OIC Journal - Issue 42

January - April 2019

NumĂŠro Issue No. 42 37

The Foreign Ministers Draw the Roadmap for Development

Al-Othaimeen:

The Attack in New Zealand

Shocked the World

About OIC

The Organisation 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 people of the world.

The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) 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. Dr. Yousef Ahmed Al-Othaimeen is the 11th Secretary General who assumed the office in November 2016.

The first OIC Charter was adopted by the 3rd ICFM Session held in 1972. The Charter laid down the objectives and principles of the organization and fundamental purposes to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation among the Member States. Over the last 40 years, the membership has grown from its founding members of 30 to 57 states. The Charter was amended to keep pace with the developments that have unraveled across the world. The present Charter of the OIC was adopted by the Eleventh Islamic Summit held in Dakar on 13-14 March 2008 to become the pillar of the OIC future Islamic action in line with the requirements of the 21st century.

The Organization has the singular honor to galvanize the Ummah into a unified body and have actively represented the Muslims by espousing all causes close to the hearts of over 1.5 billion Muslims of 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 the Muslims, the organization has taken various steps to remove misperceptions and have strongly advocated elimination of discrimination against the Muslims in all forms and manifestations.

The Member States of the OIC face many challenges in the 21st century and to address those challenges, the third extraordinary session of the Islamic Summit held in Makkah in December 2005, laid down the blue print called the Ten-Year Program of Action. It has successfully concluded with the close of 2015. A successor programme for the next decade (2016-2025) has been adopted.

The new programme OIC-2025 is anchored in the provisions of the OIC Charter and focuses on 18 priority areas with 107 goals. The priority areas include issues of Peace and Security, Palestine and Al-Quds, Poverty Alleviation, Counter-terrorism, Investment and Finance, Food Security, Science and Technology, Climate Change and Sustainability, Moderation, Culture and Interfaith Harmony, Empowerment of Women, Joint Islamic Humanitarian Action, Human Rights and Good Governance, among others.

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 and three permanent committees concerned with science and technology, economy and trade, and information and culture. There are also specialized organs under the banner of the OIC including the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, as well as subsidiary and affiliate organs that 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 An historic opportunity to renounce extremism, violence and hatred ‎

O Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

We have reached an extent of hostility against Islam and Muslims for which condemnation is simply inadequate. It has become a pressing necessity to take deterring decisions against the peril of Islamophobia

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n 15 March 2019, the world awoke to a tragedy that shook it to the roots. The world witnessed, live on Facebook, this terrorist criminal as he fired at peaceful worshippers on Friday in a mosque in a small city in New Zealand. Their only fault was that they are Muslims!

The entire world was united in condemning this incident, but we have reached an extent of hostility against Islam and Muslims for which condemnation is simply inadequate. It has become a pressing necessity to take deterring decisions against the peril of Islamophobia.

In much the same way as the world rose against the terrorism of those who falsely claim to be affiliated with Islam, the world must also confront those who terrorize Muslims. Both forms adopt an extremist ideology and a narrow unilateral view of the world. They are two sides of the same coin, the essence of which is to reject the other.

There is a number of main points we can derive from this painful incident. First of all, it has been proven without doubt that terrorism has no religion, nationality, or ethnicity, and the holders of extremist thought form the base of destruction. The world is required to confront such thought, particularly with the historic opportunity it now has to renounce the extremism, violence, and hatred that have harmed all indiscriminately.

The other point is that this thought needs some sort of political, religious, or technical springboard forums, and a means through which it can propagate to followers who would then promote, recruit, and implement. Therefore, we must be alert and watch such forums, without affecting freedom of belief and freedom of expression that respects the opinion and rights of the other and does not expose the security, stability, and coexistence of the community to danger, as is stipulated in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ‎‎ On the other hand, there must be firm legislation to apply Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states “any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.” One of the most used means to spread extremist thought inciting hatred and violence is the tools of social media. The delivery of such destructive ideas across geographic borders must be restricted, the spreading of such ideas be criminalized, and those who spread them be held accountable.

Furthermore, States must come together and combine their efforts against terrorism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations and by all means – intellectual, financial and military – and address the causes that might lead to adopting extremist thoughts and join the forces of terrorism, such as poverty, ignorance and instability. OIC had launched several initiatives in this context that we are endeavoring to operationalize, such as the Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 on “Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against persons based on religion and belief,” the establishment of a Department for Dialogue and Outreach and the Sawt Al-Hikma Center at the OIC General Secretariat to confront extremist discourse and thought. This is in addition to pioneering initiatives by a number of Member States, at the forefront of which is Saudi Arabia, which established the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Austria, and the Global Center to Combat Extremism (Etidal) in Riyadh, in addition to the Islamic Military Coalition it built to combat terrorism.

The government and people of New Zealand have addressed the tragic Christchurch massacre firmly and humanely. It has become an example and model of how to transform horror into peace, hatred into love, and racism into tolerance. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern demonstrated political and ethical courage with which she earned the respect and appreciation of the world.

On its part, OIC responded by convening an emergency ministerial meeting in which it called for holding a special UN General Assembly session to discuss the phenomenon of Islamphobia, which was supported by the European Union. OIC also called for the appointment of a special rapporteur on combatting Islamophobia and for declaring the 15th of March an international day for solidarity against Islamophobia. The Secretary General also sent a delegation of senior officials to participate in the national memorial service for the victims.

Perhaps that incident in New Zealand is a wakeup call that had to be made to alert the world to the danger of Islamophobia.

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OIC Journal Issued by The Organization of Islamic Cooperation Director of Information Department Wajdi Sindi Chief Editor Maha Mostafa Akeel Editor Bashir Sa’ad Abdullahi Layout & Design Mohammed Abdelqader Qalaba Advisory Board Amb. Tareg Bakheet Hasan Basri Arsalan 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.

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OIC Journal January - April 2019

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: April – August 2019 20-25 Apr.: 15th Regular Session of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission – IPHRC headquarters, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 24-27 Apr.: Second OIC Festival – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 29-30 Apr.: Conference on Intellectual Security and Combating Extremism – Mogadishu, Somalia 9 May: Third Extraordinary General Conference of the Islamic Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization – Makkah, Saudi Arabia 12 May: Fourth Meeting of the Women Consultative Council – OIC headquarters, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia May: 14th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference – Makkah, Saudi Arabia 12-13 June: Coordination Meeting to Discuss the Draft of the OIC Strategy for Empowering the Family and Marriage Institution – International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 17-18 June: First Meeting of the Temporary Work Group to Prepare the Draft Internal Bylaws of the Women Development Organization – Cairo, Egypt

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CONTENTS In Focus: 4: OIC Foreign Ministers Call for Declaring Islamophobia as a Form of Racism

Palestine File: 6:

OIC Welcomes Palestine’s Presidency of the Group of 77 and China

8: Squeezed Funding from International Organizations Exacerbates Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

At the 46th Council of Foreign Ministers: OIC to Mark the year 2019 as a Golden Jubilee

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Conference on Education and Prevention of Terrorism

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OIC FESTIVAL

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OIC Awards its Special Film Prize for “Peace and Coexistence”

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OIC Institutions Pledges to Work Closely for the Implementation of OIC STI Agenda 2026

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World Affairs: 12: Southern Philippines Referendum Results Provide Expanded Autonomy 15:

Al-Othaimeen: OIC and Arab League Play Cooperative, Complementary Roles

OIC News: 22: OIC Contact Group Meeting on Jammu and Kashmir Calls for De-escalation in the Region 24: Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on Violations against the Rohingya Meets in Gambia

Human Rights 32: The Islamic World Faces Selectivity in Human Rights

Cultural Affairs: 40: Tunis Arab Region’s Capital of Islamic Culture for 2019

Family Affairs: 46: Importance of OIC Strategy for Improving the Well-being of the Elderly 48: OIC Event at the UN Formulates Concrete Measures to Bolster the Leadership of Women

Economy: 53: OIC Reviews Cooperation Progress in the Fields of Labour and Social Protection 58: Islamic Development Bank Contributes $7 Billion Towards Development Financing in 2018

Opinion Articles: 11: Retirees: Departing on the Chariots of Accomplishment‎‎ 29: From Baghuz to Christchurch: Has the fifth phase of extremism been launched? ‎‎ 64: Extremism and tolerance ... a push and pull relationship

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IN FOCUS

Foreign Minister of New Zealand: We Experienced a Black Day in our History

OIC Foreign Ministers Call for Declaring Islamophobia as a Form of Racism The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held an emergency open-ended meeting of the Executive Committee at the level of Foreign Ministers on 22 March 2019 to discuss the terrorist attack against innocent Muslims in two mosques in Christchurch city, New Zealand. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters attended the meeting, hosted by the Republic of Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech during the opening session in which he warned against the rising tide and spread of Islamophobia in societies, stating that the incident of New Zealand may reoccur if its causes are not addressed.

For his part, OIC Secretary General, Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen delivered a statement in which he conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those whose lives were claimed by treachery and terrorism in the two mosques in New Zealand. He appreciated highly the efforts by the Government of New Zealand for embracing the Muslim

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community in their country at a defining moment, which is well appreciated by the peoples of the world, Muslims and nonMuslims alike.

The Secretary General indicated that “Intolerance on the basis of ideology and racism have emerged as a major threat to global peace and security in our world today.

Amidst these conditions, Islam and Muslims in many countries are subjected to defamation of their religion and humanity. He went on to say that according to the reports of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory, hatred and intolerance against Islam have, in the last few years, reached an alarming level with growing frequency.

Al-Othaimeen stated that “the entire world was shocked by the barbaric acts of a rightwing terrorist who killed more than 50 innocent Muslims and wounded scores as they were performing their prayers peacefully in a place of worship”.

He noted that “this wanton terrorist inci-

OIC Journal January - April 2019

dent has sent a powerful message to the world and to us all that hate speech, intolerance and Islamophobia are a clear danger that threatens the security of stable communities, and that this incident shows that terrorism has neither religion, race nor nationality”.

The Secretary General affirmed that OIC member states know the danger of terrorism .

He cited some of the measures taken in this regard by Member States to include, a highlevel meeting on dialogue among religions, cultures and civilizations, which was held at the United Nations with the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue was established in Austria.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries have taken several initiatives on moderation and on combatting terrorism in general. These include the establishment of ETIDAL Centre in the Kingdom of Saudi

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IN FOCUS Arabia, HEDAYA in the United Arab Emirates, and efforts by many other states such as the Arab Republic of Egypt. They also include the efforts by the Department of Dialogue and Outreach and ‘Sawt al-Hikmah’ of the OIC General Secretariat. He emphasized that hate speech based on far-right ideology targets not only Islam and Muslims but also Western liberal democracies, and that if hate speech is not curbed urgently and effectively, chaos will strike stable countries and terrorize peaceful people. He thus underscored the need for firm legislations on cyberspace, which has become an arena

for breeding extremist ideas.

In the same vein, the Foreign Minister of New Zealand, Winston Peters, said that his country experienced a black day in its history following the terrorist incident. He stated that the ministerial meeting is being held amid difficult circumstances to respond to this terrorist attack, and that the perpetrator came from outside New Zealand and will face the most severe sanction.

The Ministerial meeting called on the UN Human Rights Commissioner to establish an observatory for Islamophobia, and religious violence against Muslims. The Final Commu-

niqué called on the UN Secretary General to convene a special session of the UN General Assembly to declare Islamophobia as a form of racism, and appoint a special rapporteur on combating this menace. It also called on the UN and other regional and international organizations to declare 15 March as international solidarity day against Islamophobia.

The Final Communiqué requested the OIC Secretary General to communicate with UN mechanisms to expand the scope of the resolution 1267 on sanctions to include individuals and entities associated with extremist racist groups.

World Grieves for Victims of Terrorist Attack at two Mosques in New Zealand

A terrorist attack on two New Zealand mosques took the lives of more than 50 worshippers on Friday March 15 2019 and left dozens more wounded when a white supremacist opened fire on Muslim worshipers.

The gunman broadcast live footage on Facebook of the attack on one mosque in the city of Christchurch after publishing a “manifesto” in which he denounced immigrants.

The video footage widely circulated on social media, showed him driving to one mosque, entering it and shooting randomly at people inside.

A high-level delegation from the General Secretariat of the OIC participated in the National Remembrance Service held by the Government of New Zealand on 29 March 2019 to pay homage to the 50 innocent Muslim victims.

Along with thousands of citizens, official delegations from 59 countries, and representatives of international organizations,

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the OIC delegation took part in the memorial service, “We are One”, in the presence of the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mrs. Jacinda Ardren, who confirmed in her statement, “We will remember the tears of our nation, and the new resolve we have formed”.

“Over the past two weeks we have heard the stories of those impacted by this terrorist attack. They were stories of bravery. They were stories of those who were born here, grew up here, or who had made New Zealand their home.” added Mrs. Ardren who concluded by asserting, “Racism exists, but it is not welcome here… Violence, and extremism in all its forms, is not welcome here “.

Shagaf Khan, President of the Muslim Association of Canterbury, Farid Ahmed, a survivor from the terrorist attack on Al-Noor Mosque, Dr. Mustafa Farouk, President of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, and other representatives of Muslims in New Zealand, spoke at the memorial service.

The OIC delegation then met the families of the victims who attended the National Remembrance Service and shared their feelings and grief. The delegation also met New Zealand officials and conveyed the OIC Secretary General’s appreciation to the New Zealand Prime Minister’s efforts since the massacre, her support to the victims’ families, and her solidarity with the Muslim community in her country.

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PALESTINE FILE OIC Welcomes Palestine’s Presidency of the Group of 77 and China

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomed the official assumption by the State of Palestine of the presidency of the Group of 77 and China, stressing that this historic achievement would consolidate the political and legal status of Palestine in the international arena, and its well-deserved right to acquire full UN membership.

Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, the OIC Secretary General, congratulated H.E.

the President of the State of Palestine for assuming the presidency of the current session of the Group, stressing his confidence in its ability to carry out its duties and responsibilities effectively, responsibly and professionally. He also reiterated the OIC’s support for the efforts of the Palestinian leadership to enable Palestine to exercise its right to accede to international organizations and conventions, protect the Palestinian people, assert and defend their legitimate national

rights, and embody the independence of the sovereign State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Ash-Sharif as its capital.

For his part, President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestine would use its chairmanship to preserve the multilateral international order and strengthen ties with its UN partners.

“People are the real treasure for nations,” he said, “and real and sustainable development can only be achieved when opportunities are enhanced to ensure for all people, full and free participation in all relevant matters in life”.

He stated that under the guiding principle of “unity in diversity”, the G77 focus on the least developed countries, small-island developing States, middle income countries, and peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, “so as to ensure no one is left behind.”

Egypt was the previous Chair of the bloc, a coalition of 134 developing countries, along with China.

The decision to elect Palestine as 2019 Chair of the G77 was taken in September 2018 by the foreign ministers of the Groups’ member States.

OIC Condemns Israeli Attacks on Palestinian Prisoners, Holds it Responsible for the Martyrdom of a Prisoner The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the attacks on the Palestinian prisoners, especially in the Ofer military prison, which injured dozens of them. The OIC stressed its constant stand on the side of the prisoners in order to convey their message, voice and suffering to the whole world and support their right to freedom, justice and dignity.

The OIC General Secretariat called on the international community to intervene in order to pressure Israel, the occupying Power, to stop these arbitrary measures and incessant acts of oppression and repression it commits against the Palestinian prisoners and to ensure their treatment pursuant to the rules of the International Law and International Humanitarian Law. Currently home to an estimated 1,200 Pal-

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estinian inmates, the Ofer Prison is located southwest of the West Bank city of Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority’s administrative capital.

According to Palestinian figures, more than 6,000 Palestinians -- including dozens of women, scores of minors and six lawmakers -- are currently being held in Israeli prisons.

Meanwhile, the OIC strongly condemned the martyrdom of the Palestinian prisoner, Faris Baroud, in the prisons of the Israeli occupation. It also held Israel fully responsible for his death, which resulted from arbitrary measures, inhuman treatment and deprivation of fundamental rights guaranteed by relevant international conventions.

The OIC reiterated its support to the Palestinian prisoners. At the same time, it called on the international community to intervene

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in order to protect them, exert pressure on Israel to stop its continued violations against them and release them immediately.

Furthermore, the OIC condemned the decision of the Israeli occupation authorities to deduct the allowances of the families of martyred, imprisoned and wounded Palestinians from the Palestinian tax revenues and considered this action to be an act of piracy and collective punishment for the Palestinian people. It also constitutes a violation of international law and Israel commitments under signed conventions.

The OIC also called on the international community to act to compel Israel to end its arbitrary measures, which exacerbate the financial, economic and humanitarian crisis encountered by the Palestinian people.

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PALESTINE FILE The OIC Condemns Terminating the Work of the Temporary International Presence in Al-Khalil and the Attacks on Al-Aqsa The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the decision by the Israeli occupation government in February to terminate the mission of the Temporary International Presence in the city of Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the State of Palestine, considering this measure as a violation of the Geneva Conventions and the relevant UN resolutions.

The OIC General Secretariat cautioned against the gravity of this Israeli decision, which violates the agreements concluded in this regard and the relevant UN resolutions, especially UN Security Council Resolution 904, adopted in the wake of the horrific massacre at the Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994. It also called on the international community to maintain the International Presence Mission, provide international protection to the Palestinian people and take the necessary measures to put an end to the violations and abuses committed by Israeli settlers and the Israeli occupying forces.

The OIC also strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces’ storming the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in February, closing AlRahmah Gate, and brutally attacking the worshipers in its courtyards in a provocation of the Islamic Ummah’s feelings and in a flagrant violation of the relevant international resolutions and conventions.

The OIC reiterated that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims and that Israel, the Occupying Power, carries full responsibility for the consequences of the continuation of these repeated attacks, which fuel religious conflict, extremism, and instability in the region.

Meanwhile, the General Secretariat of the OIC issued a vigorous condemnation of the aggression perpetrated by Israel, the occupation force, against the religious emblematic figures in the City of AlQuds (Jerusalem) and its detention and forced removal of His Eminence Sheikh Abdel Azim Selheb, chairman of the Council of AlQuds Endowments

and his deputy, Sheikh Najeh Bekeyret, and a large number of Palestinian activists from the occupied city of AlQuds. The organization described the Israel’s action as a fresh aggressive act of judeization policies aimed at the occupied Holy City and at terrorizing the city’s steadfast inhabitants.

The OIC also condemned the approval of the Israeli occupation authorities of the construction of 4,416 new settlement units in the occupied city of Al-Quds, stressing that all Israeli settlements on the land of the occupied State of Palestine are illegal under international law and relevant UN resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of 23 December 2016.

At the same time, the OIC called upon the international community, in particular the UN Security Council, to enforce its resolutions and exercise its responsibilities to compel Israel, the Occupying Power, to cease its systematic violations and to abide by the relevant UN resolutions.

The OIC Stresses the Illegality of Israel’s Decision on Al-Rahma Gate at Al-Aqsa Mosque The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the dangerous measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities on Al-Aqsa Mosque and its gates, including the groundless and illegal decision of an Israeli occupation court to extend the closure of Al-Rahma Gate and its surroundings in March. The OIC described this as a violation of international law, international humanitarian law and Geneva Conventions.

The OIC stressed that the occupied city of

East Jerusalem (Al-Quds), the capital of the State of Palestine, is part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 and is not under the jurisdiction of the Israeli judiciary power, and that all actions by Israel, the occupying power, are null and void in accordance with the relevant legitimate international resolutions.

The OIC added that the city of Al-Quds and its holy sites and objects are of particular importance to all Muslims and are closely

linked to the establishment of security and stability in the region as a whole. It also puts full responsibility on Israel, the occupying power, for the consequences of such unacceptable and condemnable actions, while calling on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to act immediately to stop the ongoing Israeli attacks against Islamic and Christian holy sites and objects in occupied Al-Quds.

The OIC Condemns Recognition by the US of “Israeli sovereignty” over Occupied Syrian Golan The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the recognition by the US Administration of “Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied Syrian Golan. It considered that this decision was designed to perpetuate a fait accompli and legitimize the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights. It further stressed that this measure constitutes an ex-

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plicit violation of the international law and the relevant UN resolutions, particularly UN Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 497 (1981).

The OIC General Secretariat underlined that the US decision does not alter the legal status of the Syrian Golan Heights as an occupied Arab Syrian land, in line with the

international law and the relevant UN resolutions.

The OIC General Secretariat urged all states of the world to respect the international legality resolutions and not to recognize any measure which is inconsistent with them in this regards.

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PALESTINE FILE Squeezed Funding from International Organizations Exacerbates Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

Gaza (DPA) The regressing level of funding from international organizations has led to a further deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip which has been living under an inhuman Israeli blockade for the past eleven years.

The head of the popular committee for confronting the blockade on Gaza, Jamal Al Khedhari points out that the Gaza Strip is enduring a tragic, unprecedented situation at the economic and humanitarian level as a result of the relentless and systemic blockade whose fundamental objective is to hurt the local economy. According to Al Khedhari, unemployment rates among the youth in Gaza have soared to 65%, with the closure of hundreds of shops, factories and workshops, causing an unprecedented development in the economic crisis. He went on to say that the daily per capita revenue has collapsed to less than two dollars, with 85% of the people living under the poverty line, which has added to the gravity of the ordeal, worn out families and minimized the possibility for them to ensure their basic necessities as a result of the untenable rates of unemployment and dramatic poverty rise, considered to be the worst globally, for most.

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Observers have attributed this increasing economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip to the Israeli blockade, particularly with hundreds of commodities being denied entry, especially the raw materials needed for industry. This has caused serious damage to around 90 percent of the factories and exacerbated their difficulties due to the blockade’s effects, which caused a sharp decline in the liquidity in people’s hands given their limited revenues with around 300 thousand people being made redundant in addition to the thousands of jobless graduates.

