Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood met heads of the resident OIC Missions and apprised them of the ongoing preparations for the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM), to be held in Islamabad on 22-23 March 2022. Commending the important role of the OIC Missions in making the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC CFM in December 2021 a resounding success, the Foreign Secretary underscored that the 48th Session held special significance, since it coincided with the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s Independence. He added that the people of Pakistan were looking forward to welcoming the honoured guests on this auspicious occasion. The Foreign Secretary highlighted that the theme of the Session -- “Partnering for Unity, Justice, and Development” -- represented Pakistan’s commitment to promote unity within the Ummah, advance the cause of justice for all Islamic peoples, and promote inclusive and sustainable development for OIC Member States. Guided by this vision, Pakistan will seek to build bridges of cooperation and partnerships amongst OIC Member States and beyond. Recalling the decisions of the 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC-CFM on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and the Ministers’ decision to establish an OIC-led Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan, appoint the OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy and agreement to strengthen the OIC Mission in Kabul, the Foreign Secretary underlined that the 48th Session would provide a valuable opportunity to review progress made since the adoption of that resolution. Welcoming the preparatory work undertaken by the Islamic Development Bank for the operationalization of the Humanitarian Trust Fund, the Foreign Secretary underscored the urgency of concrete pledges by Member States and Afghanistan’s international partners to the Trust Fund. Such announcements would be central to the OIC’s collective goal of helping the Afghan people in their hour of need, he added. The OIC Heads of Mission were also briefed on CFM programme for 22-23 March 2022 and provided details of the administrative arrangements. The Foreign Secretary added that all the Heads of Delegation will be invited to witness the traditional ‘Pakistan Day’ Parade on 23 March 2022 as “Guests of Honor.” The 48th CFM would articulate the OIC position on issues of interest to the Islamic Ummah. It would also serve as an affirmation of Pakistan’s proactive role to promote Islamic solidarity and cooperation.
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