OIC Contact Group holds first meeting on Afghanistan at UNGA 80

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) first Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The meeting took place in New York during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

Representatives from the Afghan de facto authorities were not invited to either the UN General Assembly or the first Contact Group meeting.

Afghan authorities in Kabul have not been granted Afghanistan’s seat at the UN General Assembly. The seat is still held by the previous Afghan government’s envoy, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, who continues to serve as the Chargé d’Affaires at Afghanistan’s UN mission in New York.

Reports also suggest that Afghanistan has been without voting rights at the United Nations for the third consecutive year. Afghanistan has held UN membership since 1946. Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, if a country falls behind on its membership dues for two years or longer, it automatically loses its voting rights in the General Assembly. Kabul has consistently argued that without formal recognition and control of Afghanistan’s UN seat, it cannot pay its membership dues directly.

At the OIC’s Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, underscored the importance of the OIC Contact Group in tackling Afghanistan’s challenges. He said the country’s current situation demands joint commitments and urged member states to create space for meaningful dialogue and sustained support for Afghans.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said, “Dr Al-Khulaifi emphasised the vital importance of this contact group in his speech, noting that this meeting is being held at a sensitive time when Afghanistan’s humanitarian, economic, and political conditions require stability and joint commitments for the support of Afghans. The Afghan people are facing unprecedented challenges, and it is the duty of OIC member states to unite and provide the ground for meaningful dialogue and support.”

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, also emphasised Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan. He stressed the need for Afghanistan to break out of isolation, urging OIC member states to focus on unconditional humanitarian aid, reviving trade and banking channels, boosting regional connectivity, and encouraging dialogue to meet international commitments.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said, “Mr Dar called on Afghan authorities to take concrete and verifiable actions against cross-border terrorism. For Afghanistan’s stability, he proposed establishing an OIC working group of experts to develop a roadmap, stressing that sustainable peace requires sincerity, mutual respect, and political will.”

Kabul has so far remained silent on the first meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan, though it has in the past welcomed regional initiatives aimed at addressing the country’s challenges.

Copied