Humanitarian trust fund and food security programme for Afghans to be set up

ISLAMABAD (XINHUA, REUTERS, BLOOMBERG) - The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has decided to establish a humanitarian trust fund, launch a food security programme, and facilitate to unlock financial and banking channels for Afghanistan to help its people, who are facing a looming humanitarian crisis.

Addressing a joint press conference on Sunday (Dec 19) at the conclusion of the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Afghan economy cannot progress and its people cannot be helped without a functional banking system.

He said the OIC also decided to appoint a special envoy of the body to Afghanistan, besides forging a partnership between the OIC and the United Nations agencies to deliver resources to Afghanistan.

"Sanctions should not impede the provision of humanitarian aid, and economic resources should not be stopped for schools and hospitals," Mr Qureshi said.

"We could have the difference of opinion with the authorities (in Afghanistan), but our focus should be the 38 million people of Afghanistan," he said, adding that neighbours of Afghanistan will be equally impacted if unrest returns to Afghanistan, and its impact will also go beyond the region.

The two-day session, held in Islamabad, was organised to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Mr Qureshi said that Covid-19 is still serious in Afghanistan, and the OIC will coordinate with the World Health Organisation to secure vaccines and donations.

Speaking at the press briefing, Secretary-General of the OIC Hissein Brahim Taha said that a large number of countries have participated in the OIC extraordinary session, which gave hope for the future of Afghan people who face a tough winter season and can be helped during the hardship.

He said that the Islamic Development Bank has opened a special fund in Afghanistan, and the donations sent by countries, organisations, and individuals will be used for the people of Afghanistan.

Allowing Afghanistan access to reserves frozen outside the country would be key to preventing economic collapse, participants in the meeting. But it was unclear how much the fund would contain and the meeting did not provide official recognition to the Taliban government.

The crisis in Afghanistan is causing mounting alarm but the international response has been muted, given Western reluctance to help the Taliban government, which seized power in August.

Around 70 delegations from OIC members, non-members as well as regional and international organisations attended the extraordinary session, according to the foreign ministry of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Taliban government urged major Islamic nations to push the United States to call off sanctions imposed on Afghanistan, saying the actions are exacerbating the refugee crisis and hurting its people.

The freezing of Afghan assets by the US is in violation of human rights, while the suspension of development assistance by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank has affected health, education and social services, said acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi at the special session.

“We urge participants of this great gathering to remind US officials that persecution of Afghans and weakening of the Afghan government is not in the interest of anyone,” Mr Muttaqi said.

The US in August froze nearly US$9.5 billion (S$ in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank and stopped shipments of cash to the nation.

On Sunday, the White House said the status of these reserves are the subject of ongoing litigation brought by the victims of Sept 11 and other terrorist attacks.

“These legal proceedings cannot be disregarded and have led to the temporary suspension of any movement of the funds through at least the end of the year and quite possibly longer,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. 

The US still faces “difficult fundamental questions” on these funds would be made available to the people of Afghanistan while ensuring the Taliban would not benefit, she added. 

While the Taliban, which took control of Afghanistan in August, has yet to substantially address international concerns over the treatment of women and minorities, its leaders have sought help to contain the effects of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.