Bulgaria and Romania Join Schengen and Turkish Diplomacy in East Africa

Andrew Sheves Good morning. Two quick headlines on positive diplomatic developments.

Bulgaria and Romania were accepted into the EU’s Schengen visa scheme, which allows visa-free travel around the European Union for residents or visa holders of countries that are members of the scheme. [SOURCE - BBC]

Turkey brokered a deal between Somalia and Ethiopia, defusing tensions over Ethiopia’s plan to open a port in the independent Somaliland region. The deal commits both parties to talks to establish improved diplomatic and commercial ties, easing decades-long tensions between the two East African neighbors. [SOURCE - Al Jazeera]

Note - This is good example of Erdogan’s statesmanship and a reminder of Turkey’s role in regional events, which is often underreported in Western media.

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Asia Stability Ratings and News Summary

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Asia News Summary

Singapore is making strides in sustainability, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding with JBM Group to promote energy transition and reduce carbon emissions [SOURCE - The Hindu]. The city-state’s real estate market is also witnessing significant changes, with billionaire Gordon Tang agreeing to acquire Suntec REIT for $2.5 billion, reflecting the evolving landscape of property investments [SOURCE - Forbes].

In the South China Sea, tensions have escalated between China and** the Philippine**s, with the latter filing a diplomatic protest following clashes at disputed shoals. This incident has reignited calls for international intervention to address the ongoing territorial disputes [SOURCE - [Diplomat.com](https://Diplomat.com?utm_sou

Carpe tomorrow!