Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 31/10/2014
The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani concluded a two-day official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan that included Almaty and the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, on Friday, 31 October 2015, where he had series of meetings with Kazakh high officials. During the meeting with the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan on 31 October 2015, the Secretary General and Mr. Karim Massimov discussed major important challenges including combating terrorism and extremism as well as the situation in the Middle East, with emphasis on the role that Kazakhstan, as an important member state of the OIC, can play in assisting in those regards. The Secretary General also met with Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Investment and Development, Culture and Sport as well as Agriculture of Kazakhstan. The Meetings featured exchange of views and extensive consultations on important issues of mutual concern and interest including investment opportunities in Central Asia, Islamophobia and empowering youth. Madani and the ministers touched on, inter alia, the contribution of Kazakhstan in the OIC activities and the Organisation’s support of Kazakhstan in political, social, cultural and economic areas. The Secretary General discussed with Kazakh Foreign Minister, Mr. Erlan Idrissov, among other things, plans and programs relating to “Almaty as the Capital of Islamic Culture of 2015”, calling on the Kazakh side to engage youths in its activities and spread awareness of moderate Islamic culture stressing that Kazakhstan is in a unique position to do more efforts in this regard. In the meeting of Madani and Idrissov, both agreed on the significance role of the OIC in the upcoming 5th Inter-faith Dialogue Conference in Astana. Mr. Idrissov asserted the importance of the Secretary General’s attendance to the event. On the economic field, both sides agreed on mutual cooperation and coordination before convening the First Meeting of the General Assembly of the Organisation of Food Security affiliated to the OIC on the first half of 2015. Mr. Idrissov also requested for an OIC role in the upcoming Energy Expo-2015 hosted by Kazakhstan. The Secretary General said that the OIC is working on coordinating efforts for issuing OIC certificate for Halal products and he requested the support of Kazakhstan in this regard. At the flag-off of his visit to Almaty, Madani delivered a lecture in the Al-Farabi Kazakh State National University. He highlighted the work of the OIC on different aspects and the challenges that the OIC faces pointing out the Kazakh support of the OIC, in particular when Astana chaired the council of Foreign Ministers of OIC member States in 2011. The Secretary General was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Al-Farabi University for his contributions for the Muslim Ummah.
