Your Excellency Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General OIC,
Dear brother and counterpart, Mbella Mbella, Foreign Minister of Republic of Cameroon
Respected OIC member states’ foreign ministers and observer state representatives,
Assalamu Alaikum…
First and foremost, let me express my gratitude on behalf of the people of Afghanistan to the people and government of the Republic of Cameroon for hosting the 50th OIC ministerial meeting and their generous hospitality.
I also express my sincere gratitude, as a representative of one of the founding member states of OIC, to the Organization’s Secretary General H.E. Hussein Ibrahim Taha for his wise leadership and successful convening of this gathering.
Ladies and gentlemen!
I am glad to attend, and represent my country Afghanistan in, the OIC Ministerial meeting on an occasion where after decades, there neither exists any foreign troops nor an internal war in Afghanistan. The Western military and cultural occupation of Afghanistan has completely ended. The anarchy in the country has been eliminated and the entire territory of the country is in the hands of a central, committed, and responsible government.
After decades, Afghanistan currently enjoys absolute security and stability. Corruption has been eradicated in government institutions. The cultivation and trade of narcotics have been completely banned. The state revenues are collected to the central treasury, directed at the realization of priorities of the country and its people, and for balanced development. Afghanistan’s national budget is fully financed from domestic revenues. Afghanistan now has a security force that has won and protects the freedom and stability of the country, and plays a constructive role in regional stability through the stabilization of its own country.
However, the decades of war in Afghanistan have brought about issues as well. Billions of Afghanistan’s Central Bank assets have been frozen by the United States, unjust economic sanctions have been imposed, the legitimate right to recognition and even representation in specialized international organizations has been withheld. Additionally, Afghanistan has been the target of an organized propaganda war and the subject of biased and spiteful reports.
While the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan tirelessly works to resolve problems and has made significant achievements, it has two requests from the OIC member states and all sympathetic countries of the world:
Our first call is that all countries make serious efforts for unfreezing all the assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan and removing economic sanctions from Afghanistan economic as well as the travel ban on IEA leaders. These sanctions have led to the suspension of duties of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, slowed Afghanistan’s economic growth and regional trade, and impeded the establishment of bilateral and multilateral relations. We hope that the peace time is not treated with the mentality of war. Is it logical for a host country to be forced to get permission from the United Nations to invite the foreign minister of another country? Does such a conduct not question the fairness of the ruling international order?
Secondly, we invite the OIC member states and other countries of the world to enter into economic and commercial partnerships with Afghanistan within the framework of common legitimate interests. Afghanistan, with its strategic location, vast natural resources, and competitive and diligent human resources is an unparalleled opportunity for regional connectivity and investment anchored by security, economic-centered and balanced foreign policy, and sincere political will. This grand opportunity has no boundary except our national sovereignty and legitimate interests.
Honorable participants,
As a country emerging from decades of war, Afghanistan has a sincere determination to forget the bitter past experiences and to build new relations with the world countries on the basis of mutual legitimate interests. We are here with a message of peace for both ourselves and the world, and we assure the countries of the region and the world that our land will not be used against anyone. We have proven this commitment in practice over the last three years. Similarly, we call for reciprocating the same treatment by world countries with Afghanistan and invite them to an understanding based on new realities instead of unilateral assumptions and analysis based on previous failed experiences.
Afghanistan has a positive outlook on all OIC member states and other countries of the world, and calls for a positive engagement by all as well.
Honorable participants,
It would be great injustice if I did not mention the issue of Palestine in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ministerial meeting, which forms the raison d’être of this organization. The war waged to annihilate the people and land of Palestine over the past century, and the expedited ongoing intentional, systematic and brutal genocide of the oppressed people of Palestine by the occupying Zionist regime, particularly over the last year, remains unprecedented in history.
However, with the passage of a year, the ruling international order has not only failed to restrain the oppressor, but has supported it financially, militarily and publicly against the oppressed. This situation is in no way justifiable. It is the responsibility of all sympathetic countries of the world, particularly the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to find an urgent, just, and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue, and to find the necessary political will, coordination and capability to implement the solution. If we, the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, do not resolve this issue, neither God nor our people will forgive us.
Thank you for your attention!
