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OIC signs Afghanistan Trust Fund charter ahead of 2-day meeting
The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, appealed to all the Member States, along with relevant stakeholders and partners, to support the Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan.
The appeal was made during the signing ceremony of the establishing charter of the Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan, which took place at the Pakistani foreign ministry in Islamabad on Monday, one day before the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers’ 48th session.
The Fund’s founding instrument was co-signed by the Secretary-General of the OIC and the President of the Islamic Development (IsDB) Group, with the presence of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The signing ceremony signals the coming into effect of the Fund to collect resources for humanitarian assistance and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan.
Speaking on the occasion, the OIC Secretary-General commended the efforts of the IsDB Group’s president and personnel to set the Fund into effective motion.
For his part, the IsDB Group’s President stressed the importance of the Fund in supporting the Afghan people, stressing the Bank’s commitment to that end. He also appealed to the Member States and international partners to contribute to and support the work of the Fund.
According to the OIC, the Fund was established by a resolution of the 17th extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in December. Islamabad, 19 December 2021).
The Fund serves as a mechanism to deliver uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, in association with other international actors.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from OIC member countries and other stakeholders came together Tuesday for the start of the two day meeting, which will see delegates address a number of issues including the crisis in Afghanistan.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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