the telecommunications sector experienced a set of challenges, with mobile data usage exploding at the same time as many consumers were being forced to curb their spending in other areas; the demand on data grew so large and so rapidly that Bangladesh came close to running out of bandwidth; at the start of 2020, Bangladesh was consuming around 900Gb/s on average, well below the 2,642GB/s capacity of its submarine cables; this ballooned to over 2,300Gb/s during the pandemic; Bangladesh was looking forward to adding 7,200Gb/s capacity when the SEA-ME-WE-6 submarine cable goes into service in mid-2024, but the sudden upsurge in downloads is forcing state-run company Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) to scramble to find alternatives before the country’s internet supply is maxed out; the increased demand during the Covid-19 crisis also put pressure on the country’s existing mobile networks, already under strain as a result of strong growth in the mobile broadband market coupled with significant untapped potential for mobile services in general across the country; this led to premium prices being paid at auction for spectrum in the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, most of which will be used to enhance and expand LTE services; a 5G spectrum auction had been anticipated for 2020, but low interest from the MNOs in going down that path when there are still so many areas waiting for LTE access means that 5G rollouts will likely be deferred until 2023. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and now exceeds 103 telephones per 100 persons; mobile subscriber growth is anticipated over the next five years to 2023; strong local competition (2020)" @@ -1263,7 +1263,7 @@ "text": "925,380 (Burma) (2022) (includes an estimated 773,972 Rohingya refugees who have fled conflict since 25 August 2017)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "427,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2020)" + "text": "427,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "889,704 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/south-asia/bt.json b/south-asia/bt.json index fd428e0e..67b6be82 100644 --- a/south-asia/bt.json +++ b/south-asia/bt.json @@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "

Bhutan’s telecom market is dominated by the mobile sector for voice and data connections due to poor fixed-line infrastructure and topographic issues; investment is focused on mobile infrastructure and an emergency telecom network for natural disasters; extended LTE to 60% of all mobile Internet users; regulator developing 5G plan; international communication through landline and microwave relay; nascent satellite service; importer of broadcast equipment from India 

(2021)" + "text": "the small land-locked Kingdom of Bhutan has only recently emerged from decades of isolation from the modern world; that, and its mountainous terrain, left the country far back in the field in terms of teledensity as well as access to the Internet; over the last decade, the country has undergone a significant transformation due to the opening of its borders, liberalization of its telecom sector, and the active support from the government towards increased competition in the mobile, broadband, and ISP segments; a lack of investment in fixed-line infrastructure over the years by the national (state-owned) telco Bhutan Telecom means that fixed-line telephony and fixed broadband subscripotions will forever stay low (estimated to be 3.0% and 0.4%, respectively, in 2021); the relatively widespread availability of the mobile platform has caused an explosion in mobile broadband subscriber numbers, growing from zero to over 100% penetration in just ten years (between 2010 and 2019).; the onset of the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 caused the subscription rates to drop back a little – even though Bhutan has successfully managed to keep its case numbers and mortality very low; growth is projected to return in 2022 (along with the broader mobile market) as the overall economy recovers; the government opens up more to foreign investment, trade, and tourism; and network expansion continues – the recent (December 2021) launch of 5G services by both of the country’s mobile operators being particularly noteworthy (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "approximately 3 to 100 fixed-line and 97 to 100 mobile cellular; domestic service inadequate, notably in rural areas (2020)" diff --git a/south-asia/ce.json b/south-asia/ce.json index ac785f3a..46987807 100644 --- a/south-asia/ce.json +++ b/south-asia/ce.json @@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Julie CHUNG (since 17 February 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador Julie J. CHUNG (since 17 February 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "210 Galle Road, Colombo 03" @@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "27,000 (civil war; more than half displaced prior to 2008; many of the more than 480,000 IDPs registered as returnees have not reached durable solutions) (2020)" + "text": "12,000 (civil war; more than half displaced prior to 2008; many of the more than 480,000 IDPs registered as returnees have not reached durable solutions) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/south-asia/in.json b/south-asia/in.json index 00aff468..d58adb71 100644 --- a/south-asia/in.json +++ b/south-asia/in.json @@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ "text": "92,885 (Sri Lanka), 73,407 (Tibet/China), 20,325 (Burma), 8,537 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "473,000 (armed conflict and intercommunal violence) (2020)" + "text": "506,000 (armed conflict and intercommunal violence) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "19,677 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/south-asia/mv.json b/south-asia/mv.json index a9c86b15..61f6cba4 100644 --- a/south-asia/mv.json +++ b/south-asia/mv.json @@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "

