Dr. Jasper Wieck of Germany will attend OIC Foreign Ministers meeting in Islamabad

Islamabad, 17 December 2021- Against the backdrop of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the need of international cooperation and coordination to address the situation, Germany welcomes the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to call for an Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) hosted by the Government of Pakistan in Islamabad on 19 December 2021.

Upon invitation of the Government of Pakistan, Dr. Jasper Wieck, the Special Representative of Germany for Afghanistan and Pakistan, will attend the conference as “Special Guest”. He will also hold bilateral talks with representatives of the government of Pakistan and of other participating countries.

Dr. Wieck: “Thank you to our Pakistani partners for the invitation which is a strong reflection of our joint goal of avoiding a further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. We firmly believe that the OIC is a well suited forum to send a strong signal of solidarity and to play a major role in providing crucial aid for the Afghan people at this critical point in time. International exchange and coordination across continents is essential for assistance, recovery and stability in Afghanistan.”

Still this year the Federal Government of Germany is providing additional funds amounting to 600 million Euros for humanitarian needs and for strengthening the resilience of the most vulnerable Afghan people – inside Afghanistan, but also in refugee-hosting neighbouring countries. Most of these funds are channeled through the UN system. On top of this, the Federal Government of Germany has decided to expand bilateral assistance projects addressing the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan by 4.3 Mio. Euros until 2023.

Ambassador Jasper Wieck, Federal Foreign Office Director for South Asia and Indo-Pacific Policiy, was appointed Special Representative of the Federal Government for Afghanistan and Pakistan in July 2021. In this capacity, he coordinates Germany’s diplomatic engagement with the region and liaises with international partners on ways of further enhancing stability there. The Federal Foreign Office’s Afghanistan and Pakistan Division reports to the Special Representative.

With his appointment, Ambassador Wieck also takes over as Chair of the International Contact Group on Afghanistan (ICG). Over 50 countries and international organisations meet regularly in the ICG to discuss developments in Afghanistan.