OIC plays key role in engagement with Islamic Emirate, says UN

The United Nations says the religious standing of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) can serve as an effective tool for engaging with the Islamic Emirate and supporting human rights in Afghanistan.

Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, emphasized during a Security Council session that the moral and religious standing of the OIC can play a meaningful role in engaging with the Islamic Emirate and advancing human rights, particularly women’s rights.

Khiari added that the OIC, drawing on its religious credibility, has maintained ongoing contact with officials of the IEA and can, through dialogue, work to safeguard the fundamental rights of women in Afghanistan.

According to Khiari, partnership with the OIC is essential for establishing sustainable peace, promoting inclusive governance, and ensuring respect for human rights in Afghanistan.

He emphasized that OIC is one of the key actors in the political dialogue process concerning Afghanistan’s future. These are the same talks the UN is pursuing through the Doha Process framework, where diplomatic pressure—facilitated through the OIC’s engagement—is expected to yield effective results.

The OIC has repeatedly defended Afghan women’s right to education, work, and social participation in international forums, and has called for respect for their fundamental rights in accordance with Islamic principles.

The organization also sought to serve as a diplomatic bridge between the IEA and the wider Islamic world, aiming to foster gradual policy changes related to women through dialogue and mutual understanding.

Previously, the head of the Muslim World League (MWL), during a visit to Kabul, held separate meetings with senior officials of IEA, including the Prime Minister. In those meetings, Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa stressed that Afghanistan must move forward in unity and cooperation with the international community, and that the country should play an active role in major Islamic summits.