Around 70 percent of the over two million Gaza inhabitants depend, in terms of aid, on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). But UNRWA itself is facing a financial crisis which, it says, represents an existential threat as a result of the USA’s suspension of the annual 360 million dollars it used to contribute to it, in addition to the reduced funding from other countries. UNRWA’s annual budget is estimated at one billion and two hundred million dollars. And mobilizing the required amounts will meet with difficult hurdles, since the agency wound up 2018 with a 21 million dollar deficit.

In parallel with the above, the World Food Program (WFP) recently announced a reduc-

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tion next year of the food aid it extends to some 190 thousand Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, who represent approximately half of the recipients of World Food Program assistance.

WFP, on its part, blames this situation on the sharp reduction in the funding it receives, particularly after the US administration’s decision to reduce its financial assistance to the humanitarian relief institutions active in the Palestinian territories.

The Palestinian authority’s Deputy Minister in charge of social development, Daoud Addik, says WFP used to extend assistance to 360 thousand people in the West Bank and Gaza among the non-refugees, in addition to offering food aid to poor families and to the destitute.

He notes that WFP has been reducing its aid to the Palestinians for the past four years, which has affected large numbers of aid recipients and impacted the value of the distributed e-vouchers. WFP, he says, intends to further reduce its assistance and the basic supplies for each individual next month, from ten to eight dollars, He also expresses concern that WFP’s assistance may witness further reductions and affect 193 thousand people living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip around the middle of next year.

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PALESTINE FILE According to the Palestinian official, the continued decline in international humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories “is deliberate and politically motivated as blackmailing exercise, particularly on the part of United States which used to contribute 40 percent of the World Food Program budgetary figures”. Recently the Palestinian authority, together with the United Nations, launched an appeal to donor countries to mobilize 350 million US Dollars to respond to the humanitarian needs in the Palestinian territories. Amjad Al Shawa, Director of the Palestinian board of public enterprise in Gaza, says that the humanitarian response scheme launched by the United Nations and its partners in 2018 has mobilized nearly 540 million US Dollars, with 70 percent of its projects being intended for the Gaza Strip, although only 44 percent of them have been covered. Al Shawa goes on to underline that by the year 2019 the rate of food security deficit reached 68% compared to its 59% level two years earlier.

Within the same context, the president of the Palestinian Entrepreneurial Society in Gaza, Ali Al Hayek, affirms that the major threat to the vacillating economy in Gaza is the absence of developmental projects capable of effecting economic advances and rehabilitating the companies and factories which have sustained damages over the past years and cannot compensate for their losses. Al Hayek also lays stress on the need for sincere efforts to facilitate the export of

Palestinian products and to lift the boycott on basic products and raw materials for the industrial and other vital sectors to operate and thus positively reflect on the domestic economy in Gaza.

In addition, he warns against the fact that the employment rate in the Gaza Strip over

the past five years has stood at zero compared to the annual batches of graduates from the local universities, which led to resorting to temporary job schemes for brief episodes and to a full absence of governmental permanent employment programs.

Israel detained over 6,000 Palestinian children since 2015: rights group Ramallah, (UNA-OIC) - Israeli occupation authorities detained more than 6,000 Palestinian children since 2015, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS), WAFA reported.

PPS said in a statement marking the Palestinian Children’s Day that 98 percent of the children held had been subjected to psychological and/or physical abuse while in Israeli custody.

It said dozens of minors were detained by Israeli troops after being shot or wounded by the troops.

Children living in occupied East Jerusalem are the most targeted, with dozens facing arrests more than one time a month, particularly during periods of heightened tensions such as the Bab al-Rahma protests in March, PPS added.

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Minors arrested during night raids are transferred to interrogation and detention centers, where they suffer abuses, including being deprived of food or water for hours.

The children’s right to have one parent or guardian present during their interrogation is often neglected, the NGO said. Children are often forced to sign statements written in Hebrew - a language they cannot read.

“The conditions have left released children suffering from nightmares, insomnia, decline in school achievement and reacting aggressively with their environment and society,” PPS continued.

PPS urged international human rights organizations, including the UNICEF, to take “effective action against the violations committed against children who are detained by Israeli forces.”

OIC Journal January - April 2019

9

PALESTINE FILE OIC-EU Parliament Discuss the Illegality of the Israeli Settlements

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Parliament jointly organized at the latter’s headquarters in Brussels on 6th March 2019 a Symposium on ‘The Expansion of the Israeli Settlements in the Palestinian Occupied Territory, Particularly in East Jerusalem’.

The meeting, attended by countries’ representatives, including EU parliamentarians, legal experts, journalists, diplomats and activists, reflected the collaborative spirit and willingness of OIC and EU to promote dialogue, partnership and cooperation, in fulfillment of the shared responsibilities towards common challenges, including the Palestinian question.

The Symposium aimed at heightening awareness in EU institutions of EU public opinion about the threats Israeli settlements pose for the peace process and the twostate solution in the Middle East.

Moderated by MEP Wajid Khan, member of Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committees, the symposium comprised opening session and three panels that focused on the following topics: daily violations in east Jerusalem and the impact of settlements on the two-state solution; the necessity to preserve the multi religious, civilizational and cultural character of the city of Jerusalem; and the role of EU in reviving the peace process in fulfillment of the two state solution.

Ambassador Ismat Jahan, Permanent Observer of the OIC to the EU underlined in her opening address that the cause of Palestine is a fundamental and critical issue for the OIC. Also speaking at the opening session, Ambassador Abdalrahim Alfarra of the Mission of Palestine in Brussels stressed the importance of implementing relevant resolutions and agreements concerning the twostate solution with all its implications.

Amb. Ali Goutali, Director of Palestine and al-Quds Affairs, addressed the meeting on behalf of the OIC General Secretariat. He expressed the OIC’s gratitude to the EU Parliament for co-organizing and hosting the event, which provided an opportunity to have an open and constructive debate about the Israeli illegal settlements, as a major obstacle to the two-state solution.

The OIC urged, in the statement, the European Union to play an effective role in inspiring and launching a multilaterally sponsored peace process, based on relevant UN Resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative. The OIC also indicated that recognizing the State of Palestine by EU Countries and supporting its accession as full-fledged member to the United Nations, would help attain the required objectives, in pursuit of the two-state solution, peace and stability in the region.

Dr. Ahmed Majdalani, Member of the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization; Ambassador Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN; and members of European Parliament (MEPs) also spoke as panelists.

The speakers expressed particularly concerns about the expansion of the Israeli settlements that seriously undermine prospects for viable two-state solution.

They also highlighted the necessity to revive dead-locked peace process on the basis of the two-state solution and urged the EU to step up efforts to this end.

UN Sees Signs of Israeli Crimes against Humanity During Gaza Protests Geneva, (UNA-OIC) - UN investigators say there is evidence pointing to grave, systematic human rights violations by Israeli security forces who killed 189 Palestinian demonstrators and injured 9,204 people last year during massive protests at the Gaza Strip border.

A UN Commission of Inquiry consisting of independent human rights experts said in Geneva that they had reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli soldiers violated the international rules of war and human rights law by targeting unarmed, non-violent protesters.

“Some of those violations may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity, and

must be immediately investigated by Israel,” Commission Chairman Santiago Canton said as he presented the report on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council.

UN rights investigators usually do not draw definite conclusions, but leave final judgment to national courts or international tribunals.

The protests began in late March last year at the border fence separating Israel and the Gaza Strip. Tens of thousands of Palestinians took part in the demonstrations for their right of return to their lands.

The commission report disputed Israel’s stance that the weeks of protests were a guise for terrorist activities; Rather, the in-

10 OIC Journal January - April 2019

vestigators concluded that the nature of the demonstrations was civilian.

“The commission finds that these protests were a call for help from a population in despair,” Canton said.

“The commission calls on Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza,” he said, while also urging Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to improve the living situation in Gaza.

The commission consists of Argentinian human rights official Canton; Sara Hossain, a lawyer at Bangladesh’s Supreme Court; and Kaari Betty Murungi, who has worked in several African human rights hot spots.

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OPINION Retirees: Departing on the Chariots of Accomplishment‎‎

D

uring the year I just completed at this well-established ‎‎Organization, I have colleagued an elite group of employees from the Muslim world. If I were to name one common denominator among those who work at the General Secretariat, that would be its nature: they are carrying out a mission, not just a mere job.‎‎I have learned a lot from each individual whom I met in person, read a contribution of in a memorandum, dealt with, or heard about from a third party.‎‎ Welcoming new colleagues instills positive energy in hope of even more accomplishments for our well-established Organization. Interviewing applicants from around the Muslim world heralds highly qualified and richly experienced talent that is bound to add massive value to the work environment.

In contrast with this joyous spirit of welcoming incomers, I feel pain and sorrow in bidding farewell to‎‎a colleague who decides to alight, whether voluntarily or as required by the regulations at the age of retirement.

Occasionally, under the influence of our own selfishness, we might feel inclined to cling on to that rare employee, considering him or her to be an indispensable treasure. However, in doing so we would be ignoring their right to lead a peaceful and relaxed life after having been exhausted by long years of hard work. In insisting to retain them, we would even be extending harm to their families, who eagerly await the day when they can have their fully dedicated time.‎‎I have to admit that bidding retiring colleagues farewell is painful. However, one might find solace‎‎in the fact that they are enjoying their right to rest after years of giving; they leave us aboard the chariots of the accomplishments produced by their efforts and deposited in the hallways and achievements of OIC. Perhaps I have not worked closely with each and every one of the colleagues who are retiring this year, but some of them were indeed so close to me that I find true sorrow in my heart, only equaled by the satisfaction of seeing the everlasting marks they are leaving behind in our huge organization.‎‎ When Mr. Fuad Abdul Wali visited me and shared the concerns and affairs of the Registry Department, elaborating extensively on his view of the future of that department after his departure, I truly sensed the pain of parting with such a prominently professional person.‎‎Maybe we had different views of the way the work should be done, ‎‎maybe our ideas as to managing the Registry converged or diverged, yet we always maintained a high level of mutual respect and appreciation.

He did not take the decision to end his service in retirement as a dismissal from the organization in which he worked for more than forty years. Rather, he received it as an opportunity to embark on a new journey, the details, alternatives, and options of which he partially shared with me. In all cases, he is determined to dedicate that journey to himself and his family.‎‎With an open mind and a positive spirit, he advised me on the alternatives of his successor at the Registry. In doing so, he was transparent and honest, demonstrating affection for his colleagues, highlighting in fairness the merits of each.

This year, Fuad bids us farewell along with a group of other colleagues who reached the age of retirement. Concurrently, we are welcoming young talent full of aspiration to serve the organization and hope to make contributions equal to their predecessors›. Such is life; arrival and departure.‎‎ Along with Fuad, a number of other colleagues are leaving us. Among those, I would like to mention specifically Shakeeb Sbata from the Conference Department, Sameh Hubaishi from the Legal Department, and a number of translators. They are all a real treasure who contributed to the work of the General Secretariat for years. Suffice to say, they leave behind memories full of good standing.

Those colleagues who are able to contribute further will continue to be in touch as experts to whom their successors would‎‎resort seeking help, support, and advice. They will have priority in opportunities to cooperate with the Organization. Indeed, they might be leaving their organization with the force of regulation, but the cooperation, as also allowed by regulations, will not end.

To those of you bidding us farewell to the world of retirement this year, thank you. It is enough to say that you have given your countries, and the Muslim world as a whole, the fruits of your efforts and the years of your lives.‎‎

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Dr. Abdallah bin Mosa Altayer Director General of the Cabinet/Senior Advisor

Occasionally, under the influence of our own selfishness, we might feel inclined to cling on to that rare employee, considering him or her to be an indispensable treasure.

OIC Journal January - April 2019

11

WORLD AFFAIRS Southern Philippines Referendum Results Provide Expanded Autonomy

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomed the results of the referendum in the southern Philippines, which provides expanded autonomy for the region’s Muslims in the framework of ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The Law is

the culmination of decades of peace talks that resulted in signing the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Government of the Philippines in 2014.

Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, the

OIC Secretary General, confirmed that the results of the referendum constitute a major step in the decades-long peace process in the southern Philippines.

In the same context, the OIC urges Moro’s leadership to unite and renew their commitment to the consolidation of permanent peace in Bangsamoro.

The plan to create a self-administered area for the Muslim-dominated parts of Mindanao was backed by 85 percent of voters, paving the way for a three-year transition toward elections for a legislature that will choose an executive.

The referendum was the culmination of a tumultuous peace process between separatists and successive governments that aimed to settle decades of conflict, which have hampered development and kept these parts of Mindanao among Asia’s poorest regions.

The instability and high rates of unemployed, unschooled youth made the areas fertile recruitment ground for bandits and extremists, who exploited grievances about neglect and stoked narratives of government duplicity in the peace process.

Peace Agreement in the Republic of Central Africa The Organization of Islamic Cooperation welcomed the peace agreement reached on Saturday, 2 February 2019, between the Central African Republic (CAR) government and the 14 armed groups represented at the negotiations that took place under the auspices of the African Union and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Sudan.

The Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. AlOthaimeen, congratulated all Central African parties, the African Union, the United Nations and the Government of Sudan on this important achievement and expressed the hope that OIC Member States would participate in efforts aimed at restoring peace in the Republic of Central Africa and contribute in the realization of sustainable development in the country.

After a difficult transition, new legitimate and democratic institutions were installed

12 OIC Journal January - April 2019

on March 30, 2016 in Central African Republic.

Since conflict began in CAR in 2012, due to fighting between the mostly Christian antiBalaka militia and the mainly Muslim Séléka rebel coalition, thousands of civilians have been killed and two out of three people in the small Central African Nation have become dependent on humanitarian aid.

All stakeholders were urged to scrupulously honor the commitments they have made under the agreement and not to betray the confidence placed in them by the Central African people and all those who accompanied them throughout the peace process.

The role of the guarantors, especially neighboring countries and the region, and that of the facilitators will be decisive for the full realization of the accord.

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WORLD AFFAIRS Al-Othaimeen Congratulates the Reelected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen congratulated H.E. Mr Muhammadu Buhari, following his reelection as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on 23 February 2019. Dr. Al-Othaimeen stated that the reelection of President Buhari testifies to the confidence the people of Nigeria place in him.

While wishing President Buhari a successful tenure in office, Dr. Al-Othaimeen expressed his hope for an enhanced security and socio-economic growth in Nigeria during his second mandate. He appealed to all Nigerians to close ranks and support the President in his vision to lead the country towards a brighter future.

The Secretary General commended the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful conduct of the presidential and legislative elections and hailed all Nigerians for their commitment to

further consolidate democracy in their country.

The 76-year-old President Muhammadu Buhari took 56 percent of votes against 41 for his closest challenger, businessman and former vice president Atiku Abubakar of the

People’s Democratic Party.

Buhari, of the All Progressive Congress party, said he would reform the economy, combat graft and improve security, and urged supporters not to gloat or “humiliate” the opposition.

OIC Condemns India’s Violation of the Line of Control with Pakistan Reacting to India’s violation of the line of control between Pakistan and India, the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned this action against an OIC founding member state.

The OIC condemned the Indian incursion and aerial violation and dropping of four bombs on 26 February 2019. It urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid any steps that would endanger peace and security in the region. It called upon both

parties to act responsibly and encouraged them to seek peaceful solution to current crisis without resort to use of force. It also called on them to embrace dialogue and work towards de-escalation of current situation as a matter of priority.

Pakistan decided to raise the issue of “India’s violation of the Line of Control” (LoC) at international forums after the Indian Armed Forces dropped bombs on Balakot town in Pakistan.

It was decided that the matter of “Indian LoC violation be immediately raised at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), UN and with friendly countries.

Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mehmood Qureshi chaired an emergency consultative meeting at the Foreign Office and said Pakistan had “the right to self-defense and (give) a befitting response” to India.

OIC Supports Constitutional Legitimacy in Gabon The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) followed with great interest the January developments in the Gabonese Republic, an OIC Member State, where a few military elements attempted a failed coup against the country’s constitutional institutions.

The OIC denounced any action prejudicing the basic principles of its Charter, which affirms the need to preserve constitutional legitimacy, reaffirming its support for the

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elected Government in Gabon under His Excellency President Ali Bongo and insisting on its rejection of any attempt to undermine the security and stability in the country.

The government of Gabon had beat back the coup attempt after the plotters took over the state radio station and announced plans for a “national council of restoration.”

President Ali Bongo Ondimba was out of Gabon receiving medical treatment. His

absence apparently created what the coup plotters perceived as an opportunity.

Shots were heard in the capital, Libreville, but government soldiers soon swarmed the streets and stormed the radio station. Military tanks and armed vehicles were visible, and the authorities projected an image of normalcy.

President Ali Bongo has since returned to Gabon following medical leave outside the country.

OIC Journal January - April 2019

13

WORLD AFFAIRS OIC General Secretariat Commemorates Khojaly Massacre On the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the commemoration of the massacre in town of Khojaly of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, has paid tribute to all those who lost their lives in the 1992 atrocity.

The Secretary General reiterated that the Khojaly incident was a result of the illegal occupation of Azerbaijani territory by Armenia. He referred to the Cairo Final Communiqué of the 12th Session of the Islamic Summit and resolutions adopted by previous sessions of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, which considered the actions perpetrated against civilian Azerbaijani population in the occupied Azerbaijani territories as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

The Secretary General further reiterated the

OIC’s full support to the initiatives and efforts of the Republic of Azerbaijan to put an end to the occupation of its territories and to restore its territorial integrity.

Khojaly genocide, which was committed by the Armenians in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly on the night of 25-26 February 1992, is considered one of the gravest crimes against humanity in the late 20th century.

On the night of 25-26 February 1992, the Armenian armed forces surrounded Khojaly with tanks and armored carriers and infantry units. Armed with state-of-the-art weapons, the Armenians razed Khojaly to the ground. The town was destroyed and burned by military hardware, and its civilians were killed with extreme cruelty. Most of them were beheaded, had their eyes gouged out, skinned, and burned alive.

OIC Participates in the Observation of Elections in Guinea-Bissau Following an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the Legislative Elections held on 10th March 2019.

The OIC conducted the election monitoring in accordance with its Charter and Code of conduct for OIC Election Observers.

The OIC observers noted that the voting process was well organized and peaceful as Guinea-Bissau voters exercised their voting rights peacefully.

The OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, expressed his satisfaction at the peaceful conduct of the elections and extended his congratulations to the people and authorities of Guinea-Bissau for their commitment to the democratic process and values.

The African Party of Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) won the legislative elections on March 10, with 47 of the 102 mandates in Parliament, the National Election Commission revealed.

The second most voted party was the Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEMG15) with 27 mandates, followed by the 21term Social Renewal Party (PRS), Union for

Change (UM) and Party for New Democracy (PND) with 1 mandate each respectively.

More than 761,000 Guinean voters were called to the polls on March 10 to elect a new parliament among the candidates presented by 21 political parties. Of the 761,676 registered voters, 645,085 voters, or 85 percent of voters went to vote.

According to some Guinean analysts, these elections are one of the most disputed in the

14 OIC Journal January - April 2019

country’s history, but despite that, both the campaign and the balloting took place in the most tranquil, non-violent way.

International observers from the African Union, ECOWAS and CPLP, as well as the Electoral Monitoring Group, formed by several civil society networks in Guinea-Bissau, considered these elections to be free, fair and transparent and without major incidents.

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WORLD AFFAIRS Al-Othaimeen: OIC and Arab League

Play Cooperative, Complementary Roles

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef AlOthaimeen, stressed that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States are complementary in mission, each playing a distinct role in the overriding aim of promoting peace, security and development.

Speaking at the latest Arab League Summit in the Tunisian capital, on 31 March 2019, the OIC Secretary General congratulated the Republic of Tunisia for playing host to this event. He placed on record his grateful appreciation for the supportive effort of all the Arab states members of the OIC, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, may Allah preserve them.

He extended to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques his deep gratitude and appreciation for the successful organization in 2018 of the Dhahran Summit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He further emphasized, “The OIC pins great hopes on the Arab Summit meetings in discussing ways forward to achieving unity and peace across the Arab world, which constitutes the core of the Muslim world.”

Dr Al-Othaimeen pointed out that the OIC is firm in its stand condemning continuous

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Israeli violations and illegal expansion of Israeli settlements. He stressed, “the Organization will continue to stand by the Palestinian people to end the Israeli occupation and establish their independent State with Al-Quds as its capital, in line with the Arab peace initiative and the relevant UN resolutions.”

He went on, “the OIC continues to support regional and international efforts to reach durable political solutions to current conflicts and crises across the Arab and Muslim worlds, especially in Somalia, Libya, Syria and Yemen, in consistence with the international law and relevant UN resolutions. The

OIC is working, with a keen sense of purpose, to bring those countries back to peace and security, and help them preserve their unity and territorial integrity.”

The OIC Secretary General reiterated his full rejection and condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including terrorist funding and rhetoric sympathetic to it. The terrorist incident in New Zealand was appalling, Dr Al-Othaimeen pointed out, sending out to the world a message that terrorism knows no religion and belongs to no ethnic group or nationality. It is high time, he underscored, to combine efforts worldwide to deal comprehensively with this phenomenon.

Arab leaders gathering in Tunisia for the “Determination and Solidarity” Summit united in declaring central the Palestinian issue. In a separate statement, read out by LAS Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the Arab heads of state rejected as invalid and illegitimate the American recognition of Israeli “sovereignty” over the occupied Syrian Golan.

The Arab leaders pledged their full support of Syria’s right to recover the territory, reaffirming that the US decision does not alter the legal status of Golan as a Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, nor does it have any legal capacity, obligations or privileges.

