KABUL, 12 February 2022, (TON): According to an internal U.N. note “the United Nations aims to kickstart this month a system to swap millions of aid dollars for Afghan currency in a plan to stem humanitarian and economic crises and bypass blacklisted Taliban leaders.”

Since the Taliban takeover in August, foreign financial assistance has stopped and international banks are wary of testing U.N. and U.S. sanctions on the hardline Islamist group, leaving the United Nations and aid groups struggling to obtain cash even as they continue to receive humanitarian donations.

The U.N. explanatory note, written last month, outlines an urgently needed Humanitarian Exchange Facility (HEF). The United Nations has warned that more than half of Afghanistan s 39 million people are suffering extreme hunger and the economy, education and social services are collapsing.

The note said “the overall objective is to have the HEF up and running in February.”

“Prior to the full establishment of the facility, we seek to facilitate several trial swaps, to demonstrate exactly how the mechanism will work.”

U.N. and humanitarian officials warn that the facility can be only a temporary measure until Afghanistan s central bank begins operating independently and some $9 billion in foreign reserves frozen abroad are released.

DHAKA, 12 February 2022, (TON): Australia has decided to pump in $10.2 million to increase engagement on regional economic challenges and tap new opportunities in the digital sector in Bangladesh.

The Australian foreign ministry said in a press release “a further $4.3 million will support relationships across the LNG supply chain between Australia, India and Bangladesh.”

In addition, $5.8 million will promote infrastructure investment opportunities in the region to Australian businesses.

According to the release “the Morrison Government will invest $4.8 million to improve Australian resources and Mining Equipment, Technology and Services understanding of South Asian markets.”

Australia will provide $36.5 million over five years, including $11.4 million, to improve regional cooperation on maritime shipping, disaster resilience and information sharing.

DHAKA, 12 February 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen said “Bangladesh has been promoting a 'culture of peace' which is actually Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's philosophy of peace.”

he told the UAE strategic community while presenting a keynote speech at the prestigious Emirates Centre for Strategic and Security Studies at Abu Dhabi "Bangabandhu wanted an independent refuge in the very quotidian life of man where he or she could be safe from oppression, hunger, malnutrition, ignorance and hatred.”

A foreign ministry press release said “a foreign ministry press release said here “the programme highlights the Vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Global Peace and World Security.”

The minister said "Bangabandhu gave precedence to the 'rule of law'. Even when those same rules and laws were institutionalized to oppose his vision and his political and economic objectives, Bangabandhu never adhered to violence or hatred as a counter measure.”

Foreign Minister noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision of the world and of world peace is rooted in the visions of Bangabandhu.

During the 66th UN General Assembly in 2011, he said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave the world a six-point multi-dimensional peace-centric development model for championing democracy and people's empowerment.

KABUL, 12 February 2022, (TON): The International Organization for Migration this week appealed for more than $589 million to respond to the urgent humanitarian and protection needs of vulnerable Afghans in Afghanistan and Afghans in neighboring countries.

The IOM said in a statement “it is appealing for funds to help over 3.6 million crisis-affected persons and to strengthen the resilience and recovery of communities both in Afghanistan and in six neighboring countries.”

Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations said “the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan is intensifying humanitarian needs and increasing displacement risks both inside the country, as well as across borders to countries in the region.”

“Nearly six months after the August 2021 political upheaval and resulting political transition, more than half of the Afghan population are now in need of humanitarian assistance, which is 30 percent more than last year. This means Afghanistan faces a real risk of systemic collapse and humanitarian catastrophe, as nearly all Afghans have now plunged into poverty.”

According to the statement, the plan would also strengthen integrated approaches to migration management, governance and sustainable development.

NEW DELHI, 12 February 2022, (TON): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Melbourne “Defence and security are key pillars of the partnership between India and Australia.

He held talks with Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton ahead of a crucial meeting of Quad foreign ministers.

Mr Jaishankar is in Australia on his first trip to the country as external affairs minister. He will co-chair with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne the 12th India-Australia foreign ministers' framework dialogue on February 12 besides attending the Quad meeting.

He said in a tweet "started the day with meeting Defence Minister Peter Dutton_MP. We followed up on the 2 2 discussions last year.”

He said "Defence and security are key pillars of the India-Australia partnership.”

Mr Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the inaugural 'two-plus-two' talks with their Australian counterparts Marise Payne and Peter Dutton in New Delhi last year.

