US thanks Pakistan for hosting OIC's 'vital meeting' on Afghanistan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked on Wednesday Pakistan for hosting the "vital meeting" of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Extraordinary Session on Afghanistan, saying the event was a "prime example of our collective determination and action to help those most in need."

"We thank Pakistan for hosting this vital meeting & inviting the global community to continue cooperating to support the Afghan people," Secretary Blinken said in a Twitter post.

Earlier, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West said the US warmly welcomes the role and contributions of the OIC, adding that a positive session of the forum was held concerning Afghanistan "with important outcomes."

"A productive OIC session today with important outcomes - not least the creation of a humanitarian trust fund and the naming of an OIC Special Envoy. The U.S. warmly welcomes the OIC’s role and contributions," he tweeted.

US 'warmly welcomes' contributions, role of OIC

After the session, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi along with OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim spoke at a joint news conference.

Qureshi said that 437 officials comprising 70 delegations with 20 foreign ministers, 10 deputy foreign ministers of the OIC member states, special representatives from the P-5 countries, and also from European countries participated in the moot.

The minister announced that the session established a “Humanitarian Trust Fund” which would serve as a vehicle to channel humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in partnership with other international actors.

OIC for immediate, unified action

In his welcome address at the forum, foreign minister Qureshi said: “First, we could create a vehicle within the OIC to channel immediate and sustained humanitarian and financial support to the Afghan people, including from pledges by the OIC member states and other donors”.

Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan announced to provide one billion Saudi riyals in aid to Afghanistan, saying the Afghan issue must be looked at on humanitarian grounds and that the people in the war-torn country, including women and children, are suffering.

He reiterated: “We want peace in Afghanistan” and that the tense situation in the war-ravaged country could have an impact on the region and the world.

In his six-point proposal, Foreign Minister Qureshi said that there is a need to agree upon increasing investment in the people of Afghanistan, bilaterally or through the OIC, in areas such as education, health, and technical and vocational skills to the Afghan youth.

Qureshi said that as per the UN, the Afghanistan situation could become the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, adding that those with direct knowledge have been giving dire warnings in this regard.