Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 28/06/2011
The Thirty-eighth Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (formerly Organisation of the Islamic Conference) started today 28 June 2011 in Astana, capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in the presence of H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Secretary General of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation H.E. Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
The Conference opening session witnessed the consensus of Member States to change the logo of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and its name to become the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The new resolution reflects a qualitative shift in the performance of the Organisation and enormous enhancement of its effectiveness as an international organisation active in diverse areas of politics, economy, culture and society.
This point was underscored by President Nazarbayev in his opening speech to the Conference when he commended the OIC’s key role describing it as the United Nations of the Muslims and emphasizing the dire need for such a role. The President made a number of recommendations reflecting his strong belief in the Organisation’s performance and latent capacity. He noted that the Muslim world controls 70% of the world’s natural resources but only 7% of global trade.
The Kazakhstani President reminded that such a situation calls for economic ideas to support medium and small scale enterprises and strengthen the Islamic financial system in which Kazakhstan has taken its promising first steps. The President also proposed increased representation of the Muslim world in the G20 to enable it to defend its positions on important global issues.
For his part, the OIC Secretary General sent a clear and strong message to the world and called for the recognition of the State of Palestine within the 1967 border, with Jerusalem as its capital. In his speech to the opening session of the Conference, the Secretary General stated that it is the duty and firm position of the Muslim world to support the Palestinian decision to have recourse to the United Nations in order for it to have a say in the long-standing conflict.
On another score, the Secretary General welcomed the democratic changes that took place in Tunisia and Egypt on the heel of popular revolts in the two countries. He also underlined the role played by the OIC in resolving the Libyan conflict, the latest of them being the dispatch of a political delegation to the Libyan capital, Tripoli. He emphasized the firm position of the OIC on recognising the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people for democracy, justice, rule of law and political reforms.
Ihsanoglu explained that the OIC has been following with concern the violent incidents in several Syrian cities and recalled the OIC’s appeal for the commencement of a national dialogue and a speedy implementation of the reforms announced by the Syrian leadership in order to stop the violence against both civilians and security forces.
The Secretary General stated that the latest developments in Yemen made the OIC to renew its call on all parties to exercise self-restraint and for the need to resolve the current crisis through dialogue and understanding so as to ensure stability, security and peaceful transfer of power.
Ihsanoglu affirmed the OIC’s support for comprehensive national dialogue in the Kingdom of Bahrain in order to arrive at the desired national consensus. At the same time, he renewed his call to all Bahraini parties to respond positively to the appeal for dialogue and to place Bahrain’s national interests above all other interests.
Similarly the Secretary General cautioned about the challenges ahead for Sudan, especially as a consequence of the referendum held earlier this year. He called on both parties to negotiate in good intention on the pre and post referendum arrangements relating to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
