Introducing the 38th edition of The PEP Weekly Digest, where we present to you the most recent updates and news on the global political stage.

Recent and upcoming elections influence the worldwide political landscape in eight nations, slated between February 08, 2024 and March 17, 2024. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

One noteworthy event has occurred in Cook Islands, Prime Minister Mark Brown has appointed Albert Nicholas as his deputy. He takes over from former deputy prime minister Robert Tapaitau, who lost his seat due to a corruption conviction late last month. In the past, the Cook Islands Party government has given the deputy prime minister role to someone from the outer islands if the Prime Minister is from Rarotonga, and vice versa. This government has broken convention by giving the position to Nicholas who is a member of parliament from Rarotonga. However, the Prime Minister said he will be relying on Nicholas to devote a lot of effort into the Pa Enua. Brown said his emphasis is on prioritising the interests of the country over convention. He said he is focused on rebuilding the economy post Covid-19.

Shifting our focus to Malaysia, Sarawak’s former governor Taib Mahmud died at the age of 87 on Wednesday morning, after weeks of speculation over his health as he was shuttled across Malaysia deepening an acrimonious dispute between his wife and children over his wealth. Taib, also Sarawak’s longest-serving chief minister, died before dawn in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, according to an announcement on his daughter Hanifah Hajar’s Facebook page. The politician’s death follows a final episode of high drama involving his alleged abduction from a hospital in Kuching in Sarawak by his Syrian wife, Raghad Kurdi Taib. She is in a legal tussle over parts of his estate with his sons.

In Malta, Colonel Mark Mallia has been appointed Transport Malta Chief Executive Officer. Mallia replaces Jonathan Borg who resigned from the post last week. Having graduated with a Masters in Management from the University of Malta, Mallia also served in the AFM as deputy commander. However, he was the subject of a promotion scandal in 2013 together with Commander Jeffrey Curmi. The two were promoted from majors to lieutenant colonels, and finally colonels, over the space of just a few weeks in 2013. At the time, the government said their promotions were overdue and that political prejudice under the former administration kept them from advancing.

In the realm of regulatory affairs, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global standard-setting body for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), concluded its fifth Plenary under the Singaporean presidency. The FATF made several key advances, including kicking off a public consultation on potential changes to the FATF Recommendation on wire transfer information and the adoption of new guidance on trusts. The FATF also noted its concern on Russian Federation’s growing financial connectivity with North Korea and Iran. This Plenary follows recent announcements of key actions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to enhance financial transparency and combat illicit finance in the United States. “At a moment when the United States is advancing historic initiatives to safeguard the U.S. financial system, we commend the FATF’s vital work to strengthen global standards relating to combatting illicit finance,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen.

Shifting our attention to legal advancements, in Tunisia, Former President Moncef Marzouki was sentenced to eight years in prison in absentia as part of the country’s crackdown on opponents of President Kais Saied. The judgment came as prominent opposition figure Jaouhar Ben Mbarek was sentenced to six months in prison. Authorities said Marzouki had violated laws against incitement and called for the overthrow of the government, court spokesperson Mohamed Zitouna told Tunisia’s state news agency, TAP. His attorney, Samir Ben Amor, told the Associated Press that the sentence illustrates “the hardening of the political line taken by the government against opponents.”