OIC Journal - Issue 44

OIC

Journal Issue No. 44

Issued by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

Special Edition

50th Anniversary Celebration

A Vigorous March to the Future

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 Five Decades On and the OIC is in its Prime Vigor

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

The duties of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have expanded, embracing wider scopes, further diversity and a broader array of actions

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s we bid good bye to one year and usher in another, on a path of assiduity and efficiency backed by decades that have engraved the Islamic Ummah’s message, as the OIC wraps up its fiftieth year, years filled to the brim with activities, we are pleased to note that the future promise a thriving dynamic aimed at further elevating the Islamic Ummah and firmly consolidating its steadily tradename as “The Umbrella of Joint Islamic Action”.

Over the past weeks, the scenery in the province of Jeddah was embellished by festivities celebrating the Golden Jubilee, under the patronage of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah preserve him, a celebratory event launched under the theme: “United for Peace and Development” with the gracious hosting and boundless support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which has consistently availed the OIC of all possible facilities to ensure its success, with the Kingdom’s legendary warmth, generosity and largess all through its hosting of this prestigious institution, extending to it all types of qualitative aid in the service of the OIC’s causes, a hallmark of generosity warmly extended to the OIC which had elected the land of the Two Holy Mosques as its residence. And, I cannot let this opportunity pass by without registering my profound thanks and deep appreciation for this generous assistance extended by the Kingdom, the host country and chair of the fourteenth Islamic Summit Conference, represented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and H.R.H the Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, both of whom consistently benefited the OIC of their moral and material support and invariably stood as a mainstay for its diligent work in favour of initiatives that all converge towards building OIC ties, solidarity and steady rapprochement.

The immeasurable support which the OIC General Secretariat enjoys from its leaders, governments and peoples, indicate the greatness of the heart that binds the Islamic world and the significant trust which drives this glorious Organization.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which came to being fifty years ago in the wake of a painful and callous aggression that hit the Ummah on the 21st of August 1969, namely the arson attack on the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, an event which led to the emergence of a historical common stand placing the cause of Palestine on top of all priorities, a cause that is ever present in our hearts and minds and that forms the most prominent topic, invariably, whenever a major development is marked or a conference or meeting is held; without, however, the OIC ever lacking in its diligent alertness towards any of the other challenges facing the Ummah, be they political, scientific, economic, cultural or social, or any of the other concerns relevant to women, youth, the family or children, always maintaining its determined action in respect to developmental issues, countering Islamophobia or combating terrorism, violent extremism, hatred and fanaticism.

The year 2019 witnessed a human rights event without a precedent, ever, with the OIC filing a legal case against the government of Myanmar and with legal action set in motion at the International Court of Justice to redress the injustice and sufferings endured by the Rohingya people who had been displaced forcibly, dispersed from their homeland, and put through horrific crimes which violated their humanity and dignity.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which has just marked fifty years of its existence is today in its prime vigor and growth as a capable and initiative driven entity dearly held in the embrace of sagacious Islamic leaderships who realize its value as a structure as an entity which is not, however, without its own specific needs for further growth.

Hence our steady commitment to an ongoing and never ending reform process that seeks to ensure a status-elevation, performance-raising, and capacity-building for this Organization.

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OIC Journal Issued by The Organization of Islamic Cooperation Chief Editor & General Supervisor Wajdi Sindi 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 Essetti 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 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 Union of OIC News Agency (UNA) www.islamicnews.org.sa The Islamic Broadcasting Union (IBU) www.ibu.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: January – April 2020 5 January 2020: Lecture on the topic «Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Development Opportunities for the OIC Member States» - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

6 January 2020: Meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Islamic Encyclopedia of Tolerance - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 7 January 2029: Efforts of OIC Member States in Combating Terrorism - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 8 January 2020: Meeting at the level of the Permanent Representatives, on the strategic plan for the development of the vital sectors in Al Quds Al Sharif Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

12 January 2020: Second meeting of the open-ended interim working group to prepare the draft internal regulations of the Women Development Organization (WDO) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

15 January 2020: 46th session of the Executive Council of the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

19 January 2020: Workshop on Family Bank Experience in OIC Member States - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

9 - 11 February 2020: Senior Officials Meeting Preparatory to the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 18 - 20 February 2020: 2nd Brainstorming Session on the Comprehensive Reform of the OIC - Dhaka, Bangladesh 7 - 9 March 2020: 5th Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports - Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 3 - 4 April 2020: 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers - Niamey, Niger

