The 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) began under the auspices of H.E. Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon.

Addressing the opening session, which was held in the capital of the Republic of Cameroon, Yaoundé, on Thursday, August 29, 2024, His Excellency the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon, Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, touched in his speech on behalf of the President of the Republic of Cameroon on his country’s support for the OIC and the importance of solidarity with its member states in the fight against poverty, climate change and terrorism, referring to the dangerous escalation in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

H.E. Mr. Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cameroon, delivered his country’s speech after assuming the chairmanship of the session, in which he welcomed the guests of the 50th session, the event which coincided with the 50th anniversary of Cameroon’s accession to the OI
C in 1974. Additionally, he expressed his thanks to the 49th session Chairman, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania, for chairing the previous session perfectly. The Minister stressed the importance of the theme of the 50th session: ‘Developing Intra-OIC Transportation and Communication Infrastructure: Key Instrument for Combating Poverty and Insecurity’. He emphasized the importance of development, peace, and security for member states, pointing to the escalation and violence in Palestine and emphasizing the principle of a two-state solution.

Addressing the opening session, H.E. Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary-General of the OIC, said that the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif is witnessing serious developments that pose a challenge to the international community in general, and to the OIC in particular, noting that the Israeli occupation forces continue their unprecedented military aggression on the Gaza Strip and all parts of the Palestinian territory, inclu
ding Al-Quds, which has caused thousands of casualties. He stressed that the OIC continues its efforts to face the repercussions of the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, strengthen their steadfastness in their land, and defend their legitimate rights.

The Secretary-General referred to the OIC’s efforts in the humanitarian field within the framework of constructive dialogue on various issues in Afghanistan, particularly the continued ban on girls’ education, women’s work, and their participation in public life, noting the continuous visits of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, and delegations of scholars and OIC institutions to Afghanistan, aiming to engage in dialogue with the de facto government to end this ban. Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha looked forward to the support of Member States to the Humanitarian Fund for Afghanistan at the Islamic Development Bank to enable it to fulfill its commitments.

The Secretary-General reviewed the developments related t
o the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted the efforts exerted by the OIC and his Special Envoy, Mr. Yousef Aldoubeay, and his field visits to implement the resolutions of the Islamic Summit and the resolutions of the Council of Foreign Ministers. He reiterated the principled position of the OIC in support of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and welcomed the end of the armed conflict between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and the restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity within its national borders.

The Secretary-General stressed that the Organization is paying special attention to the multifaceted challenges facing the Sahel and Lake Chad region, and called for more solidarity with its peoples. He explained that the Organization is continuing its efforts to prepare for the Donors’ Conference to support displaced persons and refugees in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin, to be held at the Organization’s headquarters in Jeddah, on October 26, 2024.

The Secretary-General also reaffirmed the continuation of OIC efforts to defend the interests of Muslim communities in non-member states, as well as those in the field of combating terrorism, addressing manifestations of Islamophobia and religious hatred, and promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue in cooperation with international partners, noting that the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia, Ambassador Mehmet Paçaci, will soon assume his duties.

On the economic front, the Secretary-General noted that the opening of the OIC Labour Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan will contribute to addressing the development challenges in this sector. He also welcomed the inaugural session of the General Assembly of the Islamic Halal Accreditation Forum held in Makkah in November 2023. It aims to promote understanding and communication among accreditation bodies in order to advance the halal industry.

Regarding climate change and water, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha noted that the Organization is seekin
g to identify opportunities for cooperation among Member States in these areas. He also congratulated Azerbaijan on hosting the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-29) in November 2024.

The Secretary-General extended his thanks and congratulated the Republic of Cameroon for hosting and chairing the 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, while expressing his gratitude to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for its efforts during its chairmanship of the 49th session.

He also commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continuous support to the Organization, under the generous patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

For his part, Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed El Khereiji highlighted in speech the crucial role played by the OIC since its inception in serving Islamic issues in various fields, and
in protecting the interests of Muslims by acting positively to address various challenges.

He expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s keenness to enhance collaborative action regarding issues relevant to the Islamic community at various levels and expand joint Islamic efforts aimed at ensuring a better future for Muslim populations.

El Khereiji reiterated the Kingdom’s denouncement of all forms of crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people.

‘The Israeli occupation forces disregard international resolutions and laws, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of whom are women, children, and innocent civilians,’ El Khereiji stated.

He added that such crimes by the Israeli forces are committed ‘amid lack of international accountability and the United Nations Security Council’s failure to take deterrent actions.”

In this regard, El Khereiji highlighted the efforts made by Saudi Arabia alongside other brotherly countries to halt Israeli aggression a
gainst the Palestinian people.

He underscored the recognition of the State of Palestine by several European countries in light of the Kingdom’s heading of the ministerial committee mandated by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Riyadh. El Khereiji commended the summit’s decision to establish legal and media monitoring units to document Israeli violations.

He emphasized that the Kingdom continues to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza through the national donation campaign, which was launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), with the value of donations exceeding $185 million.

Concerning the situation in Yemen, he highlighted the Saudi government’s continued support for efforts to resolve the crisis there, and its pursuit of peace, security, and stability. He also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s initiative to end the war and reach a comprehensive political solution, warning against escalation in the Red Sea region and the danger it poses to the stability of int
ernational shipping routes and global trade and economic growth.

He also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s constant support to humanitarian causes and development in brotherly and friendly countries for the growth and prosperity of the region and the world. He welcomed the member states, their institutions, and international donor partners to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Donors Conference, which the Kingdom will host in October.

He also said that the Kingdom is working with the Republic of Maldives to organize a joint conference titled ‘Enhancing Integrity in the Tourism Sector,’ aimed at enhancing Islamic cooperation. He called on the relevant anti-corruption and tourism authorities in OIC member states to participate in the conference.

Palestine’s UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, who headed Palestine’s delegation, gave a comprehensive briefing to the attendees on the latest developments on the Palestinian area, as he made note of President Mahmoud Abbas’ plan to visit the war-torn Gaza Strip, the expandi
ng wave of recognition of Palestinian statehood and support for Palestine’s bid for full membership of the United Nations.

During the session, the Assistant Secretaries-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) took the oath of office.

The following Assistant Secretaries-General took turn during the swearing-in session:

Amb. Samir Bakr Diab, from the State of Palestine, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs;

Amb. Tarig Ali Bakheet, from Sudan, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs; Mr. Yousef Al-Dobeay, from Saudi Arabia, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs; Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo, from Uganda, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs; Amb. Aftab Khokhar, from Pakistan, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology; Amb. Musa Kulaklikaya, from Turkiye, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General
for Administration and Finance

Source: Sierra Leone News Agency