50th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Kicks Off in Yaoundé

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The 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has commenced in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, under the theme: “Development of Transport and Communications Infrastructure within the OIC Framework: A Key Tool in the Fight against Poverty and Insecurity.” and under the patronage of Cameroonian President Paul Biya.

At the outset of the session, Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute affirmed his country's support for the OIC.

The Cameroonian Prime Minister emphasized the centrality of the Palestinian issue, the necessity of implementing the two-state solution, and halting the Israeli occupation's aggression against the Palestinian people.

Cameroon's Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, delivered a speech on behalf of his country after assuming the presidency of the session. He welcomed the guests to the 50th session, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Cameroon’s accession to the OIC in 1974, and expressed his gratitude to the President of the 49th session, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, for his excellent management of the previous session.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the theme of the 50th session: "“Development of Transport and Communications Infrastructure within the OIC Framework: A Key Tool in the Fight against Poverty and Insecurity.”, and highlighted the significance of development and achieving peace and security for member states, noting the escalation of violence in Palestine and reaffirming the principle of the two-state solution.

For his part, OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha expressed his sincere gratitude to the Cameroonian authorities for their efforts and arrangements to ensure the success of the session, praising the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous support to the organization.

Taha pointed out that "the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds is witnessing serious developments that pose a challenge to the international community in general and the OIC in particular, as Israeli occupation forces continue their unprecedented military aggression against Gaza and all Palestinian territories, including the city of Al-Quds, resulting in thousands of casualties."

Taha revealed that "the organization continues its efforts to address the repercussions of the brutal Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people and to strengthen their resilience in their land and defend their legitimate rights," emphasizing "the necessity of our collective efforts to implement the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions calling for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and ensuring sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza."

He also addressed "the organization’s efforts in Afghanistan in the humanitarian field and in constructive dialogue on various issues, particularly the ongoing ban on girls' education and women's work and participation in public life," noting that "the organization’s efforts have continued through the ongoing visits of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, delegations of scholars, and related OIC institutions to Afghanistan, with the aim of engaging with the de facto government to end this ban."

Taha reiterated "the OIC’s principled stance supporting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, welcoming in this context the end of the armed conflict between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan's restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity within its national borders," expressing "deep concern about the fate of Azerbaijanis who were forcibly displaced from current Armenian territories."

He confirmed that "the organization will continue its efforts to defend the interests of Muslim communities and societies in non-member countries," pointing out "the issue of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and expressing hope that this issue, which faces serious challenges, will receive further support and solidarity from member states."

He stressed that "the organization will continue its efforts in combating terrorism, addressing Islamophobia and religious hatred, and promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue, in cooperation with international partners," noting that "the Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary-General on combating Islamophobia will soon commence his duties."

Taha also indicated that "the organization will continue its preparations for the donor conference to support displaced persons and refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions, scheduled to be held on October 26, 2024, at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah," expressing "deep gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously hosting this conference and for its commendable efforts to ensure suitable conditions for its convening."

For his part, Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Engineer Waleed bin Abdul Karim Al-Khuraiji, in his speech, emphasized "the significant role played by the OIC since its inception in addressing Islamic issues across various fields and protecting the interests of Muslims through its proactive measures to confront various challenges," expressing "the Kingdom's aspirations to enhance collective action on issues that concern the Islamic nation at various levels and to advance Islamic cooperation to broader horizons and fields to ensure a better future for our Islamic Ummah."

Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s condemnation and rejection of all forms of crimes committed against the Palestinian people by the occupying forces, stating: "The Israeli occupying forces are indifferent to international resolutions and laws, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of whom are women, children, and innocent civilians, amid a lack of international accountability and the Security Council's failure to take deterrent measures."

He highlighted the "support provided by the Kingdom, along with brotherly countries, to halt the Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people, which has resulted in the recognition of the State of Palestine by several Western countries during its chairmanship of the ministerial committee emanating from the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh," referring also to the Arab-Islamic summit’s decision to establish a legal center to document violations and another media center.

Al-Khuraiji confirmed that "the Kingdom continues to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza through a popular campaign launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, with donations now exceeding $185 million."

Regarding the crisis in Sudan, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed "the Kingdom’s firm positions regarding the maintenance of Sudan's security and stability, and called for the conflicting parties in the Sudanese crisis to return to dialogue to spare the brotherly Sudan further suffering."

On the Yemeni issue, he noted "the ongoing support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ government for efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen, aiming to restore peace, security, and stability, reiterating the Kingdom’s initiative to end the war and reach a comprehensive political solution," warning of "the danger of escalation in the Red Sea region, which undermines efforts to maintain the security and stability of international maritime routes and global trade, and threatens freedom of navigation and global economic growth."

He confirmed that "the Kingdom has never hesitated to mobilize all its resources to serve humanitarian issues and provide developmental support to brotherly and friendly countries, to foster growth and prosperity in the region and the world," welcoming member states, its institutions, and international donor partners to the OIC donor conference to be hosted by the Kingdom in October 2024.

Al-Khuraiji revealed that "the Kingdom continues its efforts alongside the Republic of Maldives to organize a joint conference titled 'Promoting Integrity in the Tourism Sector,' to enhance the objectives of Islamic cooperation, inviting relevant anti-corruption and tourism agencies in OIC member states to participate in this important conference."

During the first day of the conference, Palestinian delegation head Riyad Mansour provided "a comprehensive briefing to the attendees on the latest developments in Palestine, noting the President’s initiative to visit Gaza," and referring to "the International Court of Justice ruling and the ongoing campaign for recognition of the State of Palestine and its full membership in the United Nations."

Additionally, the Deputy Secretary-Generals of the OIC took their oaths of office during the first day of the session.
The oaths were administered to:

• Ambassador Samir Bakr Dhiab from Palestine, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs.
• Ambassador Tarek Ali Bekhit from Sudan, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural, and Social Affairs.
• Yusuf bin Mohammed Al-Dubai’i from Saudi Arabia, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs.
• Ambassador Ahmed Kawisa Sengendo from Uganda, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs.
• Ambassador Aftab Koker from Pakistan, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology.
• Ambassador Musa Kolakli Kaya from Turkey, for the position of Assistant Secretary-General for Administrative and Financial Affairs.

The 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers is examining numerous resolutions and urgent issues across political, economic, scientific, technological, cultural, social, women’s, youth, and senior citizens’ affairs, humanitarian issues, media matters, legal and organizational matters, and other significant concerns for the Islamic world.