OIC Representative Calls for Realistic Engagement with Afghanistan
Tariq Ali Bakhit, the Special Representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Afghanistan, emphasized realistic engagement and avoiding “selective” approaches in relations with Afghanistan, during a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides discussed security, education, counter-narcotics efforts, and humanitarian aid during the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Vice and Virtue said that its acting head, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, highlighted the OIC’s crucial role in improving Afghanistan’s relations with the Islamic world during his meeting with the OIC representative.
Fazal Rahman Oria, a political analyst, told : “The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is the largest organization in the world after the United Nations, and it can play a highly positive role in integrating Afghanistan into the global order and strengthening the government within the country.”
During his visit to Kabul, the OIC representative also held a separate meeting with Roza Otunbayeva, the head of UNAMA, where they discussed women’s rights in Afghanistan.
“The meeting focused on the efforts of both sides in disseminating the Jeddah Document on Women’s Rights in Islam, which was adopted during the International Conference on Women in Islam held on 6 – 8 November 2023,” a statement from OIC reads.
Faryal Saidzada, a women’s rights activist, said: “This organization and institutions can take necessary steps through negotiations with the interim government, supporting educational projects in Afghanistan, and creating educational programs.”
UNAMA also issued a statement describing the discussion between Roza Otunbayeva and the OIC representative on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan as “important and constructive,” emphasizing the need for immediate action and participation in this regard.