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CONTENTS In Focus: 18: Rise in the Number of Terrorist Attacks in Burkina Faso 19: There is no alternative to an Afghan owned, Afghan led peace process

Palestine File: 20: Extraordinary Ministerial Conferance Calls for International Mechanisms to hold Israel Accountable 21: OIC Ramallah Office’s Workshop Warns that Al-Quds is Exposed to 100 excavations

Golden Jubilee

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OIC News: 24: Secretary General Heads the OIC’s delegation in New York 25: OIC Contact Group Commends the Saudi Call for Dialogue Between the Yemeni Parties

Dialogue: 34: Al-Othaimeen at Jakarta Workshop… OIC believes in Diversity and Dialogue 36: “Voice of Wisdom” honors the winners of Religious Tolerance

Jeddah Festival

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Conferences 38: Water Scarcity is a Serious Issue for a third of the Muslim World

Social Affairs 44: Women’s Advisory Committee holds its 5th Meeting 45: Review of the OIC Strategy for Empowering Marriage and Family Institution

Cultural Affairs:

Hıs Excellency SheıkhUl-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh

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Baku, the City of Winds and History on the Caspian Sea

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Kuwait hosts (Art in the Civilization of Muslim Countries)

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46: Towards the Establishment of OIC platform for the Protection of Cultural Heritage

Humanitarian affairs 52: Global Size of the Waqf Endowment Assets 105 billion - 1 trillion dollars 53: Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) Executed 2275 Projects in 135 Countries

Institutions 54: OIC Member States most affected by Climate Change, Least Liable 55: Extraordinary UNA Meeting Calls for Countering Media Challenges in the Islamic World

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‫تـحـت المجهر‬

Golden Jubilee 4

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‫تحت المجهر‬

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a golden jubilee celebration to mark the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment, on Monday 25 November 2019, at the Laylati Hall in Jeddah Governorate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The celebration was held amid a high-level gathering including the presence of His Royal Highness, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Governor of

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Makkah who represented the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques at the event. Other high profile attendees included His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia host country of the OIC headquarters, and a number of foreign ministers from member states of the organization, members the Diplomat Corps in the kingdom, intellectuals and journalists among others.

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Al-Othaimeen: The Successes of five decades were achieved with the support of leaders The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen said in his speech during the golden jubilee ceremony, that the successes recorded by the organization over fifty years were achieved as a result of the efforts of the leaders of the member states who believed in the goals of the organization, until it became a model for joint Islamic action that includes all fields.

In his speech, Dr. Al- Al-Othaimeen thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, current chair of the Islamic Summit, and the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman for the tremendous support the organization receives from Saudi Arabia. He also praised the Kingdom’s active role in the unity of the Islamic Ummah, its promotion and support for joint Islamic action, combating terrorism and violent extremism.

The Secretary General stressed that the achievements of the organization are the culmination of the efforts of the ministers and the organization’s supporting organs and advisory bodies, expressing his appreciation to all on this occasion.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen mentioned the Kingdom’s efforts in developing its various development sectors through Vision 2030, which also aims to advance the economy and diversify investment. The Secretary General noted that, the advancement of any member state helps in achieving the goals for which the organization was established.

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Prince Faisal: KSA: Palestine is our first concern His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, delivered the speech of the host country during the ceremony, and the Prince conveyed the greetings of the Saudi leadership and their wishes for the success of the celebration.

The Saudi foreign minister said, ÂŤWe celebrate the attainment of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation its fiftieth year, recalling the pioneer of Islamic cooperation, King Faisal bin Abdulaziz, his brothers the Kings and heads of Islamic countries, and their historic founding meeting of this organization in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco in 1969, in which they set comprehensive goals to enhance cooperation between member states in all he fields and coordinated efforts to preserve Islamic sanctities and support the struggle of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights.

He noted that the organization has defended the issues of the Islamic world, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause, the greatest concern of the Arab and Islamic nation, pointing out that it is the main focus of attention of the organization, until the Palestinian people obtain their inalienable legal rights to establish an independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and the categorical rejection of any action that prejudice the legal and historical status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif. He also pointed to the firm position of the the organization in standing with Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries, including the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.

