No:517/21, Information of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the statement of Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at the extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers
On December 19, 2021, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov addressed an extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
Expressing gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Chair of the OIC, for the initiative to convene the meeting and to Pakistan for hosting the event, the Minister made the following key points:
- Aggravation of situation in Afghanistan, one of the members of the Organization, poses serious challenges at the regional and global levels and is a source of common concern. The dire humanitarian consequences of the crisis in Afghanistan require the most urgent action by the entire international community, as it risks hundreds of thousands innocent lives.
- The OIC, founded on the noble principle of Islamic solidarity, has a special responsibility to stand with our Afghan sisters and brothers at this challenging time. Due to the significant experience in humanitarian assistance obtained throughout past years and established mechanisms and institutions, the OIC is well placed to play a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
- As a responsible member of the Organization Azerbaijan remains ready to support OIC’s efforts in this direction.
- The root causes of the current situation cannot be overlooked in order to find durable solutions. In this context, the establishment of a fully functional inclusive governance system in the country, addressing risks of terrorism, extremism, and drug trafficking, eliminating poverty, especially among the youth, and fostering sustainable economic development continues to be vital. Otherwise, mere humanitarian assistance can hardly be a panacea to the decades-long sufferings of the Afghan people.
- Establishment of effective governance through a peaceful and inclusive process is the only viable way out of the crisis. In this regard, we underline the validity of a series of resolutions adopted by the OIC and reaffirm our support to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of the borders of Afghanistan.
- Security and stability in Afghanistan are closely interlinked with the overall security environment in the region. We must show our solidarity and support also to the neighboring OIC member-States in tackling the serious challenges they face due to the aggravated situation in Afghanistan.