Maldives has no embassy in the US, but its Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Thilmeeza HUSSAIN  (since 8 July 2019), is accredited to the US and serves as ambassador

(2020)" + "text": "

Maldives has no embassy in the US, but its Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Thilmeeza HUSSAIN  (since 8 July 2019), is accredited to the US and serves as ambassador

" }, "chancery": { "text": "801 Second Avenue, Suite 202E, New York, NY 10017" @@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

none

" + "text": "

none identified

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/south-asia/np.json b/south-asia/np.json index 3c3e941e..d9bce5d5 100644 --- a/south-asia/np.json +++ b/south-asia/np.json @@ -1178,7 +1178,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 sq km dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of illegal cross-border activities

" + "text": "

Nepal-China: China may have constructed 11 buildings in Nepal’s Humla region in 2021

Nepal-India: joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 sq km dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; the Kalapani issue resurfaced in November 2019 when India issued a new map showing the contested area within India’s borders and then built a new road in the region through Lipulekh pass, an area controlled by India but claimed by Nepal; Nepal countered by amending its constitution and issuing its own map showing the disputed area within its borders; the countries prime ministers briefly discussed the border dispute in April 2022; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of illegal cross-border activities

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/south-asia/pk.json b/south-asia/pk.json index 434a9803..6d549c81 100644 --- a/south-asia/pk.json +++ b/south-asia/pk.json @@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { - "text": "due to population displacements, economic constraints, and high prices of the main food staple - according to the latest analysis, about 4.66 million people, 25% of the population, are estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity, \"Crisis\" and above, until at least April 2022 in 25 districts analyzed in Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces; prices of wheat flour, the country’s main staple, were at high levels in most markets in January 2022, constraining access to the staple food (2022)" + "text": "due to population displacements, economic constraints, and high prices of the main food staple - according to the latest analysis, about 4.66 million people, 25% of the population, are estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity, \"Crisis\" and above, until at least April 2022 in 25 districts analyzed in Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces; prices of wheat flour, the country’s main staple, were at high levels in most markets in January 2022, constraining access to the staple food (2022)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { @@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ "text": "2.74-3 million (1.4 million registered, 1.34-1.6  million undocumented or otherwise categorized) (Afghanistan) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "104,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2020)" + "text": "104,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "47 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/world/xx.json b/world/xx.json index 583a96e0..0fb8bddb 100644 --- a/world/xx.json +++ b/world/xx.json @@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ "text": "

stretching over some 280,000 km, the world's 325 international land boundaries separate 195 independent states and 70 dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities; ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states into separate political entities as much as history, physical terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes arbitrary and imposed boundaries; most maritime states have claimed limits that include territorial seas and exclusive economic zones; overlapping limits due to adjacent or opposite coasts create the potential for 430 bilateral maritime boundaries of which 209 have agreements that include contiguous and non-contiguous segments; boundary, borderland/resource, and territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to violent or militarized; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and unmanaged boundaries tend to encourage illegal cross-border activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic and cultural clashes continue to be responsible for much of the territorial fragmentation and internal displacement of the estimated 45.7 million people and cross-border displacements of approximately 30.2 million refugees and asylum seekers around the world as of yearend 2019; approximately 317,200 refugees were repatriated during 2019; other sources of contention include access to water and mineral (especially hydrocarbon) resources, fisheries, and arable land; armed conflict prevails not so much between the uniformed armed forces of independent states as between stateless armed entities that detract from the sustenance and welfare of local populations, leaving the community of nations to cope with resultant refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, and environmental degradation

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { - "text": "

the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that as of year-end 2020 there were 82.4 million people forcibly displaced worldwide; this includes 48 million conflict IDPs, 26.4 million refugees, 4.1 million asylum seekers, and 3.9 million Venezuelans displaced abroad; the UNHCR estimates there are currently at least 10 million stateless persons

" + "text": "

the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that as of year-end 2021 there were 89.3 million people forcibly displaced worldwide; this includes 53.2 million IDPs, 27.1 million refugees, 4.6 million asylum seekers, and 4.4 million Venezuelans displaced abroad; the UNHCR estimates there are currently more than 4.3 million stateless persons as of year-end 2021

" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": {