Prince Faisal added that: The Islamic countries have declared their commitment to mainstream the noble Islamic values, stressing the dedication of unity and solidarity among member states to ensure their common interests on the world stage, and affirmed their adherence to the principles of the United Nations, the OIC Charter and international law, and together to promote close cooperation and mutual assistance among its member states in the economic, scientific, cultural and religious fields.�

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State ment of the Deliv Arab ered Group b y M Forei r. Mo gn M hamm , i n ister f Tunis or Ara ed Bin You ian D sef, A b and elega ss tion Islam ic Affa istant irs, he ad of

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• I have the honor to extend the highest expressions of thanks and appreciations to His Excellency the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God preserve him for his noble sponsorship of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. I extend sincere thanks and gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Sarhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom Sister Saudi Arabia, for the warm reception, generosity and hospitality we received and for the resources that were devoted to making this important event a success. • The celebration of the half-century of the establishment of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation confirms that this organization, which represents the collective voice of the Islamic world, has helped to protect and express the interests of the Islamic world and work to strengthen international relations.

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ister

roup a, Min G d n n i a k c ga Ma e Afri n h t o f L o e tt ment Nane rs, Gabon s r State M i by n Affa ered g v i i l e r e D Fo e for t a g e Del

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The Palestinian issue undoubtedly remains at the center of our concerns, and we stress once again the need to liberate the occupied Palestinian territories and establish a viable Palestinian state, within secure borders, in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. • Africa is strongly committed to and renews its full commitment to all the goals and principles of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation contained in the Charter of the Organization and contributes to qualified human cadres from the various countries of the African Group in the development of those goals and principles through the specialized, affiliated and subsidiary organs of the organization. • With 17 member states out of 57, the African Group is an essential component of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and participates with all member states in celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with pride, hope and confidence

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State ment of the Deliv Asian ered b Group y M Affair r .

M e s of th vlüt Ç e Rep avuşo ublic of Tur ğlu, Minis ter of key Forei g

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• 50 years ago, our first Qibla, Al-Aqsa mosque return from a brink of a disaster, when a man attacked and set fire to Masjidul Aqsa, severely damaging it. For the Muslim Ummah, this evil attack was a wakeup call and achieved our long desired goal for unity and solidarity to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque Al-Quds Al Sharif and to defend the rights of the Palestinian people.

• Since the first OIC meeting in Rabat, we have consistently express our commitment to our important goal, the liberation of AlQuds Al Sharif, the end to the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories and realization of the undeniable rights of the Palestinians for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestine State on the basis of the 1967 boarders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.

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cco ate to g e Moro l f e o rD m ccans niste o i ngdo r i o M K : M e fi f rge o t of th ouzha Wa a n h e c m n .N ,i State y Mrs ffairs b A d n e g i er f Fore Deliv o r e t inis the M broad A g n i Liv

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• I convey to you the greetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad.

• On my own behalf and on behalf of my country, I am pleased to extend my congratulations on the passage of fifty years since the establishment of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was launched at the Summit held in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco.

• Believing in the role that the esteemed organization adopts in safeguarding the issues of the Islamic Ummah, the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, decided to organize a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the organization on Thursday 12 December 2019.

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Awardees On the sidelines of the golden jubilee celebration, some Islamic personalities were honored for their great contributions to achieving the goals of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The gathering honored Sheikh Dr. Saad bin Nasser Al-Shathry, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Muslim police, Naela Hassan, from New Zealand, and Professor Waqar-u-deen, an activist championing the cause of the Rohingya Muslim minority, Sheikh Mahmoud Mal Bakri, Islamic Scholar from Cameroon, in addition to Dr. Ahmed Abadi from Morocco, and Emirati businessman Juma Al Majid.

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Morocco

Celebrates the Golden Jubilee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation

The Kingdom of Morocco celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in its capital, Rabat, on 12 December 2019. The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Mr. Nasser Bureita, Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad. It was also attended by the Secretary General of the organization, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, who delivered a speech on the occasion in which he sincerely thanked the Kingdom of Morocco, government and people, led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco , Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, on the high patronage of the celebration of the Kingdom of Morocco on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and on the King’s support for joint Islamic action and solidarity.

