‘Solidarity, not division’: OIC foreign ministers meet ends

The meet of the 57-member OIC's foreign ministers has concluded in Niamey seeking fund for legal battle over Rohingya genocide, urging Muslim solidarity to fight Islamophobia and terrorism as well as retreating support to the principle of Arab initiative of the two-state solution over Palestine cause.

"We emphasised importance of solidarity, not division... we are looking for respect for each other … freedom of speech doesn't mean you can say something about religion," said OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen at a press briefing after conclusion of the 47th Council of Foreign Minister (CFM) on Saturday.

Urging every quarter to tolerate each other's opinions, he said extremism was not part of Islam and that "Islam has no problem with other cultures; Islam respects women empowerment and Islam fights terrorism.

"But, if some bad guys or bad boys do something it doesn't represent Islam, they only represent themselves," he said as the OIC member states expressed their concerns over the recent rise of Islamophobia in different parts of Europe.

SUPPORTING GAMBIA'S LEGAL BATTLE TO RUN ROHINGYA GENOCIDE CASE

The OIC secretary general thanked the countries, including Bangladesh, which have already supported Gambia for bearing its legal cost to run the Rohingya genocide case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Mentioning that the OIC has already opened a special account for resource mobilisation to Gambia for its case with ICJ, he said, other member states have been urged to donate more fund.

At the CMF, Bangladesh officially announced that it has already disbursed half a million US dollars to the OIC to support the West African nation's legal battle against Myanmar.

"Bangladesh with its limited capacity has already contributed half million US dollars to OIC for Gambia," Bangladesh Permanent Representative to OIC Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary said while addressing the CFM as the head of Bangladesh delegation.

PALESTINE ISSUE

Regarding the Palestine issue, the OIC secretary general said the CFM has emphasised the same principle of Arab initiative and the United Nations Resolution regarding the Palestine cause.

"We have emphasised on two-state solution [of Palestine crisis], it is very important," he added.

He said the OIC also welcomes any initiative that leads a peaceful resolution of Palestine problem that has been continuing for the last 72 years. "A peaceful solution through dialogue is very important," he said.

He also extended his congratulations to the new OIC secretary general-elect and wished for his success to continue promoting joint Islamic action in the interest of peoples and countries of the Islamic world.

HUSSEIN IBRAHIM TAHA FROM CHAD ELECTED AS NEW SECRETARY GENERAL OF OIC

During the CFM, Ambassador Hussein Ibrahim Taha from Chad was elected as the new Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for a five-year term starting from November 17, 2021.

The OIC's 57 member states elected the new secretary general by consensus while Ambassador Hussein Taha took the oath of office after announcing his election as secretary-general before at the concluding session of the CFM.