NEW DELHI, 12 February 2022, (TON): India is getting set to kick off its largest-ever multi-nation naval exercise later this month, which will witness participation from both the US and Russia amidst escalating tensions between them over Ukraine.

The 'Milan' exercise, to be conducted off Visakhapatnam from February 25 to March 4, will see top naval delegations from around 40 of the over 45 countries invited, ranging from the US, Australia, UK, Japan, South Korea, France and Israel to Russia, Iran, UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

At least 14-15 of these countries have already confirmed they will also be sending warships or aircraft for the exercise, sources said on Friday.

While the US will be deploying USS Port Royal, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, Russia is yet to confirm whether it will also be sending a warship.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken, incidentally, on Friday warned that Russia could invade Ukraine “any time”, amassing as it is more soldiers on the border.

India has struck a fine strategic balance between the US and Russia for decades, but there are deepening concerns over the tightening clinch between Moscow and Beijing over the last few years.

JEDDAH, 11 February 2022, (TON): Iran boasted on Wednesday that it had developed a new ballistic missile with a range of 1,450 km making it capable of targeting Israel, Gulf state capitals, and US bases in the Middle East.

State TV displayed the new surface-to-surface “Kheibar Shekan” missile, named after a 7th-century military victory by the Prophet Muhammad at the Kheibar oasis in the Hijaz region of what is now Saudi Arabia.

A military spokesman said “this long-range missile is domestically manufactured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It has high accuracy and is propelled by solid fuel, and is capable of penetrating missile shields.”

The chief of Iran’s armed forces, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, said Tehran’s weapons program would move forward at pace.

He said “we will continue on the path of growth, development and excellence for our missile power, in terms of both quantity and quality.”

Iran has the largest arsenal of missiles in the Middle East. Late last year it fired 16 ballistic missiles to conclude military drills described by generals as a warning to Israel.

PARIS, 11 February 2022, (TON): Indonesia has inked deals to purchase the first batch of French-made Dassault Rafale multipurpose fighter jets and two Scorpene-class submarines.

The contract for the first six aircraft, signed on Thursday, is part of the Southeast Asian country’s plan to acquire a total of 42 planes from Paris, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto told local media.

The Kompas newspaper reported that Jakarta had initially planned to buy 36 jets, RT reported.

French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted “our strategic partnership will benefit from the deepening of our defense ties.”

She wrote “France is proud to contribute to the modernization of the armed forces of our partner that plays a key role within ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and the Indo-Pacific.”

President Emmanuel Macron tweeted “Indonesia chooses French industrial excellence! The know-how of more than 400 French companies and thousands of workers who design the Rafale has been recognized.”

CAIRO, 11 February 2022, (TON): Egypt’s president has reaffirmed the fraternal relations between his country and Algeria, as well as Cairo’s aspiration to advance bilateral cooperation at various levels.

During a phone call he received from his Algerian counterpart Abdelmedjid Tebboune, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi expressed his pride in the visit of his brother to Egypt on Jan. 24.

It was Tebboune’s third foreign trip since taking office in December 2019. The visit included discussions on economic, political and strategic files.

El-Sisi said “Egypt seeks to increase trade and investment with Algeria, and to strengthen security and military ties.”

They discussed regional issues of common interest, especially the situation in Libya. They agreed that Libyan state institutions should be supported, as should efforts to achieve security and stability, and to preserve the country’s unity and sovereignty.

Bassam Rady, spokesman for the Egyptian presidency, said Tebboune expressed his appreciation for the warm reception and hospitality he received during his visit, which witnessed fruitful discussions.

MOSCOW, 11 February 2022, (TON): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said “the talks with British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss was a talk of a mute with a deaf."

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Lavrov said “he did not speak with Truss about bilateral relations that are at the lowest point because the British minister wanted to discuss the situation in Ukraine, the Russian-Belarusian military drill Determination-2022, the restoration of the Iran nuclear deal, and Russia's cooperation with China.”

Lavrov said he informed Truss about the lack of progress in implementation of the Minsk Agreement on the Ukrainian settlement, the terms of the Russian-Belarusian military exercises, and developing balanced and mutually respectful relations with China.

The minister added that they agreed with Truss there is a chance to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.

The Russian initiative on getting legally-binding security guarantees was also raised by Truss, the foreign minister continued, adding he reiterated verbally the request submitted earlier in written form, asking to explain how London understands the principle of the inadmissibility of strengthening security by weakening the security of others.