OIC Journal January - April 2019

15

SPECIAL REPORT

At the 46th Council of Foreign Ministers: OIC to Mark the year 2019 as a Golden Jubilee

OIC Establishes Endowment Fund for Palestine The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is establishing an endowment fund to ensure sustained funding of the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The fund, approved by OIC Foreign Ministers during the 46th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), held in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, 1-2 March, 2019 will be a financial instrument and operate within the purview of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), according to OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen. The Secretary General said this year’s session, held on the theme “50 years of Islamic cooperation - a roadmap for progress and development”, ended with the adoption by consensus of the resolutions placed on its agenda, pointing out that the Palestinian issue has the great support of

the Muslim world. In this regard, he went on, an IsDB-sponsored endowment Fund for Palestinian Refugees has been established.

Launched with the goal to build a pool of capital to support Palestinian refugees, under the banner of the IsDB, the Fund, Dr Al-Othaimeen explained, will help enhance the financial position of UNRWA, thereby enabling it to deliver sustainable relief, humanitarian, educational and health services to the Palestinian refugees. He added, “Palestine is a fundamental and critical issue for all Muslims.”

During the opening session, the chairmanship was handed over by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Chairman of the previous session, to the United Arab Emirates, Chairman of the current session. Members of the new bureau were also elected during this session (the United Arab Emirates as

16 OIC Journal January - April 2019

Chairman, Afghanistan, Uganda and Palestine as Vice-Chairmen, and Bangladesh as Rapporteur).

In his opening statement, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE, lauded the strenuous and valuable efforts made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to promote unity and solidarity in the Islamic world and achieve the objectives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed also thanked the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, and his team for the devoted efforts they exert to promote joint cooperation and coordination to achieve the objectives of the Organization, which is celebrat-

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SPECIAL REPORT ing its 50th anniversary.

Likewise, The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation affirmed that Member States support the Palestinian cause and stand by the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights. He also called for devising a preventive study to face terrorism and extremism and circulating it to the Member States to ensure stopping the embrace of extremist ideas.

For his part, the OIC Secretary General gave an opening statement, in which he acknowledged the leadership, government and people of the UAE for hosting the session, and for the hospitality and good reception, highlighting that “it is a good fortune that we are holding this Conference as the Year of Zayed is approaching its end.”

Al-Othaimeen also extended his sincere thanks and gratitude to the government of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, HRH Mohammed bin Salman, may Allah preserve them, for the generous patronage the OIC receives from the host country. Such patronage has had concrete and efficient effects on the missions, activities and achievements of the Organization over its 50 years.

Moreover, the OIC Secretary General underlined that the General Secretariat, thanks to the support and cooperation of the Member States, has been able to make the voice of the OIC heard by the world, has made a quantum leap in its activities and actions, and has gone beyond the organization of conferences to multilateral interaction with the world, the international and regional organizations, governments and civil society organizations.

Furthermore, Al-Othaimeen shed light on the continuous efforts made by the General Secretariat to implement the resolutions of the Summit and the ministerial Council, and on the considerable interest it takes in following up files related to the Palestinian cause, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Djibouti, the Comoros, Central Africa and other states, expressing hope to continue to take the steps to achieve the aspired stability in Gabon, Guinea Bissau and Togo. The Secretary General also underscored that the Organization follows with great concern the bloody events and transgressions against the security of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, calling at the same time for restraint, and peaceful resolution of conflicts, in line with the international legitimacy resolutions. In the same connection, the Secretary General expressed the Organization’s commitment to Iraq’s stability, peace and prosperity, highlighting that the General Secretariat works hard for the reconstruction of Iraq, through consulting with the Iraqi government and the rest of the Member States to make the necessary preparations and mobilizing the necessary financial resources.

Al-Othaimeen also touched upon the other files the Organization devotes efforts to follow up, including Muslim communities in non-Member States, the phenomenon of Islamophobia, working on consolidating the concept of dialogue among nations and civilizations, and consecrating a framework to counter intolerance, discrimination and xenophobia.

He emphasized the importance of Muslim communities in non-Member States as well as the pressing need to combat Islamophobia through the consolidation of the concept of dialogue, which was entrusted to “the Voice of Wisdom”. He expressed the need for intensifying cooperation with the international community with regard to economic, cultural, social and security related aspects by striving hard to implement the OIC 2025: Programme of Action. He also pointed out the activities pertaining to the 50th anniversary of the OIC including the organization of the first OIC Festival, successfully held in Cairo – Arab Republic of Egypt on 5-9 February 2019. The Secretary General also spoke on the comprehensive reform of the OIC to improve performance. He informed that arrangements are underway for holding another brainstorming session in this regard.

He finally called on Member States to sign and ratify OIC agreements.

A special brainstorming session was held on 2 March 2019 on the topic “Role of the OIC in Promoting Development among its Member States” and agreed on the urgent need to hasten economic integration and implementation of OIC 2025: Programme of Action.

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OIC Journal January - April 2019

17

SPECIAL REPORT Abu Dhabi Declaration

At the end of the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, the Ministers and Heads of delegation adopted the Abu Dhabi Declaration which praised the efforts made by the OIC during 5 decades to preserve and protect common interests, advocate for the fair causes of Member States, coordinate and unify efforts of the States in order to address the challenges facing the Muslim world in particular and the international community in general, as stipulated by the Charter of the OIC. The declaration affirmed the commitment of Member States to respect the security, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of other Member States, and believe in the necessity of resolving existing and emerging litigations and conflicts through negotiation,

mediation and reconciliation by adopting diplomatic solutions based on the principles of International Law, and therefore, called on the full activation of the OIC mechanism on peace and security and the good offices of the Secretary General.

The Ministers decide to mark the year 2019 as a golden jubilee of the 50th anniversary of the OIC, in order to enhance its presence as an international organization and an effective partner in the stabilization of peace, security and development in the world.

They therefore invited all Member States to celebrate the anniversary by organizing national programs within the framework of the OIC and reaffirmed that the Palestinian issue is a central issue to both the Arab and the Muslim nations. The ministers reiterated

their position to strive in order to reach a comprehensive and permanent solution and to establish an independent Palestinian State according to the borders of July 4, 1968, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the decisions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace initiative.

The ministers invited all Member States and relevant institutions of the OIC, in light of the session motto “50 Years of Islamic Cooperation: Roadmap for Prosperity and Development�, to pursue efforts to implement the imperative OIC Programme of Action 2025 in order to increase commercial, development, and technology transfer, provide an appropriate environment for investment and business, develop infrastructure. They also encouraged Member States to set State systems that place future foresight as part of the strategic planning for health, educational, developmental and environmental sectors, provided that such State systems comply with the current governmental policies including those pertaining to national capacities, building partnerships and issuing research reports about the future for the different sectors.

Agreements Signed and Ratified OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, on 2 March 2019 in Abu Dhabi, attended the signing ceremony of agreements for greater joint Islamic action between the Member States.

Gabon deposited its instrument of ratification of the OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. For their part, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia declared their rati-

fication of the amendment to Article 8 of the Charter, regarding the periodicity of the Islamic Summit.

Meanwhile, Sudan and Mauritania signed the Statute of the OIC Labor Centre, along with Turkey, Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia which already signed it. Also, Turkey signed two documents at the 46th CFM, the Statute of the OIC Centre for Police Coopera-

18 OIC Journal January - April 2019

tion and Coordination and the Agreement on Immunities and Privileges for the OIC. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash, chairing the 46th meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, called on the Member States to accelerate the signing of the ratification documents, for all OIC organs to fully discharge their functions.

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SPECIAL REPORT

The New Assistant Secretaries General Sworn in at the CFM

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The new Assistant Secretaries General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) took their oath of office, at the

46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi. The OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, congratulated on their new functions the following Assistant Secretaries General: Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, Assistant

Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Family Affairs; Ambassador Askar Mussinov, Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology; Ambassador Ahmed Ssenyomo, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs; Ambas-

sador Samir Bakr Diab, Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Al-Quds; Mr. Musa KulaklÄąkaya, Assistant Secretary General for Administrative and Financial Affairs; and Ambassador Yousef Aldobeay, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs.

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OIC Journal January - April 2019

19

SPECIAL REPORT

Islamophobia OIC 12th Observatory Report: Islamophobia and Hate Speech on the Rise Again

After a slight decline of Islamophobia incidences last year (2018), there is a rising tide of Islamophobia and hate speech in the world, according to the latest report of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory, submitted to the 46th Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held 1-2 March 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The report, which is the 12th in its series, noted that there was an increase in the level of Islamophobia during the covered period (June 2018 – February 2019), indicated by the growing fear against Islam and Muslims in certain parts of the world, which led to negative perceptions among non-Muslims.

It also resulted in a worrisome surge in hate crimes and attacks against individuals perceived to be Muslims, mosques and community centers, particularly in Europe and in the U.S. The Islamophobia Observatory report noted that, inspired by the victory of ultra-nationalist ideology in some parts of the world, populist politicians were taking the momentum to unleash hatred towards Muslims by exploiting negative sentiments and con-

cerns mounted due to the large movement of refugees and migrants to Europe in the last few years, which coincided with the European Union’s lowering popularity among the continent’s electorates.

In his preface to the OIC Islamophobia Observatory report, the Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen reiterated that, “modernization and internet revolution have turned the world into a global village where religions and cultures should coexist, and where races and nations must live side by side as neighbors.” Al-Othaimeen added that, “while such a circumstances could facilitate mutuality and coexistence among human races, we can yet see that this opportunity has been under-going serious threat from the enemies of Islam and the peddlers of hatred.”

The Secretary General reiterated that Islamophobia does not represent a threat to Muslims only. Rather, it constitutes a threat to the very principles of justice, equality and freedom, just as it represents a threat to security and social harmony.

He stressed that Islamophobia is not a matter of concern for the OIC Member States

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only. It is rather a cause for mankind at large, and the interests of the entire international community, given that it represents a threat to international peace and security.

The report offered a series of practical recommendations that might help Member States and other stakeholders inform their policies or take necessary measures including emphasizing fundamental human rights and freedoms in combating Islamophobia; using existing U.N. treaties on religious freedoms, freedom of expression, prohibition of racial discrimination, etc. as tools to combat Islamophobia; ensuring progress on the existing international consensus in the form of the Action Plan of U.N. Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18; and encouraging governments to revive the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations initiative, giving special attention to the Muslim-Western divide fueling Islamophobia.

The report also recommended establishing strong links among groups who fight religion-based discrimination, including Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Christianphobia, while creating alliances with other groups that have been marginalized and

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SPECIAL REPORT dehumanized on the basis of racism and xenophobia; creating centers for the study of Islam in Western societies—similar to the few that already exist at Georgetown and Harvard universities; internally addressing issues and factors in Muslim societies and countries that contribute to negative images of Islam and Muslims, and emphasizing the importance of proper Islamic education for young children to avoid ignorance of religion among the new generation; creating initiatives toward developing a healthy national/religious identity to increase young Muslims’ contribution to the wider community without denying their religion; and engaging with civil society and young people in implementing government programs and actions to address religion and discrimination.

The report further recommended engaging in a constructive and meaningful dialogue (interreligious, intercultural, and inter-civilizational) toward cohesive and harmonious societies; creating more space to facilitate social interaction between Muslims and non-Muslims; working toward changing the hearts and minds of non-Muslim Westerners to believe that immigrants are not necessarily a threat to their values and principles; and challenging the ongoing myth of “Islamization” of the West as nurtured by xenophobic, populist parties who have been on the rise across Europe and elsewhere.

The 12th Annual Report of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory contains four main chapters and 1 Annex. Chapter one on ‘Islamophobia, Intolerance, and Discriminations against Muslims’ describes the increasing trend of Islamophobia under the covered period. Chapter 2 reveals ‘Manifestations of Islamophobia’ around the world, while Chapter 3 highlights various ‘positive developments’ in term of friendly actions, attitudes, sentiments, initiatives as well as other steps and positions taken by governments or by non-Muslim individuals towards Islam and Muslims, and their commendable resentments against Islamophobes.

Chapter 4, which is the last chapter of the report, presents the conclusion of the overall chapters, followed by a set of recommendation that proposes some steps and actions suggested to be taken by the OIC as well as by the relevant stakeholders including Member States, in reining in the Islamophobia cases.

The report also includes an Annex showing a list of Islamophobic incidents that happened around the world under the reviewed period.

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OIC NEWS Al-Othaimeen Receives the Foreign Minister of Gambia and the Irish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

The Secretary General Discusses with the Saudi Foreign Minister Issues of Common Interest

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, on 6 January 2019, in his office in Riyadh.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of common interest to the Muslim Ummah and the influential and pioneering status of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Islamic world. The Secretary-General lauded

the Kingdom as the host country for its continued support to the OIC. He also highlighted the generous auspices offered by the Kingdom’s leadership, headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al- Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to the OIC as a unifying platform, which enables Muslims to speak with one voice.

On the other hand, the OIC Secretary General received in his office on 27 January

2019, H.E. Dr. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation of The Gambia and the accompanying delegation. The two sides discussed ways and means to strengthen relations between the Organization and the Republic of The Gambia, and to promote joint Islamic action.

The Gambian Minister expressed his country’s appreciation of the positive reforms taking place in the Organization and the prominent role it is now assuming at the international arena under the wise leadership of the Secretary General affirming his country will continue its support to the Organization.

The Secretary General also received in a courtesy meeting Mr. Gerard McCoy, Ambassador of Ireland to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 20 March 2019 at his office.

During the meeting, the Secretary General and his guest exchanged views on various regional and international issues of mutual interest. Amb. McCoy conveyed his country’s interest to deepen relations with the OIC for shared benefit.

Welcoming the interest of Ireland, the Secretary General emphasized on maintaining frequent contacts and working together to strengthen bilateral relations.

OIC Contact Group Meeting on Jammu and Kashmir Calls for Immediate De-escalation in the Region The OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir held an emergency meeting at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah on 26thFebruary 2019 ahead of the 46thSession of the Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 1-2 March 2019. The meeting expressed deep concern over the heightened tension in the region and called for immediate deescalation.

The meeting was chaired, on behalf of the Secretary General by Assistant Secretary General Amb Hameed A. Opeloyeru, and attended by Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Tehmina Janjua, and the Permanent Representatives of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Niger as well as the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Masood Khan.

In his opening remarks, speaking on behalf of the OIC Secretary General, the Assistant Secretary General strongly condemned the recent wave of repression, brutal killing of innocent Kashmiri civilians by the Indian occupied forces, frequent incidents of rape especially of minor girls. He reiterated OIC’s principled position on supporting the people of Jammu and Kashmir in achieving their legitimate rights, including the right of self-determination. He also emphasized that conflict shall be resolved in accordance with the aspiration of the Kashmiri people and the OIC and United Nations resolutions.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary apprised the participants on the recent Indian threats to regional peace and security and continued Indian repression and recent escalation in

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atrocities against the innocent Kashmiris.

The Contact Group appreciated Prime Minister of Pakistan’s offer for peace and dialogue to India to resolve all issues. The members of the Contact Group reiterated their continued support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They called on India to immediately stop repressive security operations against the people of Jammu and Kashmir, respect the fundamental and basic human rights and address the dispute in accordance with the relevant OIC and United Nations Security Council resolutions on the subject as well as the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, the principle of selfdetermination and human rights.

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OIC NEWS The OIC Secretary General Receives the Credentials of the Representatives of Iraq, Russia, Mozambique, Jordan and Mauritania The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, received on 20 January 2019, Mr. Mukhles Ali Rajab, the Consul General of the Republic of Iraq to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who presented his credentials as a Permanent Representative of his country to the OIC. In the course of the meeting, Mr. Rajab expressed his thanks to the OIC for having opened an office in Baghdad and reiterated Iraq’s keenness as to the idea of convening Makkah 2 conference, and in turn, the OIC Secretary General affirmed the OIC’s support to Iraq in its war on terrorism and its efforts towards achieving security and stability.

The Secretary General also received in his office at the OIC General Secretariat’s headquarters in Jeddah, Ambassador Ramazan Abdulatipov, for the presentation of his credentials as the Russian Federation Permanent Representative to the OIC. The meeting offered an opportune occasion for a review of the excellent cooperation and consultation-driven relations between the OIC and the Russian Federation.

The two parties also stressed their keen desire to further consolidate their existing ties of friendship and to explore new ways to boost rapprochement between the Russian Federation and the Islamic world in the fields of science, culture, economy, the fight against terrorism, and spreading the culture of peace and security in the region.

The two parties also emphasized the need to keep up the periodicity of their political consultations, given their importance in terms of exchanging views and coordinating positions with respect to regional and international issues of common interest.

Meanwhile, Faizal Faquir Cassam, Ambassador of the Republic of Mozambique to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative to the OIC presented, on 21 February 2019, to Dr. Al-Othaimeen his Letter of Credence accrediting him as the Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the OIC. During the discussion that took place after the presentation of Credentials, Ambassador Cassam reiterated his country’s commitment to the OIC and its programs and activities. He also expressed his interest to work very closely with the General Secretariat for shared benefit.

The Secretary General also received on 7 March 2019 in his office at the OIC, the Permanent Representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the OIC Jaafar Mohammed Jaafar, who submitted his credentials as representative of his country to the OIC. The Secretary General welcomed the Jordanian representative and underscored Jordan’s role in strengthening its relations with the OIC. The two sides reviewed the most important causes and challenges of the Islamic Ummah, particularly terrorism and extremism. The Secretary General commended the steps taken by the Islamic countries in combating terrorism by enacting many laws and regulations to counter the extremist ideology the Islamic world is facing.

For his part, the Jordanian delegate stressed that his country is keen to promote joint Islamic action and support the OIC in discharging its mission and render its services to Islam and Muslims.

The Secretary General also received in his office on 21 March 2019 the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to the OIC Mr. Mohamed Lamin Sheikh who presented his credentials as representative of his country to the OIC. Al-Othaimeen welcomed the Mauritanian representative and lauded the peace, security and prosperity being witnessed by Mauritania due to the wise leadership there.

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Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations against the Rohingya Meets in Gambia The Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations against the Rohingya was held in Banjul, The Gambia on 10 February 2019.

During the meeting the Members of the Committee expressed that Myanmar must abide by international law, cease persecution of Rohingya and allow unimpeded access for the delivery of the humanitarian aid to the affected communities in Rakhine state. The Members also underscored that Myanmar has the primary responsibility to take actions against the perpetrators of the crimes under international law committed against the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, especially in Rakhine State; and that if it is unable or unwilling to undertake this responsibility, Myanmar should accept an international judicial mechanism process.

The Members of the Committee reiterated

their support for Bangladesh, which has been inundated by the repeated influx over the last four decades of 1.1 million Rohingya, including the recently arrived 700,000 refugees in aftermath of atrocities committed by the Myanmar authorities. It was acknowledged that the Rohingya issue has been of great concern to Bangladesh and the government of Shaikh Hasina has made tremendous efforts to accommodate and provide for the refugees.

In reviewing the plight of the Rohingya, it was agreed that sustained international pressure is required to ensure the government of Myanmar fulfills its obligations under international law to pursue accountability for the victims. It was therefore decided, by consensus, that the Ad Hoc Committee’s would pursue legal action against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice.

This course of action was subsequently approved by the 46th Session OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), with the adoption of Resolution No. 61/46 in Abu Dhabi, 1-2 March 2019.

The Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee was established by Resolution No.59/45 adopted by the 45th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Dhaka, 5-6 May 2018. The tasks of the Committee include engaging to ensure accountability and justice for gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws and principles; assisting in information gathering and evidence collection for accountability purposes; as well as mobilizing and coordinating international political support for accountability for the Human Rights Violations against the Rohingya in Myanmar.

OIC Secretary General Receives the Health Minister of Maldives The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), H.E. Dr. Yousef A. Othaimeen, received the Health Minister of the Republic of Maldives H.E. Mr. Abdulla Ameen and his accompanying delegation, at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah on 5 March 2019.

H.E. Mr. Abdulla Ameen expressed his thanks and appreciation for the role the OIC is playing in promoting human development in the OIC Member States in general and the Republic of Maldives in particular. He underlined the importance of the partnership between his country and the OIC and

expressed hope to strengthen it further. He briefed the Secretary General about the status of health care in Maldives and indicated that his country has been implementing the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) whereby

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Government provides healthcare services to all its citizens.

The Secretary General reiterated OIC’s commitment to support its Member States in every way possible. He stated that it was OIC’s moral responsibility to play a leading role in such areas as vaccination campaigns in underserved communities of the OIC and to help Member States in the production of affordable, safe and quality medicines and vaccines. The two sides agreed to continue their engagement with the aim of fostering the wellbeing of the people in the OIC Member States.

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OIC NEWS

New Special Envoys of Switzerland, Italy and Georgia Present their Letters of Credence to OIC Secretary General Dr. André Schaller, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the newly appointed Swiss Special Envoy to the OIC presented, on 28 January 2019, to Dr. Yousef A. AlOthaimeen, the OIC Secretary General his Letter of Credence accrediting him as the Special Envoy of Switzerland to the OIC. During the courtesy meeting that took place after the presentation of credentials, the Secretary General and his guest had extensive discussions on various regional and international issues of mutual interest. Dr. Schaller reiterated the commitment of Switzerland to work closely with the OIC General Secretariat for shared benefit.

Welcoming the new Special Envoy, the Secretary General emphasized on identifying common issues and starting concrete actions jointly to strengthen bilateral relations. Dr. Al-Othaimeen assured the Special Envoy of OIC’s continued support and cooperation during his assignment as the Special Envoy of his country to the OIC. Mr. Stefano Stucci, Consul General of Italy in Jed-

dah and the newly appointed Italian Special Envoy to the OIC also presented, on 12 February 2019, to the Secretary General his Letter of Credence accrediting him as the Special Envoy of Italy to the OIC. During the courtesy meeting, the Secretary General and his guest had extensive discussions on various regional and international issues of mutual interest including the threats of terrorism, extremism and Islamophobia. Mr. Stucci reiterated the commitment of Italy to work closely with the OIC General Secretariat for shared benefit.

