ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, after assuming the chairmanship of the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), urged Muslim Ummah to forge a collective response to the current turmoil inside its borders and the ongoing global transition.
The two-day 48th session of the OIC-CFM with 46 ministerial-level participation and 800 delegates opened here on Tuesday which was chaired by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi under the theme of “Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development”.
The inaugural session was addressed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Secretary-General OIC Hissein Brahim Taha, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi as special guest, President Islamic Development Bank Dr Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasser and representatives of the Arab, African, and Asian groups.
A video message of UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also played. After assuming the Chair, Foreign Minister Qureshi emphasized on jointly addressing the challenges and conflicts within the Ummah and uniting for justice for the rights of Muslims under occupation and conflicts with countries beyond the Ummah.
“We are witnessing unprecedented turbulence at the global level. Conflict in Ukraine which has rekindled East-West tensions, threatens international peace and security,” he said, adding that a new and destabilizing global arms race is underway.
He said that the conflicts, among and within nations, have proliferated while political and military blocs are vying for more power at the cost of global equilibrium and world trade and growth are declining under the weight of technology wars.
He said that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased inequalities through greater debt burdens, fiscal deficits and liquidity crunch, adding that the rising commodity prices will further accentuate inequalities, erode development gains and hinder progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To forge partnership for development, he said that the OIC countries must mobilise international support for a comprehensive strategy that should include: vaccine equity, everyone, everywhere, must be vaccinated against Covid-19; and increased development financing.
“This can be ensured through comprehensive debt relief and restructuring, expanded ODA, redistribution of at least half of the unutilised SDRs to developing countries, and provision of the promised climate finance,” he said.
He also stated that there is also need to accelerate the climate action, adding that the agreement reached at Glasgow must be the baseline for future discussions. “The OIC must call for additional commitments by the international community to achieve the agreed mitigation targets, support for adaptation, and loss and damage in developing countries due to climate change,” he said.
He also called for resolute action against illicit financial flows, adding that corruption and illegal transfer of assets have adversely impacted many Muslim countries, including Pakistan. He said that the OIC countries must develop a comprehensive legal framework to halt and reverse the illicit financial flows and stop this grave economic injustice.
On the situation in Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said the people of both these territories are still reeling under abominable subjugation. He said for the last seven decades, they have struggled to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination.
About Afghanistan, he stated that Pakistan’s role in strengthening OIC’s presence in war-torn country by reinforcing the OIC Mission in Kabul.
About Ukraine issue, the foreign minister said Pakistan is witnessing unprecedented turbulence at the global level, that conflict in Ukraine has rekindled East-West tensions, threatens international peace and security.
In his address to the conference as a special guest, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that maintaining friendly relations lies at the heart of the traditions of China.
“China can never forget the support of the Islamic world in the United Nations,” he said, assuring unwavering assistance for the Muslims in Palestine. “China stands with the Palestinian people for a two-state solution,” he reiterated his country’s stance.
On Afghanistan, the Chinese foreign minister assured that his country stands with the war-torn country for all possible assistance and cooperation for peace, development, and reconstruction.
He said that China has, so far, donated 1.3 billion coronavirus vaccine doses to 50 countries and promised 300 million more doses. “We are also investing $400bn in 600 projects in the Muslim world,” he added.
He said that more than 54 countries are a part of the One Belt One Road Initiative, which is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013.
He stressed that clashes between nations should be avoided via negotiations and dialogue, which is also what China wants. “China stands ready for cooperation with the Islamic world. China is ready to work for regional security, stability, and development,” he said.
About the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said that China supports negotiations between the two countries. In his remarks, the OIC Secretary-General said the Muslim Ummah is faced with multiple challenges which can be addressed collectively. He also expressed serious concerns over the plight of Palestinian people.
He said Israel is resorting to continued murder of Palestinian people, confiscation of their land, house demolition, racial discrimination, and ethnic cleansing.
He said this constitutes a flagrant violation of relevant international laws and resolutions. He said the perpetuation of Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people make it incumbent upon us to strengthen the spirit of solidarity and confront with firmness the Israeli attempts to change the historical and legal status of Al-Quds Al Sharif.
He also regretted that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute had not found a solution for a long time. He termed India’s August 2019 steps abolishing special status of the occupied territory contrary to international laws as illegal. He called for redoubling efforts in support of the right to self-determination of Kashmiri people as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
Regarding Afghanistan, the OIC Secretary General stressed for continued dialogue with the Afghan authorities to achieve the objective of peace, stability and development in the country. He said that the OIC believes in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen. He appreciated Saudi Arabia for its unremitting efforts for peace and stability in Yemen.
The OIC secretary-general called for collaboration with the international community to combat the issue of Islamophobia and also welcomed the UN resolution, designating 15th March as the international day to combat Islamophobia.
In his address, Saudi foreign minister said his country believes in the OIC’s role in consolidating Islamic solidarity and protecting common interests.
Describing the extraordinary session of the OIC held in December last year as a success, he said this led to the establishment of a humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan, adding that there is a need for more efforts to support the Afghan people. He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for Palestinians and Kashmiri people. He called for direct negotiations between the parties to settle the outstanding dispute of Palestine.
“We support an independent Palestinian state in line with international resolutions…we also support the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, adding: “We support the international effort to reach the just solution of this outstanding dispute.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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