OIC Journal - Issue 33

April - July 2016

Ten-Year Plan of Action for Development of S&T in Member States

Istanbul Summit:

Issue No. 33

Islamic Organization of Food Security Commences Operations

A New Road Map for the Islamic World

About OIC The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavors to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various peoples of the world.

Originally named The Organization of the Islamic Conference, it was established pursuant a decision adopted by the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, on 12th Rajab 1389 AH/ 25 September 1969 AD, following the criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

In 1970 the first ever meeting of Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (ICFM) was held in Jeddah which decided to establish a permanent secretariat in Jeddah headed by the organization’s secretary general. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani is the 10th Secretary General who assumed the office in January 2014.

The first OIC Charter was adopted by the 3rd ICFM Session held in 1972. The Charter was amended to keep pace with the developments that have unraveled recently across the world. The 11th Islamic Summit held in Dakar in March 2008 endorsed the new Charter, which has become the pillar of the OIC future Islamic action in line with the requirements of the 21st century. The new Charter provides for the dissemination and safeguard of Islamic teachings and values based on moderation and tolerance, as well as the need to strive for the projection and defense of the true image of Islam. The new Charter also called for encouraging inter-civilizational and interfaith dialogue. Over the last 40 years, the OIC membership has grown from its founding members of 30 to 57 states. In 2011 in Astana, Khazakhstan, the 38th Council of Foreign Ministers endorsed changing the emblem and name to Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The Organization has the singular honor of galvanizing the Ummah into a unified voice and representing Muslims by espousing all causes close to the hearts of over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. The Organization has consultative and cooperative relations with the UN and other inter-governmental organizations to protect the vital interests of the Muslims and to work for the settlement of conflicts and disputes involving Member States. In safeguarding the true values of Islam and Muslims, the organization has taken various steps to remove misperceptions and have strongly advocated elimination of discrimination against Muslims in all forms and manifestations. It has also engaged in fighting Islamophobia by setting up a dedicated observatory to track and monitor the phenomenon and its disturbing manifestations .

The Member States of the OIC face many challenges in the 21st century. To address these challenges, the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit held in Makkah in December 2005, laid down a blue print called the Ten-Year Program of Action (TYPOA) which envisages joint action by the Member States, promotion of tolerance and moderation, modernization, extensive reforms in all spheres of activities including science and technology, education, and development of trade.

It also emphasizes good governance and the promotion of human rights in the Muslim world, especially with regard to the children’s and women’s rights as well as family values enshrined in Islamic Shariah [law].

One of the outstanding achievements since the adoption of the Ten-Year Programme of Action (TYPOA) has been the recent reinvigoration and restructuring of the various OIC bodies. Among the OIC›s key bodies the Islamic Summit, the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), the General Secretariat, in addition to the Al-Quds Committee chaired by the king of the Kingdom of Morocco, as Al-Quds remains the paramount issue on the OIC’s agenda, and three permanent committees, one of which is concerned with science and technology (COMSTECH) that is chaired by the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the second committee is concerned with economy and trade (COMCEC) which is chaired by the President of the Republic of Turkey, while the third one is concerned with information and culture (COMIAC) which is chaired by the President of Senegal.

The OIC has subsidiary organs, notably Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for the Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) and the Islamic Center for the development of Trade (ICDT). Other specialized organs operating under the OIC include the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). There are also affiliated organs such as the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS). The OIC subsidiary, affiliated and specialized organs play a vital role in boosting cooperation in various fields among the OIC Member States.

For more details, visit the OIC website at www.oic-oci.org OIC - OCI

OUR MESSAGE A Forward Looking Agenda for the Next Decade

Iyad Ameen Madani OIC Secretary General

The strategic goals set forth in the OIC-2025 document accordingly envision the OIC’s role as an effective agent for peace and development in the Muslim world and beyond

The OIC-2025: Strategic Plan of Action (SPA) was adopted at the 13th Islamic Summit Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Istanbul, Turkey on April 10-15, 2016. The OIC adopted its first Ten Year Programme of Action (TYPOA) in 2005 in Makkah.

The 2025 Program of Action was developed based on the vision and principles enshrined in the Charter of the OIC. It demonstrates a renewed commitment by the OIC Member States, all institutions within the OIC system, international partners and other stakeholders to working together for a better tomorrow.

The goals identified for the next decade (2016-2025) include those on which work is in progress and those emerging out of political and economic developments in the world. The current international efforts towards determining the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development also have a bearing on the goal posts of the OIC agenda, but the issues that are of particular interest to the OIC Member States form the core of the OIC-2025.

The OIC 2025 Strategic Plan of Action set out eighteen key priority areas and the strategic goals under each priority area, totaling 107 goals. At the top of the key priority areas is Palestine and Al-Quds issue, the original raison d’etre for launching the OIC, and it remains the most prominent political challenge at both the regional and international levels. The document spelled out the goal of OIC in defending the just cause of Palestine and extending support for the restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and to achieving sovereignty by establishing an independent Palestinian State on the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital.

The other key priority areas reflect the expanded interests and scope of our Organization from a predominantly political domain to include areas of immediate concern relating to human development, quality of life and well-being of the people.

A key priority area that has emerged more forcefully in recent years is Counter-terrorism, Extremism, Violent Extremism, Radicalization, Sectarianism, and Islamophobia. Related to that is Moderation, Cultural and Interfaith Harmony as well as Peace and Security.

In the economic sphere, which is always a key underlying factor for peace and development, there is Poverty Alleviation; Trade, Investment and Finance; Agriculture and Food Security, Employment, Infrastructure and Industrialization, as fundamental areas of the SPA. Other issues that featured prominently in the key priority areas of the OIC’s 2025 Strategic Plan of Action are Environment, Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability; Science, Technology and Innovation; Education; Health; Advancement and Empowerment of Women, Family Welfare and Social Security.

Others include, Joint Islamic Humanitarian Action; Human Rights; Good Governance and Accountability; Media and Public Diplomacy; ICT and Digital Information Structure and OIC Institutional Reforms, rounding up a comprehensive agenda for progress.

Conflicts, instability and absence of peace and security are among the major developmental constraints. The average person is always the worst victim of such situations. The multiplicity of such situations in and around our Member States necessitates a proactive role by the OIC in fostering peace and security at national and international levels. The strategic goals set forth in the OIC-2025 document accordingly envision the OIC’s role as an effective agent for peace and development in the Muslim world and beyond. Our vision puts people first and aims to develop human capital and achieve inclusive growth.

A number of principles were agreed upon and remain central to the development and implementation of the OIC – 2025 Strategic Plan of Action. The principles include Reflecting the aspirations of the peoples of the Member States; Islamic solidarity, partnership and cooperation; Collective approach for identification of targets and implementation of projects; Good Governance and Effective coordination and synergy, where Member States are involved as owning and leading the SPA process.

The OIC-2025 will be our agenda for the next decade and will chart a course for the work of the Organization. The goals that it seeks to pursue in the coming years have a lot to offer to many in the world – a hope to people under foreign occupation, to people in distress, to people facing deprivation, injustice, poverty, disease and hunger. While it took two years to update, revise and refine the new Strategic Plan of Action, the real work begins now to implement it.

It is for all of us to ensure that the OIC- 2025 succeeds in bringing about the much-needed change in the lives of our people.

OIC Journal Issued by The Organization of Islamic Cooperation Chief Editor & General Supervisor Maha Mostafa Akeel Editors Bashir Saad Layout & Design Mohammed Abdelqader Qalaba Advisory Board Ali Abolhassani Shahreza Jakhongir Khasanov Translation Amgad Hassan Yahya El-Khatib Mohamed Esseth Address: Madinah Road, P.O. Box 178, Jeddah-21411, Saudi Arabia Tel: 012 6515222 Fax: 012 6512288 Telx.: 601366 Islami SJ. Website: www.oic-oci.org For comments, enquiries

E-mail: journal@oic-oci.org OIC Permanent Observer to the UN New York Office 320 East - 51st Street New York 10022 New York, USA www.oicun.org oic@un.int OIC Permanent Observer to the UN Geneva Office ICC-20, Route Pre-Bois - Case Postal 1818 CH 1215, Geneve, Suisse www.oic-un.org oic@oic-un.org The views expressed by the writers/authors of the articles published in the OIC Journal do not necessarily represent the views of the OIC, but are the personal views of the authors themselves. However, the OIC reserves the right/discretion to amend, revise, edit, delete or scrutinize any part or portion of the text as and wherever deemed necessary.

OIC Related Links Subsidiary Organs The International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) www.fiqhacademy.org The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) www.sesrtcic.org The Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) www.ircica.org The Islamic Center for the Development of Trade (ICDT) www.icdt-oic.org The Islamic University of Technology (UIT) www.iutoic-dhaka.edu

Specialized Institutions and Organs The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) www.isdb.org International Islamic News Agency (IINA) www.islamicnews.org.sa The Islamic States Broadcasting Organization (ISBO) www.isboo.org The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Rabat (ISESCO)www.isesco.org.ma Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS) www.ias-worldwide.org

Affiliated Institutions Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) www.icci-oic.org Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC) www.oicc.org Organization of the Islamic Shipowners Association (OISA) www.oisaonline.com World Federation of Arab Islamic International Schools (WFAIS) www.wfais.org Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC) www.icyf.com Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS) www.ias-worldwide.org

OIC Calendar: September – November 2016 19-23 September: UNGA and OIC Annual Coordination Meeting – UN, New York, USA 27 September: 45th Meeting of the Governing Board of IIUM – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5-8 October: Islamic Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports – Istanbul, Turkey 9-10 October: Afghan Ulema Conference – Makkah, Saudi Arabia 11 October: World Summit of Islamic Economy – Dubai, UAE 12-13 October: Annual Seminar/Workshop of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) – Abu Dhabi, UAE 18-19 October: 43rd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers – Tashkent, Uzbekistan 1-3 November: Islamic Conference of Ministers in Charge of Women Affairs – Istanbul, Turkey 11-12 November: 28th Meeting of IUIU Governing Council and 24th Graduation Ceremony – Kampala, Uganda 14-15 November: 8th Islamic Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research – Bamako, Mali 19-24 November: 10th Regular Session of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) – OIC Headquarters, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 21-24 November: 32nd Session of Standing Committee on Economic Affairs (COMCEC) – Istanbul, Turkey

CONTENTS In Focus: 4: OIC Activates its Conflicts Resolution Mechanism

Palestine File: 6: OIC Renews Demands to UN Security Council to Condemn Israeli Settlements

World Affairs:

12

Istanbul Summit: A New Road Map for the Islamic World

28

World Humanitarian Summit Endorses Agenda for Humanity

51

OIC Water Ministerial Conference Forms Water Council

52

Plan of Action for Development of S&T in Member States

58

Islamic Organization of Food Security Commences Operations

19: OIC International Community Urged to Compel Israel to withdraw from Syrian Golan Heights 20: OIC Calls for Restraint in Iraq

HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS: 26: 4TH International Humanitarian Action Forum Stresses the Need for Effective Partnerships Among Humanitarian Institutions

HUMAN RIGHTS: 38: Women Empowerment Takes Centre Stage at OIC IPHRC Meeting

CULTURE: 42: Malé Capital of Islamic Culture 2016 - Asian Region

ECONOMY: 54: IDB’s 2016 Annual Meeting Highlights the Role of Islamic Finance in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

56: Volume of Intra - OIC Trade Increases to $878 Billion

22: President of Kazakhstan 21st Century: A World Without Wars

Opinion Articles 09: Israel chairs UN legal Committee: What an irony!

39: Human Rights is the Infrastructure for a Sustainable Peace Architecture 43: On the Dialogue Circuit

IN FOCUS

The Secretary General (L) with members of the Wise Persons Council

OIC Activates its Conflicts Resolution Mechanism Preventive diplomacy is the centerpoint of OIC peace architecture Jeddah – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) launched its mechanism for conflict resolution and peace building with the holding of the first consultative session of the OIC Wise Persons Council (WPC) and the Special Envoys of the Secretary General (SESGs) at the General Secretariat on 17-18 May 2016. With this step the OIC is strengthening its role in the field of mediation and preventive diplomacy.

The OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani opened the roundtable session attended by the WPC members Mr. Abdullah Gul, former President of Turkey, Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former President of Indonesia and General Abdulsalami A. Abubakr, former Head of State of Nigeria; along with the Special Envoy for Myanmar former Foreign Minister of Malaysia Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, Special Envoy for African Affairs, former Foreign Minister of Senegal Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, Special Envoy for Peace in Southern Philippines, Ambassador Sayed Kassem El-Masry, and Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Abdullah A. Alim, among others.

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The Secretary General pointed out that “the initiative to activate the OIC conflicts resolution mechanism emanates from the provisions of the OIC Charter, which aspires for interstate relations based on justice, mutual respect and good neighborliness and commits its Member States to settle their disputes through peaceful means and refrain from use or threat of use of force in their relations.”

Furthermore, various Summit and CFM Resolutions as well as the OIC - 2025, a landmark document containing strategic goals for the next decade, adopted by the 13th Islamic Summit Conference in Istanbul on 14-15 April 2016, aspires to enhance the role of the OIC in peaceful settlement of disputes and conflict prevention through preventive diplomacy, promotion of dialogue and mediation.

The joint meeting of the WPC and SESGs, deliberated over two days on various political and security challenges facing the Member States, humanitarian dimension of conflicts, combating Islamophobia, challenges in fostering inter-cultural and inter-religious

harmony, conflict situations in Muslim minority areas and challenges in preventive diplomacy, mediation and conflict resolution. The meeting explored a series of steps to develop together a roadmap for realizing the OIC vision of peace architecture through promotion of dialogue, mediation, preventive diplomacy and peace building.

The overall envisioned role of the WPC is both consultative and mediatory to support the peace initiatives of the OIC. The meeting underlined that preventive diplomacy is the center point of the OIC peace architecture.

The members of the WPC will use their good offices to employ preventive diplomacy and support dialogue, mediation, and negotiation among conflicting parties.

The Meeting agreed to develop early warning mechanism and improved political scanning of conflict zones for early action and timely intervention. The WPC membership will be enlarged to include eminent personalities with diverse expertise relating to different domains of human endeavor in the field of socio-economic development, cul-

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IN FOCUS ture, science and technology, moderation, tolerance and understanding.

From the point of view of a new vision and sense of responsibility which requires OIC to assume wider and proactive role in dealing with conflicts situations in the Muslim world, the WPC will significantly contribute in strengthening the role of the Organization in fostering peace, security, stability and harmony in the Muslim world and beyond.

Conflicts in OIC Member States: Today most of the international disputes, conflicts and trouble spots are situated in the OIC Member States or affect Muslim communities. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen are in the grip of civil wars and conflicts, which have shattered their social and economic structures.

Muslim minorities in Central African Republic, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand are subjected to persecution, forced displacement, and gross human rights violations.

Many OIC Member States are affected by the growing surge of terrorism, which include Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey among others; and a significant number of terrorist groups- Daesh, Boko Haram and Al Qaida and its affiliates, operate in the OIC Member States.

Conflicts and terrorism have a cause and effect relationship. Conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and Syria gave birth to the terrorist groups in these countries.

There was no Daesh before the 2003 Iraq intervention or even until the Syrian crisis erupted into massive bombing with all its ramifications in terms of human suffering and displacement. Also, there were no Taliban before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The conflicts and disputes afflicting OIC Member States have different root causes and reasons. They can be categorized into three broad types: Intra-OIC conflicts: involving two or more member states including tensions, civil war situations and internal conflicts between factions or sects.

Inter-OIC conflicts: between a member states and a non-member state or within a non-member state but directly affects Muslim communities.

Long-standing conflicts: whether those with historic background or the most recent civil war situations.

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The framework for OIC conflict resolution: The OIC as a representative body of the 57 Member States has numerous comparative advantages vis-à-vis other similar international entities that could be useful in the domain of preventive diplomacy, peace keeping and peace-building. These include the advantages of proximity to the conflict, first hand understanding of and intimacy with the culture tradition, history, religion of the lands, and the peoples involved and most importantly, incisive knowledge into the root causes of the conflicts.

The OIC perspective for its conflict resolution mechanism flows from its Charter and the commitment of it Member States to settle their disputes through peaceful means and refrain from the use or threat of use of force in their relations. The OIC Charter also mandates the OIC to cooperate with other international or regional organizations with the objectives of preserving peace and security to settle disputes peacefully.

The current OIC mechanism for addressing the challenges and conflicts comprises of three tiers: Wise Persons Council, Special Envoys of the Secretary General, and the Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution Unit, as well as a network of think tanks for consultation and research.

The Wise Persons Council (WPC):

The idea of WPC is based on the widely practiced Islamic traditions of dispute resolution through a third-party mediation. WPC is the top tier of the OIC Peace Architecture.

Its members include personalities enjoying recognition as leaders and respected for their wisdom, knowledge, experience, sagacity and ability to provide guidance in crises. They are expected to employ weight of their personalities in bringing conflicting parties to the negotiation table and dispute settlement.

The overall mandate of the OIC WPC would be an advisory role aimed at contributing to the resolution and prevention of conflicts, peace-making, peace-building and peace support initiatives of the OIC.

Special Envoys of the Secretary General (SESGs):

The overall mandate of the SESGs would be to actively contribute to existing international efforts aimed at finding mediated and durable solutions to any conflict in the assigned zone. The Special Envoy is expected to lead in the implementation of adopted OIC resolutions on the conflict, devise an OIC strategy, support and collaborate with other regional and international organizations, represent publicly the policies and positions of the OIC, and actively engage and encourage the parties to constructive dialogue as well as contributing to humanitarian relief and development.

Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution Unit (PSCU):

The Unit was created following a special brainstorming session on “Conflict Resolution Mechanism”, during the 41st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Jeddah on 18-19 June 2014, to realize the vision and guidelines set by the Foreign Ministers.

Special units of this nature are normally established to advance issues of critical importance, requiring focused attention, distinct from the workload of a regular department.

Accordingly, the Unit performs the following duties: Secretariat of the WPC and SESGS; CT and CVE policy planning; Implementation of mandated tasks on CT& CVE; Coordination with OIC Institutions; and International collaboration.

It is also in the process of establishing a Messaging Center to counter the terrorist narrative of hatred and despair and projecting the correct perspective of the Islamic injunctions.

OIC Journal April - July 2016

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PALESTINE FILE

OIC Renews Demands to

UN Security Council to Condemn Israeli Settlements Dakar – The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has renewed its call on the United Nation’s Security Council to adopt a resolution condemning the Israeli Settlements in the occupied Palestine.

OIC Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs Ambassador Samir Bakr Diab made the statement during the proceedings of an international meeting tagged “Jerusalem at the Heart of Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine”, organized by the OIC General Secretariat in cooperation with the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in the Senegalese capital, Dakar on Tuesday, 3 May 2016.

Ambassador Diab who represented the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani recalled the outcomes of the 5th Extraordinary OIC Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, convened by the OIC on 7 March 2016 in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, which reiterated its support for efforts aimed at getting the Security Council to adopt a resolution condemning the Israeli

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settlements and providing a political term of reference for re-launching of negotiations, in accordance with a specified timeframe and with international guarantees.

Ambassador Diab added that there was an unprecedented escalation of Israeli plans to Judaize the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and to alter its historical landmarks as well as its Arab, Islamic and Christian character and demographic composition. Added to this is the attempt to isolate it from its Palestinian neighborhood.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General drew attention to the growing spate of repeated Israeli attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites, in particular the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque through incursion, closure of its doors, restriction of free access to it, attacks on and arrest of worshipers in the Mosque, confiscation of homes and properties, and renewed building of synagogues around them.

Diab alluded to the position of the OIC which welcomed and supported the French initiative entailing the establishment of an international support group, holding of an

international peace conference to serve as a launch pad for a political process aimed at ending the Israeli occupation, and realizing the vision of the two-State solution.

In a speech delivered on his behalf at the meeting, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon stressed that the historic and holy city of Jerusalem remained at the heart of a negotiated solution to the Question of Palestine.

“We must strengthen and reassert collective international efforts aimed at preserving the two-State solution and shape a political horizon,” said Mr. Ban in a statement delivered by Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA).

Condemning continued clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he called on all sides to deescalate tensions and respect the sanctity of holy sites.

Israel’s settlement enterprise, illegal under international law, constituted a significant obstacle to achieving peace, he said, urging

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PALESTINE FILE Israel to cease and reverse such activities.

For his part, Mankeur Ndiaye, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of Senegal, said his country was hosting the international conference against the backdrop of continued Israeli settlement activity, which had increased by 250 per cent in the first quarter of 2016.

He warned that the upsurge in violence could jeopardize the efficacy of a number of new tools adopted by the international community – namely, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on development financing.

“There is no two-State solution possible without East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine,” said Riad Malki, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine.

He stressed that the Security Council must shoulder its responsibilities by addressing the Israeli settlement issue after years of “deafening silence”.

In his intervention during the meeting, Said Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General, Head of Palestinian and the Arab Occupied Territories Sector of the Arab League of States, said the situation in Jerusalem was becoming more complicated due to Israel’s policy of Judaization and its attempt to obliterate the city’s identity.

Those who also spoke at the meeting include representatives of Morocco, China, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa and the African Union Commission.

The representative of Morocco noted that the question of Palestine and Al-Quds AlSharif was the essence of the Arab-Israeli conflict and a prerequisite for peace in the Middle East.

The representative of China said tensions had recently been increasing between Palestine and Israel and the resulting conflict had caused significant loss of life. He observed that the parties must resolve the question of Jerusalem based on appropriate United Nations resolutions.

In her intervention, Zimbabwe’s representative said the 49-year occupation of Palestinian territory continued in violation of international law. She said the killing of innocent civilians and the destruction of Palestinian property continued, while the “wall of shame” remained in place and the siege of Gaza continued.

Cuban representative at the meeting reaffirmed his country’s full support to the Pal-

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal, Mankeur Ndiaye (epa)

estinian people on the basis of the “clear and unequivocal” principle of self-determination. The Palestinian people were still victims of aggression by Israel, he said, adding that such crimes would continue as long as some States provided weapons to Israel and threatened to use their veto power in the Security Council.

Indonesia said Israel’s policies continued to defy the will of international community as well as international law.

Malaysia’s representative also reaffirmed her country’s support for a solution that recognized the legitimate rights of Palestinians to an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital.

On her part, Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African

Union Commission, said the AU had given prominent attention to the social, political and economic situation of Palestine, focusing particularly on the issue of human rights.

South African representative at the meeting said his country had continued its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and believed that the only way to bring about lasting peace the Middle East was a comprehensive negotiated settlement and the establishment of a Palestinian State living in peace and security with Israel, on the basis of 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He said that the city of Johannesburg had donated a statue of Nelson Mandela to the city of Ramallah in order to inspire the Palestinians to continue their struggle for freedom.

The Dakar meeting was part of a series of meetings held by the OIC together with the United Nations in an effort to increase international awareness about the ongoing developments on the question of Palestine.

The meeting was attended by politicians, academicians, legal experts, media and civil society.

Director of First OIC Representative Office in Palestine Receives Mandate Mr. Ahmad Ruwaidhi has been appointed Director of OIC Representative Office in Ramallah. The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Iyad Ameen Madani, received at the General Secretariat in Jeddah on 9 May 2016, Mr. Ruwaidhi and handed him the decision mandating him to commence work as Director of the first OIC Representative Office to the State of Palestine.

The Secretary General underscored what is expected of the OIC Office in Ramallah in enhancing the role of the OIC and its organs in supporting the Palestinian people, helping to build their national institutions and responding to their needs, in accordance with the adopted resolutions on the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

For his part, Mr. Ruwaidhi expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the high confidence reposed in him by the Secretary General in appointing him as director of the Office. He hinted that he would start off by arranging the Secretary General’s visit to the State of Palestine to sign

the headquarter agreement and officially open the Office.

It should be mentioned that the Council of Foreign Ministers at its 42nd session held in Kuwait from 27-28 May 2015 had adopted a resolution for the establishment of the OIC Representative Office in Ramallah, State of Palestine, with the aim of enhancing the role of the OIC and its organs to serve the cause of Palestine in all fields.

Mr. Ahmed Ruwaidhi (L) with the OIC Secretary General

OIC Journal April - July 2016

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Gaza Suffers from Decline in Production of Citrus Fruits Gaza (DPA) – The loads of oranges in the Gaza Strip markets these days are abnormal to local farmers who have long been famous for the cultivation and export of all kinds of citrus.

Most of what is being marketed of different citruses in the Gaza Strip is imported from Israel due to the sharp decline in its cultivation in the coastal territory.

The farmer Nafed Elmasri, in his late fifties, bemoans the “golden past” during which his family used to plant more than 20 donums with citrus in the town of Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip.

Elmasri said to the German Press Agency (DPA) that the citruses they grew were exported to the Gulf and European countries, which brought them high revenues.

Today, Elmasri points out, he grows less than three donums with only two types of citrus, clementine and lemon. Their produce goes to the domestic market, sold at low prices that barely cover the farming costs.

Traders and local officials, said that the Gaza Strip, began two years ago to import more than 15 thousand tons of citrus from Israel every year to cover the growing deficit in domestic production.

Acknowledging the decline in citrus cultivation and its overall local production, the farmer Maher Najjar believes that the increasing volume of imported citrus would accelerate the shrinking of citrus fields in the Gaza Strip.

He cultivates two donums out of seven of his land with citrus, complaining that selling the produce no longer covers the expenses of imported fertilizer, transportation to markets and workers’ wages.

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OIC Journal April - July 2016

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, the area cultivated with citrus in the Gaza Strip was estimated during the eighties and nineties of the last century around 70 thousand donums, producing approximately 200 thousand tons annually. At that time, around 150 thousand tons of citrus was exported annually from the Gaza Strip abroad.

The marketing director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Tahsin Sakka, said that the area planted with citrus in Gaza currently does not exceed 16 thousand donums, of which 10 thousand donums are fruitful and the rest are new cultivations.

Sakka mentioned in a statement to DPA, that the production of citrus in the Gaza Strip dropped to less than 25 thousand tons, while the domestic market needed more than 40 thousand tons, which is covered by imports from Israel.

The reasons for the decline of citrus cultivation, Sakka says, is due mainly to the Israeli dredging operations of agricultural land, especially in the border areas with the repeated rounds of violence in the past six years.

He adds that there are other reasons related to urbanization at the expense of agricultural land and the increase of water salinity levels in the aquifer of the Gaza Strip.

Local officials say that resorting to importing citruses is a loss for the most important historical export of Gaza and a step back from self-sufficiency that has been achieved in the Strip in recent years in many agricultural crops.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture says that the Gaza Strip achieves self-sufficiency in vegetable crops by 98 percent, with the production of 330 thousand tons of various

types of vegetables annually. Additionally, 70 thousand tons of fruits are produced, including olives and citrus.

The size of land planted with vegetables is around 75 thousand donums, with fruits around 70 thousand donums, while field crops are grown in around 30 thousand, which means that a total of 170 thousand donums is dedicated to agriculture in the Gaza Strip.

The contribution of agriculture to the GDP of the Gaza Strip is estimated at about 7 percent and accommodates more than 40 thousand of the local workforce.

The director of the Arab Center for Agricultural Development in Gaza, Mohsen Abu Ramadan, said that the continued Israeli blockade is the biggest obstacle to the agricultural sector with all the restrictions on the supplies needed and on the exports of its products abroad.

Abu Ramadan also noted to (DPA) that agricultural supplies are imported exclusively from Israel to the Gaza Strip at expensive prices, while some items such as nitrate fertilizer are barred under the pretext of dual use.

He pointed that Israel allowed 15 thousand tons of agricultural crops to be exported last year from Gaza, which used to export more than 50 thousand tons before the blockade of 2007.

Furthermore, Abu Ramadan indicates that export costs from the Gaza Strip are too high because it depends on the Israeli carriers only. This reduces the farmers’ profits and limits their ability to expand their business.