Welcoming the new Special Envoy, the Secretary General emphasized on identifying common issues and mutual cooperation to strengthen OIC-Italy bilateral relations especially on issues concerning youth, inter religious dialogue and cultural exchange. Dr. Al-Othaimeen assured the Special Envoy of OIC’s continued support and cooperation during his assignment as the Special Envoy of his country to the OIC. And Mr. Vakhtang Jaoshvili, Ambassador of Geor-

gia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the newly appointed Special Envoy of Georgia to the OIC presented, on 18 February 2019, to Dr. Al-Othaimeen, his Letter of Credence accrediting him as the Special Envoy of Georgia to the OIC. During the courtesy meeting that took place after the presentation of Credentials, the Secretary General and his guest had candid discussions on various regional and international issues of mutual interest. Amb. Jaoshvili expressed his country’s keen interest to work closely with the OIC General Secretariat on common issues for mutual benefit.

Welcoming the new Special Envoy, the Secretary General emphasized on regular exchange between Georgia and the OIC General Secretariat to strengthen bilateral relations. Dr. Al-Othaimeen assured the Special Envoy of OIC’s continued support and cooperation during his assignment as the Special Envoy to the OIC.

The Third OIC-EU Meeting Held in Brussels The third Senior Officials meeting between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the European Union was held on 25 March 2019 in Brussels in the framework of the MoU signed in 2015.

The OIC Delegation was led by Ambassador Ali Goutali, Director General of Palestine Affairs. The EU Delegation was headed by Mr. Colin Scicluna, Deputy Managing Director for the Middle East North Africa at the EEAS. The Meeting exchanged views on a wide range of issues of common interest including the situation in the Middle East, particularly the Palestinian issue, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sahel and Central African Republic.

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The meeting also discussed possible cooperation in areas such as culture, promotion of tolerance, non-discrimination and respect for diversity, human rights, freedom of religion and belief, empowerment of women and humanitarian affairs.

The meeting highlighted the need for more political cooperation and coordination between the two organizations in multilateral fora, including in the UN, particularly in areas of mutual interest.

Both sides also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in the humanitarian field, as well as in training, capacity building and exchange of best practices. The two sides agreed to entrust their respective representations, in Brussels and Jeddah, to follow up on the imple-

mentation of actions and initiatives agreed upon during the meeting.

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OIC NEWS Al Othaimeen: Sports Affirm Youth’s Rejection of Terrorism The city of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hosted the extraordinary meeting of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faysal, chairman of the said federation who is also chairman of the Saudi Sports Commission and of the Saudi Arab Olympics Committee.

In his opening statement, Dr. Yousef Bin Ahmed Al Othaimeen, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed his profound thanks and gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the headquarter State of the ISSF, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and his H.R.H. Crown Prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, for the gracious care and assistance accorded to the OIC and for the sustained support enjoyed by its various activities and programs, all in favor of enhancing joint Islamic solidarity and advancing the OIC’s role. He also paid tribute to the Saudi leadership for the keen attention bestowed upon the sports domain in general in the Kingdom and the interest specifically accorded to youth-related issues.

Also, in the statement delivered on his behalf by Amb. Hisham Yousef, Assistant Secretary General for Cultural, Humanitarian and Family Affairs, the OIC Secretary General expressed his sincere congratulations to H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki for the royal confidence invested in him through his designation as ISSF chairman, which comes as a crowning to his outstanding professional and sports-related career.

The Secretary General further paid a high tribute to the ISSF for its

sustained efforts, as an OIC affiliated institution, for the promotion of youth and the advancement of sports in the Islamic world such as to make a remarkable contribution towards the development of youth and the uplifting of the sports domain and environment in the Member States, and also reiterated his congratulations to H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki on his designation at the head of the ISSF. In his statement, Al Othaimeen, also affirmed that the OIC pays particular interest to sports and to youth and their physical and psychological health, mindful of the major challenges faced by the Islamic world today, the threats surrounding its identity and the escalating rise of organized terrorism, violent extremism and Islamophobic incidents.

The Secretary General stressed that sports represent a key factor for the building of healthy and solid societies capable of contributing to mutual understanding between the youth communities across the world and to sending out a message to the effect that the Muslim youth totally rejects extremism, violence and terrorism.

OIC Urges for more Humane Treatment of Refugees and Migrants

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has stressed that common faith on multilateralism was at the core of the international solidarity and cooperation that led to the adoption of two milestone global compacts on refugees and migrants. It urged all UN Member States and their international partners, to put humanity at the center of these two compacts on global migration.

In a message to the 4th Geneva Interfaith Dialogue in commemoration of World Interfaith Harmony Week delivered by the OIC Deputy Permanent Observer in Geneva Ambassador Aissata Kane on 12

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February 2019 at the Palais des Nations, the Organization noted that providing asylum, protecting refugees and assisting migrants and other displaced persons in compassion and faith are fundamental pillars in the Islamic tradition.

“Irrespective of their faith, color or ethnic origin, assisting displaced persons is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral and a religious duty,” said the OIC statement.

“We need sustained and extended collaboration and cooperation to ensure that the root causes of displacement and related challenges are addressed in effective and human rights based manner,” the statement went on.

The OIC underlined key aspects of its engagement towards international solidarity with displaced persons by advocating for an “effective force of wisdom, peace and fruitful dialogue” to address contemporary issues.

The statement highlighted the first OIC Festival titled “One Nation and Diverse Cultures”, held in Cairo, Egypt to spotlight cultural, religious and social diversity of OIC countries, which contribute to consolidate the sense of brotherhood and sympathy among the people, among several other initiatives by the Organization.

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OIC NEWS Sawt Al-Hikma Center Announces

“Tolerance in Islam” Competition

The Sawt Al-Hikma Center at the OIC General Secretariat announced its competition under the theme “Tolerance in Islam” of short videos that reflect Islamic values and tolerance and expresses the rejection of violence and combating extremism.

In the announcement, which was posted on the Center’s social media platforms, participants were asked to share their documentary, feature, abstract or cartoon films. The three winners will receive a monetary award as well as a full-paid umrah.

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Sawt Al-hikma Conference on Education and Prevention of Terrorism Proposes Postgraduate Program on Fighting Extremism and Terrorism

OIC and NAUSS signed a memorandum of cooperation on the sidelines of the conference

The Final Communiqué of the International Conference on the Role of Education in Preventing Terrorism and Extremism co-organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS) concluded on 10 April 2019 in Riyadh with a highlight of the efforts of the Government of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in promoting Islamic solidarity.

The Final Communiqué commended the leading experience of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in countering extremism and terrorism, especially the rehabilitation programs undertaken by Mohammed bin Naif Counseling and Care Center. It also commended the role of the Hedaya Center in the United Arab Emirates and the significant role of other Islamic countries, especially Malaysia, Morocco and Senegal.

The Conference, which reviewed the experiences of countries in combating extremism and terrorism through revamping education, seeks to develop the coexistence culture through pedagogical systems. The Conference analyzed and considered the mechanisms many Muslim countries have implemented to develop curricula that firmly establish a culture of tolerance and coexistence, and the role undertaken by the educational institutions in formulating a discourse rooted in the principles of peace, fellowship and confronting violence and extremism.

In his opening remarks at the conference,

OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, indicated that the Conference takes place at a time when the phenomenon of violent extremism that has plagued the Muslim world during the past three decades is on the rise. He stressed that it is important to consider the ways in which curricula face the incursion of this phenomenon, which is categorically alien to our societies. He stated that every act of violence or extremism is the result of a distorted intellectual mindset that has developed and penetrated undetected away from the positive values of modern schools and formal curricula.

The participants at the conference considered that education is “the first line of defense in defending the national components of all countries, the values ​​of human coexistence and the tolerant religious teachings through which safe and developed societies

The participants called on international organizations, governments, and civil society organizations to launch intensive awareness campaigns in schools and at cultural and media events on the importance of diversity and pluralism

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are built.”

The conference stressed that “the way to defeat ideologies is not military power, but rather by a gradual formulation of a comprehensive local and international culture that does not succumb to such ideologies”.

The Final Communiqué called on the OIC General Secretariat to adopt a resolution calling on the ministries of education in the OIC Member States to incorporate the conference’s recommendations in their education and training programs and refer the resolution to the upcoming session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) for approval. It also called on NAUSS to establish an academic center under the name of “Center for the Prevention of Extremism and Terrorism” to develop programs, courses, research, and training kits to prevent extremism in all its forms and manifestations”.

The Final Communiqué stressed that “the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand on the innocent worshipers in two mosques have proven that terrorism has no religion or color and that correlating terrorism with a religion or a race contravenes facts, both historical and current”. Therefore, the participants called on international organizations, governments, and civil society organizations to launch intensive awareness campaigns in schools and at cultural and media events on the importance of diversity and pluralism, emphasizing the need for diversity and difference for the survival and continued development of the human race”. It also called on “politicians to enact laws expeditiously to criminalize racial propaganda, slogans, and ideas advocated by the extreme right”.

The participants agreed to consider the suggestion of the OIC Sawt Al-Hikmah Centre and NAUSS to “launch a postgraduate program on fighting extremism and terrorism designed by Muslims from an Islamic perspective to fill the critical gap in university programs in this regard. This would contribute to dissipating the misconceptions falsely linked to our lofty religion. This should be a free e-learning program posted on global education platforms, which unfortunately still suffer from the absence of any program provided by universities from the Muslim world”.

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OPINION From Baghuz to Christchurch: Has the fifth phase of extremism been launched? ‎‎

O

n 24 March 2019, the Syrian Democratic Forces declared the end of ISIS› official control of Baghuz, the last geographical patch in what was once called the «Caliphate state». Exactly nine days before that pivotal event in the history of the Middle East, and even the entire world, an Australian extremist ended the lives of 50 peaceful worshippers in the calm city of Christchurch, situated in one of the calmest and most peaceful countries of the world.

The first event reflected the significance of the overwhelming military victory of the international coalition over the brutal ISIS apparatus and over an ideology that leaped into the 21st century from no-time. It attempted to impose its intellectual and political style in a form that had never been witnessed before, even in the darkest eras of Muslim political and cultural history. In my opinion, however, it represents the end of an entire phase in the evolution of the terrorism phenomenon that started in 1880 and passed through four major phases. The first phase was dominated by the anarchist movement and a record of violence and terrorism, leading then US President Theodore Roosevelt to declare war against terrorism in 1901, exactly as did George Bush following the 9/11 events. This phase continued to the early 1920s, when a new phase of violence emerged at the hands of revolutionary movements against western imperialism. The second phase lasted until the 1960s, then handed over to a new phase dominated by leftist movements that declared war against the remnants of western imperialism until the 1990s, when the USSR withdrew in defeat from Afghanistan, marking the end of the leftist oriental empire. With the end of that third phase, the fourth phase emerged as a result of the grinding Afghan-Russian war. This phase appeared under a guise of religious propaganda and the religious sentiment that resulted from the undisciplined awakening that prevailed at that time. This phase continued until the date of one of the incidents of last March, when the official demise of ISIS was declared in Baghuz.

It is indisputable that Baghuz will not be the end of extremism in our Muslim world. However, it will definitely be a turning point that will expedite the end of this phase, as ISIS represents the pinnacle of what extremist ideology can achieve or thought it could achieve. As such, the end of ISIS dream represents the end of all other dreams that might tickle all sympathizers of such thought.

Interestingly, the chronology of each of the four phases spanned approximately 40 years, i.e. a full generation of the people who witnessed it, except for the third phase, which was prematurely aborted when the Berlin wall was torn down and the USSR hurriedly disappeared from existence.

If we consider 1979 to be the birth year of the fourth phase, which, in contrast to the other three phases, assumed the Muslim world geography as its domain, then it turns forty in 2019.‎‎Comparing the end of ISIS with the substantial contraction of Al-Qaeda and the decline in the activity of all extremist Islamist groups, from the Philippines, where the successful political process ended the hopes of the Abu Sayyaf group, to Nigeria, the government of which managed to break the might of Boko Haram, as well as the defeat of ISIS in Libya, the decline of Ansar Bait al-Maqdis in the Sinai, the deterioration of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham›s situation, and the Taliban›s submission to the logic of dialogue with the Afghan government, we can deduce that we are witnessing the endings of the fourth phase, which falsely utilized the Islamic faith to justify its barbarity and violence.

‎‎‎‎‎‎Dr. Tarek Ladjal Sawt Al-Hikma (The Voice of Wisdom) Center

This phase appeared under a guise of religious propaganda and the religious sentiment that resulted from the undisciplined awakening that prevailed at that time

Adding to all of that the increasing rates of extremist-right violence in the western world, particularly against Muslims, as manifested in its most horrendous form in the Christchurch massacre, and the reports of the extent of violence held by extremist-right against Muslims and the massive support it is granted by the conservative media and institutions, as well as the political gains of extremist-right parties in Europe, we will undoubtedly that the 15 March incident triggered the fifth phase of terrorism.

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS Humanitarian Assistance by OIC Member States Remains Under-reported

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has observed that the actual humanitarian assistance provided by the OIC Member States is much greater than what is reflected in the global statistics, data, and information on humanitarian assistance.

In his address to a workshop held on 21 February 2019 on reporting humanitarian assistance provided by the OIC Member States organized jointly with the UN-OCHA, the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ambassador Hesham Youssef, noted that, motivated by Islamic values and traditions, many OIC Member States provide substantial financial resources for the global humanitarian response effort.

“This often happens through government allocations, foundations, charities, or financial institutions. Estimates suggest that the total humanitarian contribution from the OIC Member States in both 2015 and

2016 exceeds US$4.8 billion,” said Amb. Hesham.

“We firmly believe that the humanitarian assistance provided is much higher and is not reflected in the statistics, as the top 10 donors globally are not from the OIC Member States, despite the generosity of some of these Member States,” he added.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General pointed out that the world is witnessing the most significant displacement crisis in history, where nearly 60 million people, half of them children, have had to escape their homes and leave their livelihoods due to conflict and violence. He added that the ever-increasing humanitarian needs are further highlighting the importance of effective coordination and accurate data collection. A large number of OIC Member States according to Amb. Hesham are affected by humanitarian crises and require assistance

and support..

In his intervention during the workshop, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Partnerships with the Middle East and Central Asia of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Mr. Rashid Khalikov stated that the financial tracking service of the UN is generally recognized as one of the most authoritative source of data and information on humanitarian assistance.

He noted that “the FTS has recorded over $8 billion of humanitarian assistance from the OIC countries since 2014. I believe this is under-reported,” adding that if the largesse and generosity of OIC countries is to be truly valued and recognized, there has to be a way to quantify, capture, record and disseminate such information.

Some of the international donor agencies from the OIC and non OIC Member States who participated in the two-day workshop include the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, Turkey-TIKA, DFID, European Civil Protection And Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), among others.

The two-day workshop was convened to share experiences and to encourage dialogue among OIC Member States with major donors on the preparation and gathering of information on humanitarian assistance from the OIC Member States.

OIC Adopts Urgent Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), represented by the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), has adopted urgent humanitarian assistance to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to mitigate the effects of the severe drought, which resulted in a large number of displaced people.

The Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. AlOthaimeen, expressed OIC solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, pointing out that emergency assistance includes food and shelter.

Al-Othaimeen added that the OIC, represented by the ISF, seeks to consolidate the concepts of humanitarian action to serve Muslim peoples through its multiple contributions to the benefit of Member States.

The OIC called on the member states and all relief organizations in the world to extend humanitarian support to Afghanistan to stave off the effects of the drought.

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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS The Secretary General Urges for Providing Urgent Humanitarian Assistance to Syrian IDPs and Refugees The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen urged the international community to exert more efforts in the humanitarian field by providing urgent funding for humanitarian assistance to Syrian IDPs and refugees and thus bridge the funding gap for Syrian humanitarian needs.

In his address to the third Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region held on 13-14 March 2019 in Brussels, the Secretary General stated that the Syrian crisis, which entered its eighth year, has triggered one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world. The crisis claimed the lives of about half a million people since March 2011, and left 13 million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including 8 million children. It also led to the displacement of over 11 million people in terrible conditions.

In the same vein, the Secretary General commended the OIC Member States that have borne the burden of hosting Syrian refugees, and other countries that contributed to alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people by making generous financial contributions, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Al-Othaimeen stated that the OIC reaffirms the importance of supporting the Geneva

process in order to reach a political solution that would contribute to building a new Syrian state based on a democratic, pluralistic civil system established on the principles of respect for human rights and the rule of law.

57 countries and more than 20 international organizations and UN agencies participated in the international conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region.

The conference succeeded in mobilizing aid to Syrians inside the country and in the

neighboring countries, including for hosting communities, through pledges totaling US$ 7 billion (€ 6.2 billion) for 2019, and multiyear pledges of close to US$ 2.4 billion (€ 2.1 billion) for 2020 and beyond. The humanitarian needs continue to be extremely high. Over 11 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees are displaced outside the country.

OIC Renews Urgent Humanitarian Call for Mozambique The OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. AlOthaimeen, has urged again all OIC Member States and their respective civil society and philanthropic organizations to come forward and extend an urgent humanitarian assistance and support to the Government and people of Mozambique, which has been severely hit by the Tropical Cyclone “IDAI”.

The storm caused extensive damages and massive flooding in the Central Eastern Provinces of Sofala and Manica between 14 and 16 March 2019, which resulted in thousands of deaths and an endless number of homeless.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen further noted that Cy-

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clone “IDAI” has brought an untold suffering to the people of Mozambique who are in desperate need of foods, medical sup-

plies, shelter, electric supply, communications tools, sanitation and civil engineering equipment to deal with this massive and daunting humanitarian catastrophe.

He also expressed the hope the Member States would provide urgent support to the people pf Mozambique in confronting these devastating effects and reducing the plight of the affected regions.

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall during the night of 14 to 15 March 2019 near Beira City, Sofala Province, in central Mozambique. The cyclone brought torrential rains and winds to Sofala, Zambezia, Manica and Inhambane provinces.

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HUMAN RIGHTS Secretary-General from the Council’s Headquarters in Geneva:

The Islamic World Faces Selectivity in Human Rights The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to find appropriate solutions to the problems and issues faced by Muslim countries and communities with regard to selectivity in the field of human rights. At the same time, he emphasized the Organization’s firm belief in the utility of cultural diversity and its importance in addressing the countless challenges facing humanity in the fields of peace, security, human rights and development.

In his speech during the high-level segment of the 40th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva (25-27 February 2019), the Secretary-General said that the intellectual and political resistance to multiculturalism is one of the underlying causes of the resurgence of racism and xenophobia, including their contemporary manifestation of Islamophobia.

He added that, the OIC, in cooperation with its partners, had developed a comprehensive and consensual approach to deal with incitement to hatred, discrimination and violence based on religion, in the shape of the Human Rights Council resolution 16/18, which must be fully implemented, including the reactivation of the Istanbul process.

Al-Othaimeen called for the utilization of all platforms to promote pluralism, push for dialogue among cultures and religions, as well as respect for tolerance and integration, to defeat the forces of bigotry and discrimination. He stressed that the organization explicitly denounces the ideological narratives adopted by all terrorist and extremist groups using religion, ideology or cultural and ethnic superiority.

The Secretary-General called on the Human Rights Council to focus on economic, social and cultural rights, which are no less important than other rights, adding that stability, growth and development remain key objectives for developing countries. He stressed the readiness of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to cooperate and engage constructively with every process that is aimed at strengthening the edifice of universal human rights.

In his speech, Al- Othaimeen touched on the human rights suffering faced by the Ro-

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hingya Muslim minority, which he said continues to be one of the worst human rights and humanitarian crises in the world today.

He added that OIC concurs with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that in addition to crimes against humanity, there is strong evidence indicating genocide, extermination and deportation of the Rohingya.

Al-Othaimeed noted that the OIC welcome the efforts of the HR Council Members under the joint OIC-EU resolution to address the plight of Rohingya Muslims as well as the issues of impunity and accountability.

On the Palestinians and the Kashmiris crises, Al-Othaimeen re-iterated that the right to self-determination is the preemptory norm of international law. Its denial leads to violation of all other rights. Palestinians and Kashmiris continue to suffer from the denial of their fundamental right to self-determination.

He stressed that, the High Commissioner has rightly pointed out that peace and respect for human rights in the Occupied Palestine are constantly undermined by the continued occupation. He urged the international community to push for ending the occupation through the Two State solution, which guarantees an independent Palestinian State, based on the 1967 borders, with Al Quds AlSharif as its capital.

Al-Othaimeen saluted the resolve of Kashmiris to achieve their legitimate right to selfdetermination against all odds stressing that, the OIC welcomes the OHCHR report on the subject and supports its recommendation for a fact-finding mission. He also call for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with Security Council resolutions and the wishes of Kashmiri people.

The OIC Secretary General reiterated the OIC’s condemnation of the Khojaly massacre committed by Armenia in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

The Human Rights Council during the session held a general debate on the Universal Periodic Review.

Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, stated that the Universal Periodic Review was one of the great successes of the Council in ensuring the universal coverage of human rights.

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HUMAN RIGHTS

Al-Othaimeen Urges OIC Member States to Address Yemeni Humanitarian Crisis Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), highlighted the suffering of the Yemeni people due to lack of food, health services, and other basic needs. Speaking at the High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 26 February 2019, Al-Othaimeen indicated that the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) had issued several resolutions on Yemen calling for financial support to implement concrete humanitarian projects for the most needy and vulnerable people in Yemen.

Al-Othaimeen noted that the OIC humanitarian action in Yemen is pending due to the lack of funds despite the efforts of the OIC General Secretariat to mobilize the necessary financial resources. The Secretary General addressed the OIC Member States, urging them, together with the international donors, to continue to provide financial support to Yemen and to make generous contributions to the High-Level Pledging Event.

