West Asian Region Research Articles

Multi-year model simulations of mineral dust distribution and transport over the Indian subcontinent during summer monsoon seasons

Aerosol distribution over the Arabian Sea and the Indian subcontinent during the northern hemispheric summer is dominated by mineral dust transport from the West Asian desert regions. The radiative impact of these dust plumes is expected to have a prominent role in regulating the Asian Summer Monsoon circulation. While satellite observations have provided information in the spatial distribution of aerosols over the oceanic regions during the season, their utility over the land is rather limited. This study examines the transport of mineral dust over the West Asian desert, the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding oceanic regions during the summer monsoon season with the help of a regional scale model, WRF-Chem. Geographical locations of prominent dust sources, altitude ranges of mineral dust transport and their inter-annual variations are examined in detail. Multi-year model simulations were carried out during 2007 to 2012 with a model integration from 15 May to 31 August of each year. Six-year seasonal mean (June to August) vertically integrated dust amount from 1000 to 300 hPa level shows prominent dust loading over the eastern parts of Arabian desert and the northwestern part of India which are identified as two major sources of dust production. Large latitudinal gradient in dust amount is observed over the Arabian Sea with the largest dust concentration over the northwestern part and is primarily caused by the prevailing northwesterly wind at 925 hPa level from the Arabian desert. The model simulations clearly show that most of the dust distributed over the Indo-Gangetic plane originates from the Rajasthan desert located in the northwestern part of India, whereas dust observed over the central and south peninsular India and over the Arabian Sea are mainly transported from the Arabian desert. Abnormal dust loading is observed over the north Arabian Sea during June 2008. This has been produced as a result of the low pressure system (associated with the onset of summer monsoon) which entered in to the Arabian land mass, resulting strong wind and large dust storms over the region; the prevailing northwesterly wind transported these dust in to the Arabian Sea.

Introduction: The West Asian and North African Uprisings and the Limits of Liberal Governance

This special section brings together scholars working in divergent disciplines and locations. By focusing on agency and politics from below in addition to the structural and discursive contexts that condition wider relations between the West Asian and North African (WANA) region and the European Union, the special section makes the case for a critical reinterpretation of WANA–European relations and a paradigm for future intellectual engagement.

Iran's Nuclear Program: Regional Implications and Possible Outcomes

As a result of its geostrategic, geopolitical, and geocultural position, Iran has a special influence on regional politics. Iran's nuclear program can tilt the balance of power in West Asia in its own favor, but the competing states from the region are expected to oppose such a program. Iran's choice of nonconventional weapons would be extremely likely to influence neighboring countries to start their own nuclear weapons programs to maintain the balance of power in the West Asian region. This article contends that the Iranian nuclear issue should be dealt with immediately. It concludes that the issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions must be properly resolved because it can lead to a new round of regional and global nuclear proliferation.

China’s Debate on the Middle East and North Africa: A Critical Review

This essay offers an overview of the Chinese posture and debate toward the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region. The author presents China’s outlook toward the region as a laboratory for an innovative course in Beijing’s future foreign policy. The analysis is divided into three parts: a critical introduction that assesses the role of WANA within the spectrum of Chinese hierarchical vision of the international system, a detailed assessment of the factors that are transforming WANA into one of the most crucial sectors of Beijing’s foreign policy, and a detailed overview of the internal debate on China’s evolving role in the region.

Sino-Italian Relations in a Turbulent Mediterranean: Trends and Opportunities

This essay analyzes Sino-Italian relations against the background of the increasing salience of the West Asia and North Africa region in Rome’s and Beijing’s strategic calculus. As China projects westward through its New Silk Road strategy, culminating at the intersection of the Mediterranean Sea and Europe’s core, the spectrum of Italy’s foreign policy options opens to innovative forms of cooperation with China to meet the challenges emanating from the European Union’s southern and southeastern neighborhoods. An integrated study of the dynamics of Sino-Italian bilateral relations and of the mounting strategic exposure both countries have across West Asia and North Africa underscores the urgency of consolidating the societal foundations of the strategic partnership ten years after its launch.