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OPINION Israel chairs UN legal Committee: What an irony!

By Shaher Awawdeh, PhD.

This nomination is provocative, offensive, and undermines the UN credibility

Bad things happen all the time. But when the occurrence of bad things is tainted with irony, it congeals feelings of dejection and astonishment. Irony, of course, has its own worth. Henry James once wrote, “Don’t underestimate the value of irony - it is extremely valuable.” The value of irony lies in its ability to serve as an eye-opener and a wake-up call.

I picked up the quote on irony from Henry James’s novella, “Washington Square”, whose events are set in late 19th century New York. That type of irony is quite palatable, unlike the one that happened also in New York, but in June 2016, when the United Nations, being the ‘vox populi’ for international justice, decided to nullify the time-honored principle of natural justice expressed by the Latin phrase ‘Nemo judex in causa sua’, which means that no person can judge a case in which they have an interest.

This sort of irony is incredibly rancorous, offensive, and loaded with unbearable provocation. Even those who predict weird and grotesque things to happen, found it unimaginable to see Israel presiding over the UN’s Legal Committee. It is preposterous that Israel is nominated by the Western European and Other Group (WEOG) to chair the UN Sixth Committee, which deals with legal issues, including, inter alia, the rule of law at the international levels; the responsibility of States for internationally unlawful acts; and the status of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions relating to the protection of victims of armed conflicts.

Of course, (WEOG) argues that it has full autonomy over its nomination choices, and, therefore, designated Israel for this high office. What is important to underline, however, is that, while regional groups enjoy autonomy over the selection of their candidates for UN offices, such a privilege comes with responsibility.

Nominating a candidate that has never ceased to denigrate the United Nations, having a long ‘rap sheet’ of flagrant violations of the fundamental rules and norms of international law and the UN resolutions, can definitely not be viewed as a responsible decision. Yes, this nomination is provocative, offensive, and undermines the UN credibility. Behavior of the candidate country put forth for such a post, should, at the very least, be in compliance with, and not in blatant disrespect to, international law and resolutions of the very Committees under its chairmanship.

Any honest observer or responsible decision-maker would agree that Israel, which is in grave violation of international law and innumerable UN resolutions, is ineligible to chair a UN Committee, certainly not the one tasked with the prevention of the flagrant violations perpetrated by Israel. It is axiomatic that Israel’s chairmanship of this Committee not only negates the principle of natural justice, but also creates a reasonable apprehension of bias that can undermine the integrity of the UN. Much worse, Israel interpreted the nomination as endorsement of its policies and violations, and found no reason for steering a different course as long as unquestioning support is always at hand from reliable allies like WEOG. Such blind support is unfathomable, and clearly reminiscent of the words of Marcellus in Hamlet: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

Lo and behold! One week after assuming the chairmanship of the world’s top legal Committee, Israel shamelessly announced new plans for expanding its illegal colonies in the West Bank. Ironically, some of WEOG members, as a routine lip service, condemned the Israeli move. A few days later, Israel, the new Chair of UN legal Committee, appointed a notorious misogynist and racist Rabbi, Eyal Karim, as the Chief Rabbi of the Israeli army. The new Rabbi is disreputable for saying it is “OK to rape good-looking women in wartime” and he referenced it to the commandment in Sefer Devarim (Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Torah) on how a fighter in war is allowed to “take” a beautiful female prisoner for a wife or concubine, which resembles a similar practice by Daesh in Iraq against Yazidis and other minorities. How ironic! The rape endorsement comes from the spiritual leader of the army which Israel insists on describing as the “number-one moral army in the world”. Dare not to call it second moral army, otherwise you can be prosecuted for being anti-Semitic.

To WEOG: No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true. Nathaniel Hawthorne

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OIC Journal April - July 2016

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WORLD AFFAIRS 40 Years Prison Sentence against Bosnian Serb War Criminal Radovan Karadzic

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he General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has welcomed the sentence issued by the International Criminal Tribunal against the Former Yugoslavia’s Bosnian Serb war criminal, Radovan Karadzic.

Mr. Karadzic, nicknamed the “Butcher of Bosnia,” was sentenced to 40 years in prison after being found guilty of genocide and other crimes against humanity over atrocities that Bosnian Serb forces committed during the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995. A special U.N. court in The Hague, Netherlands, found the 70-year-old guilty of genocide over his responsibility for the Srebrenica massacre, in which Bosnian Serb forces under his command executed more than 7,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.

The OIC General Secretariat described the

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Central African Republic Swears In a New President

delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) led by Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, the OIC Special Envoy for Central African Republic (CAR), attended the swearing in ceremony of Central African Republic’s new President, H.E. Professor Faustin Archange Touadera.

The ceremony took place in CAR’s capital Bangui, on 30 March 2016, with the presence of several African Heads of States, Governments, Foreign Ministers and other dignitaries who attended to demonstrate their support to the democratically elected President as well as to the people of CAR

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who went through very difficult and testing times over the past three years.

During his meeting with President Touadera, Minister Gadio seized the opportunity to convey the congratulations of the OIC Secretary General Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani and reiterated the OIC’s willingness to support CAR under its new leadership to usher in national reconciliation, peace and socioeconomic development nationwide for the benefit of all CAR citizens irrespective of their origin and religion.

Touadera, a former math professor and prime minister, emerged president from a crowded field of candidates and won the

February 14 runoff election with nearly 63 percent of the vote.

Both Touadera and the runner-up candidate, Anicet Georges Dologuele, are Christians and campaigned on promises to help reunify the country plagued by sectarian violence that exploded in late 2013 between Muslim and Christian militias.

Later, President Touadera met with the Secretary General on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on 24 May 2016 where he expressed his appreciation of OIC’s efforts in achieving peace in the country and helping the displaced people.

Armenian Acts of Aggressions against Azerbaijan

he Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed serious concern over the developments in Nagorno-Karabakh region and the attacks carried out in early April by the Armenian forces on the borders of the occupied Azeri territories.

OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, conveyed the deep concern over the escalation resulting from the continued occupation of Azeri territories by Armenia.

Madani reiterated the OIC call for immediate, unconditional and complete withdrawal of Armenian forces from NagornoKarabakh region and other occupied Azeri

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judgment as an important step that would reduce judicial impunity and achieve justice for Bosnian Muslims and other victims of genocide and war crimes.

It also expressed hope that other war criminals in the former Yugoslavia would be arrested and prosecuted.

The OIC hopes that the trial will bring to a close a long chapter in the history of the region and launch a new era of lasting reconciliation, peaceful coexistence, peace and security for the peoples of the Balkans.

Karadzic, former leader of the breakaway Serb Republic in Bosnia, is the highest-ranking political figure to have been brought to justice over the bitter ethnic conflicts that erupted with the collapse of the former Yugoslavia.

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territories underlining the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He expressed apprehension over Armenia’s insistence to resume fighting, failure to respect the truce and persistence in its aggressive policies.

Madani also reiterated the need to intensify international efforts, especially by Minsk Group, to reach an urgent political settlement for the resolution of the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the territorial integrity and the inviolability of the internationally recognized borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The resolution according to the OIC Secretary General should also be in conformity with the principles of international law, UN Security Council resolutions as well as the relevant documents and decisions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

On March 14, 2008 the United Nations General Assembly by a recorded vote of 39 in favour to 7 against adopted Resolution 62/243, demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

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WORLD AFFAIRS OIC IPHRC Strongly Condemns the Continued Executions of Palestinian Children

The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) is following with great concern the unremitting Israeli outrageous attacks on the Palestinians on various check points across the occupied territories. These barbaric executions, which are now condemned internationally, are clear acts of war crimes, and are further undermining hopes for a successful peace process in the region.

The year of 2016 witnessed a sharp increase in Israeli human rights violations and violence against the Palestinian people. Since November 2015, more than 313 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 3,000 were injured as a result of Israeli military aggressions against unarmed Palestinians, most of which are children. In addition, Israel continues to build illegal settlements in confiscated Palestinian lands across the internationally recognized Palestinian territories, which dramatically undermine the prospect of the twostates solution.

The city of al-Quds/Jerusalem has also seen increasing attempts of

Judaizing through policies of control and isolation from its Palestinian environment. Since the beginning of 2016, there were more than 330 attacks by the occupation forces and extremist settlers against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, including AlAqsa Mosque, in which the Israeli Government continues excavations, and restricts freedom of movement and access of Muslims to worship.

During its 9th Regular Session, IPHRC Working Group on Palestine extensively discussed this current situation in Palestine, including eyewitness accounts from some of the Commission members who visited these areas recently. It was reiterated with regret that the devastating life style of the Palestinian people under occupation, was untenable and there was need to come up with the concrete solutions by the international community.

IPHRC also discussed the recent Israeli flagrant violation of all relevant international laws, by holding a government session on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the ensuing statements by the Israeli head of government that the “Golan will remain with Israel forever”. It condemned this escalation and stressed that these violations should not go unnoticed. It urged the Security Council and the OIC Member States currently sitting in the Council to take the appropriate actions against Israel for its illegal actions in all Arab occupied territories.

IPHRC has also welcomed the latest UNESCO resolution, which rejects the use of “Temple Mount” to refer to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and insists that the sanctuary is part of the Islamic heritage of Jerusalem, and will continue to use the name of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al Sharif in all its official documentation.

In addition, IPHRC welcomed the growing movement of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), which proves its legitimacy and wider support, and called for more cooperation among all international actors to stop all illegal economic activities of all corporations involved in occupied territories.

Nonintervention in the Internal Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation stressed that it follows with satisfaction the efforts exerted by the Government of Bahrain to establish the institutions and rule of law and promoting the exercise by the Bahraini citizens of

all their legitimate rights. The OIC urged all stakeholders in the country to place the high interests of Bahrain and its people ahead of all other considerations.

The OIC underlined the need for all external parties not to intervene in the internal af-

fairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain in line with the OIC Charter, which calls for respecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Member States and noninterference in their internal affairs.

Destruction of Mosques in Myanmar An unidentified mob partially destroyed a mosque on June 23 and other buildings in the mosque compound in Thuyethamain village, Bago Region near central Myanmar.

It was reported that the authorities have since taken control of the scene, however Muslim villagers fled in fear, and are afraid to return to their homes.

It was not the only such incident during the holy month of Ramadan.

OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani urged the authorities in Myanmar to take

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stern action and to immediately investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice while ensuring that the victims receive necessary assistance.

The Secretary General stressed that failure to investigate would send a worrying message that attacks against religious minorities can continue to go unpunished. The NLD Government must condemn this attack, especially that it happens during The Holy Month of Ramadan, and condemn other attacks on religious minorities, he added.

Ibrahim, 67, looks around inside the destroyed mosque at Thuye Tha Mein village of Waw township in Bago province, Myanmar, 24 June 2016. (epa)

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SPECIAL REPORT

Istanbul Summit: A New Road

Istanbul – The 13th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) hosted by the Republic of Turkey in Istanbul under the theme “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace” concluded with the adoption of a joint resolution on Palestine, the Organization’s 2016-2025 Strategic Program of Action, viewed as a new roadmap for the Islamic World, and an ‘Istanbul Declaration’.

The summit held on 14-15 April 2016 agreed to increase unity and solidarity between Muslim countries in the fight against terrorism.

The Islamic Summit convenes every three years and aims at jointly reviewing the international situation in the political, economic and social fields and analysing their impact on the Muslim Ummah.

The 13th summit, which was chaired by President of the Republic Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and attended by the leaders of the Islamic world, reiterated that the cause of Palestine and Al Quds Sharif remain central for the Muslim Ummah.

It reaffirmed its principled support for the right of the Palestinian people to regain their inalienable national rights, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the territory occupied since June 1967, with Al Quds Sharif as its capital.

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The Conference reaffirmed the need for the early convening of an International Peace Conference to set mechanisms to provide international protection for the Palestinian people and to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 including East Jerusalem, and implementation of the relevant UN Resolutions and the Arab peace initiatives.

During the high-level meeting, Muslim leaders discussed the situation in Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, and Azerbaijan.

The summit also adopted the “OIC Programme of Action: 2016-2025”, which constitutes a strategic vision with specific priorities addressing: peace and security, terrorism and extremism, humanitarian work, human rights, development, poverty alleviation, eradication of epidemics, the rights of women, children and the family in the Islamic world, higher education, science and technology, and cultural exchange among OIC Member States.

First Ladies of the Kings and Heads of State of the OIC Member States also held a special session on their efforts to combat cancer on the sidelines of the 13th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference.

The 13th Islamic Summit was preceded by Foreign Ministers and Senior Officials’ preparatory meetings, which adopted the final communiqué of the meeting and the Istanbul Declaration. www.oic-oci.org

SPECIAL REPORT

Map for the Islamic World

Opening Session: The Conference began with a speech from the Chairman of the 12th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, H.E. President Abel-Fattah El-Sisi, delivered by H.E. Minister Sameh Shokry, the Foreign Minister.

He affirmed that Egypt exerted all possible efforts, during its presidency of the Islamic Summit Conference, with the cooperation of Member States and in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat, with the aim to address the problems facing the Islamic world.

In his speech to the Conference, H.E. the Egyptian President praised the significant and constructive role assumed by the OIC in promoting the joint Islamic Action, supporting Muslim communities in non-OIC member states, and he called for the necessary activation of the OIC role.

He said that the Palestinian cause is still unresolved, as he stressed that the international community must undertake its re-

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sponsibility to establish a Palestinian state with Al-Quds Asharif as its capital. He commended the role of the OIC in calling for the convening of a summit dedicated for this cause, which was hosted by Indonesia last March.

Afterwards, H.E. Iyad Ameen Madani, the OIC Secretary General, delivered his speech, where he stressed that the peoples of the Islamic world have high hopes that our Summit would deliver outcomes that strengthen the course of Islamic solidarity in the face of the present challenges. He pointed out that the Organization looks forward to the adoption of a new Ten-Year Strategic Program of Action, containing specific priorities, and implementation and assessment mechanisms.

He stated that the Palestinian cause is still the main issue having precedence over other OIC issues, where he clarified that the Extraordinary Summit, held in Jakarta,

was able to give prominence to the cause at the international level, and endorsed the call of H.E. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, for the convening of an international conference for peace. He added that the General Secretariat holds hopes and will work on making properly planned preparations for this conference.

Mr. Madani noted that the rapid challenges and developments that the Islamic world experiences call for our reflection, to take practical and constructive steps to overcome some disagreements, study their causes, and provide solutions for them. He emphasized that respecting and holding dialogue and negotiation with other parties are the essential premises to overcome disputes and divisions. speech of This was followed by the the President of the 13th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Tur-

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SPECIAL REPORT key. He began his speech by thanking Egypt for its efforts and successful work during the last Session. He also thanked Indonesia for hosting the Extraordinary Session on Palestine and Al-Quds calling for support to be provided to the Palestinian cause, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of a Palestinian state with its capital Eastern Jerusalem.

He stressed upon the importance of development in strengthening the ties between Member States, noting that the Islamic world is going through a stage that requires unity, solidarity, materialization of the concept of justice and peace. He emphasized that most of those unjustly treated, oppressed, and aggrieved around the world are Muslims who are looking forward to positive outcomes drawn out of this Summit.

He raised the issue of refugees in the world, and the efforts exerted by Turkey to provide them with shelters, and the endeavors made by the border guards and the navy forces to rescue around 100,000 refugees from drowning in the Aegean Sea. H.E. President of the Republic of Turkey called for the re-structuring of the UN Security Council, to reflect the differences in ethnicity and religion, so that the Islamic world has an effective voice.

Motions of thanks from the African, Arab, and Asian groups were also delivered in the opening session.

The leaders of OIC Member States at the Summit discussed 12 documents including: the Palestinian cause and the Arab-Israeli conflict; cases of conflict in the Islamic world and migration; the situation in Muslim communities in non-OIC member states; combating terrorism and violent extremism; Islamophobia; humanitarian status in the Islamic world; the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action; enhancement of scientific cooperation among Member States in the fields of: health, higher education, and environment; promoting cultural, social and mediarelated cooperation; poverty eradication and infrastructure development; legal and organizational issues; and empowering the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to fulfill its mandate.

The Summit proceedings concluded with the adoption of a resolution on Palestine, the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action for 2015-2025, the final communiqué, and Istanbul Declaration.

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First Ladies Cancer Meeting The meeting which was held on the sideline of the 13th Islamic Summit focused on

raising awareness about the huge toll cancer takes on the OIC Member and Observer States, and on supporting efforts put forth to ensure that everyone has access to effective cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

Turkish Health Minister, Mr. Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, opened the session and called for launching awareness campaigns in the OIC Member States to combat cancer, while stressing the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking precautionary preventive measures. He also highlighted the risk posed by smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and lifestyles in relation to developing cancer.

In his speech during the meeting, OIC Secretary General Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani stated that the spread of cancer has become a major general health concern in the OIC Member States, and adversely affects socio-economic efforts, indicating that addressing cancer is a strategic issue that requires coordinated efforts. He added that the OIC General Secretariat – in implementation of resolutions adopted by the Conference of the Council of Health Ministers, is cooperating with the Islamic Development Bank and the International Agency for Atomic Energy to implement projects aimed at enhancing and establishing cancer treatment facilities in several Member States.

The Turkish First Lady – Mrs. Emine Erdoan – said in her speech “Turkey works within the international standards on combating cancer; it has succeeded in controlling the speed with which disease develops, through launching large-scale campaigns on antismoking and early detection including in schools.” She pointed out that all citizens have access to free treatment in the respective health facilities.

At the end of their session, the First Ladies of the Islamic world called for invest-

ing more resources to address the risk factors associated with cancer, by launching public awareness campaigns on healthy diet for adults, working with representatives from the food industry to ensure compliance to the guidelines pertinent to healthy diets, and encouraging physical activity by making it an integral part of the daily routine.

They demanded strengthened participation by the civil and local society to promote partnerships aimed at disseminating information on cancer, providing prevention and control-related services, and providing care for the affected. This would include providing palliative care, incorporating cancer prevention in the primary health care system, and strengthening public awareness of cancer prevention measures.

Recommendations also included promoting implementation of cancer detection programs for women, focusing on breast and cervical cancer – the most common and detectable cancers. This is in addition to adopting an initiative toward smoking-free OIC Member States through participation in training and capacity building programs organized by Ankara Center, aimed at facilitating the design and implementation of sustainable, national tobacco control strategies in the OIC Member States, based on the guidelines outlined in the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

They also emphasized the importance of exchanging best regional practices, promoting regional coordination mechanisms related to mapping cancer patients, planning and implementation of cancer prevention measures in order to strengthen health care systems, and enhancing national capacities in R&D, including research institutions and equipment, in addition to qualified researchers capable of conducting high-quality research.

OIC pledges full support to implement the peace Process in Mali The Contact Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Mali met at the Ministerial level on the sidelines of the 13th Session of the OIC Islamic Summit Conference. The Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General to Mali and Sahel region Mr. Tidian Gadio and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali briefed the meeting on the latest situation in Mali. During deliberations, which

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SPECIAL REPORT

focused on the implementation of the Algiers Peace Agreement and peace building in Mali, the participants agreed on their firm and principled commitment for the respect of the sovereignty, unity and the territorial integrity of Mali. The meeting reiterated its strong condemnation of terrorism and all forms of extremism and violence including organized crime, drug and human trafficking, which continue to threaten the peace, security and stability of Mali, the Sahel and other countries of the region.

The meeting took note of the plan of action for Mali and the Sahel proposed by the OIC Special Envoy for Mali and the Sahel and requested the Member States and the relevant OIC institutions to assist in its implementation as a way of contributing to sustainable peace and socio-economic development in Mali and the Sahel region.

The meeting also reiterated its call on ISESCO and IRCICA to take the necessary measures in collaboration with UNESCO to restore, preserve and protect the rich Islamic cultural heritage in Mali.

Interpretation of Member States’ Solidarity into Practical Procedures to help Kashmiris The Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation met at the Ministerial level on the sidelines of the 13th Session of the OIC Islamic Summit Conference.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Ambassador Abdullah Alim who delivered a speech at the meeting on behalf of the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, noted that the Jammu and Kashmir issue has been one of the most im-

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portant concerns of the OIC, which is firmly committed to the peaceful resolution of this issue.

He also reiterated the principled position of the OIC in its continued efforts to support the Kashmiri people in their long struggle to realize their legitimate right of self-determination. He pointed out to the human rights violations causing sufferings to the Kashmiri people, which are pressing issues that affect the fundamental human rights of Kashmiris and require the immediate attention of the international community. He hoped that the solidarity and support of the Member States would be interpreted into practical measures to help Kashmiris.

The Secretary General welcomed the establishment of the Standing Mechanism by the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) for monitoring the human rights situation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, and hoped that this Mechanism would help rights groups and humanitarian organizations to enter Jammu and Kashmir and conduct investigations and provide needed assistance.

Other members of the Contact Group delivered statements expressing their continued support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called for a peaceful solution to the dispute in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, principle of self-determination and human rights.

The Advisor to the Prime Ministers of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, H.E. Mevlut Casvusoglu, Foreign Minister of Azerbajian H.E. Elmar Mammadyarov and delegations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Niger participated in the meeting.

OIC Contact Group on Rohingya Muslims expresses support for the mission of the OIC Special Envoy to Myanmar The Contact Group on of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar also met at the Ministerial level on the sidelines of the 13th Session of the OIC Islamic Summit, under the leadership of the OIC Secretary General Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani.

The Meeting reviewed the report presented

by OIC Special Envoy for Myanmar, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar and reaffirmed its support for the mission of the Special Envoy.

The Meeting urged missions of OIC Contact Group members in Myanmar to provide assistance and support to the Special Envoy to

ensure success of his mission.

In his statement, the OIC Secretary General stated that Rohingya Muslims face humanitarian and human rights crises, lack employment opportunities, and suffer from poor education and healthcare facilities.

Discriminatory legislation such as the recently passed four bills for the “Protection of Race and Religion” also unfairly target the Muslim minority. These include (1) The Religious Conversion Bill (2) The Interfaith Marriage Bill (3) The Monogamy Bill (4) The Population Control Bill. These bills place restrictions on religious conversion as well as interfaith marriage and allows the local government to impose birthrate limits, specifically on the Rohingya.

He expressed hope that the new government will take the time to re-evaluate this legislation and encourage community reconciliation as well as interfaith and intercommunal dialogue. As this time consuming process unfolds, over 140,000 Rohingya still remain in difficult condition in camps in Rakhine State. Therefore, greater efforts must be made to mobilize humanitarian relief for their benefit and find proper routes to ensure that the required aid is channeled to the people in need, he added.

The Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union, Dr. Wakar Uddin was present at the meeting.

Côte d’Ivoire Minister of Foreign Affairs signs six OIC Agreements The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Abdallah Albert Toikeusse Mabri, signed six agreements of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), on the sidelines of the 13th session of the Islamic Summit Conference, in the presence of OIC Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Ambassador Abdallah Abdulrahman Alim.

The agreements signed by the Minister of Foreign affairs are the OIC Agreement on Immunities and Privileges, an agreement on the Islamic Organization for Food Security, the OIC Convention to Combat Terrorism, an agreement on the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC),an agreement on the Islamic Commission of the International Crescent, and an agreement on the Islamic States Telecommunication Union.

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SPECIAL REPORT The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signs New Charter of the OIC

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, of Jordan Mr. Nasser Judeh, signed the new Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), on the sidelines of the 13th session of the Islamic Summit Conference. The OIC Secretary General, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, who commended the support extended

by H.M. King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Organization, attended the signing ceremony. It is worth mentioning that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a founding member of the OIC.

Election of Nine Members of the OIC (IPHRC) The 13th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference also witnessed the election of nine Members of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission IPHRC for a term of three years, starting from August 2016.

The outcome of the election is the following: African Group: Dr. Oumar Abou Abba, Republic of Cameroon (for a second term); Amb. Cheikh Tidiane Thiam, Republic of Senegal; Mr. S.K. Kaggwa, Republic of Uganda (For a Second term); Arab Group: Mr. Mohamed Hamdi Al Taher, Republic of Tunisia; Amb. Ilham Ibrahim Mohamed Ahmed, Republic of the Sudan (for a second term); Minister Plenipotentiary Mahmoud Afifi, Arab Republic of Egypt; Asian Group: Ms. Asila Wardak, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (for a second term); Amb. Mostafa Alaei, Islamic Republic of Iran (for a second term); Professor. Dr. Raihanah Binti Abdullah, Malaysia (for a second term).

The IPHRC delegation led by its Chairper-

son, Ambassador Abdul Wahab, participated in the 13th Islamic Summit. In his address to the Summit, Amb. Abdul Wahab highlighted that the Islamic concept of human rights is a collective system, which establishes a just and ethical social order in which dignity and honour of the individual is ensured without any distinction. Amb. Abdul Wahab also called upon all Member States to earnestly coordinate efforts to promote human rights respecting and protecting societies to foster a social order based on equity and justice which is the sustainable and guaranteed means to achieving lasting peace and progress. He went on to describe the achievements of the Commission since its establishment in 2011, and reaffirmed that, despite resource constraints, the Commission is willing to shoulder the onerous responsibility to play its due role in shaping OIC’s human rights focus in advancement of fundamental rights and freedoms of all segments of society. In this regards, he solicited continuous moral support and understanding of the Member States in fulfilment of its mandates.

13th Islamic Summit Adopts Resolution on the Cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif The 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit held in April in Istanbul adopted a joint resolution on Palestine.

Muslim leaders at the summit vowed that the Islamic world would never leave the Palestinian people isolated.

The resolution welcomed the coming into force of the Vatican’s recognition of the State of Palestine on 2 January 2016 and the signing of the comprehensive agreement between the two states, which preserves the historical status quo in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the multi-religious and multicultural heritage of the city.

The summit also called for holding an international peace conference to set methods of providing international security to Palestinians and ending the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory including East Jerusalem.

The conference also applauded Indonesia for holding the OIC summit on Palestine in March and commended Senegal for its continued action in favor of the Palestinian cause.

King Muhammad VI of Morocco and King Abdullah II of Jordan were also commended for defending Islamic and Christian religious sites in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem.

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Centralıty of Palestıne and Al-Quds The Istanbul Summit hailed the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their struggle to realize their legitimate national aspirations and independence.

The details of the resolution of the meeting reaffirmed the centrality of the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the entire Muslim Ummah and its determination to settle and prevent it from falling into oblivion.

The resolution of the conference emphasized the Arab and Islamic character of East Jerusalem, capital of the independent State of Palestine; and registered its rejection of any attempt to diminish Palestinian sovereignty over Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

The meeting also reiterated its strong condemnation of Israel, the occupying power, for its continued and escalating aggression against the Palestinian people and Islamic and Christian holy places in and around AlQuds Al-Sharif.

The resolution affirmed that peace and security in the Middle East would not be achieved without the full withdrawal of Israel, the occupying power, from the territory of the State of Palestine occupied since 1967, in particular Al-Quds Al-Sharif, in

accordance with international law and relevant international resolutions.

The meeting condemned the systematic gross violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people committed by Israel, the occupying power, including those resulting from murder, excessive use of force, indiscriminate attacks and military operations, which have led to the murder and injury of Palestinian civilians, including children and women, and peaceful protesters.

Muslim leaders in their resolution at the meeting also expressed concern over the deterioration of the situation in the territories of the occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem due to the escalation of the aggression by Israel, its blockade against the Palestinian people, and committed to work with the international community to ensure protection for the Palestinian people.

The 13th Islamic summit therefore welcomed the State of Palestine’s accession to international conventions and treaties and called on Member States to extend all possible forms of support that would help hold Israel accountable for its crimes and protect the Palestinian people, their territory and property.

