KABUL: The Taliban has formally requested an invitation to attend the 15th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), according to Taliban deputy chief Abdul Salam Hanafi.
This request was conveyed during a meeting between Hanafi and Tariq Ali Bakhit, the OIC’s deputy for humanitarian affairs.
In addition to seeking participation in the OIC meeting, Hanafi extended an invitation to the secretary-general of the organization to visit Afghanistan. He emphasized the Taliban’s stance of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and urged reciprocation in kind.
Despite the Taliban’s overtures, the organization has persistently urged the Taliban to lift restrictions on girls’ and women’s access to education, a policy shift that the Taliban has yet to implement.
The 15th meeting of the OIC foreign ministers is scheduled to be held in Gambia.
Earlier interactions between the OIC and the Taliban included a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister. The OIC delegation reportedly included officials responsible for family and cultural affairs, as well as empowerment within the organization.