Al-Othaimeen expressed the OIC’s appreciation for the efforts and activities of some Member States in Yemen, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the top country that supports humanitarian and development action in Yemen for all Yemenis without discrimination. He appreciated the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, to launch the initiative to establish a unified center for the coordination of humanitarian assistance in addition to the valuable and generous assistance that Saudi Arabia has been providing to the Yemeni people through King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief). Al-Othaimeen added that Saudi Arabia has donated half a billion dollars to the United Nations to fund the UN humanitarian response plan to support Yemen in 2018.

The OIC Secretary General also expressed the OIC’s appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s initiative to support the Yemeni Central Bank with US$ 2 billion following the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, to consolidate the Yemeni economy and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world. An estimated 80 per cent of the population – 24 million people – require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, including

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14.3 million who are in acute need. According to the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, over 20 million people in Yemen are severely food insecure—IPC Phase 3 or worse and three million Yemenis are acutely malnourished. Humanitarian programs last year scaled up to reach 8 million people with direct assistance per month, up from 3.5 million in 2017, making Yemen the largest humanitarian operation in the world.

During the High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen, donors pledged a total of USD 2.6 billion to ensure that humanitarian operations in Yemen can be sustained and scaled up at a time when humanitarian aid is the only lifeline for millions of Yemenis. This is an increase from last year’s total pledges of US$2.01 billion, 100 per cent of which were fulfilled.

The 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen requires $4 billion to reach 21.4 million people who are bare surviving, with more than half of the funding going towards emergency food aid for 12 million people - a 50 per cent increase compared to last year.

Assistance across all sectors will reach 15 million people – about half the population. Given the scale, urgency and complexity of this crisis, the 2019 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP) will put forward large-scale, evidence-based programs to save lives, strengthen protection and ensure that people who are suffering get the assistance they need.

Support for the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP), along with contributions to the Yemen Humanitarian Fund, is the most effective and efficient way to ensure a coordinated and principled humanitarian response.

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‫فلسطين والروهينجيا واإلرهاب واإلسالموفوبيا‬

‫تعتلي ملفات المنظمة في األمم المتحدة‬

OIC FESTIVAL One nation, diverse cultures ... Palestine in our heart

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,,

,,

“The Success of the Cairo Edition” Encourages the Member States to Host It “One nation, diverse cultures ... Palestine in our heart” ... is the starting words of the first edition of the Festival of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Over five days (5-9 February, 2019), the Egyptian capital, Cairo witnessed the atmosphere of intermingling between the different cultures of the peoples of the Islamic countries, and the spirit of solidarity and love prevailed, with the insistence on moving towards a bright future of the Islamic Ummah, waiting to see what the components of the Islamic peoples will reveal as a rich heritage that deserves to be explored and dazzled by the world.

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, HE Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen affirmed that the success of the first edition of the festival did not come from a vacuum. Egypt, the Government, the leadership and the people did their utmost to ease the establishment of all cultural, artistic, sport, literary, poetic and political events in different locations in Cairo. Egypt exhibited hospitality and welcomed delegations from more than 20 countries.

Spread their creations to the peoples of the Islamic world and the world at large.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen also expressed his gratitude the Government of the OIC host country, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and His Highness the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah protect them, for their continued support to the initiatives of the organization and its activities, and their generous contribution to the success of the festival.

“I am happy with the interaction of the OIC member states with the idea of ​​the festival and their conviction that we can send a message to the world that Islam is against extremism, violence and terrorism and does not conflict with culture, arts, literature, folklore and other peoples’ heritage,” he said.

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“Opening Ceremony” 36 OIC Journal January - April 2019

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The Inauguration at Cairo’s Opera House The Festival’s inauguration took place at the Grand Theatre of Cairo’s Opera House. It was attended by a large number of diplomats, members of participating delegates, intellectuals and media professionals.

The OIC Secretary-General, Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, pointed out that the creative works of the peoples of the participating Muslim countries are in line with the OIC Charter which provides, in its first paragraph, that “the objectives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation shall be to enhance and consolidate the bonds of fraternity and solidarity among the Member States.”

With regard to the theme of the Festival, “One Nation and Diverse Cultures ... Palestine in Our Heart”, the Secretary General stated that it reflects one of the key pillars of the Festival. The Palestinian Cause is indeed the central cause of the Muslim World, and Al-Quds lies at the heart of this Cause, invariably present in the conscience of all Muslim peoples worldwide.

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Egyptian Minister of Culture, Dr. Enas Abdel-Dayem, stated that the Festival aims at upholding the noble values ​​of Islam which calls for tolerance and rejects violence, extremism and terrorism. It is also designed to strengthen relations and promote rapprochement among Member States.

Prominent figures who have had a significant impact on the renaissance and development of the Muslim World were honored during the opening session. These include: Mrs. Vovor Adjoavi Sika Kabore, First Lady of Burkina Faso; Sheikh ulIslam Allahshükür Pashazade, Grand Mufti of the Caucasus from Azerbaijan, Dr. Nizar bin Obaid Madani, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, and poet Farouk Goweda from Egypt. The honored figures were presented by Saudi media figure Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Shobaily.

A short documentary on the OIC was screened at the opening ceremony and a folkloric show representing the cultural diversity of the member states.

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OIC

FESTIVAL

10 Intellectual, Cultural, Political and Economic Seminars A seminar was held at the Supreme Council of Culture (Cairo Opera House) on “Contemporary Literary Issues in the Islamic World”. The seminar focused on the evolution and distinctive characteristics of literary genres, and on the challenges facing contemporary literature in the Islamic World. Egyptian writer Dr. Ahmed Darwish, who moderated the seminar, delivered a paper entitled: “The issues of communication among Muslim peoples”. On his part, Palestinian writer Dr. Mohamed Bakr Al-Buji delivered a paper entitled: “Identity and contemporary literary criticism”.

Another seminar was held on “Sustainable Development Challenges in the Islamic World”, with the participation of Dr. Ahmed Galal, Egyptian economist and former Minister of Finance, and Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Professor of Sociology. Dr. Galal offered an overview about sustainable development, economic challenges, growth rate, economic growth, and distributive justice.

A seminar was also held on “Combating Islamophobia”, with the participation of Dr. Bashir Ansari, Director of the OIC Dialogue and Outreach Department, Dr. Ahmed Al-Maslamani, Egyptian writer and thinker, Dr. Mohamed Abdul-Fadil, Professor at Al-Azhar University, and Ambassador Mohamed Mahak, Ambassador of the Republic of Afghanistan to Cairo. The seminar addressed the root causes behind the escalation of Islamophobia, its repercussions on Muslims and Muslim countries, and the ways of combating this phenomenon.

Meanwhile, a seminar was held on “Al-Quds”, in the presence of Dr. Khalil Tufakji, Director of The Maps and Survey Department in Al-Quds, and Dr. Najih Bakirat, Director of the Education and Training Department in Al-Quds. Dr. Tufakji addressed the demographic conflict in Al-Quds, and pointed out that Al-Quds is not only religious sites but also human beings, populations, and a whole life.

seminar on “King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center” sheds light on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to offer international humanitarian aid and official donations

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seminar on “Contemporary Literary Issues in the Islamic World” What is taking place in Al-Quds, he added, is a conflict that in the end serves only the interest of Israel.

The seminar on the “Protection of the Arabic Language”, focused on the teaching of languages in general, and of Arabic in particular.

The seminar was attended by Dr. Abdulhamid Madkour, SecretaryGeneral of the Academy of the Arabic Language, and Mr. Mohamed Osman, Secretary to the president of the Academy.

The Gezira Youth Center hosted the “First Forum of Youth in Islamic Countries”, which focused on the role of youth in combating extremism and spreading moderation. Session One of the Forum addressed the root causes behind the spread of extremism among young people. Session Two highlighted Member States’ experiences in combating extremism. The Forum was attended by Researcher Ahmed Kamel from “Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies”, Researcher Jihad Bataloglu from the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), and Mr. Abdula Manafi Mutualo, Director-General of Youth Policy, Education and Training at the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation.

Al-Azhar Conference Center hosted a seminar on “Current Challenges Facing the Islamic Ummah”, in the presence of Dr. AbdulSalam Al-Abadi, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, Dr. Abdul-Wahed Al-Nabawi, former Minister of Culture, and Dr. Ibrahim Hodhod, Former President of Al-Azhar University.

The seminar addressed the political, international, intellectual, economic and social challenges facing the Islamic Ummah, and insisted that colossal efforts are needed to overcome these challenges, with the biggest burden lying with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Also, a seminar was held on “King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center”, in the presence of Mr. Mohamed Hassan Nadi, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, and Ambassador Hassan Abdel Moneim. The seminar began with a documentary film showing the Center’s relief efforts and actions. The film sheds light on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to offer international humanitarian aid and official donations, in addition to the establishment of several People’s Committees to help those in need. It also highlights the humanitarian role and valuable contributions of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

As for the seminar on “The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the International Community”, it was held at the headquarters of

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OIC

FESTIVAL

the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in Cairo. The OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen stressed that “the OIC is not a religious organization. I always find it difficult to correct this information. Nor is it a Da’wah (religious advocacy) organization”. He explained that “the Organization is called as such because its members are Muslim States”. He expressed his thanks to Dr. Mustafa El-Faki, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. “We are a large and diverse organization,” he added, and “we promise to further develop its work”.

On his part, Dr. Mustafa El-Faki recalled that the birth of the OIC was associated with Al-Aqsa Mosque fire in 1969. He pointed out that the Organization, which is nearly half a century old, has managed to implement a large part of its goals and is well on its way to achieving all its ambitions. The OIC, he added, has supported the Palestinian Cause from the outset, and has on many occasions intervened to

settle certain issues.

Finally, the Supreme Council of Culture hosted a poetry evening with the participation of poets Ahmed Swilam, Hassan Amer, Talal Salem, Ghada Al-Bishari, and Mauritanian poet Mohamed Salem Al-Ahmadi. This event was attended by OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Culture, Dr. Said El-Masry. A group of poems were recited: “Al-Quds” by Mauritanian poet Mohamed Salem Al-Ahmadi; “Bells” and “Longing” by Poet Ahmed Swilam; “New Collusion” by Libyan poet Ghada Al-Bishari; and “Cargo train” by Egyptian Poet Hassan Amer. Emirati poet Talal Salem’s poem was about love and passion. Mauritanian poet Mohamed Ainin recited a poem about Egypt.

Different Activities at the Festival

As part of the OIC Festival, an exhibition was held to showcase traditional craft products of the participating Islamic countries. Each country (Palestine, Egypt, Indonesia, Mauritania, Yemen, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Niger, UAE) displayed some of its distinctive cultural features.

An artistic show for children and for people with special needs was also held.

An OIC Futsal Cup tournament was organized with the participation of many university students from OIC Member States studying in Cairo. Indonesia beat Egypt in the final match by penalty shootout and won the OIC Festival Futsal Cup. The match, held at Gezira Youth Center, was attended by OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, and Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Ashraf

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Sobhi. Dr. Al-Othaimeen and Dr. Sobhi handed the trophy to the winning team and the medals to the second- and third-place winners. The delegations of the participating countries presented artistic shows at North Cairo Theater, in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The performances were by folk troupes from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Guinea, Palestine, Yemen, Mali, Senegal, Sudan, Mozambique, Bangladesh, and other countries.

A six-kilometer Marathon was also organized for the participating countries under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports. The start point was in front of Al-Ahly Club. Over 500 runners participated in this sports event.

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Tunis, capital of the Republic of Tunisia, is located on the Northeast of the country and is divided into several regions, namely the Medina (old town), which covers 75 hectares; the two suburbs which emerged in the Middle Ages (Bab Souika and Bab El-Jazira); and a growing number of other surrounding suburbs. The Great Tunis area includes four governorates: Tunis, Ariana, Manouba and Ben Arous, and is home for more than 2.5 million people which makes up for about 25% of the Republic’s population. Tunis is the major political, economic and administrative pole of Tunisia.

Throughout history, Tunis represented a vital trade hub in the Mediterranean and the Maghreb. It was conquered by the Arab leader Hassan Ibn an-Nu`umanin 82 A.H. /701A.D., who turned the city into a military naval base to counter the Byzantines’ attacks. He built the city on the ruins of an ancient village known as “Tunes” and “Tarchich” to serve as frontline protection for Carthage.

Eventually Tunis overshadowed Carthage which, in comparison, dwindled to a small village with active stone and marble quarries and salt evaporation ponds. While Kairouan dominated the central and southern parts of the country, Tunis mainly covered the North, Radical Transformation during the Aghlabid era Tunis witnessed an urban resurgence in the 9th century A.D. /3rd century A.H. Ramparts were built around the city, and Ez-Zitouna Mosque was completed during the reign of Emir Abu Ibrahim Ahmad 250 A.H. /864 A.D to become one of the major academic centers in Muslim countries, on par with the

Tunis Arab Region’s Capital of Islamic Culture for 2019 mosques of Kairouan, Fes and Cordoba.

Tunis: major center in the Fatimid and Zirid eras Following the defeat of the Aghlabids by the Shiite Fatimid Caliphate in 909, Tunis witnessed an architectural resurgence which has continued with the Zirids, whose legacy include a number of still existing mosques and buildings, in addition to modifications in Ez-Zitouna Mosque, most notably the ones introduced to the courtyard, dome and colonnades, which were documented in written engravings. Other landmarks attributed to the Zirids include, inter alia, Hammam El Grana, and El-Ichbili Mosque.

Tunis, Capital of Tunisian and Arab territories The progress witnessed in Tunis during the reign of Banu Khurassan contributed to its selection by Almoahed Abd al-Muomin ibn Ali as the center of his government starting from 1159 following his victory against the Christian Normans who took over the country in 1147. However, Tunis did not become the country’s actual capital until Almoahed Governor, Abu Zakariya Al-Hafsi (12281249), announced his independence from Almoahed Dynasty in the Maghreb, leading Bani Hafs Tribe, an Amazigh Masmoudi

tribe, to assume power in the country.

Furthermore, Tunis witnessed a major architectural and cultural resurgence. The dawn of the 14th century saw the construction of schools like Al Madrasa EchChamaiya which is the oldest school in North Africa and was famous for some of its Maghreban attendees of the likes of Ibn Khaldoun, Ibn Arafa, and Ibn Asfur; in addition to many landmarks that stand witness to the Hafsid era in Tunis.

It was also in this era that suburbs surrounded the city, namely Bab Souika and Bab Jdid, as well as a quarter called Kasba reserved, to this day, for decision makers. Many riads, gardens and mansions were also built around the Medina.

Tunis, Ottoman Eyalet and gateway to global civilization After struggling with the Spanish, the Ottomans took over Tunis in 1574 and kept it as the Eyalet’s capital. The city, like the rest of the country, was under the rule of the Ottoman walis, Muradid Beys, and later the Husaynid Dynasty.

Given its openness to the West, the city was subject to major reforms which aimed at modernizing the state. In this connection, Bardo Military School, Sadiki School, and Tunis City Hall were established in 1840, 1875, and 1858, respectively. In 1881, Tunis was under the French Protectorate which eventually led to some architectural modifications, most notably the establishment of the European city where the National Movement flourished and its key figures rose to fame, like Abdelaziz Thâalbi, Habib Bourguiba and Mahmoud El-Materi. Other key intellectuals that supported the Tunisian independence include Taher Haddad, AboulQacem Echebbi, and Taher bin Ashur.

‫لقاء وزير خارجية العراق‬

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CULTURE Qishla Park A Weekly Iraqi Retreat for the Public and Intellectuals in Baghdad‎‎ Baghdad (‎‎DPA) - Every Friday, the gardens of the Qishla building, or the historic government offices, get packed with hundreds of Iraqis coming for recreation, poetry, songs, and literary, cultural, and political dialogues. The remarkable scene reflects a state of restored security and stability in a country that was torn by terrorist groups.

Every Friday morning, hundreds of Iraqis of various ages and areas pour into the Baghdad Qishla Gardens, also known as Saray Park, which was the seat of the Iraqi government after 1851 during the Ottoman rule, followed by the British mandate, then the monarchical rule.

They come to spend hours of fun and happiness, listening to old Iraqi songs performed by amateur singers, as well as poetry. The scene is increasingly expanding with time after stabilization of the security situation in the country.

Qishla is a Turkish term that means “barracks”‎.

Baghdad’s Qishla was built in the Ottoman era, and there are several other places in Iraq that carry the same name. A tower adorned with a large clock in the middle of the garden has always been admired by the people of Baghdad.

In addition to those scenes, the visitors of this park don traditional costumes as a reflection of the traditions of Baghdad and harmony among its people. Some of them accompany their families to participate and witness this atmosphere that reflects Baghdad›s regained health and splendor.

Khaldoun Al-Tai (53) says that, «visiting the Qishla Park has developed into a weekly tradition that is prepared for well in advance by calling friends, acquaintances, and relatives to spend splendid times and tour the pathways of the building, seeking comfort in its artistic, literary, and cultural atmosphere.

The Qishla building is adjacent to Al-Mutanabbi Street, famous for book trade, which started to expand following the overthrow of the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. The fair is now overpacked with titles in a manner that has not been seen in this country for decades. The visitors of this market enjoy walking among the books on display along the street. The historic cafes of Baghdad near Qishla, most notably the Shabandar cafe, the Zahawi cafe, and the Baghdad Culture House cafe, are also overcrowded. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

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CULTURE Two lectures among OIC’s Series: Kateb on Soft Power and Al-Marzouqi on Islamic Finance

Dr. Saud Kateb started his lecture on 21 February 2019 by citing Simon Anholt›s statement that, “public opinion is virtually the sole remaining superpower”.‎‎‎‎This was within a series of lectures organized by OIC at its headquarters in Jeddah in a monthly intellectual dose that was described by OIC Secretary General, Dr. ‎‎‎‎‎‎Yousef Ahmed AlOthaimeen, as an important and necessary memory refresher to keep the audience in the required contact zone with intellect and knowledge.

The lecture, titled “Public diplomacy, the effect of soft power, and enhancement of the mental image” focused on the essence of the diplomatic experience of Dr. Saud Kateb, the Deputy in the Saudi Foreign Minister for Public Diplomacy, writer, and intellectual.

The lecture was held on the directions of the Secretary General and was attended by a number of OIC permanent representatives, members of the Jeddah diplomatic corps and OIC General Secretariat staff.

In his introduction, Dr. Al-Othaimeen emphasized that this type of lectures aims at enriching the audience with knowledge.

He also mentioned the OIC Festival, which was held in Cairo early February 2019, as its events represented one form of soft power, reflecting in untraditional manners the diverse reality of the Muslim world, which is different than the distorted image that some parties try to pin onto the noble faith of Islam.‎‎ At the outset of his lecture, Dr. Kateb recalled what he wrote in the Saudi Madinah newspaper in 2016, where he said that, “when we hide our face, the other will draw

it as he wishes”. He also lauded the new Saudi experience of introducing the positive aspects of the Kingdom to the world, as introducing ‎‎ the positive aspects of the Kingdom to the world, an active revelation of the rich diversity of the country, which is unknown to the world.

Dr. Kateb noted that the aspects of soft power vary greatly between movies and kitchens.‎ ‎ The lecturer mentioned that public diplomacy plays a major role, which is essentially based on the media image in the world. He noted the crumbling of traditional press and the emergence of the internet and social media as part of the mobile phone revolution.

Kateb presented a detailed picture of public diplomacy using PowerPoint slides in a new and interesting form that deviated from the classical style of lecturing.‎‎ The lecture was moderated by Ambassador Ali ‎‎Goutali, Director at the Palestine and AlQuds Affairs Department at the OIC General Secretariat.

In Dr. Raja Al-Marzouqi’s lecture, titled “The developmental role of Islamic finance between reality and hopes”, which he delivered on 24 March 2019 at the OIC General Secretariat headquarters, he asserted that Islamic finance has recorded since 1970 a high rate of annual growth that exceeded 20%. He noted that there is some US$2 trillion being managed within the Islamic finance system around the world.

Dr. Al-Marzouqi, Associate Professor of Economics at the Saudi Institute of Diplomatic Studies and former IMF Consultant, empha-

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sized that this rise in the demand for Islamic finance comes against a backdrop of interaction of international institutions with this system. He also stressed that countries that leave Islamic finance out of their financing policies are “less effective”.‎‎ Thes lecture, which was moderated by Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs.

Al-Marzouqi explained that Islamic finance is a natural outcome of the local demand emanating from the faith of Muslim communities. It managed to position itself prominently at the global level and to become one of the fastest growing and innovative mechanisms of finance.‎‎ He added that the financial sector of the Islamic economy solves the imbalance that is characteristic of the capitalist system by engaging itself as a partner in economic development in terms of financing new and existing projects and participating in project assessment, in addition to sharing the risks with the real sector of the economy, where the main form of financing is done though investment partnerships.

He noted that Islamic finance enhances the efficiency of the economy through better interplay and interconnection between the sectors of the economy, in addition to providing a variety of Sharia-compliant investment options for community members, minimizing risk to enhance economic efficiency, and reducing the costs borne by Muslim investors by considering the Zakat they pay to be part of their taxes.‎‎

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CULTURE

Sharjah converts its Streets Into Open Air Exhibitions For Islamic Art Aficionados Sharjah (DPA) If you happened to pass by the streets of Sharjah in the UAE in December 2018 and January 2019 you would have witnessed their metamorphosis into an open Islamic art gallery: models of minarets and domes, street paintings in Arabic calligraphy, tapestries with Quartic verses, woodwork and metalwork as well as other adornments, all inspired from Islamic art.

Artists hailing from around the world, were engaged in a 3-day long competition to execute artistic sculptures, oil paintings and wall paintings all along the streets of Sharjah within the framework of the Islamic Arts Festival, an annual event staged by the UAE, reputed to be the largest festival of its kind in the Arab world and the Middle-East, with 63 artists participating this year from 20 Arab and other States, to offer fine art lovers 377 pieces of art in an exquisite blend of modern and conservative trends.

