Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 03/01/2012
Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim - I am very happy to welcome you on this first day of the new year 2012, praying to Allah Almighty to make it a year of blessings, peace and harmony for the entire world. - I welcome you to this meeting in which I want to review the conditions in the Islamic world in the past year and the geopolitical developments that have taken place which constitute a decisive turning point for the present and future of the Muslim Ummah. Today we are going to review the OIC’s activities, achievements and positions on the latest developments. Similarly, we will try to look into the future of the OIC and its vision for the next year. - In brief, we want to engage in a sincere and interactive discussion in order to have first-hand information on the situation in the Muslim world and to answer your queries. *** - The OIC’s actions and objectives are governed by a new Charter which embraces modernity and the new universal values that do not contradict with the teachings of the noble Islamic Sharia law. The latter has brought lofty principles and noble values that are equal or superior to those of other modern day positive laws. - This fact is corroborated by the Ten-Year Programme of Action which was adopted by the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference held in Makkah Al Mukarramah in 2005 under the chairmanship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. This Programme provides for good governance, the rule of law, transparency, and respect for human rights and civil liberties. - Over the past year, the OIC changed its name to “The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation”. The new name reflects the reality of the Organisation and its message to the world. The OIC logo has also changed for the same reason. - The OIC is distinct from all other international and regional rganizations in that it is founded on a unique and unbreakable bond transcending the traditional physical bonds. This bond is Islamic solidarity which rests on mutual assistance, compassion and fraternity, linking that which is material with that which is spiritual. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “Believers are indeed brothers”. - The past year was replete with major developments in the Muslim world, particularly in the Arab world. The Arab uprising has changed the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East region, from Tunisia to Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Morocco, etc. If these developments were unique in their scope and scale, they also came as a surprise as far as their timing is concerned. These developments, however, have confirmed my prophecy in my book titled “The Muslim World in the New Century” which I wrote in 2009 and published in 2010. In my book, I spoke of the ambitions of Muslim youth who reject their socio-political conditions and aspire to good governance and the rule of law. - It was natural for the OIC to bring a major contribution to this tremendous Endeavour since its beginning, by participating in activities with the international community. In this regard, the OIC has put in considerable efforts with the parties concerned. - Concerning the situation in Libya, the OIC was the first international organization to condemn the use of excessive force against civilians by the regime of Colonel Gaddafi. The OIC considered that oppression, killing and humiliation constitute a crime against humanity and are in contradiction with Islamic principles and human values. Moreover, I stressed the need to solve this problem through dialogue. - In addition to its initiatives to address the events in the Arab world, the I has stepped up its efforts of coordination with the regional organizations concerned as was the case with the Arab League on Syria and the Gulf Cooperation Council in the case of Yemen. - As far as the revolution in Syria is concerned, the OIC has adopted a policy of quiet diplomacy by establishing contacts with Syrian officials through written and telephone communications and dispatching envoys. Then we held a meeting of the Executive Committee at the ministerial level, which adopted resolutions supporting the resolution and activities of the Arab League in this regard. - Concerning the city of Al Quds Al Sharif, the Israeli practices, which violate international law and international humanitarian law, continue to be a source of grave concern for us concerning the future of the City. Israel continues its aggressions against the sanctities and continues to tamper with the City’s Arab Islamic character and identity. Israel has intensified its plans to judaise the city through policies aimed at isolating it from its Arab environment, the displacement of its population, the expansion of excavations underneath the sacred places and destruction of homes. - Regarding endeavors to reunite Palestinians and end political divisions among them, we have made strenuous efforts to bridge the gap in internal differences among Palestinian factions. We have supported the efforts aimed at achieving reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas movements. Our efforts to drum up support for international recognition of the Palestinian Statehood within the United Nations constituted one of the major features of our political action as this issue was placed high on our list of priorities. We have also followed up the cause of Al Quds at UNESCO where the greatest historical achievement for Palestine was its acceptance as a full-fledged member of UNESCO. - Concerning Afghanistan, the OIC engagement with this country dates back to the period of the Soviet invasion. Today, this engagement is distinct from that of other international actors. Recently, the OIC has reopened its office in Kabul and hosted in its headquarters in Jeddah a successful meeting of the International Contact Group on Afghanistan. In the near future, the OIC will hold a meeting of Muslim scholars to examine issues relating to the establishment of peace and stability in this country. - In Somalia, the OIC continues to participate in all international and regional meetings and plays an effective role in achieving reconciliation among the Somali parties and restoring security, stability and development in this country. The OIC is also providing major humanitarian assistance and is continuously establishing political contacts to end the conflict among the belligerents in Somalia. - On 21 March 2011, the Human Rights Council adopted in its 16th session, for the first time, a resolution titled: “Combating Intolerance, Negative Stereotyping, Stigmatization of, and Discrimination, Incitement to Violence and Violence against People Based on Religion or Belief”. For the first time, a resolution condemns any advocacy of religious hatred that may constitute an incitement to discrimination, aggression or violence. The resolution also calls for adoption of measures to criminalize these acts. - In view of the enhanced standing of the OIC at the international level, I co-chaired with Mrs Hilary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, a high-level ministerial meeting in Istanbul in June 2011. The meeting adopted what is now known as the Istanbul Process to continue discussion on ways to develop the said resolution 16/18 which condemns discrimination and hatred against Muslims. As part of this process, another meeting was held in December 2011 at the US Foreign Ministry at the level of experts. - The West’s eagerness to develop its relations with the OIC was apparent in 2011. For the first time in the history of the OIC, the OIC Secretary General was received at the White House by the US President, Barack Obama. The Secretary General was also received by the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Mr James Cameroon, in his office in London. This is in addition to