Canada’s Growing Interest in the Far Away West Asia

West Asian region is known for the presence of the Arab oil-rich countries. In the post-Second World War, Arab–Israeli conflict was one of the major international issues of the world. This Arab–Israel region of the West Asia was under the British control. Britain failed to handle the conflict and handed it over to the newly formed United Nations (UN) and through the UN mediation, the state of Israel was created in 1948. All the major powers of the world got involved in one way or other in the process of creation of the state of Israel in the midst of the Arab countries. Canada as a member of the UN Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) became involved in the West Asian region. In the post-Second World War period, Canada had virtually no commercial or strategic interests in any countries of the region. Now Canada works closely with its network of diplomatic missions across the region to promote and defend Canadian values and interests and strengthen development and trade cooperation with a range of government, private sector and civil society partners, as well as regional organizations. The West Asian region—the Arab countries and Israel—is one of the areas where merchandise trade as well as arms trade is a significant area of interest of Canada. This article discusses Canada’s involvement in West Asia since the creation of the state of Israel. Canada supported Israel and their relations are multifaceted and have been enhanced in recent years through increased cooperation in several areas, including arms trade, investment and innovation. Canada has also many trade agreements including the arms trade to West Asian Arab countries. This article shows various issues of Canada and West Asia trade relations, particularly arms trade with Israel and other West Asia Arab countries, which has more of a political orientation rather than an economic one.

Goats: Imperatives for Developing the Champions of the Poor and the Landless

Animal-agriculture production is pivotal for food security, economic growth and rural prosperity. In Asian agriculture, the goat is revered as the first animal to be domesticated, and has an important economic and ecological niche. It is very widely distributed, but the preferred environment is the semi-arid to arid agro-ecological zones (AEZs) [1] such as West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region [2], within-country in Rajasthan in India, Baluchistan in Pakistan, Harare in Zimbabwe, Chihuahua and San Louis Portosi in Mexico The value of goats increases in relation to its contributions, capacity to adapt to different rainfed less-favored areas (LFAs), cope with the effects of climate change, and respond to market opportunities and human dietary changes [3].

Making of Syrian Crisis

The West Asian region holds a critical position in the global hydrocarbon regime. The largest source of oil and huge natural gas reserves have made it a strategically sensitive region. The excessive presence of external powers, especially the United States which at one stage defined its national security in terms of secure oil supply from the region, has made the region a centre of competition and conflict. It is well documented that oil was one of the crucial motives behind the overthrow of President Saddam Hussein. It is the contention of this article that the Syrian crisis too can be explained in terms of competitive politics of global and regional powers, to possess regional hegemony and have control over energy resources. Having looked at the changing global energy dynamics, the article evaluates the ongoing Syrian war, emphasizing that the crisis was significantly, if not primarily, due to the energy pipeline geopolitics and not confined to merely a regime change or a sectarian factor. In the years up to 2011, Syria was exporting more than 150,000 b/d of crude to the international market, which was not much but a sizeable fraction. The crisis has not just sent Syria’s energy sector into turmoil, but has also caused a serious humanitarian catastrophe. The article also underlines, how the recent finds in the East Mediterranean, especially offshore Syria, which are expected to be around 3,450 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas and 1.7 billion barrels (bill. Bbls) of oil reserves, pose a serious competition for the Gulf. The article is divided into four sections. It begins by underlining the changing energy geopolitics and identifying Syria in the East Mediterranean energy finds. The article then talks about the pipeline geopolitics and the Syrian crisis, which leads to the fourth aspect of the article discussing the regional and external actors, and their stake in the Syrian conflict.

The role of the private sector in delivery in low-income and middle-income countries: a retrospective, observational analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys from 57 countries