The current edition spanning the period from 9 December 2018 to 19 January 2019, featured 55 exhibitions and 144 art workshops, with documentary films on a rich palette of artistic experiments in addition to training sessions in Arabic calligraphy for the enthusiasts.

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Artists and Islamic art aficionados have expressed the view that the festival, currently in its 21st year, succeeded over its past editions in giving a fresh luster to the timehonored Islamic art, according it thus its due position in the international fine art arena, revealing superb new pioneers in the field and suggesting a host of fresh outstanding artistic projects.

Many tourists and visitors vacationing in the Sharjah Emirate expressed profound admiration for the wall-paintings and the canvases adorning the streets of the Emirate, covering more than 6 major artistic venues, including the Al-Sharjah Gallery, the Al-Majed Waterfront and the “Maraya” Centre.

Mr. Mohammad Ibrahim Alkasir, director of the Islamic Arts Festival, says “The Festival has placed the Sharjah Emirate on the map of the world’s fine art movement, as it has become a magnet for fine art lovers and leading figures from all over the world, and a pole of attraction for photographers and TV cameramen filming the city’s thoroughfares which, for a 30-day period, transmute into open-air galleries.

He went on to note “The current edition has attracted a cohort among top world artists from across the world including from Brazil,

France, Japan, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, offering visual representations and artwork in the form of wall paintings and ornaments manifesting their artistic talents and exhibiting visual realms crafted at a moment of inspiration driven by the artists’ imagination and intuition. He noted, on the way, that both solo and collective exhibitions in the festival have achieved an exquisite mix of spiritual illumination, splendid color and symbolic sound.

Among the exhibitions organized under the Islamic Arts Festival, there was the “Roadmap to the Hidden Treasure” by the EgyptoBritish artist, Dr. Ahmed Mustapha, with his set of 12 works of art, including his murals titled “The Ascension” and “Beyond the Frontier” and other paintings inspired from verses of the Holy Quran, with a blend of winding colors twisting along with the letters of a pick of Holy Quran verses, in smooth, geometric figures.

Also, the “Maraya” Art Centre at the Kasba district offered an exhibition titled “Independent Orbits” by the Palestinian artist, Dana Ourtani, who participated with a string of artworks including her canvas titled “In Love is my Creed”.

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CULTURE

Coppersmiths and Retinning Suq in Libya…..

Danger of Extinction

44 OIC Journal January - April 2019

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CULTURE Tripoli D.P.A Their sound used to be heard from as far as the Martyrs’ Square in central Tripoli, the sound of the hammers coming in contact with the copper sheets, molding them into kitchen wares, the sound of fine punches sketching beautiful drawings on their plates……. This is how things used to be across the ages before the situation changed in old Tripoli. The “Retinning Market” or “Suq Al Kazdara” as it is known among Libyans, which specializes in the making and selling of copperware and silverware, is thus named by reference to the process of applying layers of tin to the ware.

The “Suq” is located inside Tripoli’s old city’s ramparts, just behind the edifice of the Libyan Central Bank at the “Clock Tower Gate”, still one of Tripoli’s vintage landmarks, a major tourist attraction till recent days. The local coppersmiths’ dominant guess is that the market’s history dates back to the first Ottoman era, before the thrive of the “Gurmanli dynasty” (1711 – 1835) and that it lasted till the second Ottoman era and the Italian occupation, all the way down to the era of the Libyan Kingdom and the discovery of oil with the ensuing oil exports and huge revenues thereof accumulating in the States’ treasury during the rule of Moammar Qadafi. Since then, the vast majority of Libyan citizens opted for public service jobs and shunned the wide array of manual crafts and skills which they mastered. Few of them stood fast and continued practicing their skills, transmitting them, and innovating in them, which meant the near extinction of some of these crafts, since then taken over by foreign skilled labor.

“Al Kazdara” is one of these markets that have managed to survive, albeit on a bumpy road, till today, but no one knows for how long it will still resist. While in the past it used to bustle with the activities of workshops and businesses, today it is no more than an extension to a small lane entrusted with the legacy and memories of the collectivity …….

So, what do the tinners expect? It seems that some tinners here are averse to saying goodbye. Indeed, every morning one of them, known as “Mokhtar Ramadan Al-Nahhas” (the coppersmith, in Arabic) starts, as per past practice, in the company of his brother, lighting the oven and heating the copper or silver as a prelude to their symphony of hammering, welding, punching and tin coating.

Mokhtar and other still existing coppersmiths produce two lines of copper and silverware: one related to the making or repair of crescents for minarets and other various ornamental objects and accessories, and the other dedicated to the production and repair of cooking pots, pestle and mortars, coffee-pots and tea-pots. And, despite the dangers that might thwart its continued existence, the “Suq” still continues to attract some youngsters like “Abdullah Messaaed Al Ehyoul”, a young adult in his early twenties who says: “It is the difficult economic conditions which the country is traversing that prompted me to start learning this trade seven months ago”. Abdullah and his work companion, a 16 year old secondary school student, Ahmed Muhayer, specialize in cleaning and polishing the copper, silver, and stainless plates and ornamental objects. Ahmed complains of the meager earnings, while Abdullah complains of the strenuous physical efforts required, but both are content with the Suq’s calming atmosphere.

At his workshop inside the Suq, Mokhtar, descending from a line of longtime coppersmiths, expresses much concern as he looks at the venue from a particular angle. He says: “for us, this is more than just a craft. It is our heritage and tradition. But what irks me is that the Suq could one day become just a distant memory sustained by a mere photograph hanging on the wall. Indeed the number of coppersmiths and engravers is shrinking day by day, some having passed away and others having left and migrated to other jobs due to the rising cost of raw materials, the exorbitant prices of products and the declining demand.”

“Successive governments, Mokhtar goes on to say, have paid little attention to the Suq, with no more than perfunctory inspections...and the even greater danger that has stormed the arena recently and that threatens to deliver a finishing blow, comes from the “Retinners Gate”, at the nearby currency exchange black market which, having already pushed the prices up and scarfed down the economy, is now intent on gulping the copper workshops and businesses for a dessert.”

A look at the current situation of the parallel currency black market, or “Suq Al Mushir” as it is commonly known, is enough to validate the coppersmiths’ fear for their career.

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FAMILY

AFFAIRS

Al-Othaimeen Stresses the Importance of OIC Strategy for Improving the Well-being of the Elderly The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in collaboration with its regional and international partners, organized on 24 and 25 January 2019, in Niamey, capital of the Republic of Niger, a workshop to validate the Action Plan of the OIC for the welfare of the elderly in the Member States.

The meeting aimed to encourage policymakers from OIC Member States to measure demographic transitions in the coming years in order to define the social, environmental, health and economic consequences and share their knowledge, information and experiences through intra-OIC cooperation.

The workshop was addressed by the Minister of Population of the Republic of Niger, Ms. Amadou Aissata Issa Maiga and the rep-

resentative of the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Youssef Al-Othaimeen, in the presence of the First Lady of the Republic of Niger, Mrs. Lalla Malika Issoufou and a wide range of representatives of the Member States participating in the workshop.

The Minister of Population of the Republic of Niger, Dr. Maiga, emphasized in his speech, the efforts undertaken by the Republic of Niger to improve the living conditions of the elderly, who represent 4.4% of the population of Niger. The Minister stressed the urgent need to produce a common plan of action to strengthen the welfare of the elderly in the OIC Member States.

In his address, delivered by Mrs. Mehla Talebna, Director General of Cultural, Social

46 OIC Journal January - April 2019

and Family Affairs at the OIC, the Secretary General, Dr. Youssef Al-Othaimeen expressed his confidence that the OIC strategy document on the improvement of the wellbeing of the elderly, once translated into an Action Plan will provide the relevant guide lines for the Member States to enhance their own national mechanisms at the levels of social promotion, economic support and healthcare provided to the elderly.

Al-Othaimeen underlined that the efforts made so far to address the challenges of ageing in the OIC Member States are still limited and require additional actions and practical measures. Therefore, the Niamey workshop is an important step that will be followed by further steps to develop the implementation framework of the OIC Best Practices Strategy of Member States and relevant OIC Institutions to promote new policies to ensure the well-being of the elderly.

The demographic shift in the OIC Member States will interact and intersect with equally significant and major cultural and economic transformations that will undermine filial care and families’ ability to absorb ageing.

This will lead to an increase in the role of Member States to provide support to the elderly in their societies, which ultimately requires a coherent, efficient and well-founded policy action to plan accordingly for the upcoming ageing forecasts in large number of OIC countries.

Dr Al-Othaimeen indicated that the Elderly people have great potential to help achieve sustainable development in OIC Member States given their stock of knowledge, experience and skillset. By neglecting such a significant segment of a society and without addressing challenges faced by them, it is not likely that OIC Member States will achieve sustainable development. It is therefore essential to design strategies and take policy actions to improve the state of elderly.

The Secretary General stated that the Niamey workshop which, is organized by the General Secretariat, in collaboration with the Center for Statistical, Economic, Social and Training Research for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) was a golden opportunity to exchange views on the means and ways in order to ensure the welfare of the elderly, to enhance their protection and to preserve their dignity, as a sign of recognition and consideration of the efforts they have made in the construction of their countries.

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AFFAIRS

The OIC Calls for Lifting Barriers to Women Empowerment and for Providing Them with More Opportunities In commemoration of the International Women’s Day on 8 March every year, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen, affirmed that supporting the role of women in the development of society, highlighting their contributions in various fields and advancing their status, in light of the difficulties and challenges they face in obtaining their rights guaranteed by the regulations, are among the priorities of the OIC. Al-Othaimeen stated that the challenges facing women in many Member States are the result of instability, wars and armed conflicts, and an outcome of women’s weak participation in decision-making. These are obstacles facing women and preventing their effective presence in the development process in some societies, The SecretaryGeneral called on Member States to make greater efforts and cooperation to promote the participation of women in all fields. The OIC also appreciates the active efforts of Member States in this regard.

The Secretary General also stated that the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires justice, particularly in social protection systems, and access to public services. He called for devising innovative methods to lift barriers to women’s empowerment and for promoting greater opportunities for women, especially in the domain of science and technology. In this context, the 7th session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women adopted resolutions calling for promoting the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for women, activating the role of women in conflict resolution and social peace promotion, empowering women in the political, economic and social domains, and protecting women from all forms of violence.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Secretary General paid tribute to women around the world, especially those living in conflict, crisis and war zones. He mentioned in particular women in the occupied Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and other Member States and in the Rohingya camps. He called on the interna-

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tional community to intensify its efforts with a view to alleviating the suffering of women, children and marginalized groups.

The Secretary General reaffirmed the OIC’s determination to continue its efforts to implement the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) and invited Member States that have not yet ratified the Statutes of the Organization for the Advancement of Women to accelerate the finalization of ratification procedures as a key mechanism for the follow-up of the implementation of OPAAW. OIC- IPHRC Calls for Equality of Opportunity The OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (OIC-IPHRC) in unison with the theme of the ‘International Women’s Day 2019’ called on its part for elimination of all structural barriers to bridge the gender digital divide. IPHRC also encouraged the use of technology based innovate ways and means to enhance the opportuni-

ties for women and girls enabling them to fully realize their potential and meaningfully contribute towards sustainable development of their respective societies.

The Commission emphasizes that Islam has established complimentary relationship between men and women through codification of rights and responsibilities and calls for equal opportunities, in particular good education, health care and nutrition to women and girls to be able to effectively contribute to the process of building peaceful and resilient societies.

The IPHRC, since its inception, has adopted women’s rights as one of its priority areas of work. It has regularly participated in the UN CSW sessions and other Ministerial Conferences on Women’s Role in the Development and made effective contribution to reinforce full and effective implementation of the women rights protected under international obligations. Presently, the Commission is engaged in the revision of Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam and OIC Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam where particular emphasis is being laid on protection and promotion of women’s rights and rights of the girl child.

Recalling the potential of modern information and communication technologies (ICTs), IPHRC emphasized the need for using ICTs for empowering women and girls by creating inexpensive real time online resources for raising awareness about their rights and acquisition of required knowledge and skill development. Access, control and the use of ICTs is an effective enabler to achieving gender equality and equity. Thus, positively impacting women’s right to participate in the cultural life; enjoy the benefits of scientific progress including the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health.

The Commission stressed the need for adopting and implementing rights-based inclusive national laws and policies that encourage female students to pursue science, technology, engineering, math and IT careers through integrated initiatives. Such measures may include, reserved quotas, tax breaks and other incentives to strengthen women’s representation and participation in technology related roles, it added.

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OIC Event at the UN Formulates Concrete Measures to Bolster the Leadership of Women The Organization of Islamic Cooperation participated in the 63rd Session of the United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Woman (CSW) held at the UN headquarters in New York from 11 to 22 March 2019, which discussed various issues related to gender equality promotion and women empowerment.

The Commission reaffirmed, among others, the commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls made at relevant UN summits and conferences, including the International Conference on Population and Development and its Programme of Action and the outcome documents of its reviews. The delegates reiterated that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Optional Protocols thereto, as well as other relevant conventions and treaties, provide an international legal framework and a comprehensive set of measures for realizing gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all women and girls, throughout their life cycle.

At the sideline of CSW session, a High Level Event was held by the OIC and Burkina Faso on 13 March 2019. The event was coorganized by the OIC Permanent Observer

Missions to the UN and the Government of Burkina Faso, which is the Chair of the Seventh Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on the Role of Woman in Development of Member States.

The main objective of this event was to share experiences between actors and experts from the Member States and UN agencies and relevant OIC institutions in order to provide women and girls access to social protection and public services and to explore innovative cooperation opportunities between actors from different Member States and institutions in this field.

The High Level Event was chaired by the Minister of Woman, National Solidarity, Family and Humanitarian Action of Burkina Faso.

The panelists included Minister of Labor, Social Services and Family of Turkey; Assistant Under-Secretary of Ministry of Community Development of the UAE; two members of the OIC Woman Advisory Council; Commissioner of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC); OIC General Secretariat and Representatives of the UN Women, UNICEF and UNFPA. The outcome of the event, known as the Agreed Conclusions, adopted by Member States, puts fort concrete measures to bolster the voice, agency and leadership of women and girls as beneficiaries and users of social protection systems, public services and infrastructures. The key recommendations included the investment in social

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protection, public services and sustainable infrastructure to support the productivity of women’s work; insuring the progress in women’s access to social protection, public services and sustainable infrastructure is not undermined by budget cuts and austerity measures and levels of protection previously achieved are not reserved.

Participants in the High Level Event also urged for building on multilateral commitments to gender equality, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) of the International Labor Organization to strengthen access to social protection, public services and infrastructure for all women and girls.

The OIC-Burkina Faso High Level Event also urged for the need to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care and domestic work by ensuring access to social protection for unpaid caregivers of all ages, including coverage for health care and pensions; scaling up investment in quality public care services that are affordable and gender responsive; identification and removal of barriers to women’s and girls’ access to public services; and promotion of full and equal participation and leadership of women and women’s organizations in policy dialogue and decision-making relating to social protection systems, public services and sustainable infrastructure.

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OIC Participates in the 57th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD57), which took place from 11 to 21 February 2019 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Held under the theme of “Addressing inequalities and challenges to social inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies”, CSocD57 was attended by representatives of member states, observer states, international, regional and non-governmental organizations, relevant United Nations agencies and experts in social development.

The Vice-President of the UN General Assembly, Ms. Alya Ahmed bin Saif, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, the Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN, Ambassador Valentin Rybakov, gave addresses in which they praised the theme of the session and underscored the importance of the social dimension as an essential factor in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They also called upon states and governments to develop policies aimed at promoting social cohesion and reducing inequalities and conflicts. They stressed the need to consider social protection as an investment and a means of achieving SDGs and to strengthen the coordination role of the United Nations in ​​fiscal and tax cooperation with a view to eradicating poverty.

Several vital issues were discussed during CSocD57, including the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth special session of the UN General Assembly and the discussion of a note on “Emerging issues: the empowerment of people affected by natural and human-made disasters to reduce inequality: addressing the differential impact on persons with disabilities, older persons and youth”. CSocD57 also considered the reports of the UN Secretary-General on “addressing inequalities and challenges to social inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies”, “the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Develop-

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ment”; “accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by, for and with persons with disabilities”, “the implementation of the objectives of the International Year of the Family and its follow-up processes” and “policies and programmes involving youth”.

Representatives of UN member states and observer states and delegates of non-governmental organizations made interventions in which they highlighted the efforts and actions taken by their governments and organizations to address inequalities, the challenges to social integration in the area of ​​social protection, the achievement of SDGs, as well as the efforts and initiatives of their governments to combat poverty, reduce inequality and implement the relevant UN conventions. They also presented their countries’ efforts to implement UN plans and programmes of action targeting social groups.

During the high-level ministerial forum on addressing inequalities and challenges to social inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies, panellists addressed policies, strategies, actions and initiatives taken by member states and institutions to achieve SDGs in the field of social development and social protection and guarantee basic levels of social protection for all. They also highlighted member states’ efforts to

combat poverty, implement SDGs and reduce inequality.

At the closing session, the participants adopted the documents of the session, including the report of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, elected the members of this Board, and recommended submitting the draft resolutions and the report of CSocD57 to the Economic and Social Council. In the recommendations they issued, the participants emphasized that the social dimension is essential for achieving sustainable development, stressing that investment in social protection is a means to achieve SDGs. In this regard, it is important that the OIC has a mechanism to promote the social sector and enhance coordination among the General Secretariat, the OIC Contact Group to the United Nations, the presidency of the Ministerial Council, the presidency of ministerial meetings related to social and economic affairs and the relevant OIC organs.

The aim is to provide advice in order to strengthen the role of OIC at international meetings related to social affairs and highlight its actions and strategies in the areas of youth, the elderly and persons with special needs, and the measures it has taken to achieve relevant SDGs.

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MEDIA

On the sidelines of the 26th Edition of FESPACO in Burkina Faso

OIC Awards its Special Film Prize for “Peace and Coexistence” The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) awarded its prize for the best documentary film that spreads the value of tolerance and promotes the culture of peace on February 26, 2019, on the sidelines of the Pan African Festival of Cinema and Television (FESPACO), hosted by Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, from 23 February to 2 March 2019. The theme of the festival is “Memory and future of the African Cinemas” which was inaugurated by Burkina Faso’s President, Mark Christian Kabore.

The OIC participated in the festival for the first time, by launching a special award for the best documentary film that supports dialogue, coexistence and peace, promotes intercultural exchanges and rejects racism and discrimination.

The First Lady of Burkina Faso, Sika Kabore, hosted the prize ceremony of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was attended by the foreign and culture ministers, the Director-General of the FESPACO Festival and the Mayor of the capital, as well as a large number of academics and intellectuals.

Filmmaker Basié Sibri Barthélemy, from Burkina Faso, won the award for his documentary, “The Land of My Birth” after the jury have scrutinized about nine competing films. The film is about immigration, belonging, justice and peace.

The filmmaker thanked the Organization of

This festival is one of the best platforms for harmony between political, social and cultural work. Therefore, we are pleased to award the first special award of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the film, which met the special criteria Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for awarding him the prize, stressing that it is the first time he is winning an award after nearly 10 years of participation in the festival.

For his part, OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen said in his speech at the award ceremony, which was delivered by Mrs. Mehla Ahmed Talebna, Director General of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs, that it is important to “promote pluralism and cultural diversity that contributes to the achievement of our goals of peace and coexistence. Therefore, we are committed to active cooperation among Member States, particularly in the areas of culture, arts, literature, music, film and audiovisuals.”

Al-Othaimeen added that: “this festival is one of the best platforms for harmony be-

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tween political, social and cultural work.

Therefore, we are pleased to award the first special award of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the film, which met the special criteria of encouraging tolerance, promoting sustainable development and living together among the peoples of member states, irrespective of their social and religious backgrounds.”

The OIC General Secretariat awards its Special Prize called “The Peace and Coexistence Prize” to the best Documentary Film that meets the award criteria defined by the OIC Jury and conveys a message of peaceful coexistence, which reinforces the ideal of living together in peace, harmony and concord.

The OIC Special Prize for Cinema rewards the best documentary film production contributing to the Organization’s objectives of promoting cultural diversity as well as art and film production in its Member States and combating all forms and manifestations of intolerance, discrimination, and stereotypes against Islam and Muslims.

A meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts of the OIC held on December 20, 2018 examined the terms and conditions of the OIC Special Prize. In addition, the 13th Islamic Summit Conference and the 45th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers called for strengthening cultural cooperation among Member States in the projection of the cultural wealth of OIC countries.

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SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGY OIC Institutions Pledges to Work Closely for the

Implementation of OIC STI Agenda 2026 The first meeting of the Steering Committee for the implementation of OIC Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Agenda 2026 was held at the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) Headquarters, Islamabad, on 18-19 March 2019. Representatives of OIC institutions, namely, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the Islamic Conference Youth Forum (ICYF), the OIC Computer Emergency Response Team (OIC-CERT), the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS) attended the meeting. Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology, Ambassador Mu-

hammad Naeem Khan, led the OIC delegation in the meeting.

Ambassador Khan highlighted the salient features of the OIC STI Agenda 2026 adopted by the First OIC Summit on Science and Technology held in Astana in September 2017 that sets universal targets in wideranging areas such as education, skill development, strengthening health sectors, and managing energy, food and water security in the Member States . He lauded the efforts of COMSTECH in preparing a detailed work plan for achieving the targets of OIC STI Agenda 2026 as well as the goals set by UN SDG 2030. He reiterated the commitment of OIC General Secretariat to work closely with the OIC institutions, Member States and other international partners to achieve the targets set by the OIC leaders. He called upon the OIC institutions to forge partnership with each other to avoid overlap and duplication in their work plans.

