Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 01/03/2019
The 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC Member States started today 1 March 2019, in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates on the theme of: 50 years of Intra-Islamic Cooperation: a roadmap to prosperity and development.
During the opening session, the chairmanship was handed over by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Chairman of the previous session, to the United Arab Emirates, Chairman of the current session. Members of the new bureau were also elected during this session (the United Arab Emirates as Chairman, Afghanistan, Uganda and Palestine as Vice-Chairmen, and Bangladesh as Rapporteur).
In his opening statement, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE, lauded the strenuous and valuable efforts made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to promote unity and solidarity in the Islamic world and achieve the objectives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed also thanked the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, and his team for the devoted efforts they exert to promote joint cooperation and coordination to achieve the objectives of the Organization, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Likewise, The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation affirmed that Member States support the Palestinian cause and stand by the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights. He also called for devising a preventive study to face terrorism and extremism and circulating it to the Member States to ensure stopping the embrace of extremist ideas.
For his part, the OIC Secretary General gave an opening statement, in which he acknowledged the leadership, government and people of the UAE for hosting this session, and for the hospitality and good reception, highlighting that “it is a good fortune that we are holding this Conference as the Year of Zayed is approaching its end. We are very proud of what this courageous leader gave to his people and Islamic nation by establishing this state, unifying its constituents and laying its foundations on justice and the values of true citizenship, and now it’s witnessing under the good leadership of its rulers and children an important evolution in all fields and moving firmly and steadily forward towards a more prosperous and developed future.”
Al-Othaimeen also extended his sincere thanks and gratitude to the government of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, HRH Mohammed bin Salman, may Allah preserve them, for the generous patronage the OIC receives from the host country. Such patronage has had concrete and efficient effects on the missions, activities and achievements of the Organization over its 50 years.
Moreover, the OIC Secretary General underlined that the General Secretariat, thanks to the support and cooperation of the Member States, has been able to make the voice of the OIC heard by the world, has made a quantum leap in its activities and actions, and has gone beyond the organization of conferences to multilateral interaction with the world, the international and regional organizations, governments and civil society organizations.
Furthermore, Al-Othaimeen shed light on the continuous efforts made by the General Secretariat to implement the resolutions of the Summit and the ministerial Council, and on the considerable interest it takes in following up files related to the Palestinian cause, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Djibouti, the Comoros, Central Africa and other states, expressing hope to continue to take the steps to achieve the aspired stability in Gabon, Guinea Bissau and Togo. The General Secretary also underscored that the Organization follows with great concern the bloody events and transgressions against the security of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, calling at the same time for restraint, and peaceful resolution of conflicts, in line with the international legitimacy resolutions. In the same connection, the Secretary General expressed the Organization’s commitment to Iraq’s stability, peace and prosperity, highlighting that the General Secretariat works hard for the reconstruction of Iraq, through consulting with the Iraqi government and the rest of the Member States to make the necessary preparations and mobilizing the necessary financial resources.
Al-Othaimeen also touched upon the other files the Organization devotes efforts to follow up, including Muslim communities in non-Member States, the phenomenon of Islamophobia, working on consolidating the concept of dialogue among nations and civilizations, and consecrating a framework to counter intolerance, discrimination and xenophobia.