BackgroundMaternal mortality rates have decreased worldwide in recent decades but remain offtrack for the Millennium Development Goals. Strategies to achieve equitable maternal outcomes will need to effectively reach the most socioeconomically vulnerable women. We assessed the role of the private sector in the provision of institutional delivery care, and compare equity and quality of private sector care with the public sector. MethodsWe used data from the 57 countries in the Demographic and Health Survey 2000–12 to analyse delivery care for the most recent birth among 337 208 women. We created weighted estimates for each geographical region, using wealth quintile for equity analysis. We used the presence of a skilled birth attendant and caesarean section as proxies for cross-sector comparisons of delivery care quality. FindingsThe proportion of women delivering in health facilities varied widely between regions (from 201 057 [42%] in south and southeast Asia, to 25 193 [79%] in north Africa, west Asia, and Europe) and increased with wealth quintile in every region. The largest difference in the proportion of births delivered in a facility between poorest and richest quintiles was in south and southeast Asia (67%) and the lowest was in the north Africa, west Asia, and Europe region (41%). The proportion of all facility deliveries occurring in private sector facilities ranged from 10% in Latin America and the Caribbean to 57% in south and southeast Asia. Depending on region, the wealthiest women were 4–13-times more likely to deliver in private facilities than were the poorest. Inequalities based on wealth also existed for the care women received in facilities. Among women delivering in public sector facilities in all countries (n=95 547), 94% in the poorest and 98% in the richest quintile delivered with a skilled birth attendant. In private sector facilities, 86% of the poorest and 98% of the richest women had a skilled birth attendant. In every region, the proportion of deliveries by caesarean section increased with rising wealth and caesarean section was more common in the private sector than in the public sector. The difference for the proportion of caesarean sections between the two sectors was smallest in sub-Saharan Africa (2%) and largest in north Africa, west Asia, Europe (21%). InterpretationThis study is the largest analysis of the role of the private sector in delivery care. More information is needed about whether the role of the private sector in various countries is a reaction to the failures within the public health system or a substitution effect. Future research should describe countries that achieved rapid improvements in facility delivery rates and assess the contribution of the private sector to this trend. FundingMSD for Mothers.

Identification of dust storm source areas in West Asia using multiple environmental datasets

Sand and Dust storms are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. West Asia Region, especially Tigris-Euphrates alluvial plain, has been recognized as one of the most important dust source areas in the world. In this paper, a method is applied to extract SDS (Sand and Dust Storms) sources in West Asia region using thematic maps, climate and geography, HYSPLIT model and satellite images. Out of 50 dust storms happened during 2000–2013 and collected in form of MODIS images, 27 events were incorporated as demonstrations of the simulated trajectories by HYSPLIT model. Besides, a dataset of the newly released Landsat images was used as base-map for the interpretation of SDS source regions. As a result, six main clusters were recognized as dust source areas. Of which, 3 clusters situated in Tigris–Euphrates plain were identified as severe SDS sources (including 70% dust storms in this research). Another cluster in Sistan plain is also a potential source area. This approach also confirmed six main paths causing dust storms. These paths are driven by the climate system including Siberian and Polar anticyclones, monsoon from Indian Subcontinent and depression from north of Africa. The identification of SDS source areas and paths will improve our understandings on the mechanisms and impacts of dust storms on socio-economy and environment of the region.

Grouping Jujubes of Iran Based on Quantitative Characteristics and ISSR and RAPD Markers

Jujube (Zizyphus jujube L.) is an important tree with different species and varieties distributed in the central and west Asian regions as well as in Iran. The present study was performed to investigate the genetic diversity in jujube germplasm of Iran, collected from eight provinces grown in a collection garden in south Khorasan province. The genetic diversity was studied based on quantitative characteristics and ISSR and RAPD molecular markers. The results of molecular analysis showed a considerable genetic variation among 32 studied ecotypes. Six efficient primers were selected among 13 ISSR primers e.g. (AC)8YT and (GA) 8A. A total of 84 loci were amplified and 70 (83%) showed proper polymorphism. Among 15 random primers of RAPD markers, more than 80% polymorphism appeared among amplified loci of ecotypes. Phylogenetic analysis using matk gene, indicated existence of at least three different species in Iranian jujube collection. Cluster analysis of quantitative characteristics classified jujube ecotypes into three to six groups. Generally, variation in jujube germplasm could be mainly found in three provinces Mazandaran, Isfahan and South Khorasan, the latter almost covers the total variations.

