New York, 23 December 2021 (TDI): Ambassador Munir Akram held a press briefing earlier today. He is Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Ambassador Akram held the briefing after the adoption of the Security Council resolution on Afghanistan.
Ambassador Munir Akram @PakistanPR_UN briefing the press after the adoption of resolution of Security Council resolution on #Afghanistan https://t.co/M71RJqMfzA
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) December 22, 2021
The UNSC’s Resolution on Afghanistan
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously adopted a resolution on Afghanistan. The United States proposed this resolution. The resolution calls for facilitating humanitarian aid into Afghanistan. Since the country’s economic situation is on the brink of collapse.
Moreover, the resolution outlines categorically that, ‘payment of funds, other financial assets or economic resources, and the provision of goods and services necessary to ensure the timely delivery of such assistance or to support such activities are permitted.
America’s Welcoming of the OIC Summit
This resolution follows just two days after Pakistan held an extraordinary Organisation of Islamic Summit (OIC) summit on Afghanistan. The summit called upon the world to deal with the Afghanistan issue with a humanitarian lens.
The US State Department expressed its pleasure on the convening of the Extraordinary Summit of the OIC Foreign Ministers Conference.
The official tweets states: ‘It is only through collective and sustained efforts that we can advance stable, peaceful, and inclusive solutions’.
Pleased to see OIC members and special representatives convene in Islamabad to enable further humanitarian action for Afghanistan. It is only through collective and sustained efforts that we can advance stable, peaceful, and inclusive solutions. #OICinPakistan https://t.co/U7e7p4ZTIH
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) December 21, 2021
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also reflected on the summit as ‘a prime example of our collective determination and action to help those most in need’.
The OIC Extraordinary Session on Afghanistan is 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. #OIC4Afg
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) December 22, 2021
Ambassador Akram’s Commends the UNSC Resolution
Ambassador Munir Akram held the press brief after the adoption of the said UNSC resolution. He welcomed the consensual adoption of this resolution on behalf of Pakistan. He thanked the USA for proposing the resolution and China and Russia for improving and clarifying the provisions furthered in the adopted resolution.
Highlighting Pakistan’s Premier Imran Khan’s address at the OIC Foreign Ministers Summit the Ambassador stressed that targeted sanctions in Afghanistan must not prevent the flow of humanitarian assistance in the country.
Hope for Increased Assistance for Afghanistan
Ambassador Munir added that the UNSC’s resolution clearly highlights the international legality of the provision of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. Furthermore that providing for the basic needs of Afghan people is not a violation of the provisions of the Security Council’s sanctions.
Moreover, he regretted the attitude of some members of the Security Council that want to utilize humanitarian assistance as a tool to extract political concessions in Afghanistan.
Henceforth, the Ambassador hoped for positive consequences in the aftermath of the adoption of this resolution. Adding, he referred to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), international agencies, UN member states that will provide help to Afghanistan. This all without any reluctance and fear of legal impediments.
The OIC’s Efforts to Raise Assistance in Afghanistan
Pakistan commended UN Secretary General’s efforts to raise its voice and help the Afghan people. Also, the ambassador told about the OIC’s humanitarian trust fund under the Islamic Development Bank and other such initiatives taken by the OIC, for Afghanistan. Other measures include a food security system, an expert group to revive the Afghan banking system, and the appointment of an envoy to coordinate assistance are other such measures. Furthermore, the OIC’s relief activities for Afghanistan will be uptaken in close collaboration with the UN.
Lastly, he hoped that Afghanistan’s financial assets are released. Moreover, the ambassador stressed that the world’s engagement with Afghanistan will help promote inclusivity, protection of human rights, and effective action against terrorism. Consequently, this will pave the way for peace and normalization in Afghanistan.
Pakistan will thus continue to play a central role in this process.
Ambassador Munir Akram also engaged in a question-answer session with the present journalists at the press brief.
