OIC Participates in the Russia and Muslim World Conference

Date: 28/05/2016

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the conference held in the Russian city of Kazan from 25 – 27 May 2016 themed: “Russia – Islamic World” at the invitation of President Rustmm Minnikhanov of the Republic of Tatarstan.

At the gathering which deliberated on the prospects of cooperation between Russia and the Muslim world, the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani was represented by the Director of the Department of Dialogue and Outreach Mr Bashir Ahmad Ansari.

Part of the conference programme was a visit to Bulgar where Islam had reached more than 1000 years ago during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadirbillah. The delegation also saw the Bulgar Islamic Academy and other landmarks of Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and one of Russia’s biggest cities where Muslim constitute the majority.

The Secretary General in his statement at the closing session delivered on his behalf by the Director of the Department of Dialogue and Outreach thanked the Republic of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation, and expressed the hope for new prospect of cooperation and a world where peace, justice, human rights and dignity and respect for cultures and identities prevail.

On the sidelines of the conference, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Islamic Development Bank and some Russian banks, including Russia Central Bank, was signed. The President of the Islamic Development Group, Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali, underscored the need for the development of economic and technological partnership, as well as exchange of knowledge of expertise and discovery of available opportunities between Russia and the Muslim world. He recalled the efforts of the IDB in this regard. Russia is an observer state in the OIC.

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