Association Mapping of Resistance to Yellow Rust in Winter Wheat Cultivars and Elite Genotypes

ABSTRACTYellow (stripe) rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst), is a destructive disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) all over the world, particularly in the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region. Host plant resistance is the most economical and environment friendly approach to combating wheat rusts through the deployment of resistant cultivars. In this study, we report findings from an association mapping (AM) study of resistance to Pst in 167 facultative/winter elite wheat genotypes. The genotypes were evaluated for resistance to yellow rust (YR) at the adult plant stage and other agronomic traits for 2 yr (2011–2012) at ICARDA field station, Tel Hadya, Syria. The same genotypes were genotyped using 3051 diversity array technology (DArT) markers of which 1586 were of known chromosome positions. Out of the 167 genotypes evaluated for YR resistance, 65 genotypes (38.9%) were resistant, 20 genotypes (12%) were moderately resistant, 30 genotypes (18%) were moderately susceptible, and 52 genotypes (31.1%) were susceptible. Elite genotypes with high yield potential and YR resistance were identified and have been distributed to the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) for potential direct release and/or use as parents after local adaptation trials by the respective countries. Further, AM analysis using a mixed linear model (MLM), corrected for population structure and kinship relatedness and adjusted for false discovery rate (FDR), identified five genomic regions located on wheat chromosomes 2BL, 4BS, 6AS, 6BL, and 7BL which are significantly associated with genes conferring resistance to YR. The loci located on chromosome 4BS appeared to be a novel quantitative trait loci (QTL). These loci may be useful for choosing parents and incorporating new YR resistance genes into locally adapted wheat cultivars.

Physical and optical properties of aerosols in a free tropospheric environment: Results from long-term observations over western trans-Himalayas

Simultaneous and collocated estimates of near-surface mass concentration of black carbon (BC), number size distribution (NSD) and total number concentration (NT) of composite aerosols, columnar spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and local meteorological parameters were made from Aug 2009 to July 2012 at the high altitude (4520 m amsl), remote location Hanle in western trans-Himalayas. Even though all the aerosol parameters remain quite low, large annual variations are seen in the monthly mean values of BC (25 ng m−3–181 ng m−3), total number concentrations of composite aerosols (628 cm−3–1500 cm−3) and AOD (0.05–0.16). Size segregated correlation analysis reveals that the BC mass contributes significantly to the size range of 200–400 nm of the submicron aerosol size spectra. The diurnal variation of BC mostly has been dampened; yet seems to be prominent during spring, showing the presence of weak boundary layer dynamics. In contrast, the diurnal fluctuations in total number concentration have been mostly controlled by the new particle formation events, leading to bursts of large concentrations of ultrafine particles, which subsequently undergo coagulation. Spectral dependence of AOD also shows large monthly variations, with the Angstrom exponent varying from ∼0.52 to 1.3, with a mean value of ∼0.95 ± 0.21. The vertical distribution of extinction coefficients, obtained from CALIPSO data, indicates the presence of elevated aerosol layers, attributed mainly to the influence of long range transport of aerosols from the west Asian and Indian desert region.

Multi-year observations of the spatial and vertical distribution of aerosols and the genesis of abnormal variations in aerosol loading over the Arabian Sea during Asian summer monsoon season

Intense aerosol plumes engulf a vast region of the Arabian Sea during the Asian summer monsoon season (ASM: June–September). The largest value of aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550nm in this region generally occurs in July when the mean AOD attains its annual peak value of >0.8. However, the AOD over this region is abnormally large during the ASM in some years, especially during the June–July period. Long term satellite observations using MODIS reveal that the largest AOD during the 11-year period of March 2000–February 2011 occurred in June 2008 with a regional mean AOD of 1.1, which was ~97% larger than that of the corresponding long term mean value in June and ~49% larger than that in July. The availability of CALIPSO data since June 2006 provides a unique opportunity to quantify the role of continental aerosols transported from the West Asian desert regions in the genesis of the above abnormality over the Arabian Sea. We examine the spatial and vertical distributions of aerosols over the Arabian Sea and adjoining continents using multi-year data from MODIS and CALIPSO and explore the genesis of the above abnormal enhancement in AOD. The observed anomalies in AOD are substantially larger than that can be attributed to changes in wind-generated sea salt aerosols. The CALIPSO observations show that the anomalous enhancement in aerosol loading over the Arabian Sea during June 2008 was primarily caused by an enhancement in aerosol abundance in the altitude range of ~1–4km with a distinctly large volume depolarization ratio of >0.25, clearly indicating the dominance of highly non-spherical mineral dust. Although the aerosol loading over the Arabian Sea during the ASM is observed to be mainly caused by the mineral dust transported from the West Asian Deserts at northwest of the Arabian Sea, the abnormal enhancement in the observed AOD during June 2008 was primarily caused by a distinct increase in dust storms over the northern continents and subsequent transport into the Arabian Sea.