The Secretary General noted that, since its inception, the organization has assumed the responsibility of unifying the efforts of Islamic countries in their political, economic, scientific, juristic, cultural, social and humanitarian aspects and supporting Muslim minorities around the world. He stressed that the OIC works, through its General Secretariat; and its offices in a number of capitals of the world; in addition to Thirty-four organs, specialized and affiliated, to strengthen the bonds of solidarity between the countries of the Islamic world. The organization would not have accomplished the solemn tasks entrusted to it, nor would it achieve the noble goals for which it was established had it not been for the support and guidance of the leaders of its Islamic countries.

Therefore, it was imperative, at this historic stage in the life of the organization, to recall, with appreciation and gratitude, the great efforts and contributions of the leaders of our member states over the past half century, which constituted an essential tributary in supporting the march and building of this Islamic edifice. In this context, he commended the efforts of their Majesties and Excellencies, the chairmen of the standing committees of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, namely: the Al-Quds Committee; the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation; the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation;

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and the Standing Committee for Information and Cultural Affairs, for their able leadership in steering the affairs of these important committees.

Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen thanked the government of Saudi Arabia, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for the continuous support that the organization receives from the host country.

The Secretary General added that half-a-century has passed, to be replaced by another that will outline in its pages the accomplishments of this great organization, calling for work with sincere will and strong determination, and record achievements that future generations aspire to and meet their aspirations and hopes for a future full of peace, development and prosperity, stressing that tomorrow marks the beginning of a new era.

The Secretary General stressed the need to continue the process of developing joint Islamic action mechanisms, by launching and implementing a comprehensive reform path for the organization’s organs, institutions and work mechanisms. The Secretary-General noted that the story began half a century ago, when the hand of treachery spread to burn the pulpit of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and its noble sanctuary, violating the sanctity of its shrine. He added that in the wake of this brutal fire, the feelings of millions of Muslims were shaken and some very honorable men’s efforts were awaken through the historical initiative of the late King Hassan II Bin Muhammad Al-Alawi, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, and King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, may God bless them both, in calling for the first Islamic summit in Rabat.

He added: «We also recall today the efforts of the former secretaries general of the organization who worked with all sincerity and dedication to advance the organization.»

As the organization folded pages of the past half a century, it recorded many achievements, which history will record in golden ink, guided by the teachings of the true Islamic religion, human values and dictates of the organization”s charter.

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The Grand Symposium (Prospects of Joint Islamic Action) 14 OIC Journal Sept - Dec 2019

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The Grand OIC Symposium titled Prospects of Joint Islamic Action

Dr. Waleed Alsudairy

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Challenges of a Transforming World Order

Ambassador Dr. Noureldine Sati Mechanisms to Promote Joint Political Action

Moderated by H.E. Ambassador

Dr. Hassan Abedin

Muslim Communities and Minorities between Inclusion and Exclusion

Dr. Saud Kateb

On Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 06:00 p.m at Leylaty Ballroom, Jeddah Dr. Walid Abdelwahab

Challenges to Investment and Development in the Islamic World

Mr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja

Dr. Najib Alghiati

Humanitarian Action in the Islamic World: Reality and Prospects

Dialogue with the Other within Islamic Cultural Diplomacy

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WWW.OIC-OCI.ORG

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The third edition of the Festival of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) kicked off in Jeddah Governorate of Saudi Arabia, on November 26, 2019. The festival commenced with hosting a grand symposium under the theme: (Prospects of Joint Islamic Action), which explored the challenges facing the organization and the Islamic world in a changing world, in the political and economic fields, cultural and minority affairs among others.

The symposium was held at Laylaty Hall in Jeddah Governorate, and it was moderated by Ambassador Dr. Saud Kateb, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Public Diplomacy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The moderator initially highlighted the role of the organization in the political domain.

The first two papers of the Grand Symposium were presented

by Dr. Waleed Al-Sudairy, associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the College of Economics and Administration At King Abdulaziz University, and the second

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by anexpert on conflict resolution for Africa, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Ambassador Dr. Noureldine Sati. In moderating the discussions, Ambassador Kateb stressed that the discussed needed changes require the organization›s efforts to establish peace in the Islamic world.

Dr. Al Sudairy talked about (the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the challenges of a transformed global system), noting that the global system has passed through two phases and now it is on the threshold of the third stage that witnesses fluctuations.

Dr. Al Sudairy noted that: The first stage started after the Second World War, and it took place during the Cold War and the establishment of the organization (the Islamic Conference), while the second transformation phase in 1990 took a new political form with the collapse of the Soviet Union, as this stage accompanied what is called globalization and the pursuit of superpowers. Dr. Al-Sudairy warned of the third

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stage, which is witnessing political fluctuations, which indicates the possibility of the world going through several crises.

