What will be the impact of the OIC moot?

An extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers – held in Islamabad on December 19 – has successfully sensitized the whole world about the humanitarian crisis looming large in Afghanistan and perils associated with it. At the session, the OIC nations pledged to set up a humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan. According to a resolution released after the meeting, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022. Bol News talked to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a driving force behind the move, as well as other experts to share their views on the outcome of the moot and how far it would help ameliorate the sufferings of war-battered people of Afghanistan

Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Foreign Minister

Regarding sustained support to the people of Afghanistan, we should bear in mind that this is an incremental process – the first step was the creation of a vehicle – the Humanitarian Trust Fund – as a platform to channel support to the Afghan people. Another linked element was the strengthening of the OIC Mission in Kabul, as the on-ground interface in Afghanistan. A third element is to work out the exact modalities – the IDB has been tasked to fully operationalize the fund by the first quarter of 2022.For me, the biggest takeaways from the session were: the broad consensus on the urgency in providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan; the global recognition of Pakistan’s proactive role in supporting

The extraordinary session was unanimous in supporting the people of Afghanistan. The Humanitarian Trust Fund remains intrinsic to this collective commitment by the international community as a whole and the OIC, in particular, to help our Afghan brothers and sisters.

I proposed a six-point framework for engagement with Afghanistan: Creation of a vehicle within the OIC to channel immediate and sustained humanitarian and financial support to the Afghan people; enhanced investment in the people of Afghanistan, in particular, in areas such as education, health and technical and vocational skills to the Afghan youth; establishment of group of experts to consider ways and means to facilitate Afghanistan’s access to legitimate banking services; providing food security to the Afghan people by leveraging, in particular, the institutional capacity of the Islamic Organization for Food Security; building capacity of Afghan institutions, especially in countering terrorism and combating illicit trade in narcotics and constructive engagement with the interim Afghan government to promote and advance the well-being of the Afghan people.

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri

Former foreign minister

There are UN reports showing 50% of the total population of Afghanistan on the verge of food insecurity and much more slipping down the poverty line. Some 70% of children are facing malnutrition and their lives are at risk. The UN fears the whole Afghanistan population may fall into poverty and misery.The extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan can safely be dubbed as successful as it has drawn the attention of the international community toward the human crisis in the war-ravaged country.

The presence of some 30 foreign ministers or deputy foreign ministers from the OIC member states, representatives from the P-5, Germany, Japan, Italy, UN, the IDB, the World Bank, the GCC, the ECO and the Arab League in the huddle will definitely bring moral pressure on international community and at least some urgent measures would likely be taken.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have respectively announced $265 million and $30 million for Afghanistan and it is expected that more aid pledges will come particularly from Arab countries in due course of time.

The Arab states and western countries might be delaying announcing aid in a bid to exert pressure on the Taliban and make them fall in line. The western powers perceive the Taliban as a resurrection of the pre-9/11 regime and the memories of Bamayan are still fresh in their minds.

The US and other western states have serious objections to the Taliban government especially on their legitimacy and way of governance.

But at the same time children, women and vulnerable sections of society should not be left alone and they have to be supported in the face of a brewing human crisis. In view of the fast deteriorating situation, I think the western states will extend support at least in providing food, medicines and other basic necessities vital for the very survival of the people.

Masood Khan

Former AJK president

The OIC meeting was a success because it pushed the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan forward to the center stage. It also brought the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including the US, the European Union and international financial institutions to this platform. This demonstrated Pakistan’s convening power, for which it deserves well-earned approbation. So does Saudi Arabia for taking the initiative.The 17th extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad was a momentous event. Besides the participation of over 30 foreign and deputy foreign ministers from the OIC member states, representatives of from the P-5, Germany, Japan, Italy, the UN, the IDB, the World Bank, the GCC, the ECO and the Arab League also participated in the meeting.

More pledges will be coming forth. The process takes a little longer.

At the same time, it is imperative that the OIC and Pakistan take the US and its NATO allies on board. A catastrophe of this magnitude cannot be averted by the OIC alone. The US leadership is required urgently to rehabilitate the Afghan Central Bank and banking system.

The administration of President Joe Biden realizes the gravity of the situation in Afghanistan; it is looking for modalities to help the Afghan population.  We should also invite China, Russia, Japan and Germany to step forward to save Afghans from annihilation. They need food, medicine and shelter. Time is of the essence. However, the meeting is a great step forward in averting the human tragedy that is looming large over the war-torn country. The world is now awakening to the situation which should be a matter of concern for all the countries as perpetuation of the crises will result in another wave of migrations which the world is ill-prepared for.

Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Naazer

Academic

Little financial pledges were made by the OIC member states for the Afghan people at the day-long moot but the event is of great significance for Pakistan as first of all it will neutralize the propaganda that the country is getting into international isolation. It will also provide the OIC cover to whatever support and assistance we are extending to our Afghan brethren. In case of any human catastrophe, Pakistan will be affected the most but owing to the pressure from the international community, we are not openly extending support to AfghanistanThe OIC could only exert moral pressure on the international community to come to the rescue of Afghans who are on the verge of humanitarian crisis but could not force world powers to comply with its decisions. So, the recent resolutions adopted by the 17th extraordinary sessions of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Islamabad, on extending support to Afghan people facing hunger and famine, are of moral value with no binding effect.

But now under the umbrella of the OIC we can help Afghan people with a little bit ease where a human crisis is brewing up and can turn into some major catastrophe.

We should not expect much from the OIC member states which are mostly influenced by the Western powers particularly the United States and can’t take any step which will annoy their western masters.

The grouping within the OIC member states is also another reason for the ineffectiveness of the 57-member bloc which is the second largest multilateral forum after the United Nations. Saudi Arabia has pledged $265 million while Pakistan has pledged $30 million but it is yet not clear what will be the mode of disbursement of this aid and whether or not some strings are attached to it.

As the banking channels are non-functional due to the US sanctions so it is decided that the IDB would come up with some mechanism by the first quarter of the next year for disbursement of financial assistance to Afghan people.

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