A Proportional Hazard Model to Figure out Asian Countries’ Food Insecurity

A statistical approach is employed to examine the affects of covariates on food insecurity among Asian countries in the period of 40 years since 1961. We conduct a statistical technique based on information aspects of each country on human resources, environment and sustainability, land use and land resource, agricultural resource and capacity, water and sanitation, and macroeconomic indicators. We found that 22 of 32 (65.72%) countries experience insecurity food condition. The remaining are censored observations (34.38%). Stepwise Cox’s regression model is used to select among the 24 independent covariates that are deemed to be significant contribution to the model. Based on the adopted model, at each time point, the West Asian region are found to be more likely to have insecurity food condition compared to those countries in the other regions. Furthermore, the occurrences of food insecurity for East Asia countries are more likely than for those in the other region. Meanwhile, it can also be seen that countries in Lower-middle income group are more likely to reach insecurity food condition than those in the other group. The analysis also shows that the high income countries have high risk of exposure to insecurity food condition.

Ecogeographic survey and gap analysis of Lathyrus L. species

The genetic diversity of the genus Lathyrus is of significant importance, particularly for its role in sustaining the livelihoods of local communities living under very harsh conditions and its potential to adapt to climate change. Grasspea (L. sativus) is the most widely used species and to a lesser extent L. cicera and L. ochrus, each is used for animal feed in many parts of the world and food in poorer regions, but human over-consumption of the seeds can lead to lathyrism, a disease caused by neurotoxins. This study has added substantial information and accuracy to the existing global Lathyrus database by combining diverse datasets and by adding information of major herbaria from Europe. This global Lathyrus database, available at ICARDA, was used to conduct gap analysis to guide future collecting missions and in situ conservation efforts for highest priority species originating from the Mediterranean Basin, and Caucasus, Central and West Asia region. The results showed the highest concentration of Lathyrus priority species are found in the Fertile Crescent countries, France, Italy and Greece. The area either side of the Lebanese/Syrian border near Tel Kalakh, Syria was identified as the hotspot and the overall priority location for establishing the first in situ genetic reserve. The gap analysis for ex situ conservation shows that only six species (representing 16.6 %) of the 36 priority species are adequately sampled. Only L. cicera has already been well sampled among the closely related species to cultivated species L. sativus, indicating further collecting of L. amphicarpos, L. belinensis, L. chrysanthus, L. hirticarpus, L. hirsutus and L. marmoratus is required. In addition, six secondary priority Lathyrus species have no ex situ collections (L. lentiformis, L. lycicus, L. phaselitanus, L. trachycarpus, L. tremolsianus and L. undulatus) and also require targeted collecting.

Breeding progress for yield in winter wheat genotypes targeted to irrigated environments of the CWANA region

The international winter wheat improvement program (IWWIP), an alliance between Turkey–CIMMYT–ICARDA, has distributed improved germplasm to different National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) partners through international nurseries and yield trials for the last 25 years. This study was carried out in order to determine the rate of breeding progress for yield and yield related traits at IWWIP using data of the international winter wheat yield trials (IWWYT), IWWYT 1–13, collected from 1997 to 2010 in irrigated environments across different countries. The relative grain yield of the best line expressed as percent of the best check (Kinaci-97), widely grown cultivar (Bezostaya) and trial mean (TM) increased at a rate of 0.6, 1.6 and 0.2 %/year, each non-significant (P > 0.05), respectively. Regression analysis indicated that TM has increased at a rate of 91.9 kg/ha/year (P = 0.007). The net realized breeding progress was estimated by accounting the variability due to management and weather conditions using surrogate variables such as integrated biological indices taken as means of common checks. The net realized gain for the BL was 66.2 ± 19.7 kg/ha/year (P = 0.01). Success rate of the BL, per cent of sites where the BL exceeds the local check in grain yield, ranged from 50 to 87 % across trials. To date, more than 55 varieties of IWWIP origin have been released in 10 countries of Central and West Asia including Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Some varieties, such as Solh and Kinaci-97, have been released under different names in different countries indicating their broad adaptation. Cluster analysis of IWWYT sites indicated that IWWIP sites in Turkey and Syria are associated with most of the testing sites in Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region. The recently identified high yielding genotypes are recommended for direct release and/or parental purposes by the respective NARS.