On his part, Ambassador Sati agreed in his paper, entitled: «Mechanisms to Promote Joint Political Action», with Dr. Al Sudairi, where he said that the future stages are portends great possibilities for instability while the rations are being redistributed among nations, which requires the Islamic world to prepare, indicating the necessity for more coordination between the OIC countries and the continuation of reforms, and the adoption of new mechanisms by launching a strategic dialogue within the OIC countries to develop a new common vision.

Dr. Hassan Abedin from the Muslim Minorities Department of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation presented a paper titled: (Muslim Communities and Minorities between Integration and Exclusion). In his paper, Abideen stressed the important role of the organization in promoting unity and solidarity between member states and their peoples as a platform for Muslims even in non-Muslim countries by preserving the rights, dignity and culture of Muslim communities in those non OIC countries.

Economically, the Director General of Country Relations and Service at the Islamic Development Bank Group, Dr. Walid Abdel Wahab, explained in his paper: (The bet of investment and development in the Islamic world and its challenges), the efforts of the Islamic Development Bank as a specialized institution under the umbrella of the OIC and represents the Islamic world in trade cooperation between major countries and its impact on the OIC countries.

Dr. Abdel Wahab recounted some of the bank›s contributions in tackling poverty, development in addition to

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tackling unemployment in member countries, pointing out that a third of the bank’s funds were expanded in transport and energy sectors.

In a paper titled: (Humanitarian Action in the Islamic World: Reality and Hope), Director General and Chief Executive of the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria (NEMA), Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, spoke about humanitarian work in light of the deteriorating conditions, either through conflicts or natural disasters, stressing that climate change has dangerous consequences. Mihaja called for the necessity of working together to activate a mechanism for emergency response to disasters and crises among the OIC countries.

At the end of the grand symposium, the Director of the Directorate of Culture at the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Dr. Najib Alghiati in a paper titled: (Dialogue with the Other within Cultural Diplomacy) stated that cultural diplomacy is a continuation of soft power in foreign ministries. He stressed that ISESCO is keen to activate dialogue with the other, as many of its conferences and symposia are held in countries that are not members of the organization in order to achieve this purpose.

Alghiati reviewed the role of ISESCO as the cultural arm of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to address issues through its programs, seminars and conferences implemented in many countries, the creation of ISESCO chairs to monitor dialogue activities, and the creation of a network targeting 500 million Muslims and other programs of religious guides to enhance cultural diplomacy.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ambassador Yousef Aldobeay, honored the presenters at the end of the symposium.

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IN FOCUS Rise in the Number of Terrorist Attacks in Burkina Faso, Decline in Some Member States

The number of terrorist attacks in the last four months of 2019 remained at the comparable levels of similar priods, although some observatories of the phenomenon reported that a partial decrease has occurred on the number of these attacks, but nevertheless the Republic of Burkina Faso, a member state of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, suffered a rise in the number of terrorist attacks in the second half of 2019.

A statement issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that about 289,000 people had to flee their homes and live in shelters, three times the number that fled during the month of January. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross: «500,000 people couldn’t access health care since January due to terrorism.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation

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(OIC) condemned the terrorist attacks witnessed by Burkina Faso on September 8, killing about 29 people and wounding many others. In condemning these attacks, the Secretary General of the organization, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, stressed the organization›s support and solidarity with the government of Burkina Faso in the actions taken by Ouagadougou and its partners against terrorism and extremism in Burkina Faso and the Sahel region in general.

The organization also condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack that occurred on November 6, 2019, targeting a civilian convoy of a mining company in the eastern region of Burkina Faso, killing 37 people and injuring dozens of others.

In Mali, the OIC strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place on the night of 29-30 September 2019 in the towns of

Boulkessi and Mondoro in Mali against a barracks for the Malian armed forces division operating under the umbrella of the joint force of the G5 Sahel countries, during which 25 Malian soldiers were killed and many others were wounded. Al-Othaimeen reiterated the organization›s categorical rejection of violence in all its forms and manifestations, and issued an urgent appeal to all actors to prevail in the approach of dialogue and mutual understanding in settling the crises Mali.

Also in Mali, the organization condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack that occurred on 01 November 2019 against a military site in the Menaka region, northeast of Mali, killing 53 soldiers and wounding many others.