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SPECIAL REPORT Istanbul Declaration

The Kings and Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), who met at the 13th Islamic Summit Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives enshrined in the Charter of the OIC, particularly enhancing and strengthening the bond of unity and solidarity among the Muslim peoples and Member States.

The Muslim leaders reiterated the commitment of the Muslim nations to strive for the central purpose of the OIC, namely the Palestinian Cause and to preserve Al-Haram Al-Sharif as an Islamic site in all aspects and in its entirety.

The leaders also called on the countries that did not yet do so to recognize the State of Palestine, and urge the international community to empower the State of Palestine by all means including support for its membership to the international organizations and mobilize for the resumption of a peace process that will assure that another generation of Palestinian children will not grow under occupation and oppression.

Leaders at the summit also expressed their commitment to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, rule of law, democracy, and accountability in Member States in line with their respective constitutional and legal systems.

The 13th Islamic Summit also acknowledged that good governance and the rule of law, at the national and international levels, as well as an enabling environment, are essential for sustainable development, including sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and eradication of poverty and

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hunger.

They expressed the need for the OIC Member States to have a fair share of the global wealth and to be better placed in the global value chain.

The leaders also expressed concern at the unbearable sufferings of millions of Muslim refugees, particularly that of the Syrian refugees, who had to flee their homes as a result of armed conflicts, civil wars and oppression in their own land.

The leaders of OIC member countries were also alarmed by the threat terrorism poses to peace and stability in many OIC Member States, concerned about the power vacuum that eventually offer fertile ground to terrorist organizations like DEASH, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab and PKK/PYD/ YPG to gain ground, and determined to fight scourge of terrorism by all available means.

They therefore condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations regardless of motive and wherever and by whomever committed, and call for equal determination towards all terrorist organizations.

The summit also called on Western states to take necessary measures to combat xenophobia and Islamophobia and to ensure the safety and well-being of Muslims facing these scourges.

The summit highlighted the plight of Muslim minorities in many non-OIC Member States who still face serious oppression and whose rights are disregarded in many cases even though these rights emanate from the international law, and called on all OIC Member States to show solidarity with them.

The Istanbul declaration also encouraged

efforts aimed at strengthening and enhancing the role of Muslim youth in society, improving the conditions for their education and employment and underlined the importance of the contribution of Muslim women to social life as well as of strengthening the role of women in development of Islamic countries.

The summit commended the efforts of all OIC Organs and Institutions for furthering cooperation among the Islamic countries in their respective fields of competence for enhancing the prosperity and well-being of the Islamic Ummah.

The declaration finally welcome the adoption of the “OIC-2025: Programme of Action� document setting ambitious targets in various fields for the Member States of the OIC to achieve in the next ten years, and expressed commitment to efforts aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the OIC in making justice and peace prevail all around the world.

Several meetings were held on the sidelines of the 13th Islamic Summit to look at various pressing issues facing the member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC.

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SPECIAL REPORT OIC – 2025 Programme of Action The 13th Islamic Summit Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation adopted The OIC-2025: Programme of Action, which is considered the second phase of the OIC Ten Year Programme of Action (TYPOA) that was initiated in 2005 in Makkah.

The OIC-2025 Programme of Action reflects the changes and developments in the world scene since the previous programme of action and renews the commitment by the OIC Member States, all institutions in the OIC system, international partners and other stakeholders to working together for a better tomorrow.

The OIC-2025 Programme of Action set out eighteen key priority areas and strategic goals under each priority are. The key priority areas are: Palestine and Al-Quds issue; Counter-terrorism, Extremism, Violent Extremism, Radicalization, Sectarianism, and Islamophobia; Moderation, Cultural and Interfaith Harmony; Peace and Security;

Environment, Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability; Poverty Alleviation; Trade, Investment and Finance; Agriculture and Food Security; Employment, Infrastructure and Industrialization; Science, Technology and Innovation; Education; Health; Advancement and Empowerment of Women, Family Welfare and Social Security; Joint Islamic Humanitarian Action; Human Rights; Good Governance and Accountability; Media and Public Diplomacy; ICT and Digital Information Structure and OIC Institutional Reforms.

The goals in the Programme will be implemented in harmony with the existing OIC agreements/strategies/plans of action, including those of the OIC Standing Committees, namely Al Quds Committee, COMIAC, COMCEC, and COMSTECH, and other framework documents between the Member States.

Sideline Meetings

During the 13th Session of the Islamic Summit the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani held bilateral meetings with leaders of the Islamic world.

Before the Summit, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, received the Secretary General at Tarabya Palace.

Madani extended congratulations to the Turkish President for chairing the Summit and stressed that the General Secretariat looks forward to a constructive contribution by Turkey to support joint Islamic action and promote the OIC’s role regionally and internationally. On his part, the Turkish President stated that Turkey’s chairmanship

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of the Summit comes at a time when the Islamic world is facing numerous political and humanitarian challenges. The Turkish President affirmed that his country will go to great lengths to revive the role of powerful OIC Member States in their quest to advance the joint Islamic action.

On the sidelines of the Summit, the Secretary General met with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and discussed the Islamic Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agriculture to be held in Astana in late April 2016, which also hosts the Islamic Organization for Food Security. The Secretary

General also met with H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, and the two addressed the humanitarian issues in the Islamic world, and bilateral coordination and consultation on the provision of humanitarian assistance.

Madani discussed with Mr. Jusuf Kalla, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, developments on the Committee entrusted with following up the resolutions adopted by the Extraordinary Islamic Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, held in Jakarta last March. He also met with Mr. Adel Al-Jubair – the Saudi Foreign Minister – to discuss issues of joint interest.

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WORLD AFFAIRS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C), poses with ministers prior to the weekly cabinet meeting in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, 17 April 2016 (epa)

International Community Urged to Compel Israel to withdraw from Syrian Golan Heights Jeddah – An Expanded Extraordinary Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Executive Committee has condemned in strongest terms the Israeli government’s holding of its weekly session on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the ensuing statements by the Israeli head of government that the “Golan will remain with Israel forever.”

The meeting called on the international community, particularly the Security Council, to assume its responsibilities in compelling Israel to implement international legitimacy resolutions which call for full withdrawal from all occupied Arab lands, including the Golan, the Palestinian territory, Sheba Farms and the Lebanese Kafr Shuba Hills.

The Israel occupation had last April held a first cabinet session on the Golan Heights since the area was seized from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed in 1981.

The international community has never recognised Israel’s annexation of the Golan.

The OIC Executive Committee’s meeting held on 26 April 2016 on the issue of the occupied Golan at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah, reiterated the OIC’s constant position that the Golan Heights is a Syrian Arab territory.

It affirmed its unconditional support for the legitimate rights of the Syrian people to regain their full sovereignty over the Golan up to the line of June 1967.

The meeting considered Israel’s action as

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part of the ongoing attempts by the occupation to consolidate the annexation of the occupied Golan, in flagrant violation of relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly and the principles of international law.

At the meeting, the Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the OIC, Saleh Al-Sagabi, affirmed the Arab Mr. character of the Syrian Golan, pursuant to resolutions of the United Nations and other regional organisations, in particular Security Council resolution 497, Arab League resolution 7928 and OIC ministerial council resolution 3/42.

He reiterated that all the resolutions reject all arbitrary and illegal measures pursued by the occupation authorities in its design to change the legal and demographic condition of the Golan.

In his speech at the meeting, OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani noted that OIC reaffirms the importance of supporting the mandate and work of the committee investigating the Israeli policies that breach the human rights of the Palestinian people and other populations in occupied Arab lands since 1967, including the occupied Syrian Golan.

The speech delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Samir Bakr Diab, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs, added that it was important to follow up the implementation of the previous

recommendations contained in the periodic reports of the Ad Hoc Committee and the Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian as well as the resolutions passed by the international commissions of inquiry within the United Nations bodies.

The Secretary General also called on the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and apply pressure on Israel to comply with all international legitimacy resolutions, particularly Security Council resolutions 242, 338 and 497 all of which affirm the need for full Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian and Arab lands, including the occupied Syrian Golan.

The Syrian Golan Heights, a plateau in southwestern Syria, has a political and strategic significance.

In addition to its strategic military importance, the Golan Heights is an important water resource, especially at the higher elevations, which are snow-covered in the winter and help sustain baseflow for rivers and springs during the dry season.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Six-Day War. Most of the Syrian Arab inhabitants fled the area during the conflict.

The OIC Executive Committee’s meeting also strongly Condemned Israel›s attempts to impose Israeli nationality and identity cards on the Syrian Arab citizens.

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WORLD AFFAIRS

Iraqi people protest in Tahrir Square, central Baghdad, Iraq, 3 June 2016. (epa)

OIC Secretary General with Iraqi President

OIC Calls for Restraint in Iraq The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on all political factions in Iraq to exercise restraint, shun violence, and endeavor to resolve differences by peaceful means.

OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani made the call following a protest in Iraqi capital Baghdad last April in which protesters broke through barricades of the fortified Green Zone in protest against what they called delays in approving a new cabinet.

A state of emergency was declared in Baghdad after the protests.

The protesters wanted members of Iraqi parliament to push through plans to replace ministers with political affiliations with nonpartisan technocrats, a demand which they say powerful parties in parliament refused to approve for several weeks.

OIC Secretary General called on all political parties to give primacy to the high interest of Iraq, counter the advocates of division, and preserve Iraq’s gains.

Madani also called on them to back Iraq’s legitimate leadership in its reform efforts in order to protect the unity of Iraq’s people and territory and preserve its national sovereignty, security and stability.

He further urged them to thwart the attempts of those seeking to drag the country into a severe political crisis, which will have a tremendous toll on peace and security in all the regions of Iraq.

OIC Secretary General also expressed his hope that the demands and aspirations of

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the Iraqi people for political and economic reform will be responded to.

Madani reiterated the OIC’s readiness to contribute to the efforts for achieving comprehensive national reconciliation within the framework of the planned Makkah 2 Conference, which OIC is preparing to convene with the aim of reuniting Iraqi factions and help them overcome their differences.

The conference is meant as a follow-up to the first Makkah Conference organized in 2006 of Sunni and Shia religious scholars, which was organized by OIC during which the participating parties adopted the Makkah Document to stop sectarian-driven fighting in Iraq.

Concern over Developments in Fallujah: The OIC issued another statement end of May expressing deep concern at the ongoing developments in Iraq and the victimization and displacement of innocent civilians in the war to liberate Fallujah.

Stressing the OIC’s stand in support of the Iraqi government in its war against the terrorist group Daesh, the OIC Secretary reGeneral, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, called the Makkah Document agreed to by prominent Iraqi Ulama, which provides for the inviolability of Muslim life, property and dignity. The Makkah Document also stresses that crimes committed on sectarian grounds - as is the case in Iraq- is corruption on earth, which God forbids and prohibits. It also calls on Muslims, Sunni and

Shia, to assist the oppressed against the oppressor. Therefore, it urges for action to redress grievances, particularly the release of abducted innocent persons and hostages, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, and the repatriation of the displaced persons to their homes.

Madani Visits Iraq: The Secretary General visited Baghdad on 26-27 March 2016 and held talks with senior Iraqi officials. The talks focused on the OIC’s support for Iraq’s security, stability and territorial integrity; and reaffirming OIC’s stand with Iraq as it faces up to all forms of terrorism. Madani’s visit to Baghdad was also part of OIC’s continuous effort to convene an Iraqi national unity convention.

The Secretary General held meetings with Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Iraqi Foreign Minister who conveyed Iraq’s support for holding such national unity convention to be called “Makkah II”. It was agreed to form a high level technical group to start preparations for the convention. Madani was also received by the President of Iraq, Mr. Fuad Masum, who praised the efforts of the OIC for its “Makkah II” initiative. He reiterated Iraq’s intention to work with the OIC General Secretariat to ensure the success of this initiative.

The Secretary General also met in Baghdad with Mr. Jan Kubis, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Iraq.

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WORLD AFFAIRS OIC Welcomes the Liberation of the City of Falluja in Iraq Evacuation of families from the recently recaptured city of Heet, western Iraq, 14 April 2016 (epa)

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) commended the Iraqi army on the successes in its war against Daesh (ISIS) terrorist organization and the liberation of the city of Falluja.

It considered such successes as important step towards eradicating the terrorist elements and violent extremism and enabling the liberation of other areas seized by Daesh in Iraq.

The Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, reiterated the OIC’s full support for Iraq in its effort against Daesh and its battle against the criminal intentions of the group to sow dissention and fuel fighting and extremism.

He underscored the importance of such efforts in uniting all constituents of the Iraqi people and preserving the unity, security and stability of Iraq.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General strongly highlighted the need to address the crisis of the displaced, facilitate their return to their homes and ensure the safety of Iraqi civilians. He stressed on the need to end factional abuses committed by certain armed militias against innocent civilians in Falluja.

Fully Liberated Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider Al-Abadi, declared on June 18 that his forces has regained control of Falluja, a stronghold seized

by Daesh two and a half years ago that lies just 60km from the capital Baghdad.

Lieutenant General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, the head of the counter-terrorism forces in the operation, said the operation, which was launched in late May by the Iraqi army backed by US-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, was over and that the city was “fully liberated”.

He said 1,800 Iraqi fighters had been killed and as much as 30% of the city destroyed in the bloody battle to retake the city, which

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Iraqi military trucks during a military operation southwest of Fallujah on 25 May 2016 (epa)

fell to Isis in January 2014.

Humanitarian Catastrophe Many humanitarian agencies have issued warnings about unfolding humanitarian disaster in Falluja following the civilian exodus from the city.

A United Nation’s report said 80,000 people have fled during the four-week government offensive to drive back Daesh fighters, adding that a further 25,000 civilians are likely on the move.

Aid workers are struggling to provide food, water and medicine to people who are sleeping in the open in hopelessly overcrowded camps outside the city.

The Iraqi Parliament has declared Al Anbar Province, which includes Falluja a disaster province following the significant losses sustained by most areas and inhabitants due to the battles with Daesh.

The OIC had expressed deep concern on the impacts of Daesh’s control of the city of Falluja before its liberation. The OIC General Secretariat expressed deep distress over the news from Falluja about the killing and injury of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

The OIC called on the Iraqi Government to take necessary measures and give due attention to the serious humanitarian situation in Al Anbar Province, especially the conditions of the inhabitants of Falluja.

The General Secretariat also called upon all Member States and humanitarian organizations to give a helping hand urgently for the relief of Falluja residents.

The OIC reaffirmed its readiness to work for the delivery of humanitarian aids extended

by Member States through both the General Secretariat and the OIC Islamic Solidarity Fund.

IDB Confirms its Support for Iraq’s Development and Economic Growth

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group announced its strong commitment to work with Iraq’s government to develop an ambitious vision and tangible plans to advance the country and benefit its people.

“IDB wants to see the country’s economic growth back on track, decreasing its dependence on oil, focusing on agriculture and industry, and tackling unemployment,” said Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, IDB President.

Dr. Ali made his remarks in an address to the Iraqi parliament on Saturday, 26 March, during his visit to the region with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim. Dr. Ali said that the three organizations have agreed to work together to boost Iraq’s capabilities.

The heads of the three organizations held a working session with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, where they discussed various avenues for cooperation with Iraq. At the meeting, the Iraqi Prime Minister called on the IDB Group to contribute to efforts to reconstruct and rehabilitate conflict-afflicted regions in the country.

Dr. Ali noted that IDB, in collaboration with the Arab Coordination Group, the United Nations, the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the British Ministry for International Development, are working to increase their development assistance to Iraqi citizens. The assistance includes funding for basic services such as water and sanitation, power generation, education and health.

Dr. Ali and the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Mr. Ali Mohsen Ismail, who is also IDB Governor for Iraq, signed a US $300,000 grant agreement for launching mobile clinics to provide primary healthcare services in the country’s rural areas.

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OPINION 21st Century: A World Without Wars

By Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan

Through this global strategy we need to identify joint and responsible actions to be taken by all nations in order to destroy the virus of war

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Humanity hoped that the 21st century would herald a new era of global cooperation. This, however, may turn out to be a mirage.

Our world is once again in danger and the risks cannot be underestimated. The threat is a deadly war on a global scale.

At the dawn of the 21st century, stunning scientific discoveries are being made, and new technologies are being invented. The world is on the verge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Many horrific diseases are being successfully eradicated. But the virus of war continues to poison the international situation. It drives the military-industrial complex, which in some countries has become the most powerful sector of the economy.

It may even in the future infect the development of artificial intelligence.

There are more than one billion small firearms in the hands of people. Thousands of civilians die every day from their use.

In international relations, the risk of conflict has increased. Conflict has engulfed the historic battlegrounds of the two World Wars – Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is not fulfilling its purpose. Nuclear weapons and the technology that produce them have spread all over the world due to double standards of the main powers.

It may be just a matter of time before they fall into the hands of terrorists.

International terrorism has gained a more sinister character. It has moved from isolated acts in individual countries to a large scale terrorist aggression across Europe, Asia and Africa.

The exodus of millions of refugees, the destruction of sites and historic monuments have become an everyday reality.

Economic sanctions and trade wars are commonplace.

Our planet is now on the edge of a new Cold War, which could have devastating consequences for all humankind. This threatens the achievements of the last four decades.

As a result of successful negotiations, the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia have been reduced substantially. Five nuclear powers have announced and kept a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.

The process of forming regional security systems has accelerated. Coordinated action between world powers and UN peacekeeping operations saw many conflicts ended. However, today we are witnessing the erosion of these international security achievements.

This is causing an increasing and serious concern for millions of people. To end all wars is the most challenging task for our civilization. But there is no other reasonable alternative.

This task has to be treated by the world leaders as the highest priority on the global agenda. In the 21st century, humanity must take decisive steps towards demilitarization.

We won’t get another chance.

If this objective is not achieved, our planet will end as a graveyard of radioactive materials. Our planet is unique. We have no other home.

It is why we need a new comprehensive Program - “21st Century: A World Without Wars”.

Through this global strategy we need to identify joint and responsible actions to be taken by all nations in order to destroy the virus of war.

First, there must be gradual progress to a world free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

An important step, to which Kazakhstan made a significant contribution, has already been taken in the right direction. On December 7, 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World put forward by Kazakhstan. 25 years ago Kazakhstan permanently closed the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. Our newly independent state then voluntarily renounced the world’s 4th largest arsenal of nuclear weapons - the menacing legacy of the collapsed Soviet Union.

Under the IAEA auspices, Kazakhstan is to host the Low-Enriched Uranium Bank on its territory, which will allow countries to develop civilian nuclear energy. We now need global decisions to prohibit deploying lethal weapons in outer space, on the seabed and in international waters of the World Ocean, as well as in the Arctic.

We should develop and adopt international binding agreements to ban the creation of new types of weapons of mass destruction through new scientific discoveries.

Secondly, we must build on and expand existing geographical initiatives to gradually eliminate war as

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OPINION a way of life.

There are already six nuclear weapon free zones in the world. They encompass Antarctica, virtually the entire South Hemisphere, including Latin America, Africa, Australia, and Oceania. The newest is a zone free of nuclear weapons in Central Asia created 10 years ago in Semipalatinsk by five states of the region.

Now we must intensify international efforts to create a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

Thirdly, it is necessary to eliminate such relics of the Cold War as military blocs, which threaten global security and impede broader international cooperation.

That is why a Global Coalition of States for peace, stability, trust and security under the UN auspices should be set up against military blocs. Our common task for the next decade should be to end wars and conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Syria, in eastern Ukraine and the PalestinianIsraeli confrontation. We must reduce the dangerous potential of the situations on the Korean Peninsula, the basin of the South

China Sea, and the Arctic.

Fourthly it is important to adapt the international disarmament process to the new historic conditions.

A short-sighted dismantlement of previous treaty limitations on anti-missile systems and conventional arms has resulted in militarization in the political space of Eurasia.

We need a new strategy for the UN Conference on Disarmament.

The world needs to eliminate the new threat of cybercrime, which can become a very dangerous weapon if used by terrorists.

Fifthly, a world without war requires primarily fair global competition in international trade, finance, and development.

During the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, Kazakhstan proposed the development of a 2045 Global Strategic Initiative Plan. Its main goal is to eliminate the root causes of wars and conflicts. This can best be achieved through equal and fair access to infrastructure, resources and markets for all nations. The plan should be implemented in time for the 100th anniversary of the

United Nations in 2045.

Kazakhstan proposes to convene a high level UN Conference in 2016. At this conference we should confirm the basic principles of international law to prevent devastating wars and conflicts in the 21st century.

Peace is worth fighting for just as deliberately and persistently as did people in the past century. We should think hard about the future of our children and grandchildren.

My Manifesto “The World. The 21st Century” reflects a sincere concern for the fate of future generations. We, the leaders of states and politicians, bear an enormous responsibility for the future of the humanity.

As an individual who went through hardship and difficulties, and as a statesman who made a difficult decision to close the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and renounce nuclear weapons, I urgently call on world leaders and the entire international community to listen to reason.

We need to do our utmost to free humanity from the threat of deadly wars forever.

There is no more important goal.

Kazakhstan Holds Successful Parliamentary Elections The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on the successful conduct of Parliamentary elections held on 20 March 2016.

OIC Secretary General, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani expressed his satisfaction with the election process that he said was conducted in a “transparent, professional, free, peaceful and orderly manner.”

He commended the people of Kazakhstan who “in a massive turnout, casted their votes displaying great sense of responsibility and indicating their desire to further contribute to the consolidation of democracy in their country.”

Mr. Madani further wished the people and government of Kazakhstan more success in their endeavors to build a better future for the country.

The Secretary General had dispatched an observer team to monitor the Parliamentary Election in Kazakhstan following the invitation received from the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan.

The parliamentary elections were held in Kazakhstan on 20 March 2016 after president Nursultan Nazarbayev dissolved the country’s parliament known as Mazhilis, citing the economic crisis caused by low oil prices.

Under normal circumstances, the term of the Mazhilis would have expired in Autumn 2016.

Kazakhstan’s ruling party Nur Otan won a landslide victory with 84 parliamentary seats out of 98 total seats, while Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol and Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan won 7 seats each.

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People vote at a polling station during the parliamentary elections in the village of Kordai, some 250 km south of Almaty, Kazakhstan, 20 Martch 2016 (epa)

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WORLD AFFAIRS The String of Terrorist Attacks Continue

Crime scene investigators at scene after a suicide bomb attack at Ataturk Airport (epa)

Turkish police block the road after a suicide bomb attack at Ataturk Airport (epa)

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned several terrorist attacks that occurred in some countries in recent months including the attack on Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday, 28 June 2016, which resulted in killing and maiming many innocent people.

OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and the Government and people of Turkey and wished the injured quick recovery.

The Organization also strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on Al-Qaa in the Baalbek province of Lebanon on 27 June 2016, which killed and injured many innocent citizens.

An incident of bombing in Lahore, East Pakistan’s biggest city on 27 March 2016, which killed 65 innocent citizens and injured over 200 others, was also denounced by the OIC General Secretariat.

OIC had earlier condemned a bomb attack believed to have been detonated by two female suicide bombers on Tuesday, 16 March 2016, in Umurari Molai area in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State in northeast Nigeria.

The attack resulted in the death of at least 22 worshippers and injured more than 35 others who have gathered for the dawn prayers.

The Secretary General of OIC also condemned in the strictest terms the terrorist attacks perpetrated at various locations in the Belgian Capital, Brussels in March 2016, which killed at least 13 people and injured many more innocent and peaceful people.

Other terrorist acts condemned by the OIC in recent months include the attacks carried out by terrorists in the Somalian capital, Mogadishu on 25th June 2016 causing the death of at least fifteen people, including the Somali Minister for the Environment, Buri Hamza and injury of scores of others.

Other countries affected by terrorist acts in recent months are Jordan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Nigeria, Niger, Mali and the attack in the city center of Kabul, Afghanistan on 19 April 2016, which killed 28 persons and injured hundreds of people.

The OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani reiterated the solidarity of OIC and its firm support for all the affected countries and stressed his absolute rejection of the despicable terrorist acts, some of which were executed in The Holy Month of Ramadan.

He reiterated the principled and constant position of the OIC of rejecting all forms and manifestations of terrorism.

He called on OIC Member States to work together and strengthen their coordination to combat the scourge of terrorism, which has become a veritable threat to their security and stability.

He also called for solidarity and cooperation among the international community to save the world from the evil of terrorism by addressing its causes and various contexts and by focusing on preventive dimensions through exchange of information and expertise among counter terrorism agencies.

He reassured of the OIC’s commitments to international counter terrorism efforts and of its readiness to continue coordination and joint action in this regard.

As for the bloody massacre that took place in Florida in the United States of America on June 12, the OIC cautioned against rush to judgment, political campaigning and self-serving agendas. It stressed the misgivings of hasty judgment, media aggrandizement and Islamophopic discourse; emphasizing the need to wait for full official investigation to take place and for the motivations and causes of the massacre to be revealed. The massacre, as terrible as it is, must not be taken out of its context as a domestic American case.

OIC Legal Experts Examined Additional Protocols to Combat International Terrorism Legal experts from OIC member states met in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 9 May 2016 to revisit the OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism.

OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, who was represented at the meeting by Adviser Ambassador Abdul Moiz Bokhari, emphasized that combating international terrorism and preventing violent extremism was an area where OIC member countries could succeed only through enhancing cooperation among all the stakeholders. Cooperation in combating terrorism is

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among the key objectives and principles of the OIC Charter. The Secretary General reaffirmed the relevance of the Code of Conduct on Combating Terrorism and Convention on Combating International Terrorism as two policy documents of principal importance, which were agreed to after prolonged negotiations and hard work in 1994 and 1999 respectively. He added that it was high time for all concerned to explore and utilize the various provisions for confronting the mounting surge of terrorism.

The meeting thanked the General Secretariat for

submitting a pre-draft “Additional Protocol” to the OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism, exchanged general views on various legal aspects contained in the draft.

The Meeting undertook the first reading of predraft additional protocol and noted that in view of the technical nature of the subject matter; the legal experts in the headquarters would need to be consulted. The additional protocol related, inter alia, to the subjects of cyber space terrorism, terrorist financing, trans-boundary terrorist network and observing the human rights.

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OIC Expresses Concern over Humanitarian Situation in Syria The OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani has expressed serious concern over the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Syrian regions affected by the ongoing crises in the country.

Madani stated this during a meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) held on 17 May 2016 in Vienna, Austria.

The OIC Secretary General reiterated his commitment to join the international community’s efforts to resolve the Syrian Crisis.

The ISSG’s meeting was convened by the Co- chairs US and Russia to reaffirm the strong determination of the ISSG to maintain the cessation of hostilities alive, to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all people in Syria and that the peaceful political process is on the right track.

The ISSG members reiterated the urgent need to allow unhindered access to humanitarian assistance to all Syrians and in all locations.

They reaffirmed their readiness to ensure that concrete steps are taken to urgently deliver humanitarian aid to Arbeen Darraya, Douma, East Hasta, Mouadhimiyeh, Zabadin and Zamalka and to pursue delivery to other besieged and hard-to-reach areas.

The Members of the ISSG reaffirmed their conviction that cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access to all Syrians in need is an important leverage for ensuring productive and inclusive political intra Syrian talks.

The OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani also strongly condemned several airstrikes carried out by Syrian regime on civilian areas.

On one of such airstrikes, carried out

by Syrian regime in April 2016, Madani strongly condemned the airstrikes, which targeted regions under the control of the Syrian opposition in the city of Aleppo as well as the residential areas, mosques and health facilities including Al-Quds Hospital in Aleppo.

The airstrikes resulted in the death of more than 200 civilians including children during the week.

Madani called on the international community, particularly the sides that undertook to impose the cessation of hostilities in Syria, for rapid intervention to stop the massacres endured by the residential areas, which has caused the death of innocent civilians and the rise in systematic killing operations, destruction and devastation of the city of Aleppo.