Wheat yield scenarios for rainwater harvesting at Northern Sinjar Mountain, Iraq

Iraq is part of West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region. The area is known as dry land, famous with gap of crop yield as a result of the water shortage problem. Six basins with total catchment area of 614.19 km 2 at rain-fed of Northern Sinjar District (Iraq) had been chosen to investigate both of the potential of rainwater harvesting (RWH) and three supplemental irrigation (SI) scenarios S1, S2, and S3 (100%, 75%, and 50% of full irrigation requirement) to support the wheat yield (bread and durum) under various rainfall conditions for the study period 1990-2009. The results indicated that, the total volume of harvested runoff can be considered for irrigation practices, that reached up to 42.4, 25.1, 0.6, 10.9 (× 10 6 m 3 ) during 1995-1996, 1996-1997, 1998-1999, and 2001-2002, respectively. The total irrigated area ranged between 10.9 - 5163.7 and 8.8 3595.7 (ha) for bread and durum wheat crop for the four selected seasons respectively. The yield scenarios for supplemental irrigation condition Y1, Y2, and Y3 give 68 - 9712, 94 - 12,999, and 105 - 22,806 Ton for bread wheat, and for durum wheat give 56 - 8035, 87 - 10,906, and 103 - 17,396 Ton.

Dust Events in the Western Parts of Iran and the Relationship with Drought Expansion over the Dust-Source Areas in Iraq and Syria

The most famous deserts exist in subtropical regions which is the direct outcome of insufficient precipitation and high temperatures. The Middle East deserts are subjected often to dust, which reduces horizontal visibility to 5 km, and sometimes even to less than 100 m. The severe and prolong drought recently afflicting the west Asia region has been suggested to be instrumental in producing an increased output of dust into the atmosphere from the region. Regarding the increasing of dust events over the west of Iran with the external origin in the recent decade (from 2000 to present), so the main dust-source areas over Iraq and Syria have been detected using the dust-source map of the southwest of Asia, satellite images and soil type maps. We considered the relationship between the increasing of dust events in the western of Iran and drought expansion over the main dust-production areas during the recent decade. Dust frequency data series, and drought variables which include the VHI (vegetation health index), precipitation and temperature data series in long-term and monthly scales have been monitored and compared. And then we used the correlation analysis that indicated the significant proximity between the dust events and droughts/dryness in a yearly scale and also during the warm season (May to Aug). Meantime the derived results from the T-student test for the aforementioned data series confirm the fact that the droughts are parallel to the increasing of dust events from 1996 to 2011 (especially in the recent decade). We found that the recent droughts in the external dust source areas had the remarkable potential to increase the dust events in the west of Iran.

The Influence of the Palestine Conflict on a Just Comprehensive and Lasting Peace in West Asia

This study entitled “The Iinfluence of the Palestine Conflict on a Just Comprehensive and Lasting Peace in West Asia”, aimed at studying and analyzing the reasons that stand behind not success and achieve real peace between the regional states in west Asia. This study also analyzes and assesses how the sides acted in their national self-interest.The researcher reached into a point that there are many obstacles that prevented realize the peace in West Asia. Such obstacles are: the issue of Palestinian statehood, the issue of Jerusalem, the problem of refugees, the water scarcity problems, the arms proliferation and the nuclear issue, the environmental issue, the Golan Heights issue and the issue of fundamentalism.The study reached into a point that if the west Asian region needs a Just Comprehensive and Lasting Peace, the sides must first of all go for searching solutions for all the said issues, otherwise the region will remain in its unstable situation for more coming decades, and will never reach into the mentioned peace.This study contains of abstract, introduction, accurate analytical for each issues, conclusion and references.