The meeting adopted Terms of References

of the Steering Committee and discussed various activities to be carried out during the coming years. It was decided that the OIC institutions will liaise with the OIC Member States to raise public awareness and conduct capacity building activities. The meeting also discussed various aspects regarding the holding of the 2nd OIC Summit on Science and Technology in Uzbekistan in 2020.

During the First OIC Summit on Science and Technology held in Astana, Kazakhstan in September 2017, the OIC leaders had adopted a comprehensive Ten Year Plan ‘OIC STI Agenda 2026’ outlining priorities and targets in various fields ranging from promotion of higher education, addressing water, food and energy security and launching ‘Big Science Projects’ in the Muslim countries. The Steering Committee has been established to provide guidance for the implementation of the OIC STI Agenda 2026.

OIC Signs MOU of Cooperation with COMSATS The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish mutual cooperation for achieving sustainable socioeconomic development through the promotion of science, technology and innovation.

The MoU, signed by Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science & Technology and by Dr. S.M. Junaid Zaidi, Executive Director, COMSATS on 20 March 2019 at the COMSATS Secretariat in Islamabad, provides a framework to encourage the development of programmes and projects in all sectors by utilizing human and material resources of both organizations. The MOU also seeks exchange of experiences and expertise to ensure speedy implementation of joint programmes in the fields of science, technology and innovation.

COMSATS, an inter-governmental organization, with a membership of 26 countries, was established in 1994 for the promotion of South-South cooperation in science and technology with the objective of achieving sustainable socio-economic progress in the developing countries. Both OIC and COMSATS have 17 common Member States namely: Bangladesh, Egypt, The Gambia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Nigeria Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and Uganda.

The two organizations share common objectives and are desirous of working together to strengthen the capabilities of the common

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Member States in the fields of science and technology, higher education and environment through the development of joint projects and programmes. The collaboration between the two organizations would promote synergies as well as the optimization of resources while avoiding overlap and duplication.

Following the signing ceremony, OIC Assistant Secretary General held a meeting with Executive Director of COMSATS. It was agreed to take concrete steps to effectively implement the MoU and to develop a joint plan of action identifying short, medium and long term priorities.

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HEALTH Afghanistan- Pakistan Eminent Ulema Conference for Supporting Polio Eradication:

Vaccinating children is a moral and religious obligation

The Joint Afghanistan-Pakistan Eminent Ulema Conference opened in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman on 14 April 2019 under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of Sultanate of Oman and the Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication (IAG). The Conference was aimed at supporting efforts towards protecting children and to enhance cross-border cooperation in accessing children with vaccination. The Conference is an implementation of the decision made by the 5th IAG Meeting which was held at the OIC General Secretariat on 14 November 2018.

The Conference was attended by 20 Eminent Ulema from the two countries. It was also attended by Members of IAG members including representatives of the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif; the OIC Secretary General; and the President of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB). It was also attended by the Regional Director of World Health Organisation East Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO) and representatives of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

In his remarks, the Regional Director of WHO/EMRO Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari com-

mended the role of OIC Secretary General and other partners in the IAG in supporting global efforts for polio eradication in particular and the promotion of health and well-being of the people in the OIC Member States in general.

The representative of the OIC Mr. Abdunur M. Sekindi underscored the commitment of the OIC leadership to building on the successful experience in improving polio immunization services to promote health care in the Member States which still carry a heavy burden of preventable causes of mortality and morbidity of children in line with the OIC Strategic Health Programme of Action (SHPA) 2014-2023.

In the declaration of the Conference, the Ulemas underlined that vaccinating children is a moral and religious obligation and that preventing even a single child from being vaccinated is serious deviation from this important collective obligation as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said “It is sin enough for one to cause the loss of whom he feeds.”

Polio is a virus that has paralyzed and killed mostly children for thousands of years. At

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the World Health Assembly in 1988, Ministers of Health of the member states set the goal to eradicate the disease at a time when the number of polio cases was estimated to be at 350,000 in 125 countries.

Today polio is at its lowest point in history, with only 9 cases reported so far in 2019, with 6 in Pakistan and 3 in Afghanistan. This represents a decrease by over 99.9% from 1988. But eradicating polio from these last remaining strongholds has proven to be a challenge requiring the exertion of special efforts by all partners involved.

Once successful, the eradication of polio will be only the second time in history that a communicable disease is eradicated from the world through human effort. The first success came with smallpox which was declared eradicated in 1980 after a global vaccination campaign was led by the WHO. Unlike most other diseases, polio can be eradicated because it is not transmitted by vector, infects only humans, does not survive long in the environment, and a safe and effective vaccine is available.

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ECONOMY OIC Reviews Cooperation Progress in the Fields of Labour and Social Protection The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) hosted the Third Meeting of the Steering Committee of the OIC Labour Ministers’ Conference on 10 March 2019, at its General Secretariat’s headquarters in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meeting reviewed the execution program of the OIC matrix for cooperation in the fields of labour and social protection. The Committee also took stock of the execution of the OIC agreement on arrangements for mutual recognition of skilled manpower, and the OIC bilateral standards agreement on labour exchange as well as the OIC labour market strategy.

The meeting set off with a statement from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, chairman of the current session of the OIC Labour Ministers’ Conference, delivered by Dr. Abdullah Bin Nasser Abou Thanin, deputy minister for labour and social development, who stated that the OIC ministerial conference on labour was instrumental, to a large extent, in boosting cooperation among the Member States, through its evolving of a set of objectives, targets and joint programs in employment policies, with due consideration to the fact that unemployment remains at a high level in most of the OIC countries, particularly among the youth.

Abu Thanin said that, in the long run, veiled unemployment and the shortage in skilled labour that is in tune with the market demand, represent a major challenge for the economies of the OIC Member States and their societies. He further referred to the need for the steering committee to assess the progress achieved in the execution of the approved cooperation programs, and called for suggestions for tangible and im-

plementable procedures to ensure a collective success in dealing with labour-related challenges.

On his part, the OIC Assistant Secretary General, for economic affairs Amb. Hamid Opeloyeru, delivered a statement in which he pointed out that the steering committee of the OIC Labour Ministers’ Conference offers a fresh opportunity to evaluate the progress achieved in executing the OIC program.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General reiterated, among others, the need to reenergize the executive program for the OIC matrix for cooperation in the fields of employment, manpower and social protection. He also invited the Member States to share their experiences regarding labour and manpower issues in favor of capacity-building and a greater exchange of expertise in the relevant fields.

Amb. Opeloyeru went on to say that since the convening of the OIC Labour Ministers’ Conference in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 21-22 February 2018, the OIC and its various organs have completed, with

the help of the Member States, a number of activities for the implementation of the various OIC programs and projects.

He also emphasized that Executive Programme for the OIC Framework for Cooperation on Labour, Employment and Social Protection proved effective in facilitating intra-OIC cooperation in this domain. In this regard, he invited members of the Steering Committee, which have comparative advantage on specific labour and employment matters, to propose mutually beneficial activities and lead their realization.

The meeting underscored the need to continue implementing the OIC Framework for Cooperation on Labour, Employment and Social Protection through identifying and incorporating concrete and implementable actions in the updated Executive Programme.

To this end, the meeting reviewed and adopted the updated Executive Programme, which features capacity-building activities to be executed during the year 2019/2020 in six cooperation areas prioritized by the OIC Framework for Cooperation on Labour, Employment and Social Protection.

Exploring Closer Cooperation between OIC and the UNCTAD The OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen received the Secretary General of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, at the Headquarters of OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 22 January 2019.The two sides expressed satisfaction at the current level of bilateral relations existing between their two organizations while reviewing the progress realized on the implementation of the various joint projects,

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aimed at rapid socio-economic and trade development of their member states.

They also agreed to work expeditiously in the field of trade data, electronic commerce, infrastructure skill development, women empowerment, support Palestinian refugees, among others.

The two sides agreed to closely monitor the implementation of the agreed projects between the OIC General Secretariat and UNCTAD General Secretariat.

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ECONOMY

Empowering Women in the Economy is Part of the OIC Plan of Action As part of its programs and activities to promote economic development among the Private Sector of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (ICCIA) also cooperates with other likeminded institutions, addressing common issues for the overall benefit of the Members of the Islamic Chamber.

In this context, the ICCIA co-organized the “1st Arab Corporate Citizenship Forum” under the title “Towards Sustainable Growth”, in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. on 23rd January 2019 in collaboration with the CSR Arabic, Emirates Businesswomen Council and the Economic Businesswomen Council, Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UNIDO Network of Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPO), Arab International Center for Entrepreneurship and Investment. A large number of businessmen, NGOs and government representatives attended the said Forum.

The ICCIA was represented by Mrs. Attiya Nawazish Ali, Assistant Secretary General.

She made two presentations at this Forum on “Enhancing the Role of Women in Commercial Activities and their role in Achieving Sustainable Development”, and “Role of Entrepreneurship and Arab Woman & Youth Empowerment in Achieving Sustainable Business Models”. During the panel discussion, she said that gender equality remains to be the greatest human rights challenge of our time, and policies and discussions about how to empower women, to strengthen their commercial activities, constitute an in-

dispensable aspect of sustainable development. In fact, empowering women in the economy and closing gender gaps at work are not only part of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, but that of the OIC Plan of Action as well.

She highlighted the importance of dealing with gender gaps, as it is important to not only empower women, but to engage them as well and how they can transform not only their own lives, but that of other women, families, communities and children. Such an approach will allow us to move beyond the typical image of women as the ‘beneficiaries’ of social and economic development. In fact, in the last few decades or so, women have become ‘benefactors’ of sustainable development by taking up an increasingly significant and public roles in business leadership, social entrepreneurship and the third sector (NGOs, Nonprofit organization or PPP). There is a strong alignment between corporate citizenship, which is the focus of the Forum and social enterprise, as both concepts deal with the benefits of inclusiveness.

She also shared ICCIA’s achievement of establishing the Family Bank in Sudan, with a capital of US$35 Million, which provides micro-credit finance on easy terms and focuses on a more holistic approach by giving loans to those projects that can have an inclusive effect on the family and thereafter the society and the country. “ICCIA is interested in replicating this concept in other Member States as well,” said Mrs. Attiya.

“This project had been presented to the 7th Ministerial Conference on the Role of Wom-

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en in the Development of the OIC Member States, held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in November 2018, which called upon the relevant stakeholders in the Member Countries to adopt this initiative as one of the best practices for engaging youth and women to replicate in other OIC Member States,” she added.

She underlined the need for policy-makers to frame policies that take into consideration the target group.

The Forum discussed the mechanisms of corporate citizenship, and how to turn companies to be responsible towards their communities and shareholders as well. The Forum also focused on the role of women entrepreneurs in changing the culture of their countries and empowering women and youth in achieving sustainable growth. The Forum also addressed the green economy and its impact on sustainable development, as well as discussing the impact of using new and renewable energies such as wind and solar energy in different industries in order to achieve sustainable development.

The Forum was graced by H.E. Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy for Foreign Trade Affairs in the UAE, Ambassador Nabila Makram, Immigration Minister and Egyptians Abroad Affairs. Eng. Khalid Abbas, Deputy Minister of Housing for National Projects, Ambassador Sherif Al-Badawi, Ambassador of Egypt in the UAE, and Mr. Mohsen Adel, Chairman of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones in Egypt.

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ECONOMY

Islamic Finance in Africa: The Upcoming Frontier Africa, the world’s second largest and second most populous continent, has long been a sleeping giant in the development of Islamic finance, but now has awoken to become an active contributor to the industry’s development.

The Islamic finance industry is currently valued at $2.2 trillion and is projected to reach $3.8 trillion by 2022, according to the Islamic Finance Development Report published by Salaam Gateway, a global Islamic economy intelligence publication, which is also a joint effort between Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre and Thomson Reuters.

A continent of 1.2 billion people where around 40 percent are Muslim has huge potential to shift the growth curve of Islamic finance to cater to such a large population.

However, a lack of qualified personnel and a lack of standardized regulations as well as the absence of an active Islamic finance market has stunted its growth trajectory.

Africa is making headways into Islamic finance According to the Islamic finance Development Report published in November 2018. Islamic finance assets in Africa stood at $31.1 billion in 2016 with 206 Islamic finance institutions operating across Africa.

There has been a total of 147 Sukuk issuances during 2016, mostly within sub Saharan Africa which proves there is a growing interest in Islamic finance across the continent.

Muslim minority countries such as Kenya and South Africa are gearing up to accommodate Islamic finance operations.

There have been developments in the Sukuk sector where, in 2014, South Africa issued the largest sovereign Sukuk issuance in Africa.

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Kenya has made revisions to its banking and capital markets regulations to pave the way for a sovereign Sukuk issuance in the future.

The industry also witnessed Francophone Africa making its debut to the Sukuk market with two issuances coming out of the Ivory Coast.

Morocco has paved the way for Participative banking to operate by a revision of its banking regulations, which includes the licensing of five full-fledged Participative banks and three Islamic windows to operate in the country.

Through the Casablanca Finance City (CFC), Morocco is taking steps towards positioning itself as an Islamic finance hub for Africa.

The Morocco Islamic Finance Report estimated that Participative banking could potentially account for up to 5 percent of total banking assets in Morocco, while Fitch Ratings anticipates five to ten percent growth in Participative bank deposits.

Creating a healthy Islamic finance ecosystem in Africa Africa has a high growth potential to develop Islamic finance through collaborative efforts between the government and financial institutions to create a robust Islamic finance ecosystem to grow the asset base of Islamic finance not only within Africa but also attract the global market to take notice of Africa as a relatively untapped market with huge potential for Islamic finance development.

A growing trend in Africa is the use of Sukuk issuances for infrastructure development as seen in Nigeria’s sovereign Sukuk issuance or to offset budget deficits.

If this trend continues, it would not only attract foreign investors, but would make a positive impact on the economy of the issuing country and the African continent as a whole.

Islamic finance is expected to play a large role in raising financial inclusion and increase banking penetration rates in countries with a high rate of unbanked persons in Africa.

Islamic asset management needs to be nurtured in Africa Islamic Asset management in Africa is still at its early stages of development with a majority of the Islamic finance centers in Africa absent in the Islamic asset management market.

South Africa is the only active player in Islamic asset management with 98 Islamic funds under management valued at $1.8 billion in 2016.

Other African countries can follow suit to create a diverse portfolio of Islamic capital market products that can cater to faith conscious investors with different risk thresholds.

After the successful issuance of sovereign Sukuk in countries like Nigeria and Ivory Coast, these countries can look into developing their Islamic asset management sector and introduce Islamic pension funds to help grow their Islamic asset base.

Kenya’s retirement fund is in the midst of creating a Shariah compliant pension fund to cater to its 4 million Muslim population, which shows there are still many untapped opportunities for Islamic finance in Africa.

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ECONOMY IsDB Organizes Waqf Workshop in Madinah Under the patronage of HRH Prince Faisal Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Madinah Region, HRH Saud Bin Khalid Al Faisal, Deputy Governor of the Region, inaugurated the first stage of establishing the “Center of Excellence for the Waqf in Madinah” Project on 21 February 2019. The occasion was attended by the President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, Dr. Bandar Bin Mohammed Hajjar, Imad Bin Saleh Al-Kharashi the Governor of the General Authority for Awqaf, and a host of experts, scholars and Waqf institutions from inside and outside the Kingdom.

The Deputy Governor of the Region stressed the importance of the role of Waqf in society as one of the tributaries of sustainable social development, pointing out that the Waqf had a distinguished role in covering a large part of the social requirements and filling the economic gaps in the community.

“Waqf has preserved the distinctive identity of the Islamic community through its social solidarity including the fulfilment of the needs of community,” he said.

He pointed out that Madinah has embraced many Waqf properties, some of which date back to the first history of Islam, adding that Madinah is considered the center point for

Waqf in the Islamic world.

The Deputy Governor of the Region stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - and the continuous follow-up by HRH the Emir of the Region is keen to revive the role of Waqf, increase its investments, and benefit from this in development programs and charitable works throughout the Kingdom.

He expressed his thanks to the Islamic Development Bank Group for its cooperation with the Emirate of the Region to launch the workshop which reflects the growing partnership between Madinah and the IsDB Group.

Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Bank Group, thanked HRH the Emir of the Region for his generous patronage of the workshop, pointing out that the Awqaf sector in Madinah is finding unlimited support from him. He also thanked the Deputy Governor of the Region for his presence and honoring of the workshop, stressing that the success of the workshop and its recommendations contribute to support the Waqf sector in the Region.

During the opening session, Dr. Hajjar announced the launch of the “Certified Awqaf

Specialist Program”, which will be supervised and implemented by the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), a member of the IDB Group. He added that the Program will be developed to include a number of specialized courses and provide international professional certificates accredited by the world’s top universities.

“Madinah will be an open space for all institutions and specialized bodies in the field of training to partner and build individual and institutional capacities in cooperation with IRTI. It will provide specialized programs in developing human and institutional capacities of the non-profit sector, in particular the endowment sector” he said.

Dr. Hajjar elaborated that the establishment of the Center of Excellence for the Waqf reflects the desire of HRH the Emir of Madinah, to make Madinah a global center for Waqf. “The Center will arrange annual international Waqf conferences, establish an electronic platform that enables networking among innovative initiatives in Waqf and beneficiaries using the highest types of contemporary technology, in addition to training and capacity building for individuals and institutions working in the field of Waqf.

IsDB and UNESCO Sign Agreement to Support STI Policymaking in Mozambique and Uzbekistan The President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Dr. Bandar Hajjar, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, signed in Paris on 15 March 2019 a new Cooperation Agreement to support Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policymaking in Mozambique and Uzbekistan.

IsDB and UNESCO are committed to promote an enabling environment for comprehensive science, technology and innovation systems, policies, as well as for development of institutional and human capacity to promote sustainable economic development, entrepreneurship and youth employability.

Therefore, IsDB and UNESCO will join forces in this project to strengthen capabilities to produce accurate STI information; use this

information to design STI policies and policy instruments, and to eliminate the persisting gender imbalance in STI. As part of the signing ceremony in Paris, the President of the IsDB, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, presented the UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azuay, with the “Science, Technology, and Innovation Institutional Profile of the Islamic Development Bank” report.

The report is one of the outputs of previous UNESCO-IsDB cooperation agreement showcasing the transformation of the IsDB in its efforts to support STI in IsDB member countries.

Dr. Hajjar said: “The need for STI policies in IsDB member countries is crucial given their importance in achieving the Sustainable De-

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velopment Goals. During a short period of time, the IsDB has made great progress in promoting and utilising STI, helping bring immense economic opportunities, new and better jobs and higher living standards. Our partnership with UNESCO has been integral to achieving this.”

“We are delighted to partner with the Islamic Development Bank to facilitate the implementation of science, technology and innovation our shared Member states” said Azoulay. “UNESCO and the IsDB have the desire to narrow the science, technology and innovation gap to ensure that all countries benefit from scientific and technological progress and innovation across the Sustainable Development Goals.”

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ECONOMY Launch of Statistical Yearbook (SYB)

on OIC Member Countries 2018 The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) launched the 2018 Edition of its Statistical Yearbook (SYB) on OIC Member Countries at the Fourth Session of the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (ACMOI) on 3 December 2018 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The SYB on OIC Member Countries 2018 delivers a wide range of internationally accessible and comparable statistics on broadly defined categories with the intention to provide digestible information across multiple socio-economic sectors.

Prepared first time in 1980, the content of the following editions has been revised and enriched. In the 2018 edition, the Yearbook covers 20 categories with 277 indicators available for the period between 2000 and the last year available. The categories covered are Agriculture, Demography, Education, Energy, Environment, Gender and Family, Health, Industry and Manufacturing, Infrastructure, International Finance, Islamic Banking and Finance, Labour and Social Protection, Money and Prices, National Ac-

counts, Public Finance, Science, Technology and Innovation, Tobacco Control, Tourism, Trade and Water.

The 2018 edition of the SYB aims at serving as a reference publication for evidencebased decision making concerning possible areas of cooperation and integration at the OIC level and thus contributes to increasing statistical awareness among the decision makers in OIC countries. From this end, the SYB gives the readers the opportunity to see not only the individual performance of OIC member countries but also that of the OIC as a group vis-à-vis the World across selected indicators.

Starting with 2019, the Statistical Yearbook (SYB) on OIC Member Countries will appear both as a fortnightly thematic statistical publication titled “OIC Statistical Outlook” to cover the categories hosted at OIC Statistics (OICStat) Database and as a final compendium at the year-end. Through this approach, the readers will be able to access the statistical analysis and tables with aggregate values rapidly by not having to wait the year-end.

OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development Across the world, women’s contribution to economic, social, and political development of a society is an undeniable fact. Yet, as a demographic group, women are perhaps one of the most marginalized and vulnerable group owing to the gender disparity between men and women in many developing countries. This is also a recurring issue in OIC countries, where the severity of gender disparity between men and women, in policies and practices, is more visible in the fields of education, health, family, politics, economy, and decision-making. As a result, women in many OIC countries are not able to fully contribute to the development of their respective societies.

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Against this backdrop, the OIC Women and Development Report 2018 is published by SESRIC on the theme ‘Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development’. The report was launched at the 7th Session of the Ministerial Conference on Women’s Role in the Development of OIC Member States that took place in Burkina Faso on 30th November and 01st December 2018.

Using recent sets of quantitative and qualitative data, the Report aims to comparatively assess the state of women in OIC countries and identify key challenges faced by women in their economic and social life. The report dedicates a special section to women entrepreneurs in OIC countries and the world. It

highlights structural obstacles that affect a woman’s decision to undertake entrepreneurial activities and the importance of encouraging women’s participation in entrepreneurial activities. The report concludes with a set of policy implications on overcoming specific challenges faced by women in OIC countries.

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ECONOMY As it Holds its 44th Annual Meeting in Morocco:

Islamic Development Bank Contributes $7 Billion Towards Development Financing in 2018

The President of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDBG), Dr Bandar Hajjar, opened its 44th Annual Meeting in Marrakesh, on 4 April 2019.