Madani considered the targeting of hospitals as war crimes, which the Syrian regime must be held accountable for, and that the sides supporting the regime must be held responsible for the continuation of these violations.

On a separate occasion, OIC Secretary General condemned the heinous bloodshed committed by the Syrian regime’s air force in the village of Deir al-Assafir in the Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, which claimed the lives of over 30 civilians, mostly children.

The raid also targeted two Civil Defense centers leading to many deaths and injuries.

The site of airstrikes in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Kalasa in Aleppo, Syria, 28 April 2016 (epa)

IDB Launches E-education for 2 Million Syrian Children and Orphans A girl look as Syrian refugees arrive to a camp at the Jordan border. Around 5000 Syrians fled recent attacks on the Syrian city of Aleppo into Jordan (epa)

Tripoli, Lebanon – A new IDB initiative, ‘No Syrian Child Left Behind’, will offer an estimated two million children and orphans electronic access to the Syrian education curriculum, no matter where the children are located.

The President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, announced the groundbreaking initiative in Tripoli on March 24.

The launch came during a two-day joint visit to Lebanon by a highprofile delegation comprised of Dr. Ali, United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim. The objective of the joint visit was to rally global support for the shared responsibility of promoting peace and development in the

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Middle East and North Africa region.

“This e-learning initiative is expected to reach nearly two million Syrian students wherever they are, either in regular classrooms or displaced with no access to teachers and text books,” said Dr. Ali. “This is our way to reach these large numbers of young people.”

The initiative is funded by IDB in collaboration with Qatar Charity and the Syrian Scientific Society. The educational materials meet the highest professional and educational standards.

Dr. Ali emphasized that the education of Syrian children is a top priority for Islamic institutions, the international humanitarian system, and the development community as a whole.

“There is no way to share the desired prosperity, equality and respect for the rights of everyone as long as millions of Syrian refugee children are deprived of education,” he said.

IDB, the Qatar Foundation and the Syrian Education Commission worked together to publish and distribute approximately 10 million Syrian curriculum-based textbooks and will continue to reach out to Syrian students. IDB is also rehabilitating and reconstructing schools and is focusing on boosting educational support at all levels.

Dr. Ali called on all development finance institutions, Islamic volunteer organizations and education advocates to help Syrian students obtain locally and internationally accredited secondary school certificates.

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OIC NEWS

Group photo of participants in 4th International Humanitarian Forum, Kuwait, 8 May 2016

4TH International Humanitarian Action Forum

Stresses the Need for Effective Partnerships Among Humanitarian Institutions Kuwait – The world is facing an unprecedented humanitarian challenge that is stretching the capabilities of the international humanitarian system.

With more people than ever in need of humanitarian assistance, living in the worst humanitarian situation since World War 2, there is need for effective partnerships among humanitarian institutions to meet the needs of humanitarian duty whenever disaster struck.

That is one of the sentiments shared at the 4th International Humanitarian Action Forum held in Kuwait on 8 and 9 May 2016, co-sponsored by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the International Red Cross Committee.

In a speech delivered on his behalf at the forum with the theme: “Partnership: Strength and Sustainability” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait H.E. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, noted that it was no longer possible for charitable organization to work in isolation today.

“Effective partnership would remain one of the pillars of humanitarian, charitable and development action in a situation of growing numbers of disasters’ victims as well as of refugees and displaced persons which have exceeded 60 million individuals, according to United Nations estimates,” said minister Al-Sabah who was represented by H.E. Mr. Yaqoub Abdul Mohsen Al-Saig, Minister of Justice of Kuwait.

On his part, the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ambassador Hisham Yousef, in a speech he read on behalf of the constitutive committee of the Forum, thanked the State of Kuwait for the huge humanitarian efforts it has been making over the years.

He recalled Kuwait’s hosting of the three Syria support conferences, its co-sponsorship of the 4th conference in London, and its donation of close to $1.6 bn to the Syrian people.

He equally hailed the choice of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, as an international leader in humanitarian action, in recognition of his important humanitarian role.

The 4th International Humanitarian Action Forum was hosted by Mercy International, Kuwait, the International Islamic Relief Organ-

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isation, Qatar Charity, Munazamat Daawa Al-Islamiya, Humanitarian Relief Organisation, Human Rights and Freedoms, Turkey and the Centre for Research and Studies (MEDAD).

In a speech delivered on behalf of the participating delegations, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Munazamat Daawa AlIslamiya, former Sudanese president H.E. Mr. Abdulrahman Suwar Dhahab, observed that charitable humanitarian work was a noble human ideal.

He noted that humanitarian action plays a major role in developing societies and strengthening the bonds of relationship between them, which is why it is worth being called people diplomacy, given its concrete role in building man, developing societies, and addressing social and economic problems.

In his speech at the meeting, the Secretary General of “Mercy International” Mr. Yahya Sulaiman Al-Aqili, who intervened on behalf of the organizing committee of the Forum, stressed that the 4th Forum brought together the theoretical aspects of partnership and practical experiences and lessons learnt in order to come up with practical outcomes for the annual event.

The Forum witnessed effective translation of this year’s theme of: “Partnership: Strength and Sustainability” into reality, as partnership agreements were signed between the Munazamat Daawa Al-Islamiya, represented by Mr. Abdulrahman Suwar Dhahab and Mercy International, represented by Mr. Al-Aqili, who also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar Charity, represented by its Executive Director, Muhammad Al-Ghamidi.

4TH International Humanitarian Action Forum: • Declared the International Forum for Humanitarian Action as a neutral entity with its own principles, fundamentals and regulations • Adopted the “Humanitarian Organizations’ Guidebook on Security Risk Management” • “Qatar Charity” to prepare a draft code of conduct Launch of an Annual Award for Innovation, Achievement and Excellence • Elaborate a “Handbook on Partnership in Humanitarian Action”

by MEDAD

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS Urgent Medical Aid Convoy to Yemen in Coordination with King Salman Center

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabea (C) at convoy launch site

Amb. Fouad Maznae

A convoy of urgent medical assistance by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was dispatched from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on 16 May 2016 to the Republic of Yemen. This was done in Relief and Humnitarian Action Center following consultations between the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, and the Adviser in the Saudi Royal Court and Supervisor of the Center, Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz Al-Rabea.

The medical assistance convoy was launched by Dr. Al-Rabea in the presence of the Minister of Domestic Management in the Republic of Yemen, H.E. Mr. Abdur Raqeeb Fatah, and the Consultant in the

Department of Humanitarian Affairs of the OIC General Secretariat, Ambassador Fouad Maznae.

Ambassador Maznae explained that the consignment of medical assistance channeled to the Yemeni people was financed by the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Solidarity Fund, while the OIC Humanitarian Office in Yemen would distribute them in consultation and coordination with the Yemeni government. He stated that the assistance would be distributed to hospitals and health facilities in Yemen’s major cities, including Aden, Lahj, Abyan and Taiz.

The consignment is part of a package of urgent humanitarian assistance the OIC is preparing to send to Yemen in consultation and coordination with relevant authorities of the Yemeni government.

This is the outcome of efforts undertaken by the OIC soon after the coordination meeting by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah in June 2015, which was held at the request of the Republic of Yemen to discuss the developments of the humanitarian situation in the country. The 13th Islamic Summit held in Istanbul in April 2016 called for the convening of a development humanitarian international conference to mobilize the necessary resources to assist the Yemeni people.

The OIC General Secretariat is also working on coordinating the efforts of OIC Member States and regional and international organizations and bodies, including OIC affiliated humanitarian institutions, to take urgent relief and humanitarian measures, provide medical and emergency assistance and to provide food and shelter for victims and the injured.

The OIC has also sponsored recently two conferences of non-governmental organizations in the Member States – in Istanbul and Doha – for providing necessary humanitarian assistance to the Yemeni people where the total pledges made exceeded $400 million.

A Mechanism for Cooperation with Humanitarian Organizations to Channel Relief The Council of Non-Governmental Organizations enjoying OIC consultative status held its second meeting in Jeddah, at the OIC General Secretariat’s headquarters.

The two-day meeting ended on Thursday, 23 June 2016.

At the opening session, the President of the IDB Group, Dr. Ahmed Mohammad Ali, delivered a statement in which he called on the participants to examine ways to activate the resolution adopted by the Islamic Summit recently held in Istanbul, concerning the economic empowerment of Palestinians. He laid emphasis on the importance of the steps taken by the OIC in setting up a working group for the execution of the said resolution which does not relate to governments only but also to the private sector and all civil society formations.

Dr. Ahmed Ali noted the successful experience of the IDB through Al Aqsa Fund, with multiple projects executed for economic

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empowerment that benefited thousands of Palestinians.

After that, Saudi businessman and philanthropist, Mr. Saleh Al-Turki, delivered a statement in which he affirmed that enabling humanitarian action entails the necessity to meet certain procedures, conditions and requisites, particularly since this sector became the target of vicious aggression and association with terrorism.

He called for the development of an institutional culture for humanitarian action, away from individual action, in addition to achieving a transit from a haphazard approach to one that focuses on sustained development projects, with a well-defined strategy and the provision of well-trained human resources.

In the address of the Secretary General, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, which was delivered on his behalf by Dr. Youssef Al Othaimeen, Director General of Cabinet, he indicated.

that the world He added. that the meeting aimed at establishing a mechanism for cooperation between the OIC and the humanitarian organizations for the extension of assistance to the needy, to exchange expertise and benefit from the experience of these organizations in the zones afflicted with crises, wars and disasters, as well as to explore ways to develop the capacities of civil society institutions in the Member States.

Al Othaimeen noted that available statistics point to an alarming rise in the numbers of refugees and locally displaced people all across the world to such an extent that refugees have come to account for 65 million individuals, two thirds of whom are found in OIC Member States, which therefore calls for a different approach as to the mechanisms dealing with this humanitarian catastrophe.

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS World Humanitarian Summit Endorses Agenda for Humanity OIC Secretary General Stresses on Preparedness and Conflict Prevention

Closing ceremony of WHS in Istanbul with UN Secretary General and President of Turkey (by WHS)

Istanbul – Leaders concluded the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul endorsing five responsibilities to improve aid delivery, support refugees, uphold international law, increase financing and prevent the crises generating the largest migration flows in 70 years.

“This unique Summit has set us on a new course,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in closing remarks. “It is not an end point, but a turning point”.

Governments, people affected by crisis, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the United Nations had come together to support the Agenda for Humanity and its five core responsibilities. “Implementing this Agenda is a necessity if we are to enable people to live in dignity and prosperity,” he declared.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, said that, given the commitments participants had made during the two days, strong action, rather than empty words, must now follow. Indeed, no country could remain indifferent to the stark differences among countries, where one could be wealthy while millions of people lived in poverty in a neighboring State.

The World Humanitarian Summit (WHS),

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held in Istanbul, Turkey on 23-24 May 2016, gathered global and local leaders from government, business, civil society, academia, young people and affected communities to address challenges facing humanitarian work, make commitments and announce concrete actions to end conflict, alleviate suffering and reduce risk.

Iyad Ameen Madani, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) stressed at the general plenary session of the WHS that preparedness and conflict prevention should play a vital role in any humanitarian strategy and program in order for it to be successful, inclusive and sustainable.

“The global humanitarian system has been stretched beyond its limits,” said Madani.

“Financial resources are becoming scarcer as a result of the global economic situation and humanitarian demand is skyrocketing. The humanitarian community is finding it difficult to keep pace with the everincreasing humanitarian demands due to prolonged conflicts with far reaching implications on the social fabric of societies, the environment, and hard-earned development gains,” he added.

That is why the OIC welcomed the invita-

tion of the United Nations Secretary General to hold this Summit to collectively deal with the challenges and shape a new road map and agenda for humanitarian action on the global, regional and local levels. The OIC played an active role in the preparations for the Summit and it welcomes the report of the UN Secretary General presented to the Summit “One humanity: Shared responsibility”.

The OIC Secretary General emphasized that the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality constitute the cornerstone of humanitarian action. “We should not be satisfied by reconfirming these principles but go further by ensuring that they are honored and respected,” he said.

Secretary General Madani outlined OIC’s commitments within the framework of the report of the UN Secretary General presented to the Summit to assist UN efforts in addressing the fast deteriorating global humanitarian situation. These commitments fall under the five main pillars that were addressed in the Summit: preventing and ending conflicts, upholding the norms that safeguard humanity, addressing forced displacement, meeting people’s humanitarian needs including those of women and children, and finally investing in humanitarian work.

“The OIC is a unique organization in as far as humanitarian issues are concerned as it includes amongst its members some of the most generous global humanitarian donors and at the same time a number of countries that constitute the biggest humanitarian challenge for the international community,” said the Secretary General.

He pointed out that seven out of the ten largest refugee populations are hosted by OIC Member States. Furthermore, the needs of its members vary across the spectrum of humanitarian needs from those generated by political crises and protracted conflicts to recurrent crises and countries that are vulnerable to various kinds of natural disasters.

The OIC Secretariat aims to capitalize on the culture and traditions of Islamic giving in humanitarian action to save lives, allevi-

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS

OIC Secretary General speaking at the session on Islamic Social Finance (by WHS)

ate the suffering of those in need and to support the efforts of national and local humanitarian organizations.

At the leaders’ roundtable session on “Preventing and Ending Conflicts” the Secretary General said that the OIC is committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes and committed to advance our early warning capabilities. The OIC is also steadily advancing the capacity of its team working on prevention, conflict analysis and resolution, Madani added. Moreover, it will strengthen the existing and establish new and effective partnerships with international, regional, and local actors to advance its abilities in this area.

He referred to the recently held Wise Persons Council of the OIC that consists of a number of former presidents to assist efforts in prevention and conflict resolution.

It agreed to set preventive diplomacy at the heart of peace architecture and on a number of priority areas. It also agreed to pay particular attention to the most vulnerable segments of societies.

The Secretary General also announced that the OIC has launched a process of Islamic rapprochement in a resolution at the 13th Islamic Summit. The process of Islamic rapprochement aims at achieving a new paradigm of relations in the OIC Member States through the demonstration of goodwill and constructive approach for peaceful resolution of disputes, respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

In the Special Session on Islamic Social Finance, the Secretary General stated that the culture and traditions of Islamic giving has been and continues to be a crucial element in dealing with global humanitarian needs. “People in the Islamic world have been extremely generous despite the poor economic conditions in many countries in the Islamic world,” he said.

He went on to explain Islamic Social Finance, which focuses on three segments of Islamic giving, Zakat (one of the 5 pillars of Islam it is a form of alms or religious

tax), Sadaqat (charitable giving) and Awqaf (endowment), as well as cooperative-based social finance and contemporary Islamic microfinance to deal with poverty alleviation and bridging the development-financing gaps.

The OIC has also cosponsored two side events at the WHS. The first is in partnership with the Turkish Red Crescent and the second in partnership with the Humanitarian Forum.

The two-day Summit brought together 55 Heads of State and Government and other officials from 173 countries as well as hundreds of representatives from the private sector and thousands from civil society. In addition, the Summit featured seven highlevel leaders’ round table discussions in which Heads of State and Government and representatives of civil society, the private sector, philanthropy and the United Nations announced commitments to improve humanitarian responses.

Fifteen special sessions were held, in which participants outlined individual pledges to help those affected by disasters and conflict.

OIC Assistant Secretary General (L) Amb. Hisham Yousef in one of the sessions (by WHS)

OIC and Qatar Sign Agreement Establishing OIC Humanitarian Funds Secretariat The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, and the Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar H.E. Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdur Rahman Al Thani signed an agreement to establish the OIC Humanitarian Funds Secretariat in Doha. The signing ceremony, which took place in Istanbul on the sidelines of the Word Humanitarian Summit on 23 May 2016, was attended by the chairman of the Council of Trustees of Humanitarian Funds Sheikh Dr. Abdul Azeez

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Al Thani and the Director of the Department of Development, Dr. Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al-Marikhi. Under the agreement, the permanent secretariat of the Funds shall be based in Doha, State of Qatar.

It should be noted that paragraph 22 of resolution 1/42 - ICHAD, adopted by the 42nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers welcomed the agreement between the OIC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar on hosting the headquarters of the Funds operating in Afghanistan, Bosnia Herze-

govina, and Sierra Leone. The resolution also welcomed the effort of the General Secretariat to reform and restructure the OIC Funds in cooperation with their governing bodies and combining all the funds under one fund with windows for different countries. It also suggested devising a window for emergency assistance to enable the General Secretariat and its humanitarian implementing partners to provide timely life-saving response and immediate recovery to populations affected by disasters.

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OIC Ramadan Activities in Partnership with Humanitarian Organizations

OIC Humanitarian Funds distributes food in Central African Republic

In the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s efforts in the holy month of Ramadan each year, its humanitarian offices carried out activities in a number of Member States, in partnership with several humanitarian organizations, especially in Palestine, Somalia and Central Africa and for the Syrian refugees in Turkey.

These activities and projects are aimed at helping the neediest families to provide them with the basic necessities and to alleviate their suffering during the month of Ramadan.

The OIC Office for the Coordination Of Humanitarian Work in the Gaza Strip received a delegation of Turkiye Diyanet Foundation where 1200 food packages were distributed, in addition organizing Iftar meals for 1000 orphans and 4 Iftars for 500 people in different areas of the Gaza Strip. The Organization also distributed 1400 food parcels funded by the World Islamic Relief Organization of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The OIC implemented other projects in cooperation with Alkhir Foundation in Britain, the Malaysian Consultative Council (MAPIM), and the Saudi campaign for the Relief of the Palestinian people.

As for the humanitarian efforts for Syrian refugees in Turkey, the OIC distributed three thousand food baskets to the Syrian and Palestinian refugees and 30,000 packets of milk for children in partnership with the Turkish Hayat Yolu Association. In addition, four Iftars were organized for Syrian students.

Also, 1500 food baskets were distributed in partnership with Den-

iz Feneri Association.

Moreover, on the occasion of the orphan day in the Islamic world, on 15 Ramadan, the OIC organized Iftar in cooperation with Turkish civil society organizations through its office in Turkey.

In Somalia, the OIC Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Work held a meeting for all civil society organizations- members of the OIC Humanitarian Coalition- to discuss the best ways for coordinating humanitarian efforts activities and projects relating to Iftar distribution. In this context, the Saudi National Campaign prepared a plan for the distribution of Ramadan Iftars for 45,000 families. The Office also prepared for observing the orphan day on 15 Ramadan.

With regards the humanitarian situation in Central Africa, the OIC coordinated with a number of humanitarian organizations, especially from Qatar, to provide food assistance to the Central African Republic during the month of Ramadan.

On the other hand, OIC humanitarian funds launched humanitarian programs in a number of Member States. The Chairman of the OIC Humanitarian Funds Board of Trustees, Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Thani, said that on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, a project aimed at organizing Iftar for residents of Al-Quds Al-Shareef and neighboring areas was launched, as well as a project to combat poverty will be implemented through humanitarian offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Afghanistan by executing programs and projects for economic empowerment.

Workshop on Building a Better Response to Humanitarian Emergencies The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held a two-day workshop – Wednesday and Thursday, 16-17 March 2016 – at its headquarters in Jeddah on building the capacity of NGOs working in the humanitarian field to respond to humanitarian emergencies.

The workshop titled “Building a Better Response” – presented in Arabic – included training on humanitarian principles, coordination systems and the cluster approach as well as on the humanitarian program cycle and financing and the use of technology and innovation in humanitarian coordination. Several NGOs from Arab member states participated in the workshop.

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The workshop comes as part of the OIC’s efforts to boost the capacity of its partners in humanitarian work and its humanitarian offices in order to improve their ability to respond to the needs of affected communities.

Worth noting that the OIC has agreed to hold four workshops on “Building a Better Response” in cooperation with USAID, International Medical Corps, Concern Worldwide and Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. The workshop in Jeddah is the first of the four workshops. The other three will be held in different locations in the Middle East and North Africa region during this year.

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OIC NEWS Consultations Round between OIC and the Russian Federation

The OIC-Russian Federation political consultations committee held a meeting in the Russian capital, Moscow, on 14 March 2016. It was chaired on the OIC side by Ambassador Abdurahman Alim, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, and on the Russian side by Ambassador Konstantin Shuvalov, Special Representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for cooperation with the Alliance of Civilizations.

The consultations reviewed the state of OIC-Russian Federation bilateral relations in all fields. Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening the relations, diversifying their fields and encouraging participations in economic conferences and forums organized by both sides. They exchanged views on developments relating to several regional and international issues, foremost of which is the issue of Palestine, the situation in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen, the conflicts in Africa and how to combat terrorism and extremism. They also reviewed the situation of Muslim minorities in Russia and the world. Both sides recalled each other’s positions on these issues and emphasized the importance of coordination and consultation in support of international efforts to enthrone peace, stability and development in the world.

On another hand, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and African Countries and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov, on 15 March 2016 at the headquarters of the Russian Foreign Ministry received the OIC General Secretariat’s delegation participating in the consultations. The meeting discussed ways on strengthening bilateral relations between the OIC and Russia in all areas of cooperation.

OIC Secretary General and President of Guinea Discuss Ebola, Development and Terrorism

H.E the President of the Republic of Guinea, Alpha Conde, received on 23 March 2016 at the Hospitality Palace in Makkah, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani.

The discussions covered issues concerning bilateral relations and the means to support and develop them as well as regional issues

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President of Guinea Alpha Conde (R)

of west and central Africa.

The President of Guinea expressed his appreciation of the continued efforts exerted by the OIC and its Secretary General to support Guinea in various fields, commending in particular on what the OIC did in helping his country eradicate the Ebola Virus. He called for boosting the work of OIC in combating poverty and unemployment among the youth, considering that this will contribute effectively in the battle against terrorism. President Alpha Conde also stressed on the important role of OIC in supporting economic cooperation and integration and mega projects in the area of the River Niger, which springs out of Guinea, and what will that represent in developing those countries and creating work opportunities for the unemployed. He also stressed on the importance of attracting investors and capital in the Islamic countries to Africa, which has an abundance of natural resources.

From his side, the OIC Secretary General presented the goals, which the OIC seeks to achieve, pointing particularly to the programs and projects in the Sahel region and in west and central Africa. He called on these countries to bolster their efforts to counter the challenges to social and economic development and advancement of youth and women. In this context, Madani said that health and micro financing represent a priority in the human development process, stressing also on the need to enhancing cultural exchange among the member states.

He also stressed on the stability of the member states as a precondition to win the challenge of social and economic development.

He emphasized, in this regard, the need for joint Islamic action against terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram.

President of Egypt Sends a Letter of Support and Appreciation to the Secretary General

H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, has sent a letter to the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),

Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, end of March expressing appreciation of the OIC’s efforts in serving the ummah. In the letter, President El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s appreciation of the efforts by the OIC General Secretariat in championing the causes of the Muslim world and defending its interests.

He also lauded the OIC’s efforts at countering the continuous attempts to distort the image of Islam during this critical time when the ummah is facing an onslaught of attacks against Islam to tarnish it with allegations that contradict its principles of tolerance and justice and peace. President El-Sisi also commended the OIC’s efforts in settling disputes and conflicts and preserving the rights of the Muslim communities in countries where they suffer from marginalization, injustice and oppression, most often to the extent of systematic violence against them.

The President attributed this to the spread of Islamophobia, a phenomenon, he asserted, that must be confronted with resolve by all friendly countries, given the values of Islam which call for brotherhood, fraternity and peace. The President stated that one of the most serious challenges facing the Muslim ummah and the world is terrorism. He pointed out that many OIC Member States are affected by the phenomenon as Muslims suffer the scourge of terrorist groups with extremist ideologies, which associate Islam with their faulty readings of religious texts.

President El-Sisi made reference to Egypt’s chairmanship of the 12th Islamic summit and assured of his country’s continued support for the OIC and its activities in all fields.

He also assured of Egypt’s commitment to participate effectively in OIC meetings, especially the troika of the summit chairmanship, the ministerial council and executive committee and to support the General Secretariat deliver on its mandates in accordance with the Charter.

Madani Attends Inauguration Ceremony of President Hashim Thaçi in Kosovo

The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, traveled to Pristina, capital of Kosovo, on 7 April 2016, to partake in the ceremonies of the inauguration of H.E. Hashim Thaçi, President elect of the country. The visit of the OIC Secretary General

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OIC NEWS

Newly elected President of the Republic of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, 08 April 2016 (epa)

came in response to an invitation from the Government of Kosovo and included audiences with senior officials there to review bilateral relations between Kosovo and the OIC. It is worth noting that the issue of Kosovo and its people figure among the priority agenda items of the OIC General Secretariat, which has been contributing diligent efforts to urge its Member States and other countries to recognize Kosovo in accordance with the resolutions issued by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. The OIC has also extended its consistent support to Kosovo in its drive to accede to the UNESCO and UN membership

OIC Delegation Participates in Geneva Conference on Preventing Violent Extremism

The delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), led by its Permanent Representative to the EU in Brussels, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev, participated in the two-day Geneva Conference on Preventing Violent Extremism - The Way Forward, co-organized by the United Nations in partnership with the Government of Switzerland, on 7 and 8 April 2016.

The OIC representative delivered a speech on behalf of the Secretary General of the OIC, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, during the High level segment of the Conference, which was opened by the UN Secretary General and the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, on 8 April 2016.

In his statement, the OIC Representative stressed the hope of the OIC that this conference will refine the international community’s response to preventing violent extremism at all levels. He underlined the importance of having, through the UNSG Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, a basis for devising effective national and

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regional measures to address genuinely this global phenomenon.

The OIC Representative further added that, at the wake of tragic terrorist attacks occurring in many countries, we need to be united to provide a strong and honest response and action towards addressing violent extremism all around the word and in a collaborative manner.

Amb. Mehdiyev provided further details on the OIC efforts in the fight against extremism, radicalization and international terrorism, which fall entirely in the scope of the key priority areas identified in the UN SG Plan of Action on Preventing Violent Extremism.

The OIC Representative finally recalled that OIC Member States are among the countries that suffer the most from terrorism and Violent extremism and that it is of paramount importance to dissociate such violent extremism from any religion, nationality or race and to address the real root causes in a concerted manner. He concluded by offering the OIC’s effective partnership to the UN and other partners in promoting peace and a world of hope, dignity and Justice.

The OIC Group in Geneva has also issued during the conference a statement underlining the OIC positions toward the UN SG plan of action as well as the engagement of Member states in preventing violent extremism and in coming up jointly with all stakeholders with concrete actions to combat violent extremism.

form for cooperation besides its important contribution in maintaining peace, security and stability in Asia.

The statement highlighted the fact that Muslim Asian countries are an active and important OIC members and indicated that the OIC has a strategic plan for the Central Asian countries focusing on eight critical areas of activities, including agro-industrial development, vocational training, human capital development and the development of the social sector.

The statement referred to the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestine as top agenda of OIC. It stated that the OIC is deeply concerned about the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and firmly believe that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East by putting an end to occupation and establishing an independent and viable Palestinian State on all Palestinian territories with East Jerusalem as capital, is the only way to bring durable peace, security and restore confidence to the region.

The statement referred also to the OIC positions regarding the situations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, JammuKashmir and the situation of Muslim minorities in non-OIC countries. The statement highlighted as well other common issues with CICA such as combating terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, drug trafficking, energy security, global financial crisis and UN reform.

At CICA 5th Meeting of the Ministers OIC Secretary General Holds Talks of Foreign affairs OIC Underscores with Kyrgyz President on Boosting Enhancing Cooperation Bilateral Cooperation Following an official invitation addressed

by MR. Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, OIC participated in the Fifth Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign affairs of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Beijing on 27th and 28th April 2016.

