OIC foreign ministers’ conference in Pakistan germinates optimism
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The foreign ministers of the OIC congregation in Islamabad germinates optimism about a collective response to various issues confronting Islamic countries. On March 22 and 23, they will deliberate over 100 resolutions intended to improve the socio-economic conditions of Muslims, advance modern scientific education and resolve the intrastate and interstate disputes between Islamic countries.
Transforming global geopolitics necessitates a collective response to emerging challenges and chronic disputes, which has been obstructing peace and prosperity in Islamic countries.
Currently, the entire international community is in limbo due to unpredictable fallouts of the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the increasing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The Muslim Ummah suffers from ethnic and sectarian conflicts, regional blocks in the Middle East and North Africa, and is underdeveloped despite having immense natural resources and vibrant human resources. Moreover, illiteracy and poverty are haunting Muslim countries.
The international community’s apathetic approach towards Afghanistan is to the advantage of transnational radicalized militant organizations. Islamabad has been struggling to draw the international community's attention towards the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The foreign ministers of the OIC had already endorsed Pakistan’s concerns over Afghanistan during their emergency meeting of OIC-CFM convened in Islamabad in December 2021. As a result, they agreed to collaborate to avert a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan. Hence, the present OIC-CFM conference furthers the need for assisting Afghanistan to recover from four decades of conflict and political instability.
The OIC-CFM conference in Islamabad positively impacts Pakistan's image in the community of nations and allows it to publicize its geo-economic vision.
Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal
The 48th Session of the OIC-CFM theme—Partnering for Unity, Justice, and Development—is inspiring and near to the host country's principled stance that Pakistan will only be a partner in peace, not in conflict. The participants deliberated on various issues that hinder harmonious relations between/ among Muslim states and chalked out strategies to mitigate the sufferings of Kashmiris, Palestinians, Rohingyas, Indian Muslims, Afghans, etc.
The United Nations General Assembly recently declared March 15 as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia.” Pakistan proposed the resolution with the OIC countries. Prime minister Imran Khan tweeted, "Our voice against the rising tide of Islamophobia has been heard, and the UN has adopted a landmark resolution introduced by Pakistan."
Pakistan being chair of CFM will ensure coordination among Islamic countries in addressing the discrimination and stigmatization of Muslims worldwide.
The OIC secretary-general, H.E. Mr. Hissein Ibrahim Taha, already assured Pakistan’s foreign minister about the OIC secretariat’s full support and cooperation during the chairmanship of CFM.
Since the beginning, the OIC has been driving the international community's attention towards the sufferings of Palestinian and Kashmiri Muslims. Besides, Islamic countries need to work together to address the woes of Muslim refugees. The OIC took a strong initiative in protecting Rohingyas’ ethnic cleansing by Myanmar's security forces.
The members of the OIC constituted a Kashmir Contact Group to support the Kashmiri people in their struggle to obtain their legitimate rights, including the right to self-determination, enshrined in all the resolutions of the Islamic Summit conferences and CFM meetings, as well as the resolutions of the United Nations and the International Security Council.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi was invited to participate in OIC-CFM’s conference as a special guest because China has relations with many Islamic countries. A few of them are part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Indeed, his participation in the conference signifies the worth of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in connecting Central Asia with West Asia.
The OIC-CFM conference in Islamabad positively impacts Pakistan's image in the community of nations and allows it to publicize its geo-economic vision and endeavor to connect economically, Central Asia and West Asia through its CPEC and Gwadar ports.
Notably, the OIC, like other multilateral bodies, is a political organization that lacks enforcement machinery to implement its decisions. It can only pursue its objectives diplomatically and through moral pressure and persuasion.
In summary, the OIC-CFM is an effective platform to promote science and technology, trade and finance among Islamic countries. It enables Islamic countries to translate their desire to work together in this transforming and interconnected world.
- Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal is an Islamabad-based analyst and professor at the School of Politics and International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University. E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @zafar_jaspal
