Asia

The Supreme Court of India overturned a historic ruling of 2009 by the Delhi High Court, which legalised homosexual intercourse for the first time in India. But there is still a glimpse of hope.

The 4th Japanese-German Dialogue tries to strengthen the new strategic NATO-Japan partnership by identifying areas of mutual Japanese – German security interests and practical cooperation.

Renard Sexton is an International Expert on Resources and International Development. In this interview he explains the intimate and complex relationship of natural resources and conflict in Afghanistan.

Khwaga Kakar is Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and Researcher on Water Issues. In this interview she explains the situation of Afghanistan concerning its water management.

How successful is India in its struggle against poverty? India's national Planning Commission recently claimed that within 7 years, the number of poor in India has declined by 22 per cent. These numbers are being challenged by many experts, according whom India's economic growth has left behind many more people.

In the recent elections Premier Hun Sen of Cambodia has learned that a large part of the Cambodians want a new political leadership. But even though his party has lost many votes, a change in the repressive political system is currently very unlikely.

Cambodia’s elections did not produce a clear winner – this alone is notable news for a country that has been governed by the same person for almost 29 years. However Prime Minister Hun Sen continues to sit tight at the reigns. What does this mean for the German development cooperation with Cambodia?

Our Cambodia office director Manfred Hornung has registered with Cambodia's National Election Committee (NEC) as an independent observer for the parliamentary elections. In his articles he reports about worried citizens and protests on the election day.

In this interview Dr. C. Kek Pung, founder and president of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights talks about the main problems in Cambodia: land grabbing, poverty, trafficking and corruption. Even the EU has not taken any action to prevent injustices of the system and is still importing Cambodian "blood sugar".

Nobody expects free and fair elections in Cambodia. Dr. C. Kek Pung from the NGO LICADHO explains the irregularities of the electoral process and risks people take when observing the elections.