In his statement on behalf of the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, the Director General for Political Affairs Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakhit stressed that the OIC’s attendance to the conference is a testimony of its keen determination to further enhance the cooperation with other regional and international organizations including CICA which is considered as an active international organization and a credible plat-

The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Almazbeck Atambayev received on 2 May 2016, at the presidential palace in the capital Bishkek, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the most effective ways of enhancing cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the OIC and its various affiliated organs and institutions.

President Atambayev underscored the importance of fostering Islamic unity to face up to the current and emerging challenges confronting the Islamic world. He highlighted the need for coming to grips with the underlying causes of the twin phenomena of terrorism and violent extremism. He also indicated the

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OIC NEWS Coordination Meeting of Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers at OIC Mission in New York

President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbeck Atambayev (R)

importance of promoting socio-economic development within the framework of intra-OIC cooperation.

For his part, the Secretary General called for Kyrgyzstan’s deeper engagement in the various activities and programs of the OIC in a bid to promote investment in Kyrgyzstan and serve both the national interests of Kyrgyzstan and the interests of the wider Central Asian region.

On the same day, Madani held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Soronbai Jeenbekov, during which the two sides reviewed the potential areas of cooperation between the OIC and Kyrgyzstan.

Mr. Jeenbekov billed the visit of Madani as a milestone that provides fresh impetus to the consolidation of bilateral cooperation between the OIC and Bishkek.

As part of his official visit, the Secretary General later met with the Speaker of Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), Chinibai Tyrsunbekov.

Consultations between the two officials dwelt on the OIC economic, cultural, and social conventions whose ratification by the Kyrgyz Parliament will contribute to strengthening OIC-Kyrgyz cooperative relations within the legal frameworks adopted by successive OIC Summits and meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFMs).

Madani wrapped up his official visit to Kyrgyzstan with a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Erlan Abdyldaev. The two sides exchanged views on a number of issues, notably the best ways and means of fostering joint Islamic action in regional and international fora in the political, economic, and cultural fields. The Secretary General also met with the president of the Diplomatic Academy, Noor-Lan Aytamurzayev, and discussed cooperation in the field of Central Asian studies.

During the visit the Secretary General went to the Turkish-Kyrgyz University Manas and met with its president, faculty and students.

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The Permanent Observer Mission of the OIC to the United Nations in New York hosted a Core Group coordination meeting of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers on May 4, 2016 with the participation of a high level visiting OIC General Secretariat delegation.

The aim of the Network is to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of peacefocused efforts through collaboratively supporting and strengthening the positive role of religious and traditional actors in peace and peace-building processes.

The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers was initiated in 2013 as a direct result of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s report titled “Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution” (UN GA Report A/66/811, 2012) and the supporting guidance titled “UN Guidance for Effective Mediation” (UN GA Resolution 65/283, 2012). The report stated that “Religious leaders and faith-based organizations play an important mediating role in many conflict situations. These leaders have unique connections to local communities and frequently enjoy the trust of the conflicting parties”, and yet “are often not fully acknowledged, and their potential contribution remains underutilized”.

As a response to this call, the Network was launched in the stewardship of a Core Group – Religions for Peace, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Finn Church Aid – that has given direction and ensured inclusivity in the setting-up phase. The KAICIID Dialogue Centre joined the Core Group in August 2015. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland as the main financial supporter is invited to attend the Core Group meetings. The Network also regularly consults with the Mediation Support Unit in the

Coordination meeting of Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers

UN Department of Political Affairs and the UN Alliance of Civilizations.

The OIC Attends the UNGA High-Level Meeting on Religions for Peace

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the High-Level Conversation on the important theme of Religions for Peace, convened by the President of the General Assembly on 6 May 2016 in New York. Amb Abdul Moiz Bokhari, adviser to the Secretary General and the Head of OIC Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution Unit (PSCU) represented the Secretary General in the Meeting.

In his statement delivered on behalf of the Secretary General at the inaugural session, Amb. Bokhari highlighted OIC Member States’ commitment to promoting international peace and security, understanding and dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions and fostering noble Islamic values concerning moderation, tolerance and respect for diversity as reflected in the OIC Charter. He also underlined that the objectives and principles of the OIC aspire for an inter-state relationship based on justice, mutual respect and good neighbourliness to ensure global peace, security and harmony.

Bokhari pointed out that terrorism and violent extremism were threats of grave nature to international peace and often times religion was used as well as misused by their perpetrators to justify their heinous acts of terror. He said that combating International terrorism and preventing violent extremism was a very critical area where the international community could succeed through enhancing cooperation among all the stakeholders.

He underlined that according to the OIC the best way to confront challenges to peace, whatever they are, is to provide hope for the Youth. In order to do so effectively, the international community needs to have common understanding of the roots and ideas that germinate terrorism and extreme violence into the young minds. And on the basis of that understanding, they need to work together supporting and complementing each other.

To this end, he expressed the OIC’s desire to work with the United Nations and contribute in promoting global partnership and intensive global engagement, bringing together all stakeholders for the success of the collective efforts to maintain interna-

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OIC NEWS tional peace and security and establishing a world of hope, dignity and justice.

The OIC-France Consultations Discuss the Peace Process, Human Rights and Terrorism

OIC-France consultation meeting

An OIC delegation led by Ambassador Tarig Bakhiet, Director General for Political Affairs met their counterparts at the Quay d’Orsay in Paris, France led by Ambassador Jean-Christophe Peaucelle, Adviser in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 9 May 2016.

The bilateral consultations were held as a continuation of the regular annual political exchanges between the OIC and France, which started in 2012 with the appointment of the Special Envoy of France to the OIC. The OIC delegation received briefing on the new French initiative on the Palestine-Israel peace process and had a fruitful interaction with the French Special Envoy for the peace initiative Ambassador Pierre Vimont.

The OIC side confirmed its readiness to provide all support required to the initiative as endorsed by the 13th OIC Summit held in Istanbul last month.

Besides the Palestine issue, the discussions between the two delegations centered around political cooperation in areas of common interest in the Middle East, Africa and Asia regions, as well as general Human Rights questions including women rights, Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 and Istanbul Process, and countering and preventing terrorism and violent extremism. The discussion also touched upon the issues of capacity building, possible cooperation and coordination in socio-cultural fields and situation of Muslims living in France in particular and in Europe in general.

The French Special Envoy to the OIC and the

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OIC Liaison Officer in Paris were also part of their respective delegations. The next bilateral consultations will be held in Jeddah at the OIC headquarters at a mutually convenient time in 2017.

OIC Delegation Visits Jammu and Kashmir

A delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) concluded its fourday official visit to Islamabad and Jammu and Kashmir on May 12, 2016.

H.E. the President of Pakistan, Syed Mamnoon Hussain, received the OIC delegation headed by Ambassador Abdullah Abdurrahman Alim, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General on Jammu and Kashmir. The OIC delegation, which included officials from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), also met with Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Mohammad Barjees Tahir, Minister in Charge of Kashmir. to IslamDuring the delegation’s visit abad, an interactive session was organized to discuss the conflict in Kashmir at the Parliamentary headquarters in Pakistan with the Parliament members of the National Assembly’s special committee on Kashmir and its chairman. Amb. Alim also gave a lecture on the OIC role in the Jammu and Kashmir conflict at the Strategic Studies Institute in Islamabad, which offered an opportunity to exchange views with a broad range of audiences on the issue.

During his meetings with the Pakistani officials, Amb. Alim renewed the OIC’s affirmation of its principled stand in support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir towards achieving their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the UN relevant resolution. He reiterated that this is pursuant to the resolutions and decisions issued by the OIC Council of Foreign Minister and Islamic Summits, latest of which the one held in Istanbul on 14-15 April 2016.

Amb. Alim further reiterated the OIC’s interest in following the situation in Jammu and Kashmir through the periodic meetings of the OIC Contact Group on Kashmir. He, additionally, made reference to the estab-

lishment of an oversight mechanism within the framework of the OIC Permanent Independent Human Rights Commission, to observe and monitor the status of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir.

The Pakistani officials expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the OIC’s consistent support for its diligent action towards an agreed resolution for the conflict of Kashmir, and for its ongoing interest in the Kashmiri people’s conditions.

On another hand, the OIC delegation paid a visit to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and took first hand cognizance of the situation of the Kashmiris living in shelter camps as well as of the developments in the region around the line of control separating the two sides of Kashmir. Also, the head of the delegation met with Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with Prime Minister Abdulmajid Choudhary, and with the UN military observer mission.

UN-OIC Meeting Review Areas of Cooperation

UN-OIC meeting

The 13th General Cooperation Meeting between the Secretariats of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and their Institutions took place at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 11 to 13 May 2016. The meeting was held pursuant to General Assembly resolution A/RES/69/317 of 10 September 2015.

It was co-chaired by Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs, and Mr. Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

High-level representatives from 32 UN and OIC funds, programs and agencies participated in the Meeting. The participants reviewed all aspects of cooperation in the political, economic, social, humanitarian and human rights areas. They welcomed the progress achieved in the implementation of joint projects and activities. New projects of cooperation with concrete time lines of implementation and indicating responsible

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OIC NEWS entities have been approved by the meeting in the Matrix of activities within the framework of the UN-OIC collaboration for 20162018.

The meeting took note of the adoption of the goals and objectives of the OIC 2025 Program of Action. The participants also recognized that the further strengthening of UN-OIC partnership, while addressing common issues of concern to the two Organizations, will contribute to international peace and stability as well as to meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2030.

The Secretary General Receives the Special Envoy of the United Kingdom to Yemen

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, received, at his office on 16 May 2016, Sir Alan Duncan, the Special Envoy of the United Kingdom to Yemen and the members of his delegation.

During the discussion, both sides had thoroughly reviewed the current situation in Yemen and the ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis. Apart from political issues, they had useful and extensive exchange of views on the humanitarian situation and humanitarian aid delivery scenario on the ground.

Both the Secretary General and Sir Duncan emphasized on the need to utilize the momentum of the ongoing Yemeni negotiations in Kuwait to reach an agreement among the Yemeni stakeholders with the support of the larger International Community before the Holy month of Ramadan resumes.

Russia Muslim World Conference

OIC Participates in the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Conference in Egypt

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) took part in the 26th conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in

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the Arab Republic of Egypt on 14-15 May 2016. The proceedings of this conference were held in Cairo under the theme “Role of Religious Institutions of the Arab and Muslim Worlds in Addressing Challenges”.

Mr. Bashir Ahmad Ansari, Director of Dialogue and Outreach Department at the OIC, attended the conference on behalf of the Secretary General.

At the sidelines of the conference, Ansari met Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar Goma’a, Minister of Al-Awqaf (Endowments), Head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and chairman of the conference, and conveyed to him the message of the OIC Secretary General tackling the main themes of the conference. They also discussed during the meeting ways to develop cooperation between the OIC and the Egyptian Ministry of Al-Awqaf.

During his stay in Cairo, the Director of OIC Dialogue and Outreach Department met a number of other officials and visited the Islamophobia Observatory.

OIC Participates in the Russia and Muslim World Conference

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the conference held in the Russian city of Kazan from 25 – 27 May 2016 themed: “Russia – Islamic World” at the invitation of President Rustmm Minnikhanov of the Republic of Tatarstan.

At the gathering which deliberated on the prospects of cooperation between Russia and the Muslim world, the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani was represented by the Director of the Department of Dialogue and Outreach Mr. Bashir Ahmad Ansari.

Part of the conference programme was a visit to Bulgar where Islam had reached more than 1000 years ago during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadirbillah. The delegation also saw the Bulgar Islamic Academy and other landmarks of Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and one of Russia’s biggest cities where Muslim constitute the majority.

The Secretary General in his statement at the closing session delivered on his behalf by the Director of the Department of Dialogue and Outreach thanked the Republic of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation, and expressed the hope for new prospect of co-

OIC-UK delegation meeting

operation and a world where peace, justice, human rights and dignity and respect for cultures and identities prevail.

On the sidelines of the conference, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Islamic Development Bank and some Russian banks, including Russia Central Bank, was signed. The President of the Islamic Development Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, underscored the need for the development of economic and technological partnership, as well as exchange of knowledge of expertise and discovery of available opportunities between Russia and the Muslim world. He recalled the efforts of the IDB in this regard.

Russia is an observer state in the OIC.

Experts Meet to Study Draft Rules to Govern Granting the Status of OIC Affiliated Institutions

A meeting of intergovernmental group of experts from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states opened on May 30, 2016 at its General Secretariat in Jeddah to study draft rules to govern granting the status of OIC Affiliated Institution.

The two-day meeting follows the resolution of the 42nd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Kuwait in May 2015, which recommended the formation of an open-ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts to consider the draft rules governing the granting of OIC Affiliated Institution.

In his opening remark at the session, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Ambassador Abdallah A. Alim who

Assistant Secretary General Amb. Abdullah Alim (R) opening the meeting

OIC Journal April - July 2016 35

OIC NEWS represented the Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, stated that OIC Affiliated Institution are 20 in number at the moment and they carry out their operations in various fields including Education, Arts, Sports, Economy and Media and the OIC secretariat monitors their activities closely.

On the nature of the affiliated institution, Ambassador Alim noted that they are fully independent of OIC in terms of their organizational structure and their budgets are independent of the budget of the OIC General Secretariat and those of subsidiary organs and specialized institution.

He stressed that membership of the affiliated institutions is not open to the states but to organs and institutions of the member states whose activities meet the objectives of OIC. Ambassador Alim added that the expert session is very important because there has been an increase in organisations expressing interest in becoming OIC Affiliated institutions, but lack of legal framework that governs the granting of such status and define relationship between such organization and OIC is causing hindrance to the granting of such status.

OIC Secretary General and Qatar’s Foreign Minister Discuss Coordination on Various Issues

The Secretary General of the Organisation

OIC Secretary General with Qatar Foreign Minister

of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Iyad Ameen Madani, met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha on 30 June 2016.

Both sides reviewed the bilateral relations between the OIC and Qatar and expressed their determination to enhance coordination and cooperation in areas of common interest, including combating terrorism and

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extremism through political consultation mechanism. The Secretary General praised Qatar’s pioneering role in supporting humanitarian causes, and called for greater consultation between Qatar and OIC to increase the positive impact of joint Islamic action.

For his part, the Qatari minister affirmed his country’s support for the efforts of the OIC in all fields and underscored the need for synergy in addressing the current challenges facing the Muslim world.

Madani Meets with Foreign Affairs Adviser of Pakistan and Science Ministers of Kazakhstan and Nigeria

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Iyad Ameen Madani met with the Adviser on Foreign Affairs to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Sartaj Aziz, at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on May 31, 2016. The two sides discussed various issues of mutual interest including support to the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation COMSTECH), which is headquartered in Islamabad and chaired by the President of Pakistan, the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar and ways to support them, and the issue of Kashmir.

Mr. Madani also met with the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of Kazakhstan, Mr. Takir Balykbayev, and reviewed with him the arrangements for the OIC Summit on Science and Technology to be hosted by Kazakhstan in 2017.

In another meeting with the Federal Minister of Science and Technology of Nigeria, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the Secretary General discussed possible means of supporting Nigeria in advancing its scientific innovation and capacity.

The Secretary General was in Islamabad to attend the opening of the 15th General Assembly Meeting of the COMSTECH.

The Secretary General meets Prime Minister of Bangladesh

was on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Secretary General Madani briefed the Prime Minister on important OIC activities including the Extraordinary Summit on Palestine, Islamic Summit, Wise Persons the 13th Council meeting and the proposed Science and Technology Summit.

The Prime Minister and the Secretary General had useful and extensive exchange of views on promoting bilateral cooperation between the OIC and Bangladesh. Their discussion also touched upon other issues of mutual interests including women empowerment, microfinance, promotion of intra OIC trade and economic activities, situations of Rohingya Muslims and networking with NGOs and civil society organizations in Member States etc.

The Secretary General was invited by the Prime Minister to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.

Madani and Al-Tuwaijri Coordinate on Education, Culture and Communication

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Iyad Ameen Madani, received on Sunday, 12 June 2016, at the General Secretariat headquarters the Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Othman Al-Tuwaijri.

The two parties discussed the main files relat-

OIC Secretary General and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Exchange Views on Promoting Cooperation

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic cooperation (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, was received in audience, on 04 June 2016, by Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Hon’ble Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh who

OIC-ISESCO meeting

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OIC NEWS ing to education, culture and communication, within the framework of the reinforcement of complementarity and coordination among OIC Specialized Institutions and the General Secretariat.

Madani underscored the pivotal and key role played by ISESCO in bolstering culture and education in the Islamic world, highlighting the need to benefit from ISESCO’s scientific and knowledge capital.

For his part, Dr. Al-Tuwaijri emphasized ISESCO’s adherence to all resolutions of Islamic summits and ministerial conferences specific to its areas of work, affirming ISESCO’s readiness to hold further consultations and cooperation with the General Secretariat in various cultural, educational and knowledge areas.

The Secretary General Discuses Issue of Uyghur Muslims with the Ambassador of China The Secretary General of the Organization of

Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, received in his office on 22nd June 2016, Mr. Li Huaxin, the new Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on important regional and international issues, including peace and security, countering radical extremism and terrorism, as well as the conditions of Muslim minority communities, such as the Rohingya of Myanmar.

On his part, the Secretary General enquired about the situation of Uyghur Muslims living in the province of Xinjiang, Western China and the level of religious observance allowed during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Ambassador reassured the Secretary General that the national law of the country fully supported freedom of religion and does not discriminate against Muslim religious practice. He presented a government White Paper on the freedom of belief in Xinjiang, which provided detailed infor-

mation about government efforts to support religious communities in that province.

The Ambassador invited the OIC to send a delegation to the country to see first hand the situation on the ground.

The Secretary General emphasized the need to maintain regular contacts to further enhance communication and strengthen OICChina bilateral relations and reiterated the organization’s interest to remain engaged at various levels.

The Secretary General with Ambassador of China

OIC Highlights WHO Report on Health Conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC highlighted the assessment and drew attention to the World Health Organisation’s report on the Health conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the Occupied Syrian Golan, as well as the WHO Director General’s field assessment report.

OIC’s Acting Permanent Observer to the United Nation in Geneva, Ambassador Aissata Kane, made the statement on behalf of the OIC at the 69th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) taking place from 23 to 28 May 2016, at the Palais des Nations Geneva.

“The health conditions described herein, which are precarious, should be denounced vigorously and addressed in significant and urgent manner,” said Ambassador Kane.

“OIC is deeply concerned particularly over the attacks against health services and the deterioration of mental and physical health, including the health of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and ex-detainees. In the same vein, OIC is extremely worried on the continuous removal of medical supplies on UN humanitarian convoys, destruction of health facilities, killing of medical personnel and the refusal of medical evacuation

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in favor of Syrian people already confronted with serious health constraints,” she added.

Ambassador Kane noted that OIC continues its cooperation with WHO and other relevant UN agencies in the area of health as reiterated by the biannual OIC-UN cooperation meeting held in Geneva mid May 2016.

This coordination meeting outlined joint action areas for improvement in public health, in particular for maternal and newborn and child health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, among others.

According to Ambassador Kane, OIC and its relevant institutions are working with the US Government along with WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA to address the high burden of mortality of mother during delivery and death of new born baby.

Moreover, OIC General Secretariat, along with the IDB signed practical arrangement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on cancer control in OIC Member States, early this month (May 2016).

The OIC envoy also recalled that a Special Session on OIC First Ladies’ Leadership on Cancer Control in Member States was held at the sidelines of the OIC leaders’ Summit, held in April 2016 in Istanbul.

The Special Session raised and enhanced awareness on the increasing cancer burden in OIC Member States and recommended ways to access to effective cancer prevention, diagnostics, treatment and care.

She added that OIC remains committed to polio eradication and is working closely with partners of the Islamic Advisory Group,

69th session of World Health Assembly, Geneva, 28 May 2016

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HUMAN RIGHTS Women Empowerment Takes Centre Stage at OIC IPHRC Meeting

OIC Secretary General speaks at opening of 9th session of IPHRC, Jeddah, 4 May 2016

Jeddah – The role of the female gender in the society has never been out of the global limelight.

Almost everywhere in the world, the theme around women’s role has been one that is not too encouraging.

One that speaks of untold injustice towards the female folk. But then, of recent, things are shaping up for the better.

Today, women are taking their rightful place in the global scheme of things.

It is this new positive trend and line of thinking that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC is threading.

A new thinking that respects women for the great impact they are making towards sustainable development.

Therefore, on 4 May 2016, a team from the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission IPHRC brainstormed in Jeddah and discussed how to translate OIC’s new roadmap towards women empowerment into reality.

Firing the first salvo was the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani who called for the enhancement of women’s role in the administration of member countries.

OIC Secretary General who spoke on the theme: Impact of Women Empowerment on Sustainable Development of OIC member states, stressed that women empowerment remains a key priority for the OIC, not only to ensure their human rights but as an enabler and transformative force for sustainable development, peace and security.

The OIC Secretary General highlighted the organisation’s initiatives towards attaining women empowerment, which includes revision of OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women OPAAW.

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Other initiatives include the recently adopted OIC 2nd Ten Year Program of Action, which calls on all Member States to take practical measures to reduce maternal mortality rates, incidence of violence against women and improve literacy and labor participation rates among women in Member States.

The OIC Secretary General added that despite improvements in the elevation of women in member states, there are still challenges in getting women to their desired positions in member states.

He expressed hope that women in OIC member states will attain a level where they will be defined by their progressive contribution to their societies, not by their gender.

In his remark on the thematic debate of the Session, the IPHRC Chairperson, Ambassador Abdul Wahab, stated that gender equality and women empowerment in all fields of social, economic and political spheres are imperative from the perspectives of both their human rights as well as progress of respective societies.

While making realistic assessment of the progress made so far, Commission’s Members highlighted that, despite numerous international and OIC led initiatives and mechanisms, slow implementation has hampered substantive progress of the cause of development and empowerment of women in Member States.

They underlined the need to benchmark the progress on the following issues: i) Revision of OIC Plan of Action for Advancement of Women (OPAAW) to make it more representative and action oriented by involving civil society and media (ii) Creation of synergies between respective

national plans and strategies of the Members States and 2nd Ten year Plan of Action (iii) Signing and ratification of treaties and agreements in particular the OIC Women Development Organization by Member States to ensure gender equality and strengthen family well-being.

The Commission also expressed willingness to work with the OIC General Secretariat, OIC Islamic Fiqh Academy and other OIC specialized institutions to assist Member States to adopt legal measures and policies to increase the participation of women in all sectors of society.

During the five days session, the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission IPHRC had in depth discussion on issues pertaining to human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights in OIC Member States.

The Commission also discussed the specific mandates given to it by the Council of Foreign Ministers such as Islamophobia and incitement to hatred, Negative impact of unilateral economic sanctions on Member States; Standing Mechanism for monitoring human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, human rights situation of Muslim minorities in Myanmar and Central African Republic.

IPHRC Members, who recently visited Palestine, briefed the Commission on the appalling human rights situation witnessed in Palestine, which was the manifest result of the worst-ever Israeli occupation regime imposed on them for decades.

The Commission also condemned the recent Israeli assertion of illegitimate claim on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and urged the international community that such unlawful pronouncements should be out rightly rejected and condemned.

The OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission also held a joint workshop with the US State Department on the implementation of the Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18.

Participants at the open-ended meeting stressed that effective implementation of Res 16/18 requires political commitment at the highest level and emphasized that freedom of expression must be distinguished from negative stereotyping and insults to all religions.

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OPINION Human Rights is the Infrastructure for a Sustainable Peace Architecture

Mr. Marghoob Saleem Butt Executive Director OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC)

Human rights violations are often among the first warning signs of a looming conflict; they may be part of a conflict’s root causes and they are almost invariably a feature of the conflict as such

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Basic human rights are universal and are an integral part of human beings’ needs. They relate to both material concerns such as food, clothing and shelter, and non-material concerns such as dignity, respect and affection. Whether it is denial of economic rights, repression of religious and ethnic identity, or socio-political exclusion of minority groups, a sustained denial of human rights is a structural cause of high intensity conflicts. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to address conflicts in a comprehensive way, which includes the ‘human rights’ or ‘rights based approach’.

Human rights violations are often among the first warning signs of a looming conflict; they may be part of a conflict’s root causes and they are almost invariably a feature of the conflict as such. Preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution and peace building efforts are, therefore, inextricably linked with human rights. History has proved that under blatant disregard for human rights and impending humanitarian crises, societies, States or regions are unlikely to remain stable, in fact lead to intensification of conflict.

For a sustainable architecture of peace, human rights must be its infrastructure. A culture of human rights at grassroots level has an important role in managing diversity, enhancing tolerance and providing a basis for people-centered development. It creates an environment conducive for peacefully resolving conflicts among peoples and nations. In addition, human rights approach is important in reinforcing the notion that State sovereignty carries with it a responsibility to protect the civilians within its borders.

The principles of human rights are incorporated into many international treaties including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human rights also feature prominently in the UN Charter. Even in the UN Security Council, where human rights were seen as being largely outside its scope and were seldom mentioned within its confines, realization of their importance in effectively and sustainably resolving the conflicts has gained traction.

Although the modern notion of human rights was developed and articulated within a Western context, many of the central ideas such as human dignity, respect and protection of life, property and identity, among others are shared by Islamic precepts and traditions. The revised OIC Charter, establishment of its Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission and adoption of Ten Year Program of Action 2025 signifies progressive embrace of common human rights principles, embedded in the universal human rights treaties and Islamic precepts and powerful commitment to the creation of conditions that would foster peace, development, human rights, good governance and rule of law in Member States.

Having emphasized the importance of promoting and protecting human rights for sustainable peace, admittedly it is not an easy task to deal with. States continue to grapple with the dichotomy between how to reconcile the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs of a country visà-vis the need for judicious handling of a human rights situation that may threaten international peace and security or lead to serious crimes such as genocide, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity etc.

In most of the UN Reports addressing this subject, the importance of engagement in emerging conflicts rather than operating in a reactive mode has been emphasized. Similar reports have also stressed the importance of creating early warning mechanisms to receive frank and timely information and assessments of situations including on human rights issues.

Admittedly, human rights efforts in the area of conflict resolution should not be limited to shaming the violations and calling for judicial condemnation of responsible individuals. A comprehensive human rights perspective must include efforts using negotiation and diplomatic techniques, which take into account local contexts with the goal to achieve long-term human rights improvements, including societal reconciliation. To this end, there is a need to define norms that would help integrate human rights and conflict resolution practices.

Flexibility and creativity is key to finding ways to address human rights challenges. All organizations and bodies that are interested in carrying out this mandate must use this approach. Chapter VI of the UN provides a range of options for peaceful settlement of disputes that can be used in this regard.

The OIC in order to build further on these firm foundations should also promote grassroots policies to strengthen infrastructure of peace in Muslim societies through organic mechanisms/processes, which include promoting human rights education at all levels, and supporting NHRIs and civil society organizations in promoting and protecting human rights at grassroots level.

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religion Iftar Events in Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar

Iftar in Cambodia and for Rohingya community in Malaysia

During the month of Ramadan, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) either attended or organized Iftar events in Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar to interact and listen to the Muslim communities in these countries.

Dr. Yusuf Al-Othaimeen, Director General of the Cabinet and Chief Advisor to the Secretary General of the OIC, led a delegation to the Kingdom of Cambodia from 13-14 June 2016 on behalf of the OIC Secretary General Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen met with various officials in the capital, Phnom Penh including Dr. Osman Hassan, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Mr. Oush Borith, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia. The discussions focused on the successful integration of Muslims in Cambodian society and the positive example set by the country for community harmony for other countries in the region to follow.

The Director General also met with other leading Cambodian dignitaries, including the Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Sos Mousine; the President of the Cambodia Islamic Association and Member of the Senate, Mohamed bin Marwan; the Vice President of the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs, Zakariyya Adam; the Grand Mufti of Cambodia, Sheikh Qamaradeen bin Yousef and the Ambassador of Cambodia to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sman Abdul Manan.