my official visits to various European capitals where I was received by Heads of State like the President of Germany, the President of the European Commission, and the President of the European Union, etc. - The OIC has achieved an important institutional development by establishing the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) which will start its work after its first meeting in Indonesia in a few weeks. The OIC has thus realized one of the dearest aspirations of Muslims to have their own human rights organization. The statute of the IPHRC was adopted in the CFM meeting in Astana last year. This achievement is considered as a decisive turning point in the history of the OIC because such a commission will become a well-established pillar of political guidance for good governance. - Among the most important achievements made in the humanitarian field in 2011 we mention the extension of the activities of the newly-established Department of Humanitarian Affairs to different Islamic and other countries. The Department provided aid and relief assistance to affected people in Palestine, Afghanistan, Yemen, Indonesia, the Sudan, Somalia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Comoros Islands, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan and others. - At the level of legal affairs, the number of Member States who signed the new OIC Charter has increased to forty seven. So far, the Charter is ratified by 21 Member States. - At the economic level, intra-OIC trade indexes show that trade among OIC Member States is increasing steadily and registered 17.03% in 2010, compared to 16.65% in 2009. In terms of figures, the value of intra-OIC trade reached $539 billion in 2010, compared to $426.75 billion in 2009. - The third component of the OIC Trade Preferential System (TPS-OIC), namely the Rules of Origin, came into effect and became legally operational. - Funding payments for intra-OIC trade reached $2.62 billion, which represents an increase of 21% from 2009. - Successful implementation of projects and programs under the SPDA (2008-2012): the disbursement of payments for projects and programs for a total amount of $12 billion is almost completed. - Elaboration of the OIC Action Plan in collaboration with Central Asia for implementation in eight strategic sectors (agro-industry development, development of the transport sector, trade promotion, poverty alleviation, professional training and capacity building, research, education, science and technology, cultural tourism, cooperation in the health sector, peace and security). - Increase by 100% of the disbursements for the projects outlined in the OIC Cotton Action Plan (4 projects started production). - Completion of the process of launching the OIC index sponsored by the OIC Stock Exchange Forum. Expectation for 2012: - Establishment of an OIC union of agro-industries to promote the value chain approach in agricultural development in OIC Member States. - Launching of two separate programs on business leadership among the youth and their participation in rural development, respectively. The capacity building program aims to train unemployed young people to support farmers in rural areas. - Start of various projects under the OIC Action Plan in cooperation with Central Asia. - Launching the second phase of the SPDA. - Establishment of the OIC Center in the field of business and technological incubators, in support of business leadership and technology transfer. Science and Technology: - Islamic World Innovation and Creativity Atlas: in the process of implementation. Reports on nine countries are expected in 2012. - Increase in the number of students from OIC Member States who received, through the General Secretariat, higher education scholarships offered by Turkey, Brunei Darussalam and Yemen. - Adoption of basic performance indicators for Islamic world universities by the extraordinary meeting of Higher Education Ministers held in Riyadh in October 2011, with a view to enhancing the quality of higher education. - Launching of two projects on maternity and childhood health care in Mali and Bangladesh, in cooperation with the USA (USAID), and reinforcing cooperation with international organizations (Global Fund for Combating AIDS, Malaria and TB and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative) to collect donations, combat and prevent diseases such as polio, malaria, Tuberculosis and AIDS. Expectations for 2012: - The OIC Academic Exchange Program: promoting solidarity through academic circles” will be launched, with more scholarships, student and faculty exchange programs, research fellowships and joint research projects. - The OIC Strategic Plan of Action in the field of health (2012-2022) will be launched. A special unit will be set up at the General Secretariat to implement and monitor the resolutions of health ministers’ conferences. - Providing Member States with expertise and the needed infrastructure to provide assistance for capacity building in the areas of nuclear medicine and oncology, etc., implementation of projects of establishing centers for cancer radio-therapy in African Member States. It is also expected to inaugurate two to three cancer radio-therapy centers in 2012, in coordination with the IDB and the IAEA. - When it comes to protecting the interests of Muslims living outside OIC Member States, the OIC is looking beyond its Member States. It made commendable efforts to defend the rights of the two Moro liberation movements in their conflict against the Government of the Philippines. It also managed to unite the Muslims of Rohingya groups in Myanmar, under the umbrella of “Arakan Union” to help them obtain their legitimate rights from the authorities of this country. The OIC intervened successfully with the Thai authorities for the recognition of the cultural rights of Muslims in Thailand. - On the other hand, we succeeded in establishing cooperation ties with major centers of thought and politics in Europe and the United States to expose and defend our opinions and to combat prejudice against Muslims there. - We also managed to channel the activities of ambassadorial groups of the Member States abroad to serve the common causes of the Islamic world instead of letting them divided and unrelated. Our major achievements in this regard include coordination and elaboration of a common stance on the Member States’ votes in international I. We managed, for the first time, to create a strong voting block having a significant weight in defending the interests of the Islamic world. - The Islamophobia Observatory at the General Secretariat continues to monitor incidents of Islamophobia on a daily basis. It searches for these incidents, analyses them and publicizes them in reports submitted to the CFM. Islamophobia has become an institutionalized phenomenon as it penetrated into official governmental activities and became part of the programs of right-wing political parties in the West. - We also consolidated our relations with organizations and institutions advocating tolerance and inter-cultural dialogue, chief of which is the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC). Our action with the Alliance has been very active and our role substantial in defending the interests of the Islamic world. In this regard, we held the first meeting of the Alliance’s focal points in the Member States at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah last April, in presence of Mr. Sampaio, High Representative for the Alliance. We organized special meetings on Islamophobia on the sidelines of the Alliance’s 3rd Forum in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil last May, and a similar meeting on the sidelines of the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Astana, Kazakhstan, last June. - I would like to emphasize that these achievements required considerable efforts, efficient management and hard work.
