ISLAMABAD: Envoys from 57 Islamic nations met in Islamabad Sunday for a summit aimed at relieving the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan while testing diplomatic ties with its new Taliban rulers.
The meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was the biggest major conference on Afghanistan since the US-backed government fell in August.
Highlights of the inaugural session of the 17th extraordinary meeting of the bloc held at the National Assembly are as follows:
- The session started at 9:45 am with the recitation of the Quranic verses underscoring the commandments of Allah guiding to spend on orphans, and offering zakat to support the destitute facing crisis-like situations.
- The arrival of foreign guests, delegates, federal ministers, parliamentary secretaries, MPs and Senators, and media started at 8:00 am.
- Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived at the House at 9:45 am and greeted the participants.
- The OIC secretary general, Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived between 11:30 am and 11:35 am one after the other.
- The session was opened by Foreign Minister Qureshi at 11:45 am. His speech started at 11:50 am and ended at 12:04 pm, and highlighted the looming crisis in Afghanistan, proposing a six-point plan to assist that nation.
- The speech of top Saudi diplomat started at 12:05 pm before ending at 12:13 pm.
- OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha’s speech started at 12:14 pm and ended at 12:23 pm.
- On behalf of Asia Group of the bloc, Turkey Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu gave statement between 12:23 pm and 12:28 pm.
#İslamabad’daki İslam İşbirliği Teşkilatı toplantısında #Afganistan’daki insani krize yönelik ortak çabalarımızı artırmamız gerektiğini vurguladık.
At @OIC_OCI FMs meeting, underlined the need to increase our joint efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in #Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/B77dld330B
— Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) December 19, 2021
- On behalf of Regional Arab Group of OIC countries, Jordan Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi delievered a seven-minute long speech starting at 12:28 pm.
- Representing the African Group, Nigeria Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama talked between 12:36 pm and 12:42 pm.
- Islamic Development Bank (IDB) President Dr Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser speech started at 12:43 pm and ended at 12:50 pm.
- Immediate, medium and long-term measures suggesting sustainable rebuilding of Afghanistan.
- Economic empowerment of communities, particularly youth and women, through their inclusion in economic system.
A picture of the Heads of Delegation with PM @ImranKhanPTI and FM @SMQureshiPTI at the 17th Extraordinary Session of @OIC_OCI CFM. #OICInPakistan #OIC4Afg pic.twitter.com/x4nXWHKWXM
— Foreign Minister’s Public Diplomacy 🇵🇰 (@FMPublicDiploPK) December 19, 2021
