OIC offers to help Afghanistan peace, facilitate evacuations

Lead members of 57 Islamic states gathered to reaffirm their commitment to Afghanistan during the current crisis, urging the future Afghan leadership to promote national reconciliation and adhere to the UN’s charter and resolutions.

During an emergency meeting at the invitation of Saudi Arabia, chair of the current session of the Islamic Summit, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held the meeting of the OIC’s permanent representatives on Sunday to discuss the ongoing situation.

Speaking to Al-Hadath TV news channel, Dr. Shafiq Samim, the permanent Afghan representative to the OIC, said that he is optimistic about changes in the country’s political scene.

“The war has stopped, and the streams of blood have halted after 20 years of flowing. Peace and stability is now back to the country. Since the (takeover by) Taliban, we have not heard a sound of a bullet in the capital,” he claimed.

He added that it is the first time in Afghanistan an opposition force reached the capital “without any destruction or resistance.”

He said that the gathering of humanitarian aid, especially to war-displaced Afghans, is an essential component of the talks.

At the meeting, OIC member states reiterated their commitment to helping Afghans bring their country peace, security, stability and development. The partakers also renewed the OIC’s commitment to Afghanistan as expressed in the organization’s resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit and the Council of Foreign Ministers, other meetings, and the Makkah Declaration issued on July 11, 2018 by the International Ulama Conference on Peace and Stability in Afghanistan.

Chairing the meeting, held at the Jeddah-based headquarters of the General Secretariat, Dr. Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the OIC, reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the people of Afghanistan. He called on all member states to fully support the Afghan people and their choices “that they decide” without interference.

“Saudi Arabia renews its firm historical position of supporting peace, stability, solidarity, and unity in Afghanistan, as an extension to its extensive work in this regard for decades. Saudi Arabia, in this regard, would like the Taliban movement and all Afghan parties to work on maintaining security and stability as well as preserving souls and properties in Afghanistan,” he said.

“King Salman has also called on Afghan leaders to continue their efforts, make a new start to achieve the Afghani people’s aspirations of security and stability while taking into consideration dialogue, reconciliation, and tolerance as noble Islamic instructions — the same main principles were included in the Makkah Declaration,” Al-Suhaibani said.

“The Afghan people have suffered from the scourge of wars and loss of innocent lives. The time has come for the people of all components to live in peace and security,” he added.

OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen warned that the international community and the ruling party must work together to ensure that Afghanistan is not used as a haven for terror groups.

He said that the international community and the OIC expect Afghan authorities to promote inclusive dialogue among all segments of society, to achieve national reconciliation, respect international treaties and conventions, and abide by the standards governing international relations enshrined in the UN’s charter and resolutions.

“We also call for the protection and respect of the right to life and security and the dignity of the Afghan people, in accordance with international human rights treaties.”

“We are firmly convinced that the international community, the Security Council, partners and regional organizations, must urgently provide all possible support and assistance to end the violence and ensure the restoration of security, public order and stability in Afghanistan without interfering in its internal affairs so that stability and security can be restored,” he said.