On Tuesday, 14 June, Hun Sen, Lord Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, hosted an Iftar. Dr. Al-Othaimeen was an honored guest. More than 4,500 guests including Imams, teachers, students and representatives of civil society organisations, the diplomatic corps and government officials attended.

In his welcome remarks at the Iftar ceremony the Prime Minster noted that Muslims in Cambodia play a vital role in the country and enjoy their full rights and freedom to practice their faith.

He expressed his appreciation for the OIC delegation’s visit to the Kingdom and affirmed his country’s support for the efforts of the OIC.

more than 500 members from the local Rohingya refugee community.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen welcomed the guests and extended sincere thanks and appreciation for the efforts of the OIC Special Envoy for Myanmar and President of HUMANITI Malaysia, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar and the Organizing Committee. He also expressed thanks to the Malaysian authorities for their support to the Rohingya people and to the OIC’s efforts.

“The overwhelming concern on intolerance in Myanmar, which caused the mass migration of Rohingya refugees to neighbouring countries has escalated into a regional crisis. In this, it has caused human rights abuses and crises with severe humanitarian consequences, statelessness, segregation, gender-based discrimination, mass outflow of refugees and other threats to state security,” said Dr. Albar.

Efforts are being intensified to address the deplorable situation faced by the refugees, with emphasis on providing basic access to education for children. With allocation from the OIC Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), school bags and books to Rohingya children in the Districts of Klang (300 children) were distributed, as well as in Ampang (600 children) and Serdang (120 children).

“Several measures have been taken by HUMANiTi Malaysia to ensure the refugees continue to have equitable access to basic needs and livelihood opportunities, including medical attention and education”, said Ahmad Tarmizi Mukhtar, Secretary General of HUMANiTi Malaysia. Efforts are also underway to enhance the refugees’ resilience towards potential conflicts and natural disasters.

Representatives from the OIC member countries, Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister’s Department, NGOs and various private entities also attended the Iftar.

In Myanmar, the OIC distributed more than 550 bags of rice (50kg each) through HUMANiTi Malaysia during the month of Ramadan.

More than 1100 families living in Sittwe, Rakhine State received aid,” said Dr. Albar.

He said the OIC is determined to help IDPs and refugees living in the camps to get basic access to livelihood as well as to try to set up office in Myanmar to provide humanitarian assistance, which will be of benefit to all refugees, regardless of ethnic background.

“Efforts are being intensified to ensure refugees welfare are being taken care of especially during The Holy Month of Ramadan,” said a representative from HUMANiTi Malaysia.

Rohingya Community in Malaysia and Myanmar: In partnership with the NGO HUMANiTi Malaysia, OIC held an iftar at the Saidina Othman Ibn Affan Mosque, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday, 18 June 2016, to celebrate Ramadan by bringing together

Through HUMANiTi Malaysia, OIC distributed rice to refugee families in Sittwe, Myanmar

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CULTURE 7th Global Forum of United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

OIC Confirms its Support to AOC’s Efforts in Building Bridges between Civilizations

IRCICA director general, Dr. Halit Eren

Director General of OIC Cultural, Social and Family Affairs Department, Mehla Talebna

Baku –The 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on 25 to 27 April 2016, under the theme ‘Living Together in Inclusive Societies: a Challenge and a Goal’, with the participation of over 3000 political leaders, representatives of international and regional organizations, private sector, civil society, academia, youth, arts and media. A delegation Director General of Dr. Halit Eren, addresses the meeting from the Organization ofIRCICA, Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the Forum and organized a number of activities.

The Opening Session was featured by speeches of H.E. Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Mr.Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the High Representative of UNAOC; a video message from the UN Secretary General; as well as addresses by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Republic of Turkey and H.E José Manuel Garcia-Margallo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain.

High-Level Meeting of Group of Friends: The High-Level Meeting of Group of Friends reaffirmed its support to the High Representative and to the Alliance of Civilizations, during which the speakers highlight trending issues, i.e the role of youth and education for building better societies, the necessity of dialogue, tolerance, and cooperation for creating inclusive societies.

The OIC participated in the Group of Friends Meeting. The Director General of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs Department, Mrs. Mehla Ahmed-Talebna stated that, “The OIC was, is, and will be willing to join the AOC’s efforts in establishing contacts and building bridges between civilizations and cultures.”

She emphasized OIC’s shared conviction with AOC that cultural diversity is a powerful element for the international community’s strategies towards a more inclusive global development based on peace, justice, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect. She also indicated that both OIC and AOC have dedicated efforts for comand bating intolerance, stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination intolerance including efforts to defend the rights women, children, and youth and protecting the most vulnerable members of our societies. Mrs. Ahmed-Talebna, therefore, reminded that dialogue to promote mutual-trust and tolerance must continue to be carried out and intensified at national, regional, and international levels.

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Within this context, she noted that the positive trend towards the promotion of dialogue and tolerance has been significantly advancing through the Istanbul Process. The 5th Session of this platform took place at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last year, which was attended by all stakeholders including States, Academics, Civil Societies, NGOs and Media. All parties were greatly encouraged by the constructive and qualitative discussion that reiterated the importance of full and effective implementation of UN Resolution 16/18 as the best way forward for combating incitement to hatred, violence and discrimination based on religion.

The High-Level Meeting of Group of Friends adopted Baku Declaration, which, among others, calls for the implementation of commitments to facilitate Governments in overcoming their challenges and moving towards the goals of living together in inclusive societies.

The outcome document also rejects any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, whether it involves the use of print, audiovisual or electronic media or any other means. It also stresses the importance of UNAOC goals ’ implementation at national level, including the advancement of UNAOC programs to stop violent extremism.

During the meeting, Mr. Al-Nasser announced the launch of the Advisory Council aimed at providing guidance and recommendations to the High Representative as well as to the Alliance.

Networking Session on Promoting Multicultural Perspectives: At the Networking Session on Promoting Multicultural Perspectives to Prevent Violent Extremism, the Secretary General of the OIC, Iyad Ameen Madani, stressed that the formulation of a new paradigm for inter-religious, inter-sectarian tolerance for promotion of understanding and moderation through dialogue remains high on the OIC agenda.

“Building bridges and encouraging consultations among the followers of different schools of thought to promote mutual respect and recognition is essential to prevent the growing dissension in the Muslim societies,” stated the OIC Secretary General in his message to the session, which was delivered on his behalf by the Director General of the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture, Dr. Halit Eren.

He stated that the rise of violent extremism, radicalization, sectarianism and terrorism figure high among the factors threatening international and regional peace, security and stability. “These evils have afflicted humanity for centuries but assumed global dimension only after the 9/11 tragedy. Today it transcends all boundaries, deeply impacting the political, economic and security environment of all societies,” he said at the Session, which was organized by IRCICA, a subsidiary organ of the OIC. Parallel to the Forum, 16 Breakout Sessions, 7 Networking Sessions and 1 Business Symposium were held in addition to two Plenary Sessions: on “ Platforms and Partnerships for the Prevention of Violent Extremism” and on “ Good Practices in Social Inclusion”.

The OIC Secretary General has also contributed an article with the title ‘Bridging the Gaps between the West and the Muslim World through Sustainable Intercultural Dialogue’ to the book ‘Me, We, Us’, which was launched at the Forum by UNAOC to codify visions on inclusive societies from various contributors of entrepreneurs, philanthropists, artists and humanitarian figures.

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CULTURE Malé

Capital of Islamic Culture 2016 - Asian Region

Malé is the densely populated capital of the Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. It is known for its historic mosques and colorful skyscrapers. The National Museum, in Sultan Park, show cases regional artifacts like ancient weapons and sultans’ thrones. In the north of the city, Huskuru Miskiiy is a 17th-century mosque built of coral stone and housing intricate wood carvings.

Economy Tourism is the largest industry in the Maldives, accounting for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives’ foreign exchange receipts. The GDP per capita expanded by 265% in the 1980s and a further 115% in the 1990s. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Malé, the capital, has many tourist attractions and nearby resorts. The central harbour and port of the Maldives is located in Malé, the center for all commercial activities.

Malé Points of interest: National Museum: Established on the National Day of the Maldives, the first National Museum of the country was opened on November 11, 1952, by the Prime Minister at the time, Mohamed Amin Didi.

Malé Friday Mosqu: The Malé Friday Mosque or the Malé Hukuru Miskiy is one of the oldest and most ornate mosques in the city of Malé, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives.

The Islamic Centre is an architectural landmark in Malé, Maldives opened in November 1984 by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoo.

Hulhumalé or Hulhulemale is a reclaimed island located in the south of North Male Atoll, Maldives. The artificial island was reclaimed to establish a new land mass required to meet the existing and future housing, industrial and commercial development demands of the Malé region. The official settlement was inaugurated

by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on May 12, 2004.

Mulee-aage Palace Muliaage was the ‘Official Residence of the President of the Maldives’. Muliaage is located at the historic centre of Malé in close proximity of the Medhu Ziyaarai, the Friday Mosque, and the Munna.

Hulhulé Island located at 4°11°N 73°32°E / 4.183°N 73.533°E, is an island in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives. It is one of the islands closest to the capital island Malé. Hulhulé is considered a ward of Malé.

Villingili is an island of geographical North Male Atoll, but not of administrative Kaafu Atoll, and is, administratively, known as Vilimalé and considered the fifth district of Malé, Maldives. It lies about two kilometres west of Malé Island.

Thilafushi Island is an artificial island created as a municipal landfill situated to the west of Malé, and is located between Kaafu Atoll’s Giraavaru and Gulhifalhu of the Maldives. It is geographically part of the Vaadhoo channel.

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OPINION On the Dialogue Circuit Over the past twenty years the world has witnessed a growing interest in dialogue. Many global conferences were held under this title and many thinkers and decision-makers mentioned it. Dialogue is no longer a concept important only in the social field; it evolved into an academic subject, having its fundamentals, theories, theoreticians, research centers and scientific communities. Dialogue constitutes the dynamic of social interaction and is linked to a range of academic fields such as sociology, anthropology, linguistics, literature, education, law, political science, psychology and religion.

Bashir Ahmed Ansari Director of Dialogue and Outreach Department

One of the challenges facing us today is the cultural deafness and the inability to communicate, which prevents us from understanding the other

In spite of the unprecedented evolution in the field of communication and the explosion of knowledge, the world has never needed dialogue this much. At a time when the waves of violence and hatred are blasting the bridges of communication, there is a need for dialogue between North and South, East and West, between civilizations, religions and nations and, finally, between nations and groups here and there.

The status of dialogue in our culture is not confined to the theoretical realm; rather there are flaring historic evidences that emphasize its applications in different eras. Dialogue as recorded by the heavenly books was the first lesson, practiced at the dawn of creation on its three axes: between God and his angels, between God and the devil, and between God and Adam, the differing of interlocutors did not result in the deletion and exclusion of any, even the devil. It is painful to see a civilization, which has absorbed all the rhetoric and doctrinal differences, embraced the Islamic and non-Islamic philosophies, and produced figures such as Maimonides, considered the greatest Jewish figure after the Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, become intolerant of its sons. If in the past dialogue was an aspect of the richness and coexistence within the framework of a single civilization, today, it can be considered one of the most important necessities and the most effective means to counter the phenomenon of antiMuslim sentiments built on ignorance on the one hand, and the phenomenon of abolishing the other.

Dialogue is not the conversation or the mechanical movement of the tongue; it is understanding and communicating, converging, dealing, interacting, absorbing the cultural diversity and knowing the other. One of the challenges facing us today is the cultural deafness and the inability to communicate, which prevents us from understanding the other. If total indifference has its justifications in history, there is nothing to justify this omission in an era in which each one of us has become a traveler who roams the globe, east and west, to live with different people.

Since dialogue is an intellectual process in which ideas cross-pollinate and the brain is activated, it is, thus, a tough and long road. It is different from the methods that try to resolve the problem in a single swoop and create a thousand problems at the same time.

The dialogue, which we are calling for, is not done by chuffing papers, homogenizing principles, and melting beliefs into a single template, nor is it an obliteration of identities; it is a recognition of the other, the building of bridges of humanitarian convergence and the spread of great values ​​that are called for by religions. It is putting religion in the context of reform and progress and the fight against racism, providing equity to the oppressed without exception, and the affirmation of the principles of truth, justice and dignity. In this context, we are required to develop new strategies for religious content, based on the rejection of hatred, self-review, correction of concepts and the acceptance of cooperation, coexistence and acquaintance with nations and civilizations; making religion a social asset and resource that develops the society with its different dimensions.

Aware of what we have said, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been present on the terrain of Global Dialogue and effective in crystallizing the Islamic vision of providing balance and promoting a culture of dialogue in the language and mechanisms of this age.

The dialogue project can contribute to the cultural renewal among Muslims on the one hand and the enrichment of world civilization on the other hand. Additionally, the contemporary civilization is but a product of the crosspollination and the interaction between East and West.

Finally, the negative stereotypes of Islam cannot be removed without acquaintance through continuous dialogue. The archenemy of man is fear of the unknown. Dialogue aims at understanding the other.

Dialogue from our perspective is a religious message and a human need!

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FAMILY

AFFAirs

OIC participates in a session at the CSW60 at the UN, New York

OIC Active Participation in the

UN 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women New York – The Delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation partnered on 8 side events at the United Nations 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) that took place on March 14-24, 2016 in New York.

The priority theme of the session was, “Women’s Empowerment and its link to sustainable development” and the review theme, “The elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.” During the opening session in addition to the UN Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN Women and the President of the General Assembly, the UN Membership heard opening remarks from the Chair of the Commission, Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, the Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and the Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

The OIC Permanent Representative to the UN office in New York hosted or co-hosted 8 side events on the margins of CSW. The events where OIC was the main sponsor included: “Engaging Faith-Based Communities”, “Islamic Microfinance”, “The Promotion of Women in the OIC Region”, “The Root Causes of Violence Against Women and Children” and “Empowering Muslim Women through Storytelling.” It co-sponsored an event with the European Union and the United States entitled, “Advancing gender-sensitive understanding in counter-

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ing violent extremism.”

Engaging Faith Based Communities to Implement the Sustainable Development Goals: Panelists shared their views on the importance of and actual work being done by faith based actors in the field. The event was moderated by Sally Kader, President of US Federation for Middle East Peace, and co-hosted by Islamic Relief Worldwide. The event featured, Pastor Cibele Kuss from the World Lutheran Federation, Ms. Jesca Mmari, from World YWCA, Ms. Sharifa Abdulaziz, Islamic Relief Worldwide and Dr. Azza Karam from UNFPA. Approximately 60 people attended it.

The participants discussed their various efforts to engage with faith based communities on a local level to educate people on the sustainable development goals that were adopted by Member States last September.

The Role of Microfinance in Reducing Exclusion and Promoting Women’s Economic Rights and Empowerment: Dr. Abdulaziz Slaoui from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) explained how the Bank’s programme provides people with the most likelihood of success. At IDB, their microfinance programme is based on eliminating barriers to opportunity, access to strategic business partnerships and access to business development services and support investment. He argued that poor people cannot launch businesses without support investment as well. This all cannot happen

without adequate financing complimented with market-oriented entrepreneurship. He showed the participants the 17 different microfinance products available from IDB to assist both members and non-member countries of the OIC. The approach has assisted over 1000 women, 125 families and countless agricultural entrepreneurs.

Ms. Mousumi Saiki from Islamic Relief Worldwide discussed the role of Islamic microfinance to promote the economic empowerment of women, reducing social exclusion and ensure their human rights in Bangladesh. Her presentation revolved around the model used by Islamic Relief to promote access to livelihoods by women and gave several successful examples.

Ms. Edina Hadzimurtezic discussed the role of Islamic Relief Microfinance Foundation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Islamic Microfinance Foundation has been operational for over 15 years and have distributed 16,000 loans totaling approximately 20 Million USD with a maximum loan of $5,500, the programme targets the most vulnerable to allow beneficiaries to build a sustainable business.

The Islamic Microfinance supports women who experienced any kind of violence, war widows, women who are orphans and other vulnerable groups. The Foundation focuses on helping women to start business and to continue and complete their education. Ms. Edina presented two case studies.

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FAMILY AFFAirs standing in countering violent extremism:

League of Arab States, Ms. Rafif Alam of Islamic Development Bank and Dr. Fatema Khafagy, of the African Ombudsman Center spoke at this event by OIC. In addition to moderating, Dr. Fadila Grine, Director of Department of Family Affairs at OIC, in her opening remarks, recognized the critical role of women in society and the challenges faced by women, especially the threats towards the family. She also identified the difficult situations faced by women and girls in Syria, Iraq and other areas. She went on to cite specific statistics on violence against women and called for increased women’s empowerment to fight trafficking, violence against women and increased access to education. Dr. Grine highlighted the critical role of mental health and psychosocial care that is needed for women, especially those in refugee situations.

With women often being not only the first victim of violent groups but also support them, participants underscored the need to empower women through education and participation in CVE, develop civil society capacity and change legal framework.

OIC Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ufuk Gokcen underlined the priority attached to fighting extremism by OIC and its agencies. He stressed that it was important to mobilize all groups - including the private sector and civil society- to promote peace; stating that Human Rights were central and supporting local initiatives was critical and that it was vital to support women peacemakers. He also underscored the role of women in promoting social diversity and cited the Istanbul Process, Rabat Plan of Action, Fez and Marrakesh Declarations as important sources.

The Root Causes of Violence against Women and Children:

Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director for UN Women, Minister Reem Abu Hassan, Minister for Social Development, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ambassador Inas Mekkawy of the

Ambassador Gokcen moderated this event, which featured the Minister for Women, Children and Family of Tunisia, Mrs. Samira Ferai-Meraa who promoted the idea of education to entrench human rights for all, and especially women and girls, and creating social, educational and cultural opportunities

The Promotion of Women in the OIC Region:

for children and adolescents to decrease the chances of them being recruited by extremists.

Dr. Grine discussed the efforts of OIC General Secretariat through the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) and the OIC Plan of Action 2025. She argued against linking violence against women and children to Islam as well as such issues as forced marriage, honor killings, and FGM which do happen in Islamic countries, but should not be associated with Islam.

The other speakers were Dr. Alaa Nasief from the King Abdullah Center for National Dialogue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia who shared her work on issues from the perspective that religion is an enabler, and Ms. Hind Alowais, Senior Adviser to UN Women discussed the different socio-economic cultural norms of violence against women.

Muslim Women Storytelling:

Held in partnership with the United States Mission to the UN, storytellers from Sahiyo, The “G” Word, Women in Islam, UN Women, and Story Corp explained the different platforms being used to tell stories by and from Muslim Women. Ms. Amierah Ismail from OIC office in New York moderated the event.

8th IDB Women’s Advisory Panel Meeting:

Putting Women at the Center of the Development Agenda Jakarta – The theme of the 8th meeting of the IDB Women’s Advisory Panel was putting women at the center of the development agenda, focusing on the Islamic Development Bank’s (IDB) new 10-year framework to increase their percentage of Inclusive Social Development by aligning itself with the OIC’s Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW). The Panel was co-hosted with the Indonesian Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection in conjunction with IDB’s 41st board of governors (BOG) annual meeting held on 16-18 May 2016 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Panel is an expert consultative group of distinguished women holding high positions in their respective countries, which convenes annually to advise the IDB on how to adequately mainstream women’s concerns in its activities as well as formulate appropriate programs to encourage women’s participation in the socio-economic development process within and outside the institution.

The 8th meeting sought to review progress and updates to ongoing projects as well as

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initiate new projects and policies for the purpose of further engaging women according to the IDB’s new 10-year framework.

This two day meeting brought together the IDB Women’s Advisory Board, the Social Capacity Development Division from the IDB, as well the Family and Social Affairs Department from the OIC, represented by its director, Dr. Fadila Grine.

The meeting discussed and reviewed the IDB women’s empowerment agenda progress, including on-going operations in Women and NGOs, Agriculture, Health and Special Assistance sectors in light of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Bank’s 10-year framework to align the agenda with recent OPAAW revisions. The meeting also discussed global and corporate developments, new partnerships with the Hariri Foundation, UN Women and the Arab Women’s Enterprise fund. It also considered developing on-going initiatives for Obstetric Fistula, the assessment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and the promotion of girl education in the Science, Mathematics and

Technology (SMT) fields in member countries. New publications on country gender assessments and NGO’s were briefly discussed.

The meeting included presentations from the Indonesian Ministry of Women on their experiences in empowering Indonesian women, a presentation by the OIC’s Family and Social Affairs director on the status of women in member countries, a presentation on women’s inclusive financial growth, as well as a briefing on the newly revised OIC Plan of Action for Women (OPAAW).

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FAMILY AFFAirs Calls for Alleviating Plight of Families Living under Occupation and Armed Conflicts On 20 September 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to observe the International Day of Families on 15th of May of every year. On this occasion, the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani acknowledged the efforts of the international community, particularly OIC member states, at empowering the family amid the current social, economic and cultural challenges and transformations. The Secretary General pointed that many OIC Member States are witnessing political changes, conflicts, refugee and displaced conditions which have serious implications for the family and its components, especially the geographical make up of a society, fertility indicators, age structure

of the population, rising rate of abject poverty, unemployment and conflict of values and identity. Added to these is the danger of arbitrary use of social media and its effect on principles, values and the future of family bonds in Muslim societies.

The OIC is aware of the importance of the family – considering the changes to the definition of “family” in the international community – and stresses that it is the cornerstone of the Muslim society and plays an essential role in the comprehensive development process and advancement of society.

Within this context, the 42nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in Kuwait from 27 – 28 May 2015 approved holding a ministerial conference to consider the issue of strengthening marriage and family insti-

tution and preserving its values in the Member States. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed its readiness to host the first session of this conference this year.

On the occasion of International Day of Families, the Secretary General seized the opportunity to call on the international community, including OIC Member States, to intensify efforts in alleviating the plight of families living under occupation, armed conflicts and those displaced or seeking refuge. He stresses that effort should be made to ensure dignity and cohesion of family members and to develop policies, strategies and mechanisms to achieve the wellbeing and stability of the family and enhance its role in societies.

OIC Preparing a Guide on the Use of Reproductive Health Terms from an Islamic Perspective

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is preparing a guide on reproductive health to be available to those working in this field in the Muslim world and contribute to the progress and family well-being of the peoples of Member States.

The Guide aims to regulate the terms and concepts used in this area at the international level given the various terms used in issues related to Sharia, human rights, legal, and cultural aspects and the divergence of views and perspectives.

The General Secretariat is working to implement this project through a joint advisory committee for family, women and children affairs, which the Secretary General of the OIC, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, has proposed formatting. It shall consist of the Directorate General of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs and the OIC Department of Legal Affairs, International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), and Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

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The OIC General Secretariat headquarters in Jeddah hosted on Thursday, 26 May 2016, the third session of the Joint Advisory Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs, where participants considered the subject of reproductive health in order to develop the general framework of this concept, the terminology and significations stemming from the Islamic perspective. The terminology discussed by the participants included birth control, family planning, birth control, spacing of deliveries, legitimate contraceptives, sex education, freedom to choose a spouse, abortion, sexual diseases and health and its relationship to marriage, underage marriage, and other terms contained in the concept of reproductive health.

Those in charge of this project seek to have a unified Islamic position that helps workers, advocates, and decision-makers in the OIC Member States and institutions in the field of reproductive health. It is expected at the end of the project to reach a unified position on the concept of reproductive health, and terminology, signification, and vocabulary related to it. Consequently, these concepts will be drafted, printed and distributed as a guide to the OIC organs and institutions, as well as posted on the OIC website.

Ms. Mehla Ahmed Talebna, Director General of the Cultural, Social, and Family Affairs, expressed her confidence at the opening of the third session of the Committee that the Committee would identify and study significations and concepts in a way that helps the OIC Member States and institutions to overcome the difficulties they face in international forums related to population and development issues.

She said that the Committee was intensifying its efforts to deconstruct reproductive health issues into their constituent vocabulary and terminology to determine the corresponding Sharia terms agreed upon, and prepare the studies and research based on the publications related to reproductive health, global statistics and Islamic sources.

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ART Tenth International Calligraphy Competition Istanbul – The Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) held the announcement ceremony of the winners of the Tenth International Calligraphy Competition in Istanbul on 17 May 2016. A total of 122 awards were presented.

The total number of calligraphers who participated in this competition was 688. They came from 36 countries, 25 of them Member States of the OIC and IRCICA. The total number of works presented to the competition was 975. After the first rounds of evaluation, 314 were kept for the final selection stage. At the end of the competition,

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38 awards, 33 mentions and 51 incentive awards (122 in total), were distributed to 113 participants from 18 countries. The total amount of prizes is 199,250 US$. A catalogue of the winning entries will be printed and distributed to award-winners. The winners also received certificates.

“The competition was organized in 11 categories of calligraphic styles, namely Jaly Thuluth, Thuluth, Naskh, Muhaqqaq-Reyhani, Jaly Taliq, Taliq (Nastaliq), Jaly Diwani, Diwani, Qufi, Rika and Maghribi,” explained Director General of IRCICA, Dr. Halit Eren in his speech at the ceremony.

In accordance with IRCICA’s tradition to dedicate each competition to an illustrious master of this art, the tenth competition was organized in the name of Hafiz Osman, who lived in Istanbul in the 17th century.

The award ceremony also witnessed the presentation of “ijaza” to three calligraphers, from Egypt, Libya and Malaysia who successfully completed their training programs coordinated by IRCICA. The ijaza is a license given by the teacher to the student in the traditional way that authorizes the latter to practice and to teach this art.

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Media Pakistani Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Speaks about Her Journey to the Oscars

Islamabad (DPA) – The documentary films made by the Pakistani documentary filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy addresses the most controversial aspects of Pakistani society: children recruited by the Taliban, acid attacks on women, and “honor killing” of girls.

Sharmeen has won numerous international awards throughout her career, the most recent of which was her second Academy Award for her film “Saba,” which tells the story of an eighteen year old girl whose parents tried to kill her because she married against their will. Sharmeen’s first Oscar in 2012 was for the film “Saving Face.” Some of her works include also “Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness,” which criticizes the judicial system in her country for its prejudice against women.

In an interview with the German Press Agency (DPA), she talked about her career and the difficulties she faced until reaching the Oscars.

(DPA): In the movie “Saba”, the girl falls in love and gets married, which is what her father and brother see as a disgrace to the family’s honor. They try to kill her, but she survives in the end. Why did you choose to address this issue in your film?

Sharmeen: I wanted to tell the story of Saba in order to raise awareness about the issue and hold a community dialogue around it. Many Pakistanis consider honor killings a family affair that does not need to be punished or even criticized, but I see them as cold-blooded murder crimes, justified by motives such as custom, culture or religion.

(DPA): Do you have statistics on the victims of these crimes in Pakistan?

Sharmeen: these crimes occur routinely, and the number of victims each year ex-

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ceeds 1,000 women and girls at the hands of male relatives, in the name of honor.

However, many of these crimes are not documented officially, thus, Saba is considered an exceptional case since she was able to escape this fate. I show in the film the reality in which the story revolves prior to the occurrence of these crimes, as well as the intense social pressure endured by survivors of such circumstances.

(DPA): Describe this pressure for us.

Sharmeen: I read a news article about Saba, and I visited her in the hospital where she was being treated. From here we began in early 2014, and we worked with Saba over the year. In the beginning, she was fighting to achieve justice, but under pressure from the older members of the family, she was forced to pardon her father.

(DPA): According to Pakistani law, this means that the case is closed and the accused goes free without any punishment.

This article in the Penal Code becomes grounds for not investigating these crimes, and since they occur in the family circle, relatives forgive the perpetrators to calm the situation in exchange for financial reward, or pressure is exerted on the victim to force her to give up her right. Of course you do not want the situation to continue in such a manner.

