17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers: Shah Mehmood Qureshi Foreign Minister, Islamic Republic of Pakistan

TEXT: Pakistan is hosting an Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan on 19 December 2021. The previous such Afghanistan-related Session was in 1981. It offered to host the Session in the backdrop of a proposal made by Saudi Arabia - the current Chair of Islamic Summit. In addition to the 56 Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, important stakeholders like the UN bodies, international financial institutions and the P-5 have been invited.

We have been engaged in extensive diplomatic outreach in the wake of recent developments in Afghanistan. The convening of the Extraordinary Session is a continuation of these efforts, aimed at containing and reversing the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and a potential economic collapse in Afghanistan.

The Session would offer a platform to consider practical and concrete steps to help address the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people and craft a credible mechanism for delivery of assistance. The Session would also seek to draw the attention of the broader international community to the unfolding situation in Afghanistan, which has the potential to worsen the security situation, spur instability, cause mass exodus of refugees, and adversely impact regional and international peace and security.

A keen proponent of Islamic solidarity and joint Islamic action, Pakistan is a founding member of OIC, that values the Organization's role and contribution. We hope that the Extraordinary Session will meet its primary objective of alleviating the sufferings of Afghan people at this difficult time.