Together Towards Peace and Tranquility: OIC Extraordinary Summit on Afghanistan, Written By Asif Tanveer Awan Advocate, Research Associate, MUSLIM Institute

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Together Towards Peace and Tranquility:
OIC Extraordinary Summit on Afghanistan
By Asif Tanveer Awan Advocate, Research Associate, MUSLIM Institute

The 17th extraordinary session of OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers was held on 19th December, 2021 in Islamabad in order to devise a strategy to deal with the prevailing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. It was the largest ever international gathering on Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in mid-August after 20 years long war. Twenty foreign ministers, ten deputy foreign ministers, and 437 delegates participated in the session.

The representatives from P5 countries, European Union and several other international organizations were also among the participants. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, delivered the keynote speech. The meeting was made possible and successful due to the trust the Muslim World and International Community placed on Pakistan and sensed latter’s sincerity to tackle the issue. Afghanistan, the landlocked country which is deemed the heart of Asia as well, has long been a war-ravaged country grappling with escalating tensions, miseries and chaos. This panic dates back to 1980s and still does it remain out-of-control in the shape of humanitarian crisis. Although the United Nations and many other international organizations have time and again expressed deep concern about the imminent humanitarian, economic and bad governance in Afghanistan, the world still sticks to its wait-and-see policy rather than rushing to help the Afghanis overcome the menacing problems.

The OIC session was aimed at addressing the staggering humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan. The speakers in the session highlighted that Afghan economic meltdown would aggravate the humanitarian calamity on 22.8 million Afghans following a severe inflation, joblessness, and famine-like situation in terms of food and other essential commodities. In this respect, Pakistani foreign minister has rightly said that abandoning Afghanistan at this stage would be a historic mistake. A fragile governance structure, severe liquidity shortage coupled with financial sanctions have driven the country to the verge of economic collapse and worsened the long-existing humanitarian crisis. On the other hand, the lack of global recognition of the Taliban government in Kabul has hindered the availability of urgently needed socio-economic aid for the people of Afghanistan from regional and international donors. These challenges will destabilize Afghanistan thereby leading towards a new refugee crisis, drug trafficking, and smuggling. This instability could pave the way for terrorism. Its spillover effects will further aggravate the regional peace and prosperity.

United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General on Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, characterizes Afghanistan as being in free fall while addressing the OIC Summit. He said, "If we don’t act decisively and with compassion, I fear this fall will pull the entire population with it." According to the UN estimation, 22.8 million people, which form more than the half of Afghanistan’s population, is severely facing acute shortage of food, droughts and high levels of poverty rooted in the years long war. Seventy percent of teachers are not getting paid and millions of children are out of school. The World Food Programme has warned that Afghanistan could become the largest humanitarian crisis facing country in the world. The World Food Programme reports that around 3.2 million Afghan children are facing a severe kind of malnutrition. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 million children below the age of five may die of starvation this year if corrective measures are not taken immediately.

On its part, Pakistan has demonstrated that its approach towards solving the issues of Afghanistan is guided by urgent humanitarian concerns. In this respect, along with dispatching food and humanitarian assistance, Pakistan pledges 50,000 tons of wheat for Afghanistan. It also approaches key financial institutions like the EU and especially the OIC. Pakistan concurs with the U.N Secretary-General that humanitarian support must be provided without any prior conditions. There are dire warnings by those who have the most intimate and direct knowledge of the grave situation on the ground in Afghanistan.

The OIC, since the very inception of the Afghan crisis, has stood firmly by the people of Afghanistan. It has consistently supported the right of self-determination of political and economic emancipation of the people of Palestine and the Kashmiris suffering under illegal occupation. History witnesses that this organization, even amidst major global political turbulence, has not only supported the right of the people but also called upon the rest of the international community to act and think beyond their domestic and internal political and economic compulsions. This extraordinary session will usher a visible change and signal to the people of Afghanistan that the Muslim world is united in helping them and stabilizing their economy and country. It was further pledged in the extraordinary meeting of OIC that Muslim World as a whole has come forward to offer its hand of partnership to the United Nations, International Financial Institutions, and major donors to bring collective expertise in pushing against the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister of Pakistan proposes a six-point framework for the OIC to address the ongoing crisis. First, the organization could create a vehicle within the OIC to immediately channelize and sustain humanitarian and financial assistance to the Afghan people from the OIC member states and other donors. Second, all the countries should agree to increase investment in Afghanistan bilaterally or through the OIC in areas such as education, health, technical and vocational skills to the Afghan youth. Third, a group of experts comprising the OIC, the United Nations, and the IFIs (International Financial Institutions) ought to be established to consider ways and means to facilitate Afghanistan’s access to legitimate banking services and to ease the serious liquidity challenges faced by the Afghan people. Fourth, all the countries present in OIC should focus on enhancing the food security of the Afghan people. The Islamic organization for food security can and must lead these efforts. Fifth, investment should be made in building the capacity of Afghan institutions in countering terrorism and combating illicit trade in narcotics. Finally, OIC should help the Afghanis in collaboration with those who are at the helm of affairs in Afghanistan to meet the expectations of the international community particularly pertaining political and social inclusivity, respect for human rights especially the rights of women, and combating terrorism.

At the end of the session, two unanimous resolutions were adopted with regard to Afghanistan and Palestine. It was agreed upon to establish a humanitarian trust and to launch a food security programme. All at the summit were of the view that banking channels should be restored to rejuvenate the economy of the country. Moreover, a special envoy of OIC was also suggested for Afghanistan. OIC meeting also called upon international community and UN security council that sanctions shouldn’t impede the provision of humanitarian aid.

An important development that unfolded on this important occasion was the engagement of the Interim Government of Afghanistan with delegates of western countries. Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, joined the session and once again assured the world to comply with the demands of the international community for the broader interest of the people of Afghanistan. So far, the interim government of Afghanistan has not posed any threat to the world but the freezing of assets and non-recognition issues are definitely pushing the entire population into a horrific catastrophe.

The great poet-philosopher of the East, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, characterized Afghanistan as a pivot for peace, stability, and prosperity for the entire region. And, if the Taliban are ready to comply with the requirements demanded by the international community, the world had better extend a bigger hand looking into the matter of worldwide recognition of Taliban. It is thus the shared responsibility of the entire international community to address the looming crises in Afghanistan. The gravity of situation demands prompt heed of all stakeholders and the repetition of the crisis the Afghans faced in 1990s should be avoided. This crisis is neither in the interest of Afghanistan nor the world at large, and can only be averted through collective efforts of the Muslim world. The OIC meeting will pave the way for addressing the miseries of Afghan people nursing since long and for averting any other tragedy.

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