Sharmeen: During the filming I was aware of the sensitivity of the situation we are dealing with in this country. I visited Saba’s father, and he insisted that he only did what is right. We need lots of support to be able to change the law.

(DPA): And this is in the process of being achieved. Congratulations!

Sharmeen: For a long time, murders motivated by defending the honor were thought of in relation to Islam, but now I think that

with the movie and our campaign, people began to learn and understand that these crimes have nothing to do at all with our religion or our culture. This is why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stood by our side.

This is very important and will greatly help to change the attitude of society towards honor killings.

(DPA): Sharif invited 200 government officials to watch the film and declared his support for it. His legal adviser announced that the law will be amended, and this is certainly something that would make Saba feel happy; so how is she now?

Sharmeen: She is living with the man she married against the will of her family and they had a baby recently.

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MEDIA OIC Human Face of Ramadan Photo Contest The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held its first edition of Ramadan Social Media Photo Competition. The prize is a sponsored Hajj for 6 winners with 6 best photographs.

The Department of Public Information launched the contest on the first day of Ramadan on OIC’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts with the title “The Human Face of Ramadan” for citizens from OIC member state who are not professional photographers. The participants were asked to submit their entries that depict Ramadan’s spirituality, generosity, spirit of sharing, gathering, divers Muslims’ traditions and cultures during Ramadan, which all fall within the OIC’s objectives of promoting Islamic solidarity, brotherhood and cultural awareness.

The Director of Public Information Department, Maha Akeel noted that the OIC received hundreds of photos that were worthy of consideration from more than 20 OIC member states and some non-member states as well. “Choosing the 6 winners by

a jury consisting of professional photographers and OIC staff in addition to looking at those favored by followers in social media was very difficult and perplexing,” she said. “But in the end we had to conform to the rules of the contest, take into consideration the geographical distribution of the member states and the diversity of the photos while maintaining a certain standard of photo quality,” added Akeel.

The winners are: Heba Ismael Mohamed Obeidiya from Palestine, Sami Ucan from Turkey, Ahmed Jamal Ali Hassan from Egypt, Saidu Abdulkadir Hamdullahi from Nigeria, Yusef bin Saud from Morocco, and Ahmed Fadlil Imran from Indonesia.

The top best 30 photos including the winning 6 will be displayed at an exhibition to be held at OIC headquarters in Jeddah where the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani will also present the winners with a certificate.

The photos will also be displayed at various events of the OIC.

COMIAC Organizes a Media Workshop on OIC in Dakar Dakar – The Standing Committee on Information and Cultural Affairs (COMIAC) organized a workshop in Dakar, Senegal, on Monday, 30 May 2016 to promote the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its various efforts in serving the Muslim Ummah to the media. More than a hundred participants representing the media in Senegal, OIC Member States Ambassadors accredited in the country, civil society institutions and religious leaders attended.

A representative of the OIC General Secretariat also participated in this event.

Director of Coordination Office of the COMIAC, Ambassador Sheikhou Oumar Seck, addressed the opening session of the workshop and expressed his thanks for the Chairman of the COMIAC President Macky Sall President of the Republic of Senegal for his

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support for the COMIAC and commended the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani for his efforts to energize the Permanent Committee and to boost its work.

He noted that the 13th OIC Islamic Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 14 - 15 April 2016 confirmed its support for COMIAC media projects aimed at promoting Islamic culture and identity, intercultural and intercivilizational dialogue as well as increasing OIC visibility globally.

Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Senegal, Mr. Mbagnick Ndiaye delivered a speech expressing support for the efforts of the Organization to develop media institutions in the Muslim world. He also commended the role of the COMIAC in serving the Ummah in the domains of media and culture and called upon OIC Member

Sates to extend support for the COMIAC to enable it to carry out its mission properly.

The representative of the OIC General Secretariat, Dr. Abdelhamid Salhi also commended the COMIAC for its efforts and called on the media in Senegal and the African continent to focus on the initiatives undertaken by the OIC and its specialized institutions and to take advantage of the training services provided by the COMIAC and other OIC institutions.

Exchange of views among the participants continued throughout the workshop focusing on Islamic culture, youth and women.

Worth noting that the COMIAC is one of four OIC Standing Committees. It is based in Dakar, Senegal, and chaired by the President of the Republic of Senegal.

OIC Journal April - July 2016 49

MEDIA The Feasibility Study for Launching the OIC

Satellite Channel Approved for Presentation to the CFM

Meeting on launching OIC Satellite Channel, OIC Headquarters, Jeddah, 11 May 2016

Jeddah – After a long discussion on the management, financing and content of the proposed project of an OIC Satellite Channel, the Second Open-ended Meeting of the OIC Member States at the Level of Experts, held at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah on Wednesday, 11 May 2016, approved the Feasibility Study on launching the channel. The Meeting recommended that the project be submitted to the 43rd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers for its adoption and the launching of the channel.

The Director of the Information Department of the OIC General Secretariat, Ms. Maha Mustafa Akeel, delivered a statement on behalf of the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, in which she shed light on the role of media as an effective and influential means in shaping public opinion, and whose effect transcends space and time. She stated that the Islamic world is in need of a serious satellite channel speaking for the OIC and able to effect positive change, frame media messages, and contribute to attaining the objectives of Islamic peoples, in particular those related to economy, finance, trade, science, culture, health, women and family.

Ms. Akeel emphasized the importance for the channel to have a balanced message that nurtures moderation, tolerance and cooperation and endeavors to transfer knowledge to all peoples and raise their awareness, therefore contributing to the promotion of stability, prosperity and growth in the Islamic world in all areas.

She commended the invaluable efforts exerted by the representatives of Member

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States in the First Open-ended Meeting of the OIC Member States at the Level of Experts on Launching the OIC Satellite Channel that was held at the OIC headquarters on 23-24 February 2013. She also applauded the efforts of the committee in charge of following up on launching the Channel, which held three meetings at the OIC headquarters and discussed the different administrative, financial and technical aspects and the feasibility study conducted by specialized experts. The last meeting of the committee recommended the adoption of the feasibility study.

The Director of the Information Department underscored the importance of inviting the private sector in OIC Member States, as recommended by the study, to partner with the OIC for the launching of the channel and the management and financing of its work, under Member States’ supervision.

It is worth mentioning that the Ministers of

The channel seeks to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and solidarity among Member States.. it would highlight the correct image of Islam, its tolerance, as well as advocacy for peace and brotherhood

Information of OIC Member States had adopted a resolution on the establishment of the OIC Satellite Channel at the 9th Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers held in Libreville, capital city of Gabon, on 19-20 April 2012.

The Director of the Department of Information explained that the channel seeks to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and solidarity among Member States. Additionally, it would highlight the correct image of Islam, its tolerance, as well as advocacy for peace and brotherhood. It will also combat extremist ideology, fanaticism, terrorism and project Islam’s position on this issue, counter extremist religious rulings, defend the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and expose the practices of the occupation authorities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Ms. Akeel revealed that other major objectives of the channel include encouraging economic, scientific, technical, technological and tourism cooperation among member states. She also said that the channel would produce special programs on investment opportunities in Member States as well as integration among them in various fields. The channel will do everything that can contribute to achieving the OIC’s objectives and bring the peoples of Member States closer.

She added that the channel would operate within specified legal controls that would cover commitment to objectivity, neutrality and credibility of sources of information. It would refrain from broadcasting any subject that is at variance with the orientation of Islamic solidarity and the major issues of the Islamic ummah or that undermines cooperation among OIC Member States or imperils their relations with the international community.

The Director also stressed that the channel would refrain from direct or indirect propaganda, programs or documentaries calling for violence, hatred or discrimination on the basis of belief, sect, gender, color or racial origin. It would also reject advertisements of products prohibited in Islamic law and everything contrary to the principles of the noble Islamic faith. She said further that the channel would not broadcast contents with licentious, scandalous scenes or dialogues or those devoid of general Islamic values.

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environMent OIC Water Ministerial Conference Forms Water Council Endorses its Terms of Reference Istanbul – The Third Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers responsible of Water (ICMW), held in Istanbul on 17-18 May 2016, concluded with the adoption of the Terms of Reference of the OIC Water Council. It invited the OIC Member States and relevant OIC institutions to render necessary support to the Council to enhance cooperation between OIC Member States on water-related issues.

The Conference also approved composition of the Council, which consists of 15 members, and adopted a resolution on fostering cooperation in water sector as well as Chair Summary of the third session.

The President of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the Third Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers responsible for Water in Istanbul on Tuesday, 17 May 2016. Delegations from 41 OIC Member States particıpated in the conference held under the theme “From Vision to Action”. It discussed implementation of the OIC Water Vision to enhance cooperation among the OIC member states on water-related issues.

In his inaugural address, President Erdogan stressed the importance of increasıng cooperatıon among the OIC Member states on water-related issues. He offered to share Turkey’s expertise in this area with other member states to maximize the productive use of water and to overcome the water shortages.

On behalf of the OIC Secretary General, the Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan delivered the welcoming remarks. He highlighted the challenges faced by the OIC Member States in water sector and stressed the importance of increasıng intra-OIC cooperation to tackle these issues. Ambassador Khan underscored the importance of the establishment of the Water Council for implementation of the Water Vision.

The Minister of Forestry and Water Resources of Turkey, Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroglu, said that the OIC Water Vision provided a framework for cooperation among member states. He underlined the importance of increased cooperation among the member states for effective management of water resources. Minister Veysel offered to provide technical assıstance to the OIC member states in Water Sector.

A keynote speech by Vice President of the World Water Council as well as two presentatıons on various aspects of water related issues by representatives of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) of Turkey and Islamic Development Bank were also made.

Ministers responsible for Water and heads of delegations of OIC Member States in their speeches highlighted the challenges faced by their countries in water sector and stressed the importance of increasing cooperation to tackle these challenges. The Ministers welcomed the establishment of the OIC Water Council as a major step in implementation of the OIC Water Vision. They called upon the newly formed Water Council to make effective strategies for enhancing technical capabilities of the member states on water-related issues and to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) presented the OIC Water Report for 2015, which highlighted the current status of water projects and

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activities undertaken by OIC Member States in the water sector.

Two panel discussions on “Capacity Building in Water Sector” and “Prevention of Waterborne Diseases” in the OIC Member States were held on the sidelines of the Conference.

The OIC Member States face varying degrees of water related challenges, such as water scarcity, floods, lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities foods droughts and land sliding.

Pursuant to the decision of the 1st meeting of the Ministers responsible for Water (ICMW) in March 2009, the OIC Water Vision was adopted in 2012. The Water Vision underscores the need for collaboration among Member States in all aspects of water by adopting an incremental approach starting from sharing of knowledge, experiences, capacity building and technology transfer.

OIC Journal April - July 2016 51

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY

President of Pakistan speaking at 15th session of COMSTECH, Islamabad, 31 May 2016

Group photo of participants in 15th session of COMSTECH, Islamabad, 1 June 2016

15th General Assembly Meeting of COMSTECH Adopts 2016-2025

Plan of Action for Development of S&T in Member States Islamabad – The 15th General Assembly Meeting of OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) adopted “The Ten Year S&T Plan of Action for Development of Science and Technology in OIC states’’ for the period 2016-2025. The Plan was prepared by COMSTECH in consultations with eminent scientists from 20 Member States. It identifies some basic priorities related in particular to education and skill development, health, energy and other infrastructure facilities, which need to be present before advances in science and technology can emerge in Member States.

The 15th General Assembly Meeting was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 31 May-1 June 2016. The President of Pakistan and Chairman of COMSTECH, H.E. Mamnoon Hussain, opened the 15th session of COMSTECH General Assembly. In his speech he stressed on the need for increasing the budget for research and development and investing in producing high quality scientists.

At the inaugural session, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani stated that the Muslim world is currently facing a host of challenges of development, environment degradation, health, energy shortages and water resources scarcity.

“Advancement in science and technology is essential for overcoming these challenges.

The Member States have to develop and apply better, cheaper and smarter techniques across all sectors if we are to improve socio-economic conditions of our people,” stressed Madani.

In view of the centrality of Science, Technology and Innovation in overall development of the Member States, the Secretary

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General mentioned that the OIC Science Agenda places special emphasis on creating and strengthening the STI institutional framework in the Member States, building capacities of scientists, assisting in the development of trained work force and promoting linkages between public and private organizations committed to research and development.

Furthermore, the OIC 2025: Programme of Action adopted by the 13th OIC Summit in April 2016 emphasizes the centrality of knowledge, science, technology and innovation for the long-term prosperity and socio- economic development of the Member States.

Madani pointed out that although OIC Member States have made progress in achieving the objectives of the Vision 1441H on Science & Technology adopted in 2003, they still have a long way to go to match technologically advanced countries. “It is imperative that we take stock of the contemporary challenges, identify solutions and agree on practical measures to move towards the realization of our strategic targets and objectives. The Member States also need to redouble their efforts to strengthen intra-OIC cooperation for sharing best practices on STI policies; transferring technology and establishing regional innovation ecosystems,” he emphasized.

The Secretary General praised COMSTECH for the role it played since its inception in providing necessary leadership to the Member States for advancing a culture of science, technology and innovation. He called upon COMSTECH to formulate programmes and activities for strengthening STI institutional framework, build capacities of scientists and science policy makers, and promote linkages

between public and private innovation organizations in the Member States.

He also praised COMSTECH on finalizing the proposal to launch the Science Report programme, which intends to regularly monitor and evaluate the development of Science and Technology in the Member States and make recommendations for strengthening their S&T policies.

The Secretary General also pointed to COMSTECH’s role in helping the Member States to carry out joint scientific research and establish training partnerships to benefit from existing expertise and capacities. In this regard, he lauded the agreement with the Germany based Lindau Nobel Council that provides an opportunity to scientists from the OIC countries to work with Nobel Laureates.

Finally, the Secretary General stressed that socio-economic development and poverty alleviation is a function of scientific progress and technological prowess. In order to achieve this objective, he encouraged Member States to accord high priority to science education in curricula at all levels; apportion a higher percentage of national budgets for development of science, technology and innovation; and develop a ‘Science Culture’ in Member States with active participation and patronage of national governments and support of civil society and other organizations.

The inaugural session was also addressed by the Coordinator General of COMSTECH, Dr. Shaukat Hameed, the Federal Minister for Science and Technology of Pakistan, Mr. Rana Tanveer Hussain, and the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ali, who reviewed some of the projects and programs supported by

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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY IDB in the fields of science, health and education stressing that it gives utmost importance to the advancement of science and technology in the member states.

The 15th General Assembly of COMSTECH heard reports from OIC institutions, including IDB, ISESCO and SESRIC, as well as from Islamic Universities in Uganda, Bangladesh and Niger on their activities in the fields of science and technology, health, education and the environment.

Resolutions on Advancing S&T: The General Assembly adopted resolutions that included a document on “Science and Technology in the OIC Countries: Goals, Priorities and Actions”, which identified specific goals and objectives. Among the goals is to facilitate enhancement of education and skills in the member states, with the target of 50 universities of member states to be included in the rank of the top 500 universities.

The document also identified alleviating the effects of the looming crisis in water and food security in OIC member states as a goal; establishing an OIC task force on climate change; and facilitating programs and resources to manage the unfolding crisis in human health.

This document will be further enriched by incorporating recommendations of the member states for consideration of the OIC Summit on Science and Technology to be held in Kazakhstan in 2017. COMSTECH will also submit to the Summit the finalized OIC Green Technology Blue Print for OIC member states.

Another important document endorsed by

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the Conference is COMSTECH’s Ten-Year Plan for the Development of Science and Technology in Member States and its implementation. The Plan identifies the priority areas and makes recommendations for multidisciplinary research in emerging areas of basic and applied sciences and technology. Several ‘big’ science initiatives are proposed which range from space sciences and astronomy to plasma physics and fusion, nanotechnology, as well as materials, computing, photonics, energy, food and water, climate change and management of big data/ cyber security, which are likely to have the highest potential for economic growth.

An important component of the Plan is the Ibn Al HaithamProgramme, which is intended to encourage exchange of scientists across member States. To encourage new start-ups in high technology, a Venture Capital Fund has also been proposed for use in OIC countries.

Minister of Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization, Mr. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, presided over the closing session. In his speech he stressed on increasing funding, cooperation and networking to support and advance science, technology and innovation in the member states. He announced that Pakistan will award 100 scholarships under the aegis of OIC Education Exchange Program for university students. Pakistan is also awarding 30 scholarships to students of OIC member states to study at National University of Sciences and technology through OIC Education Exchange Program.

The two-day conference was attended by 20 ministers, several deputy ministers and high-

level officials from 39 OIC member states, OIC institutions, and international organizations. The conference had elected Pakistan as chair of its bureau; Palestine, Azerbaijan and Morocco as vice chair; and Gambia as rapporteur.

COMSTECH is the Ministerial Standing Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, established by the Third Islamic Summit held in Makkah al Mukarramah/ Taif in January 1981. The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is its Chairman and the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as Co-Chairperson.

Status of Science in Member States: The General Assembly was preceded by the Executive Committee Meeting on 30 May in which deliberations were made on topical issues and documents, which were tabled before the General Assembly. It also served as preparatory to the 1st ever OIC Summit on Science and Technology scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan in 2017.

Coordinator General of COMSTECH, Dr. Shaukat Hameed, briefed the meeting on the activities of COMSTECH since the last meeting in 2011 and on the status of science in Muslim world. He stressed on the need to exchange expertise and knowledge and pointed to the huge untapped potential of research and innovation in the member states.

Currently, OIC Member States spent 0.81% of their GDP on R&D on average, which is quite lower than the EU average of 1.87% and the world average of 2.22% as well as the targeted rate of 1% as implied by the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action of 20052015.

As for the availability of highly qualified researchers, OIC Member Countries, on average, have 615 researchers per million people, which is well behind the world average of 1604 per million people. It is also short of the target set by Vision 1441H of 1441 researchers per million by the year 2020 (1441 Hijri).

On the other hand, OIC member countries as a whole published 108,821 scientific articles, which represents more than fourfold increase compared to 20,242 articles published in 2000. Nevertheless, the total amount reached is still below those of some individual countries.

OIC Journal April - July 2016 53

ECONOMY IDB’s 2016 Annual Meeting Highlights the Role of Islamic Finance in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

A panel during the 41st Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank, Jakarta, 15 May 2016

Jakarta – The role of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals was one of the key talking points at the Islamic Development Bank Group’s 41st Annual Meeting, which was held at Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 8-12 Sha’baan 1437H (15–19 May 2016).

The meeting brought together IDB’s Governors, mostly finance and economy ministers, in addition to hundreds of policy makers and top leaders from international and regional partner institutions, where they reviewed last year’s activities by the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB).

The meeting also served as a platform to explore practical solutions, strengthen partnership and cooperation between IDB’s 56 member countries.

Enhancing Growth and Poverty Alleviation through Infrastructure Development and Financial Inclusion was the overall theme of this year’s meeting.

Indonesian Vice President H.E. Jusuf Kalla inaugurated the 41st Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, which was attended by ministers and senior officials of the Indonesian government, along with finance and economy ministers representing the 57 IDB member countries.

The Republic of Guyana, which recently joined IDB as the 57th member country, was also represented.

All 57-member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are members of IDB. In his speech during the annual meeting,

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President of IDB, Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ali

the President of IDB Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, noted that “Cooperation is the objective for which IDB was established for no other reason than joint action, which is much needed today more than ever before.”

“We thank Allah for enabling the IsDB Group to accomplish significant achievements, and launch important initiatives, such as the contribution to the Trans-Sahara Road, the Manantali Dam, the resilience and food security program for the African Sahel countries, the railway project between Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, as well as other energy and roads projects that contributed to ending the isolation of remote areas in Africa, Central Asia and other re-

gions,” he added.

In his remarks, Indonesian Vice President Kalla said cooperation between Indonesia and IDB focused on efforts to strengthen economic growth and address inequality.

He added that in the 41 years since the beginning of Indonesia’s membership in IDB, the Bank has disbursed more than USD 2.5 billion to finance projects in key development sectors of Indonesia such as infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, public utilities and the Shari’ah financial industry.

“These projects have contributed to the growth of the economy and social welfare of our country through the increase of public participation in Islamic Education and Shari’ah-based Financial System, as well as through the creation of new Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs),” the Vice President said.

The annual general meeting hosted several plenaries where issues relating to the role of Islamic Development Bank in shaping the progress of humanity were discussed.

In his remark at one of such events the 11th IDB “Global Forum on Islamic Finance: Role of Islamic Financing in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals” IDB President Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, noted that Islamic finance plays an efficient and significant role to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Islamic finance supports inclusive growth in the economy. Islamic finance is against all source of disloyal and dishonest competitiveness and it helps the charity sector

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ECONOMY through zaka,” Dr. Ali stated.

New IDB President takes over October 2016 Following the announcement of Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali’s decision to retire from the position of IDB president, the IDB’s Board of Governors, in a resolution issued during the 41st annual meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, appointed Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali as President Emeritus and unanimously elected Dr. Bandar Hajjar as the Bank’s new President effective 1st October, 2016.

The Board of Governors of IDB also expressed their sincere gratitude to Dr. Ali for his outstanding leadership, the contributions he has made to establish the Bank and for his help laying the foundation of its growth and success.

They also expressed their admiration and appreciation for the distinction Dr. Ali has manifested through his high moral values, immense modesty, great enthusiasm and exemplary ability to create and maintain cordial relationships with IDB’s member countries.

Dr. Ali leaves behind a great legacy of achievements and historic results that have helped to grow IDB into a major international financial institution and an influential force in socio-economic development around the world.

On his part, Dr. Ali thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz for the support he received during his tenure as President of the Bank and welcomed Dr. Hajjar as his successor.

Dr. Hajjar was born in Al Madina in 1955. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science with first class honors from King Saud University; a Master’s degree in Economics from Indiana University, USA; and a Doctorate degree in Economics from the University of Loughborough, UK. Dr. Hajjar worked as a Professor of Econom-

ics at the University of King Saud and King Abdulaziz and served as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Hajj from 2012-2016.

More than US $176 million approved in funding for new projects

A total of US $176.6 million was approved during the 312th session of IDB’s Board of Executive Directors at Jakarta Convention Center. The meeting was held prior to the 41st Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of IDB. The funds approved during the meeting will help finance several important projects, which include: • USD 101.5 million for a high-speed rail project connecting Tangier with Casablanca in Morocco • USD 45 million for a project supporting vocational education and training in Uganda • USD 29.5 million for an agricultural development project in Soum Province, Burkina Faso The Board of Executive Directors also approved three grants from the IDB Awqaf Properties Investment Fund (APIF) to Muslim communities in non-Islamic countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Denmark and Tanzania.

Side Events

More than 30 side meetings, seminars and knowledge sharing events on many important topics were held on the sidelines of the 41st annual meeting.

A panel of experts met to discuss strategies to develop transport systems for urban and rural areas based on the Sustainable Development Goals. The side event, “The Role of Climate-friendly Transport Systems in Promoting Inclusive Growth,” addressed the challenges developing countries face while trying to balance climate change commitments with transport development needs.

Panelists agreed that global and national policies are crucial for achieving sustainable transport systems, as these policies will serve

as an umbrella for providing easier access to resources.

Another side event held during the annual meeting was the IDB Youth Development Seminar (YDS) that brought together influential thinkers, policy makers, entrepreneurs and international developmental policy experts to discuss and debate critical issues that are of relevance to young people around the globe.

Exhibition of Innovative Solutions This year’s IDB annual meeting also featured a huge innovation exhibition with the theme “Health, Education and Youth Employment.”

All the three issues are aligned with the components of the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals.

The exhibition contained 44 booths featuring 32 innovative projects from 26 member countries, 2 from international organizations and 10 IDB funded projects.

IDB President Dr. Ahmed Mohamed who declared the exhibition opened declared that “Innovation is an alchemy for the transformation of ideas into products, processes and services that can help countries fulfill their development needs.”

“Innovation occurs in an environment that is conducive for research, security of intellectual property, adequate investments in research and development and proper funding of tertiary institutions,” he added.

Two innovative IDB-financed health projects, a leukemia diagnostic kit developed by Moroccan scientists and malaria research from Guinea, both address critical health challenges.

An education project in Bangladesh developed solar-powered floating schools.

In Egypt, a project for youth matches innovators from different technical backgrounds to join forces and transform their prototypes and designs into start-ups.

IDB Prizes for the Year 2016 Winners of the IDB Prize for Women’s Contribution to Development: This year’s edition of the prize is presented to women and women organisations who played a prominent role in promoting the rights of girls under the age of 18 and helping them lead a happy and dignified life.

Under the Individual’s Category: 1. Ms. Nafisa Al-Deek, Palestine

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2. Ms. Vannie Kouamou Djounguep, Cameroon Under the Organisation’ Category: 1. Abnaa El-Ghad “Banati” Foundation, Egypt: 2. Bahir Integrated Child and Family Support Organisation, Ethiopia Winner of IDB Prize in Islamic Banking and Finance: Professor Mohammad Kabir Hassan of

University of New Orleans Winning institutions of IDB Prizes for Science and Technology: 1. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait 2. NanoManyetik Bilimsel Cihazlar Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd., Turkey 3. Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Bangladesh

OIC Journal April - July 2016 55

ECONOMY Volume of Intra - OIC Trade Increases to $878 Billion

Governor of Riyadh with Saudi Minister of Trade and the OIC Secretary General inaugurate 15th OIC Trade Fair

Riyadh – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) declared that the total value of intra-OIC trade in 2015 amounted to $878 billion, compared to $802.25 billion in 2014, thereby recording an increase of 9.44%.

Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, disclosed this as a prelude to the 15th Trade Fair of the OIC Member states held in Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Opeloyeru indicated that the increase is due to the fact that the General Secretariat continued all through the previous year to give priority to implementation of more programs and initiatives in the domains of trade finance, export credit and trade development through organization of trade and specialized fairs.

He added that the General Secretariat’s plans for intra-OIC trade for the next decade set a target of 25% of the total volume of trade in the OIC member countries after the volume of intra-OIC trade increased from 14.5% in 2004 to 19.78% in 2015, compared to 19.33% in 2014.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs explained that expansion of the scope of cooperation in the sectors of trade, investment, and capital is crucial in order to promote sustainable development, improve economic welfare of the peoples of the OIC member countries.

He noted that the volume of intra-OIC trade out of the total commercial exchanges is

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the widely used standard to assess the level of economic integration and cooperation among the OIC member countries.

15th OIC Trade Fair Meanwhile, the 15th Trade Fair was inaugurated by the Governor of Riyadh Region His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdulaziz on Sunday, 22 May 2016.

It was attended by the OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, the Minister of Trade and Investment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Majed Al-Qasabi, several other ministers of OIC Member States, businessmen and investors.

In his address to the opening ceremony, the OIC Secretary General remarked that the Islamic Trade Fair is a meeting platform for actors in the fields of trade development and investment, exporters and captains of industry of business to get to know the latest products in Member States.

Madani called for the establishment of multinational companies in the Member States and provide mechanisms to realize economic integration and remove impediments in the way of the private sector and businessmen.

On his part, the Saudi Minister of Trade and Investment explained that the Trade Fair coincided with the announcement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which is based on the realization of ArabIslamic depth.

Al-Qasabi added that the importance of

the Fair in which 39 OIC Member States participated lies in raising the level of trade exchange among Member States, creating awareness of products and industries and opening of new markets.

The President of the Council of Saudi Chambers, Dr. Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdullah AlZamil delivered a speech in which he stated that the economic prospects in Member States are promising and growing, with the volume of intra-trade jumping to US$878 bn at the end of 2015 compared to US$ 803 bn at the end of 2014.

He also cited that the volume of Saudi Arabia’s trade with OIC Member States which stood at US$87 bn in 2014, representing 17% of its external trade.

