Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 17/01/2011
Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) called for an early achievement and adoption of draft rules for OIC Observer Status. The Secretary General addressed the Expert Group entrusted with the examination of the draft rules that will govern observer status at the OIC, as they were convened in a meeting at the OIC General Secretariat headquarters in Jeddah yesterday. He noted that the Group had started its study of the draft rules already five years ago, that this was its fourth meeting on the matter, and that the past three meetings had indeed undertaken exhaustive reviews of the said rules which aim at defining the terms and conditions for access to OIC observer status. Prof. Ihsanoglu affirmed that many states have been awaiting their turn to be granted observer status. He laid emphasis on the importance of approving this issue of observer status for states and international organizations and pointed out that every delay in its adoption actually impedes the Organization’s work on many issues and weakens its role at the international level while at the same time denying a number of states and organizations the possibility of cooperating with it and keeping abreast of the efforts it assumes at the level of the Islamic world and outside, including the Muslim minorities worldwide. The states that have requested OIC observer status are as follows: Republic of South Africa (since 2002), Republic of Sri Lanka (since 2008), Republic of the Philippines (since 2008), Republic of Serbia (since 2008) Republic of Nepal (2008), Democratic Republic of Congo (since 2008)
