Legal Affairs

About the Legal Affairs Department

As one of the main department of the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) occupies an important position. It provides legal advice to His Excellency the Secretary-General as well as to the departments of the General Secretariat and the OIC Subsidiary Organs, in line with the Internal Rules for the General Secretariat and the Resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit and the Council of Foreign Ministers.

In particular, the DLA undertakes the following tasks:

•  Developing comparative studies between positive law and Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia’a).
•  Addressing legal issues relevant to the General Secretariat and the Subsidiary Organs of the OIC.
•  Studying draft international treaties and conventions of interest to Member States or to which they are invited to adhere.
•  Drafting conventions/agreements concluded within the legal framework of the OIC and finalizing the signing, ratification and accession legal procedures.
•  Ensuring legal procedures related to the deposit, registration and publication of agreements and treaties.
•  Offering legal advice to the Departments of the General Secretariat and Subsidiary Organs of the OIC, when necessary.
•  Representing the General Secretariat in legal proceedings before courts and arbitration bodies in cases for settlement of dispute of legal nature.
•  Acting as the secretariat of the committee for the settlement of disputes provided for in the Personnel Regulations, including publishing the decisions of the committee and the legal principles on which they are based.
•  Assisting conferences, committees and other meetings and providing advice on legal matters.

Currently, the DLA follows programs mentioned below:

• Implanting Cabinet decisions by preparing documents related to legal and regulatory issues.
• Reviewing, revising and publishing the compendium of the legal documents in the three languages.
• Following up on arbitration cases and activating the provisions of the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement regarding the establishment of a permanent mechanism for settling investment-related disputes.
• Assisting investors and Member States in settlement, including consensus on the arbitration board. During the year 2020-2021, the Department supervised a number of different issues in this regard,
• The Department is currently engaged in mediation in a number of issues related to guaranteeing and protecting investment in Member States.

Calendar of Meetings:

• Second Meeting of Committee of Permanent Representatives on the Study prepared by the Institute of Public Administration on Internal Workflow, Procedures and Infrastructure of the OIC General Secretariat 
• Meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on considering the draft Convention against Corruption within the framework of the OIC 
• Second Meeting of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts to draft Regulations Governing the Establishment and Functioning of the Contact Groups of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
• Second Meeting of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts to prepare Draft Rules regarding Acceptance of Special Envoys of Non-Member States to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation 
• Meeting of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts to consider and discuss draft Rules Governing the Establishment, Status and Functions of the OIC Overseas Missions and the Explanatory Note, prepared by the General Secretariat on the Subject 
• Fourth meeting of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts on the Review of Rules Governing the Competence and Functions of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the OIC and its Modes of Operation 
• Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to consider mechanisms and standards of the OIC Awards