In his message to the opening ceremony, the President of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, an affiliated organisation of the OIC, Sheikh Saleh Kamel, announced that the Chamber is working to raise the level of trade and investment among Member States through many forums and conferences that are convened to boost solidarity and build bridges of engagement.

Three side events were held on the sidelines of the biennial Fair: the 2nd session of the Trade Promotion Organs of OIC Member States, Investment Promotion Agencies Forum and the 9th Forum of Business Ladies in Member States.

The Fair was organized by the Saudi Ministry of Trade and Investment in conjunction with the Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade (ICDT) and attended by 39 OIC Member States.

Calls for activation of Trade Preferential systems In a meeting held on the sideline of the 15th Trade Fair, OIC called for the activation of trade preferential system mechanism among member states.

OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, made the statement at the 2nd Forum of Trade Promotion Organs of the OIC Member States.

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ECONOMY Establishment of a multinational company for the production of vaccines

He said, “it is high time that we commenced the operationalistion of the Trade and Preferential System of the OIC (TPS-OIC), having completed the necessary membership requirements needed for its immediate takeoff”.

Ambassador Opeloyeru who delivered a statement on behalf of the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, noted that the meeting derives its value and importance from the fact that it takes place at a very decisive time in the history of socioeconomic cooperation among OIC Member States.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General noted that the decision of the Trade and Investment Sub-committee to work out modalities for the implementation of the SingleWindow modalities in Member States is commendable.

He added that the meeting would need to seize the opportunity of the declared support of international organisations, such as UNCTAD and ITC to provide the OIC with a survey of the best practices available in OIC member states in order to scale up experience sharing within the OIC. He called for exploring modalities for providing technical assistance to needy Member States, enabling them to establish their respective national Single-Window modalities. This in-kind assistance will provide the needed bridge between policy and execution, while promoting meaningful partnership and cooperation among OIC Member States.

Ambassador Opeloyeru highlighted the need to scale up public-private partnership and joint venture activities within the OIC. “The contribution of the Private Sector in our current efforts to change the current mono-cultural structure of the OIC economies and dependence on export of primary exports is very considerable. In this regard, the advocacy role of the Private Sector is crucial”, he stated.

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During the Islamic Trade fair in Riyadh, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced that it will intensify its efforts for the establishment of a multinational company with an ownership cutting across OIC Member States for the production of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, agro-business, and manufacturing.

The OIC stressed that the project will seek to promote intra-OIC investment through the use of appropriate technologies and innovation; generate employment among the youth and the vulnerable groups; increase prosperity and welfare through promoting international competitiveness of the OIC countries’ exports.

OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, announced the initiative in the statement he delivered on behalf of the Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, at the Forum on Trade Promotion Organs in OIC Member States.

Ambassador Opeloyeru stated that the promotion of intra-OIC investment is crucial to the advancement of socio-economic development and sustainable growth in OIC Member States, indicating that foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to OIC Member States in recent years have declined considerably and have not kept pace with the investment requirements for increased growth of OIC economies.

On the other hand, the participants in the Forum discussed the possibility of establishing a mechanism for consultation among Investment Promotion Agencies in OIC Member States, in addition to the implementation

of the various OIC resolutions, projects and programmes in the area of investment promotion, including the Agreement for Promotion, Protection and Guarantee of Investments among Member States.

OIC Tourism Capital Awarded To Konya The Governor of Riyadh, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz, handed over the 2016 OIC Tourism Capital award won by the Turkish city of Konya to the representative of the Turkish government, Dr. Mujahid Sami.

The award was presented to the Turkish delegation on the sidelines of the 15th Trade Fair of OIC Member States.

The City of Konya had won the Islamic Tourism City award at the 9th session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers held in Niamey, Niger in December 2015.

The Turkish government has prepared series of promotional programmes and activities about Konya which would be implemented this year.

In April 2016, the Turkish government held a meeting about Konya as Islamic Tourism capital. It also set up a booth at the Trade Fair in Riyadh to provide information about the City.

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ECONOMY

Islamic Organization of Food Security Commences Operations in Kazakhstan Astana – The OIC Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) started its work officially in April 2016 with the 1st session of its founding General Assembly in Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan, on 26-28 April 2016.

The 1st session was held at the same time with the 7th Islamic Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development in OIC Member States.

The mandate of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) includes the establishment of a database to monitor the status of food security in the Member States.

The organization is also allotted with the responsibility of presenting and analysing periodic reports with a view to studying opportunities for the establishment of agricultural integration among the OIC regions and Member States as well as define both means and tools to raise the level of food security and model policies on agricultural development.

The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov, delivered the welcome address in the name of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to the General Assembly. Massimov emphasized that the IOFS will make con-

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tributions and carry an impact in the field of food security at a time the world is facing ubiquitous famine and diseases. He indicated that Kazakhstan will use its resources to support the work of IOFS. The establishment of the IOFS was initiated following a proposal by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, at the opening of the 38th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Astana on 28-30 June 2011. The President had proposed to develop a system for the exchange of food assistance within the framework of the OIC. For his part, the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, underlined that the inauguration of this new specialized institutions is a historical milestone that enhances the collective efforts intended to improve socio-economic cooperation among Member States. The IOFS is expected to implement resolutions related to the fields of agriculture, rural development and food security.

The Secretary General called upon the new organization to carry out agricultural microfinance projects and conduct a study on early warning and information systems in the OIC Member States. He also called for

the implementation of a program to boost capacities and limit post-harvest wastage.

Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group, indicated that IDB will cooperate with IOFS in a bid to engage farmers in the process of development by enhancing their access to improved seeds, fertilizers, and good animal breeds and the various production input.

He called for the need to focus on technical assistance programs in order to facilitate the transfer of agricultural knowledge-based expertise and set up concessional lending programs.

IDB President pointed up the importance of enhancing market accessibility by improving infrastructure and developing the energy sector in order to maximize food production.

In this sense, he highlighted the need for the creation of linkages between producers and local, regional, and global markets in order to cut down wastage the proportion of which reaches in some Member States 30 percent of the overall production.

The General Assembly adopted IOFS’s budget, together with its Rules of Procedure, Financial Regulations, Personnel Regulations, and a Five-year Plan of Action.

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ECONOMY Member States Urged to Allocate 6% of National Spending to Agriculture and Food Security The 7th Islamic Ministerial Conference discussed the outcomes of the works of the General Assembly of the newly established food security organization.

Asylzhan Mamytbekov, the Kazakh Agriculture Minister and Chairman of the 7th Islamic Ministerial Conference, addressed the inaugural session by indicating the challenges to food security, with the increase in populations and the decrease in food agricultural products, there is a need to increase agricultural production by 60-70%.‎ The Kazakh ‎Agriculture Minister added that the establishment of the IOFS was the culmination of the OIC endeavors to realize food security, drawing the attention to the significance of establishing many food reserves and warehouses in Member States, along with the expansion of cooperation among these states. He also called for the investment in logistics, food waste reduction, setting up joint funds for food, and upgrading Islamic finance instruments related to agricultural sector.‎ In his message addressed to the Ministerial Conference, the OIC Secretary General noted that food trade deficit in Member States rose from $16 billion in 2000 to $79 billion in 2014; which indicates that the majority of these countries rely to a great extent on importing various food products. Madani added that during the period between 2014 and 2016, the number of those suffering from malnutrition in the OIC countries reached 166 million persons, equivalent to 20.8% of the total population suffering from malnutrition across the world.‎ The Secretary General emphasized the different levels of socio-economic development in Member States; which requires further strengthening of cooperation in the field of capacity building, materialization of joint programs and projects, and efficient management of resources, with the aim to increase production and productivity in agricultural field.‎ He stressed on the fact that productivity and sustainability would not be achieved without investment; as the private sector should be attracted through new appropriate financial instruments that are accessible to all.‎ The Ministers of Agriculture discussed the latest developments with respect to food security programs and regional food reserve

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projects, at both the local and regional levels, in the OIC Member States.

They also touched upon the establishment of an agricultural fund for SMEs operating in the area of food security, as well as a fund for agricultural and scientific research that aims to enhance the implementation of progressive agricultural systems and support productivity in the field of livestock and poultry husbandry, fisheries and crop production.

The Meeting urged Member States to make investments in infrastructures with a view to developing local and regional markets operating in the fields of manufacturing, transport and communication, energy, ICT and post-harvest product handling, processing and storage. The Meeting also called for setting measures and mechanisms to ensure equal access to opportunities, including access to agricultural land, production assets and skills.

The Ministers of Agriculture focused on the significance of teaching smallholder and family farmers the necessary vocational skills and stressed on the need for Member States to allocate additional resources from their national budgets to agricultural development and food security programs.

The Meeting urged Member States to implement the recommendations on the allocation of 6% of national spending to the agriculture and food security sector and establishment of regional food security reserves.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, Ambassador Hameed

Opeloyeru, explained that food security crises all over the world in the last decade have shown the importance of agricultural development and food security in various countries.

This issue, he said, acquires greater significance given that more than 50% of the OIC Member States population live in the rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Ambassador Opeloyeru stated that OIC Member States occupy 29% of the world’s agricultural land and that 31 of them are categorized as being among the world’s biggest 20 producers of major agricultural products such as grains – wheat, rice, maize as well as equatorial region crops such as cocoa, rubber and sugar cane.

The OIC Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development studied progress in the various programmes and projects implemented by the OIC and its institutions, such as the Jeddah Declaration on Food Security and related programmes being implemented by the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, the OIC Plan of Action for Cooperation with Central Asia and other programmes and projects.

The Ministers also reviewed the reports submitted by the OIC General Secretariat, the Islamic Development Bank Group, the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture.‎

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ECONOMY IMPACT Program for Islamic finance launched in Bogor, Indonesia The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and IDB Group launched the Islamic Microfinance for Poverty Alleviation and Capacity Transfer (IMPACT) Program in Bogor, Indonesia, on 16 May 2016.

The program provides a platform for experts to share and deepen their understanding of the Islamic Microfinance models and to create tools and infrastructure to disseminate best practices.

The program was launched during the “Seminar on Islamic Microfinance for Poverty Alleviation in OIC Member Countries,” hosted by Bogor Agricultural University.

The seminar was organized by the Islamic Research Training Institute (IRTI), IDB and OIC. It brought together more than 40 experts and practitioners from 12 OIC member countries: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mo-

rocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

Seminar participants discussed the development of the Islamic Microfinance sector and shared innovative best practices. Experts offered ideas and solutions to develop the Islamic Microfinance sector in five key areas: technology; advocacy; operations; monitoring and evaluation; and policy and standards.

More than 1,000 participants Southeast Europe at the Sarajevo Business Forum More than 1,000 participants from 30 countries attended the 7th Sarajevo Business Forum, which took place on 4-5 May 2016.

The Forum showcased investment opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the agriculture, energy, education, finance, infrastructure, construction, service and tourism sectors. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has supported the Forum every year since its inception in 2010.

The Forum was inaugurated by H.E. Bakir Izetbegovic, Chairman of the Presidency of

Bosnia and Herzegovina, who expressed his deep appreciation for the important role IDB plays in developing and supporting the economy of the Federation.

The 2016 Forum – One Region, One Economy – was organized by Bosna Bank International (BBI) in cooperation with IDB, Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and other international partners.

Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of the IDB Group, paid tribute to the remarkable economic progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina. He noted that the govern-

ment’s recent economic reforms and new facilities, along with the Sarajevo Business Forum, have encouraged investment in the Federation.

The Forum also hosted the 16+1 Summit (Central and Eastern Europe plus China).

This summit, a platform for prospective projects, focuses on investments that will contribute to economic development in the region. It featured investment opportunities and projects from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania.

IDB and Tunisia sign financing agreements for agricultural development New funding from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will contribute to improving the lives of people in Tunisia and support the government’s goal to combat poverty and unemployment in the country.

The agreements contribute to the funding of US $27.7 million for the Sfax Integrated Agricultural Development Project. They also provide US $200,000 in grants to support Tunisia’s Ministry of Development and International Cooperation.

They were signed by IDB Group President

Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali and H.E. Yassin Ibrahim, Tunisia’s Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation, who is also IDB Governor for Tunisia. The signing took place during the Joint Meeting of Arab Financing Institutions on 5-6 April in Manama, Bahrain.

The Sfax project will support investment in infrastructure and boost agricultural harvest and dairy production. It advances Tunisia’s goals to combat poverty in rural areas, tackle unemployment and promote its global status

as an important country for growing olives and producing olive oil.

The technical assistance grant will facilitate capacity building in Tunisia’s Ministry of Development and International Cooperation to improve the productivity of the ministry’s staff.

It will help the ministry improve strategic planning, better coordinate investment and development opportunities, supervise development projects and increase its technological skills through training, exchange of expertise.

IDB hands over 34 Schools-Cum-Cyclone Shelters in Bangladesh IDB representative Dr. Mohammad Hassan Salem handed over 34 Schools-cumCyclone Shelters on 19 June as part of the third phase of the Fael Khair Program in Bangladesh. The program is funded by a grant from the late King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz.

A total of 95 out of 174 planned Schoolcum-Cyclone Shelters have been handed over so far. Each building will serve as a modern educational institution for 240 stu-

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dents and will also provide shelter to 2,000 people and 500 cattle during the country’s frequent cyclones.

The late King Abdullah’s grant of USD 130 million for relief and assistance to the victims of cyclone Sidr is utilized as follows: • USD 110 million to construct 174 Schoolcum-Cyclone Shelters in the coastal belt of Bangladesh • USD 20 million Waqf as partial support to maintain the buildings and to provide

urgent relief and rehabilitation through agricultural and other inputs to the affected population The buildings are designed to withstand top wind speeds of up to 260 km per hour.

The ‘green’ facilities are equipped with solar power and durable school furniture. They also have potable water systems, including rain water harvesting, to supply safe drinking water, a crucial commodity in this saline belt, especially during calamities.

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ECONOMY Old Olive Wars between Rome and Carthage Resurface

Tunisia (DPA) – Tunisia is not an oil country like its neighbors Libya and Algeria, but it has another type of petrol; it’s olive oil. The small country located in North Africa on the shores of the Mediterranean, owes part of its global fame to its touristic resorts and its revolution that inspired the Arab Spring, but also to its production of olive oil.

The vast fields of olive are spread mainly in the center of the country in the region overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and parts of the south, where the bureau of Olive Oil estimates that there are 70 million trees. According to numbers by the Ministry of Industry, Tunisia allocates more than 30 percent of its agricultural land for the cultivation of olive trees.

Although the Tunisian oil is gaining worldwide fame today, it still has a stiff competition from the historical neighbor to the north, Italy.

Tunisia leads the global ranking of countries exporting olive oil with around 312 thousand tons in the 2014/2015 season and is ranked second in terms of production with around 350 thousand tons.

Italy is also one of the world›s leading producers, along with Spain and Greece. Because of business competition, the two countries are locked in a propaganda war, which resurrected talks about the most famous battle in the pre-Christian era in the Mediterranean between the two trading powers Rome and Carthage, known as the three “Punic wars”.

In Tunisia, olive oil is seen as a national treasure and a source of national security. Thus, the defenders of its reputation consider the

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Italian media campaigns today a new chapter of the old «Punic wars” in the Mediterranean.

According to the head of the Bureau, the campaigns began after the US market spotted cases of fraud in canned exports coming from Italy at a time when Italian media blamed Tunisian exports since they are the first source of olive oil.

Furthermore, the campaign came after the European Parliament approved granting Tunisia an additional share of olive oil exports.

The EU decided to raise the share of Tunisia over the years 2016 and 2017 by 35 thousand tons to be added to the estimated share of more than 56 thousand tons, in a move to support the struggling economy of the emerging democracy and possibly giving a boost to the reputation of Tunisian oil.

The Director of the Oil Bureau in Tunisia, Shukri Bayoud, said the Tunisian product is monitored automatically by the Ministry of Commerce and is then analyzed in the laboratories of the National Bureau of Oil, which is internationally recognized. He stressed in his statement to the press that «US suppliers are convinced that Tunisia has no hand in changes to the product specifications.»

In all cases, this campaign had no impact on Tunisia’s exports in the oil sector, as the European Union still attracts more than 70 percent of exports, while the US receives 17 percent of them.

On the production level, olive represents 15 percent of the country’s agricultural product, while olive oil represents 50 percent of agricultural exports and 5.5 percent of the country’s general exports, which makes it an

important source of foreign currency.

The oil sector generally also represents a direct or indirect source of living and livelihood for more than a million people and accounts for 20 percent of employment in the agricultural sector.

But in a country that lacks the rich natural resources, such as oil and gas, as is the case in neighboring countries, the production of this agricultural plant in huge quantities and with high quality international standards constitutes more than just an economic challenge.

With Tunisia›s image as an ideal touristic destination shaken by the bloody terrorist attacks, what the tourist resorts in this country need most is to attract as many tourist as it can through new markets, as opposed to the traditional markets in Europe. The Tunisian olive oil, represents an important key to improving the image of Tunisia.

The Austrian journalist Gerald Drajisner, who visited the country during its democratic transition period following the events of the revolution in 2011, believes that Tunisia needs to do more to redefine itself as the first producer and exporter of olive oil in the world and to work on marketing this new image of the emerging democracy.

The government has already allocated 1.6 million euros for advertising and marketing the olive oil sector in 2016. It also participated in international exhibitions coinciding with the peak of the tourist season including SIALs Salon Shanghai, China in May, and the exhibition «Summer Fancy Food Show» in New York, USA, in June.

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EDUCATION The «Recycling» School in the Garbage Collectors Quarters in Egypt Celebrates its 15th Anniversary

Cairo (DPA) – This year, the recycling school of the garbage collector quarters in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, celebrates 15 years since its foundation. It is not a typical school; rather it is an open field, divided into several sections: a place to study, computer hall, a place for drawing and artwork and a small workshop for waste recycling. The workshop has so far recycled more than 34 million shampoo bottles collected from the garbage, re-shredded, converted into powder and sold to the companies that produce them.

The garbage collectors quarters is the largest landfill where most of the garbage of Cairo’s neighborhoods is collected. It accommodates between 6000 and 7000 tons of Cairo’s garbage daily.

Most of the neighborhood’s children drop out of school because of long working hours with their parents. Due to concern over illiteracy among children, an association by the name of “Younth Spirit to Serve Development” created a new education system special for the quarters. They created a unique school not subject to the rules and curricula of public education.

Specific curricula was put into place according to the surrounding environment.

At the school for the children of garbage collectors, students learn for free. They might get monthly payments ranging from 150 and 750 pounds for two types of waste recycling activities- bringing empty shampoo bottles, and bringing plastic bags.

Ezzat Naim, the Director of the Association of Youth Spirit to Serve Development, of which the school is an affiliate, said to the ​​ German Press Agency (DPA): The idea of the school in the beginning was to entertain the children of garbage collectors deprived of education.

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The school was established in 2001, and in 2003, “Procter & Gamble” company operating in Egypt discovered the widespread commercial fraud of many of its products, said Ezzat Naim. It decided to investigate how the products are reproduced. The investigative study found that there are those who collect empty bottles of the company’s products from the landfills of garbage collectors, whicha are then washed and refilled with products not conforming to specifications.

The study recommended transfering the school to include, along with educational activity, the recycling of the company’s bottles. It was agreed to support the educational process in the school, which became a place to “Learn and earn”.

The school Principal, Layla Zaghloul, said that the school has 180 students currently. It is not affiliated to the Ministry of Education, and all the students attend according to their circumstances whenever it suits them because of their work with their parents in garbage collection.

The idea of the ​​school is mainly for the literacy of the children of garbage collectors so they can get a driver’s license, for example, because it’s a requirement to have a literacy certificate to drive garbage collection cars.

The Principal noted that the school offers free computer courses to about 100 students attending public schools. She said: around 6 of the school’s children have succeeded in obtaining the industrial school diploma, 4 are currently in high school, and 4 in junior high. Additionally, a number of the school children have traveled to America, England, and Norway, where the school has produced a film titled “Dreams of garbage collectors”, which won 21 awards around the world. She added that this is a good school experience, but generalizing it needs support and funding. We are currently seeking to establish a new school in Al-mou’tamidiya, Giza, she added.

Musa Nazmi Bakhit, one of the school’s children, told DPA, he left public school early because of work with his father. After the school opened, he attended it at age 11, and succeeded in obtaining a literacy certificate, and learned computer skills and drawing. He also earned a junior certificate, and

then a secondary industrial certificate.

Nabil William (28 years old) said he was a student at the school and completed his education until he got the industrial school diploma, and still frequented the school.

He added, the school has introduced a new project that helps studying students earn money from plastic bags. They collect and clean them, then flatten and assemble them in plastic slabs of four layers through heated electric irons. Then these panels are sold to certain associations that use them in manufacturing women’s bags and wallets, in addition to laptop bags.

Marie Najib, one of the teachers at the school, said that all the students are eager to attend. The school opens its doors for 12 hours, seven days a week. She added, the school seeks to entertain the students through recreational trips organized throughout the year, along with drawing and acting activities to help children integrate into the society.

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COUNTRY PROFILE Mauritania

Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb region of western North Africa. It is the eleventh largest country in Africa. The country borders Senegal to the south, Mali to the southeast, Algeria to the northeast, and the Western Sahara to the north.

The largely desert country presents a cultural contrast, with an Arab-Berber population to the north and black Africans to the south.

Many of its people are nomads.

In the Middle Ages Mauritania was the cradle of the Almoravid movement, which spread Islam throughout the region and for a while controlled the Islamic part of Spain.

European traders began to show interest in Mauritania in the 15th century. France gained control of the coastal region in 1817, and in 1904 a formal French protectorate was extended over the territory.

Culture The country has two main ethnic groups: black Africans and Arab-Berbers.

Architecture in Nouakchott is a mixture of traditional French concrete building with Spanish and Asian influences. Because of the fragile and sandy terrain, buildings are low.

As a result of drought and the attraction of urban centers, most residents have become totally or party urbanized. Colonization, rapid urbanization, modern education, technology, and mass communication have led to the emergence of two cultures. The modern

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Official Name: The Islamic Republic of Mauritania Capital: Nouakchott Population: 4,067,564 million Area: 1.04 million sq km (398,000 sq miles) Official language: Arabic Currency: Ouguiya

elite live in Western-style houses, which have replaced thatched-roof houses and tents.

Houses are used to shelter extended families and guests. Even in modern houses, there is little furniture and few wall decorations. Many houses have colorful traditional pillows and mats, teapots, trays, and carpets. Mattresses are placed along the walls with traditional pillows. Houses are crowded because of strong family bonds. An urban house normally is open to relatives and friends.

The diet consists mostly of meat, millet, rice, fish, and sweet potatoes and potatoes.

Modern history

France gradually absorbed the territories of present-day Mauritania from the Senegal River area and upwards, starting in the late 19th century. During the colonial period, 90% of the population remained nomadic. Many sedentary peoples, whose ancestors had been expelled centuries earlier, began to trickle back into Mauritania. The previous capital of the country, Saint-Louis was located in Senegal, so when the country gained independence in 1960, Nouakchott, at the time little more than a fortified village, was chosen as the site of the new capital of Mauritania.

Geography At 1,030,000 square kilometres (397,685 sq mi), 90% of which is desert, Mauritania is the world’s 29th-largest country.

Approximately three quarters of Mauritania is

desert or semi-desert. As a result of extended, severe drought, the desert has been expanding since the mid-1960s. To the west, between the ocean and the plateaus, are alternating areas of clayey plains and sand dunes, some of which shift from place to place, gradually moved by high winds. The dunes generally increase in size and mobility toward the north.

Economy The country’s first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt.

Oil was discovered in Mauritania in 2001 in the offshore Chinguetti field. Although potentially significant for the Mauritanian economy, its overall influence is difficult to predict.

Mauritania has been described as a “desperately poor desert nation, which straddles the Arab and African worlds and is Africa’s newest, if small-scale, oil producer.” There may be additional oil reserves inland in the Taoudeni basin, although the harsh environment will make extraction expensive.

Mauritania is rich in mineral resources, especially iron and ore.

In the southern region, most people engage in agriculture and livestock raising.

Despite abundant livestock, one of the world’s richest fishing zones, and a huge agriculture potential, the country is not self-sufficient in food and other basic necessities.

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VIEWPOINT A Mechanism for Resolving Conflicts

Maha Mostafa Akeel Chief Editor

The OIC has stepped up its humanitarian work in different member countries and solidified its coordination with other international organizations and NGOs working in this field

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In May 2016 the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held the first meeting of its Wise Persons Council. With that it launched its mechanism for conflicts resolution and peace building.

The first consultative session of the OIC Wise Persons Council (WPC) and the Special Envoys of the Secretary General (SESG) was held at the General Secretariat on 17-18 May 2016. With this step the OIC is strengthening its role in the field of mediation and preventive diplomacy. In a region that is unfortunately reeling from conflicts and tension, a balanced perspective and in-depth knowledge of the issues is needed.

The meeting explored a series of steps to develop together a roadmap for realizing the OIC vision of peace architecture through promotion of dialogue, mediation, preventive diplomacy and peace building. The meeting is the focus of this issue of the OIC Journal.

13th Islamic Summit This is a special issue of the OIC Journal. We feature a full report on the 13th Islamic Summit that was held in Istanbul, Turkey on 14-15 April 2016 under the theme “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace”. The theme certainly reflected the need of the hour for Muslims around the world.

The Summit adopted the new OIC Program of Action for the next decade, the OIC-2025. It is viewed as a new roadmap for the Islamic world. The Program constitutes a strategic vision with specific priorities addressing: peace and security, terrorism and extremism, humanitarian work, human rights, development, poverty alleviation, eradication of epidemics, the rights of women, children and the family in the Islamic world, higher education, science and technology, and cultural exchange among OIC Member States.

In addition to the OIC-2025 Program of Action the Istanbul Summit adopted a joint resolution on Palestine and the “Istanbul Declaration” in which the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives enshrined in the Charter of the OIC, particularly enhancing and strengthening the bond of unity and solidarity among the Muslim peoples and Member States.

Several side events and meetings were held including Contact Group Meetings. A most noteworthy event, however, was the First Ladies of the Kings and Heads of State of the OIC Member States on their efforts to combat cancer. It was a unique event for a good cause and a critical issue that is not receiving much attention in the swirl of political instability and economic dreads.

Other events The period covered in this issue, April to June, witnessed many other events and developments of concern to the OIC. On the humanitarian front, which is accorded great attention due to the significant number of refugees and disasters in the Muslim world, the OIC actively participated in the preparations and outcome of the World Humanitarian Summit. Furthermore, the OIC has stepped up its humanitarian work in different member countries and solidified its coordination with other international organizations and NGOs working in this field.

In the economic domain the OIC organized an important conference on agriculture and food security on 26-28 April. The OIC Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) started its work officially with the 1st session of its founding General Assembly in Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan, held at the same time as the conference on agriculture.

The OIC also organized the Third Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers responsible of Water (ICMW) in Istanbul, which concluded with the adoption of the Terms of Reference of the OIC Water Council. The issue of water scarcity in the Muslim world has become a serious concern for the OIC and the conference addressed it intently.

On the other hand, the 15th General Assembly Meeting of OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 31 May, adopted “The Ten Year S&T Plan of Action for Development of Science and Technology in OIC states’’ for the period 20162025. The Plan identifies some basic priorities related in particular to education and skill development, health, energy and other infrastructure facilities, which need to be present before advances in science and technology can emerge in Member States. Such focus on science and technology indicates the OIC Member States’ awareness of the fundamental importance of issues related to scientific research and development, energy, space, environment, and health and of the importance in investing in these fields for the advancement of societies.

Rounding up the topics covered in this issue of the OIC Journal there is plenty of foods for thought on matters of human rights, women empowerment and intercultural dialogue.

April - July 2016

www.oic-oci.org

Hosts the thirteenth session of The Islamic Summit Conference

Of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Istanbul 14-15 April 2016