The meeting marks a release of the 2018 Annual Report of the IsDBG, which presents the summary of development activities of the IsDB Group for the appreciation of stakeholders and the general public.

The IsDB Group comprises the IsDB and its entities: Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD); International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC); Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) and the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI).

In 2018, the three development financing members of the Group (IsDB, ICD and ITFC) all together approved a total of $7 billion on 313 development-financing operations.

These development financing operations were targeted to provide the critical enablers for the economic transformation of 57 member-countries as their road to achieving

the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Furthermore, the ICIEC delivered $9 billion in business insured in 2018, which represents a 20 percent increase from the $7.5 billion registered in 2017.

In fulfilment of its core mandate of supporting social and economic development of member countries, the IsDB has cumulatively financed development projects to the tune of $138.4 billion, from its inception in 1975 to 31 December 2018.

As a dynamic international development institution, the IsDB is making efforts to develop new strategies to respond to the fastchanging global development landscape to be able to better support member countries to achieve their development aspirations in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It is for this reason that the theme of this year’s Annual Meeting is “Transformation in a fast-Changing World: A Road to Sustainable Development Goals”.

The IsBB Group has made significant efforts on organizational restructuring to align its

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new strategic vision with its new business model. In this context, the $7 billion approval for 313 operations in 2018 is remarkable achievements. Across regional classification of member countries, 49 percent were to member countries in MENA and Europe, 30 percent for those in Africa and Latin America, 20 percent to member countries in Asia, the remaining one percent going to nonmember countries and regional projects.

Total approvals from Ordinary Capital Resource (OCR) was $1.1 billion for 27 operations. In terms of sectoral distribution of OCR approvals, 31 percent were for Energy, 19 percent for Transport, 14 percent for Agriculture, 14 percent for Health, 13 percent for Education and 9 percent for went to Water, Sanitation and Urban Services.

Each of these sectors is directly or indirectly relevant to achieving various SDGs such as SDG1-No Poverty; SDG2-Zero hunger; SDG3- Good health and well-being; SDG7Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG8-Decent work and economic growth as well as SDG11-Sustainable cities and communities.

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ECONOMY Among members of the IsDB Group: The amount of ITFC’s total approvals of $5.2 billion is the highest, accounting for 74 percent of total IsDB Group approvals in 2018.

Approvals from IsDB Ordinary Capital Resource (OCR) are 1.1 billion, which translate into 15.3 percent of total IsDB Group approvals in 2018 as the focus during the year was on project implementation and delivery of previously approved projects with less emphasis on new approvals.

ICD’s total approvals in 2018 of $0.5 billion represented about 7 percent of total IsDB Group approvals in 2018.

In addition, the Awqaf Properties Investment Fund (APIF) approved $44.8 million to co-finance five projects with a combined total of $157 million, a 14 percent increase from 2017.

The ICD Funds approved $40 million in 2018, representing an 18 percent decrease compared to 2017.

Apart from financing of development activities, the IsDB sustained the momentum of reorganization by continuing the reform and consolidating on new initiatives such as the President’s Five-Year Program (P5P). Decentralization activities were enhanced leading to seven of the 11 Regional Hubs being fully operational during the year. A new branding with a new logo was unveiled while the Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Fund broadened its activities for supporting STIdriven entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the IsDB Scholarships Program was revamped with new eligibility criteria and broadening of the fields of study to align with the SDGs. Moreover, measures such as Presidential dashboard and digitization were adopted to improve administrative processes while human resource management system has been overhauled to reflect the decentralization agenda of the new strategic vision.

Commenting at the close of the 44th Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group, H.E Dr. Bandar Hajjar, said: “This year marks our most successful Annual Meeting to date, with all Member Countries participating at the highest level.

We have signed more than 90 new agreements with our member countries in line with the Bank’s new strategy and approach towards financing for development. This new strategy focusing on financing projects with clear objectives in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals will open

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new opportunities and create a sustainable transformation for all. We are determined to remain relevant in this changing world, and we now have an ambitious plan for the future.”

The strategy, launched at the meeting’s Opening Ceremony by the President of the IsDBG, H.E. Dr Bandar Hajjar, and supported by the Board of Governors focuses on the rapid adoption of a new approach to transformation through: increasing productivity of value chains; adoption of a broad and participatory approach to push markets to work for development; maximizing the impact by working jointly on the formulation, financing and implementation of valuebased programs; affirming its commitment to exchange experiences and knowledge with member countries; deepening technical cooperation and increase intra-OIC trade and investment by integrating Bank’s economies and markets into regional and global value chains; promoting Public Private Partnerships by creating environments conducive to the participation of civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, scientific institutions and stakeholders from the third part sector; and promoting technological transformation through science, technology and innovation.

This new vision was also set out in Dr. Hajjar’s new book, “The Road to the SDG’s: A New Business Model for a Fast-Changing World”, launched at the Annual Meeting.

In the book, Dr. Hajjar outlines that the SDGs represent a new era, raising the level

of development finance required from the order of billions to that of trillions and that the sheer magnitude of these challenges is beyond the capacity of any individual institution.

As a result, all events at the Annual Meeting explored the four core pillars of the President’s Five-Year Plan: Public-Private Partnerships; Science, Technology and Innovation (STI); Global Value Chain and Islamic Finance.

During this gathering, the Islamic Development Bank was also awarded The Best Project by the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for the development of educational facilities in the Islamic world in 2019.

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ECONOMY

Niger, Guinea and Senegal benefit from Islamic Development Bank’s Rice Value Chain Project At least 70 thousand households will benefit from the flagship Rice Value Chain Project introduced by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in Niger Republic in January. The Rice Value Chain Program is an ambitious project that will help IsDB member countries to achieve self-sufficiency in food production, alleviate poverty and create employment for youth, women and build the capacity of farmers.

During the third leg of his tour to West Africa, the President of IsDB Group, Dr. Bandar Hajjar signed US $15.26 million agreement with the Government of Niger on the Rice Value Chain Project following the approval of the program by the Board of Executive Directors. 10 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to benefit from the project.

The countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Sudan.

The Rice Value Chain Project is very important for Niger Republic, because agriculture is the major sector of the economy constituting 40 percent of the country’s GDP. 80 percent of the population in Niger earn their livelihood through agriculture. Upon completion, the project has the potential to reduce current annual imports of 492,000

tons that is costing the country US$ 214 million by 30 percent. The Rice Value Chain Project will be implemented in Dosso, Niamey and Tillaberi. The project will include the construction of 10 storage facilities for fertilizer, seed, two rice conditioning facilities, five rice processing plants, 40 rice drying areas and two parboiling processing facilities.

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Republic of Guinea have also signed US $16.25 million financing boost rice production through the Rice Value Chain Program.

The signing ceremony took place in Conakry, the capital of Guinea during the second leg of the official tour to the West African region by IsDB President.

The main purpose of the project is to contribute in reducing the high rate of rice importation in Guinea, enhance economic growth through improved production and productivity in a sustainable manner, processing, and marketing, and enhance private sector participation. Upon completion, the program is expected to help Guinea increase rice production by 25 percent and achieve self-sufficiency in rice production from 69 percent to 85 percent.

As for Senegal, the Islamic Development

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Bank (IsDB) has granted financing of EUR27.59 million (CFA Francs 18.1 billion) for the development of the rice value chain in Senegal. The total cost of the project is estimated at EUR41.1 million. The IsDB contribution to the project financing is Euro 27.59 million. The project is part of the IsDB’s Regional Development Program of Rice Value Chain. It will help reduce rice imports and consolidate economic growth by improving production, processing and marketing, and by strengthening private sector participation in Senegal.

More specifically, the project will substantially increase rice production and productivity using the value chain approach, increase smallholder incomes, and reduce poverty and food insecurity. create market opportunities for targeted rice producers to create market access, and build capacity for institutional services, including through effective private sector engagement.

The project covers the main rice production areas, including the Senegal River Valley and the Kolda, Sedhiou, Ziguinchor, Thies, Kaolack and Fatick regions. The project supports key players in the rice value chain and will create 20,000 decent and sustainable jobs by 2025.

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ECONOMY President Macky Sall inaugurates the Regional Express Train (TER) President Macky Sall of Senegal and Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), inaugurated the Regional Express Train (TER) on 14 January 2019, linking the new International Airport Blaise Diagne (AIBD) from Diass to the city of Dakar.

The TER, which will provide the Dakar-Diamniadio route, will carry 115,000 passengers a day. This historic transformative project will significantly improve the urban mobility in the metropolis of Dakar.

With the IsDB’s focus on creating better infrastructure in its member countries, TER is the biggest financial investment made by the Bank for a single project in Sub-Saharan Africa. The total contribution by the IsDB is

EUR300 million, nearly FCFA 197 billion.

The President of the IsDB Group, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, said: “With the rapid population growth in our cities, we are convinced that investing in innovative transportation infrastructure is a key factor in meeting the aspirations of our people, and to create an environment for efficient functioning of the economy.”

Relations between Senegal and the Bank have taken on a new dimension since 2014, with Phase 1 of the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE) during which the IsDB Group has provided finance of USD 1.8 billion becoming the country’s main development partner.

The Bank hopes to continue its cooperation under the second phase of the PSE and be-

lieves that Senegal can become a model for the IsDB Group in achieving its development aspirations, including the promotion of Islamic finance, science, technology and innovation, and the use of a value chain-based model approach.

As part of its continued partnership, Senegal has agreed to host the IsDB’s second Transformers Summit, a conference bringing together a powerful coalition of entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders from around the world to discuss the role of Science, Innovation and Technology in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 11.

The conference will take place in Dakar in December 2019.

The Islamic Development Bank Hosts the Public-Private Partnerships Forum 2019 in Morocco The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) hosted the “Public-Private Partnerships Forum 2019: Shared Efforts for Shared Goals” under the High Patronage of His Highness King Mohammed VI of Morocco in Rabat on 28 February 2019. The event brought together a powerful coalition of leaders across the public and private sectors to discuss how greater collaboration and private financing is key to tackling the world’s most pressing global development challenges.

In addition to the Minister of Economy and Finance and the President of the IsDB, speakers included Semmar Abderrahmane, Director of DEPP; Abu Chowdy, Chief Financial Officer of Asma Capital; and Ayman Sejiny, CEO of ICD amongst others.

The event saw internationally renowned experts, Government officials and business leaders discuss the opportunities and challenges to create the best enabling environment for PPP projects, particularly on the African continent, as the traditional model of government-financing is no longer sustainable.

As the development financing gap widens to US$ 2.5 billion per year, the IsDB is advocating for a new global development model which enables all economic agents in the

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market - both public and private - to play a role in development. PPPs are a core focus area for the bank, as they enable higher socioeconomic returns compared to the traditional model of public procurement and help alleviate the burden on state budgets.

In a speech delivered at the Forum, President of the IsDB, Dr. Bandar M.H. Hajjar said: “The IsDB is responding to the significant development challenges facing its Member Countries by putting forward a new business model that directs resources to enhancing countries’ competitiveness in strategic sectors in which they have, and can build, a global comparative advantage.

“The biggest potential driver for short and long-term development is now the private sector. Governments, with severe budget constraints, must seek to establish regulations that enable all economic agents in the market to play a role in development throughout the value chain. And the wider global development community must work harder to engage the private sector in recognition of its vital role as an engine of growth and investment.”

In a keynote address at the summit, the Minister of Economy and Finance H.E. Mohamed Benchaaboun, said: “Morocco has made a clear choice to further enhance public investment efforts to strengthen the supply of quality infrastructure and services, notably through PPP, which is a favored tool to equip the country with quality infrastructure and benefit from the innovation and creativity from the private sector for the financing and management of projects.”

Morocco was chosen to host the PPP Forum, in recognition of its success with PPPs and co-financed projects, including the expansion and rehabilitation of the Jorf Lasfar Port project, the Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line and the Noor Solar Power Complex.

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ECONOMY

The Islamic Development Bank Announces Winners of its 3rd and 4th Transformers Roadshow in Niger and Uzbekistan The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has awarded three innovators as part of its third edition of the Transformers Roadshow competition in which applicants are invited to pitch ideas accelerating one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Applicants, participants and the honorable guests were welcomed at the Palais des Congrès in Niamey on the 19th January 2019, by the Prime Minister of the Republic of the Niger, Brigi Rafini, President of the IsDB Group, H.E. Dr Bandar Hajjar, and the Minister of Planning of the Republic of the Niger, Aïchatou Boulama Kané.

Launched in July 2018, Transformers Roadshow is one of the initiatives led by the Transform Fund set up to support the IsDB’s strategic focus on capacity building and human capital development. Previous editions took place in Kazakhstan and Bangladesh, where the Bank has awarded six innovators.

All projects presented were assessed on their alignment with the SDGs agenda including factors such as innovativeness, impact & outreach, practicality, scalability, sustainability, potential for patenting and commercialization.

The winners of the 2019 Niger Transformers Roadshow are: Mahamadou Djibrilla Alio Sanda, Rahamatoulaye Also Sanda – for a project providing a solution to the problems of famine and

plastic waste through fermentation and processing of cassava, and its starch.

Abass Soumana, Mahamadou Souleymane, Djibo Almoustapha Boubacar – for an initiative focusing on educating children about the ecological importance of food production, regional food security and strategy, as well as impact of food production on the environment.

Koroney Abdoul Salam, Aboubacar Sidikou Lawali, Katia Adamou Oumar - Construction of potatoes plant and seed production units in Niger in order to build a value chain and increase food security in the region.

As part of their recognition winners of the third edition of the Transformers Roadshow have been awarded US$3,000, an invitation to attend the 2019 Transformers Summit in Senegal, and access to an online course on Smart Impact Capital at the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

The Bank has also awarded four exciting innovators $3,000 each, as part of its fourth edition of the Transformers Roadshow competition in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 12 March 2019.

Mr. Ibrokihim Abdurakhmanov, Minister for Innovative Development, Government of Uzbekistan opened the Transformers Roadshow saying: «We are delighted to welcome innovators from across Uzbekistan and celebrate their achievements that will ultimately

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work to progress the ambitions of the the IsDB in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Commenting on the quality of applications and interest in STI-led projects, Dr Hayat Sindi, Senior Advisor to the President, Islamic Development Bank said: “I am delighted to see so many fantastic innovators here today in Uzbekistan. I would also like to show my gratitude to H.E. Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank for putting STI at the heart of the IsDB’s strategy to tackle global development issues. Through the Transform Fund, our dream is to support science, technology and innovation-led solutions designed by local entrepreneurs and innovators who understand their communities.”

The winners of the 4th Transformers Roadshow were: Zafar Iskandarov, for a project to improve water purification Shahlo Miralimova, for a project to improve probiotics production Gulistan Orazimbetov, for a project to increase efficiency of the use of raw materials in cement production A special award – the ‘Transformers Potential Project Award’ – was also presented to Khilola To’khtamurova, who is improving opportunities for children with Down Syndrome in Uzbekistan.

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COUNTRY PROFILE Capitol: Population: Language: Size: Currency:

The Gambia is a country in West Africa that is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal with the exception of its western coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the smallest country within mainland Africa. The Gambia is situated on both sides of the lower reaches of the Gambia River, the nation’s namesake, which flows through the centre of The Gambia and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

It is known for its diverse ecosystems around the central Gambia River. Abundant wildlife in its Kiang West National Park and Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve includes monkeys, leopards, hippos, hyenas and rare birds.

Politics and government The Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom on 18 February 1965. From 1965 to 1994, the country was ostensibly a multi-party liberal democracy. It was ruled by Dawda Jawara and his People’s Progressive Party (PPP). In 1994, a military coup propelled a commission of military officers to power, known as the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC). After two years of direct rule, a new constitution was written and in 1996, the leader of the AFPRC, Yahya Jammeh, was elected as President.

Presidential elections on December 1, 2016 resulted in a political transition after the incumbent President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, who had led the country for 22 years, was defeated by Adama Barrow, who garnered

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Banjul 2.1 million (2017) English 10,689 km2 Gambian dalasi

Republic of the Gambia

43.3% of the vote. The Parliamentary elections in April 2017 led to an absolute majority for Barrow’s United Democratic Party (UDP) with 36in the 53-seat National Assembly.

Economic Overview The Gambia has a small economy that relies primarily on tourism, rain-dependent agriculture, and remittances, and is vulnerable to external shocks. In recent years, the economy was hit by economic shocks in agriculture caused by erratic rainfalls and in tourism caused by the spillover effects of the regional Ebola crisis and the political crisis during 2015-2016.

The economy recovered strongly in 2017, with growth estimated at 4.6%, up from 0.4% in 2016. Robust growth in the service sector (10.6%), mainly in commerce, drove this recovery. Tourist arrivals turned around in the second half of 2017. However, agriculture contracted by 8.1% due to uneven distribution of rainfall.

Climate The Gambia has a tropical climate. A hot and rainy season normally lasts from June until November, but from then until May, cooler temperatures predominate, with less precipitation. The climate in The Gambia closely resembles that of neighbouring Senegal, of southern Mali, and of the northern part of Benin

Languages English is the official language of the Gambia. Other languages are Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, Serer, Krio, Jola and other indigenous vernaculars. Owing to the country’s geographical setting, knowledge of French (an official language in much of West Africa) is relatively widespread.

Sites Abuko Nature Reserve. Nature park situated outside the village of Lamin in the Kombo North District, 25 km from Banjul.

At 105 hectares it is one of the smallest (if not the smallest) protected areas in Africa, but it still offers a good introduction to the Gambian wildlife. For instance there’s monkeys, crocodiles and some 300 species of birds.

Bijilo Forest Park (at Kololi). Birds and monkeys Gambia River National Park. Beautiful national park below Janjanbureh. Organized boat tours to see chimpanzees, baboons, monkeys, crocodiles, etc.

Makasutu Culture Forest, Serekunda (north of Brikama). A 1000-ha reserve of mangroves, palm groves and savannahs with baboons, monkeys, birds and monitor lizards.

About 45 min from Banjul Sanyang Beach. One of the most beautiful beaches in Gambia.

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VIEWPOINT Extremism and tolerance ... a push and pull relationship

T Maha Mostafa Akeel Chief Editor

Hate speech, incitement and renunciation of the other are main drivers of violence

he two most prominent and widely used words to describe what is happening in the world today are “extremism” and “tolerance”. The horrific massacre committed by a white racist against peaceful worshipers in two mosques in the city of Christchurch in New Zealand on 15 March 2019 has revived the debate on extremism and its forms, causes, manifestations and dangers. It has made the world realize that terrorism has no religion, no country, no nationality and no race, and that hate speech, incitement and renunciation of the other are main drivers of violence. The world has also realized that it should not allow this kind of speech and racism to heighten in the name of freedom of expression, because with freedom comes responsibility. Whoever directly causes the spread of extremism and violence must bear responsibility, be it a political or religious figure or media.

Contrary to the hostility shown by the terrorist in the New Zealand attack, the Prime Minister of New Zealand was a great example of tolerance and love. She responded swiftly and decisively, taking security and legislative gun control measures, setting up controls for social media posts and protecting mosques and Muslims. She expressed to the whole world her sincere sorrow and condolences and showed solidarity with Muslims by wearing a headscarf. People across New Zealand observed the Muslim call to prayer (Adhan) and the Quran was recited during a parliament session. She also dispatched her Foreign Minister Winston Peters to the emergency meeting of the OIC Executive Committee dedicated to that terrorist attack. Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Peters said that the terrorist who carried out the attack would face the maximum penalty. He screened a short documentary about the reaction of the government and people of New Zealand to the incident and how they showed solidarity to Muslims in the country, which brought the attendees to tears.

In addition, the United Arab Emirates, which took tolerance as its slogan this year, hosted the forty-sixth session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, early March 2019. One of the major resolutions adopted was to mark a day of tolerance in OIC Member States. Secretary General, Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, said that Member States are working with vigour to combat extremism, radicalism and Islamophobia and are keen to spread true moderate Islam. By the same token, the Twelfth Annual Report of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory for the period from June 2018 to February 2019, which was presented at the CFM, notes that after decreasing somewhat over the past year, the phenomenon of Islamophobia and hate speech increased again as well as the attacks on mosques and Islamic community centres, particularly in Europe and the United States. The report calls for an integrated approach to combating Islamophobia instead of an approach based on the geographical dimension of the phenomenon. It recommends organizing campaigns to raise awareness about the danger of Islamophobia, promoting positive images of Islam and giving attention to the problems of European Muslims.

In this context, the organization of the first OIC Festival, held in Cairo early February, is part of the measures taken to publicize this true image of Islam and bring peoples closer together to eliminate reciprocal fear. One of the objectives of the festival is to emphasize human common values and ​​ brotherhood. In the same vein, the OIC participated in the 26th session of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso and awarded the OIC Peace and Coexistence Prize to a Burkinabe filmmaker. The objective of this participation and prize is to promote pluralism and cultural diversity and combat intolerance, discrimination and stereotypes against Islam and Muslims.

Moreover, the OIC and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Riyadh held a conference on the “Role of education in combating terrorism and extremism”. The conference examined the mechanisms put in place in many Islamic countries to develop educational curricula that entrench the culture of tolerance and coexistence.

Inside this issue of the OIC Journal detailed reports on these activities and others carried out by the Organization during the first quarter of this year. As in every issue, the Palestinian cause has received special attention, especially amid the dangerous developments in Al-Quds and the two-state solution.

64 OIC Journal January - April 2019

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United Arab Emirates Hosts the 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers Abu Dhabi, 1 – 2 March 2019

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is an art and civilization museum, located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The architect for the building is the French architect Jean Nouvel. The museum was inaugurated on 8 November 2017. It is approximately 24,000 square metres, located on the Saadiyat Island Cultural District. Artworks from around the world are showcased at the museum, with particular focus placed upon bridging the gap between Eastern and Western art.