Secretary-General Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, expressed his condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the

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IN FOCUS victims and to the government and people of Mali, and wished a speedy recovery for the wounded. He also expressed the organization›s support for the efforts of the Malian government in combating terrorism.

In Niger, the OIC strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a military base in the Diffa region, southeast of Niger, on 30 October 2019, which killed 12 soldiers and wounded many others.

Also in the Asian region, the SecretaryGeneral of the organization condemned the escalation of terrorist attacks and violence in Afghanistan, including the attack in Kabul on September 05, 2019 that killed 11 people and injured dozens.

He reiterated the full support of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for the Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process with the aim of bringing lasting peace and stability to the country.

This condemnation was followed by another OIC condemnation of the suicide attack in Laghman province in eastern Afghanistan, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries, among them a large number of children, in addition to condemning the attack that targeted a mosque in the eastern prov-

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ince of Nangarhar, on Friday, October 18, 2019, during Prayer, which killed more than 60 people and wounded dozens.

On September 17, Al-Othaimeen urged Afghans to put an immediate end to violence and hostilities and focus on achieving peace and reconciliation, because there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement through an Afghan owned, Afghan

There is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement through an Afghan owned, Afghan led peace process 2019 led peace process, as reaffirmed by the decisions and declarations adopted at the fourteenth session of the Islamic Summit Conference held in Makkah Al Mukarramah on May 31, 2019, and at the International Ulama Conference on Peace and Security in Afghanistan which was held in Makkah on

July 11, 2018.

The Secretary-General commended the Afghan people for holding the presidential elections on September 28, 2019, and commended all those involved in this electoral process. The Secretary-General also praised the remarkable ability of Afghanistan to meet the challenges and its strong determination to build a peaceful and prosperous future.

Also in Asia, the organization’s General Secretariat condemned the bombing of a bus of the security forces in the city of Jalalabad in the eastern Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which resulted in deaths and injuries.

As for the Arab region, the organization’s General Secretariat expressed its strong condemnation of the criminal and terrorist act that targeted a passenger bus in the Karbala Governorate in the Republic of Iraq, which resulted in the death of a number of innocent citizens.

OIC Secretary General also expressed the Organization›s support to the Arab Republic of Egypt in all its actions in the face of terrorism, the most recent of which was the actions of the Egyptian armed forces and police in North Sinai.

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PALESTINE FILE

Extraordinary Ministerial Conference Calls for Activating International Mechanisms to hold Israel Accountable The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) played host in Jeddah, on 15 September 2019, to the extraordinary meeting of its Council of Foreign Ministers. The meeting, called for and chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, discussed the Israeli prime minister’s stated intention to annex lands from the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian issue is the first central concern of the OIC member states, Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen said, considering the prompt manner in which they responded to the call by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the current Chair of the Islamic Summit Conference, and a clear recognition of the primacy of the Palestinian cause.

He addressed the opening session by expressing grateful appreciation to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, may Allah preserve them, for the urgent call for this important meeting.

Dr Al-Othaimeen went on, “the Saudi call is a continuation of the dedicated commitment, both political and material, on the part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to advance the issues of the Muslim world, mainly the Palestinian cause.” He thanked

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the member states that have taken similar positions in support of the resilient Palestinian people.

He stressed that unilateral actions by Israel, the occupying force, and its continued attempts to alter the historical, geographical and legal identity of Palestine, violating the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, have earned the condemnation of the overwhelming majority of the international community. Political and legal mechanisms need to be put in place to hold Israel responsible and accountable for its incessant violations, and to ensure international protection for the Palestinian people, their land and sanctities, OIC Secretary General underlined.

For his part, the former Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ibrahim AlAssaf, Chair of the meeting, said the Palestinian cause has been –and still is– central to the Muslim world. It is a primary issue of concern for this sacred land and a toplevel agenda for its foreign policy, he added, pointing out that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia historically has always supported the Palestinian people, in all circumstances and by every means, to recover their rights and establish an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty over its territories along the lines of 1967 and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

He went on, “the Kingdom is very clear in condemning and rejecting the Israeli prime minister’s statement, considering it and its resulting consequences null and void.”

In his statement during the meeting, Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki stated that the risks of the Israeli prime minister’s statement cannot be underestimated as it endangers prospects for any two-state political settlement acceptable to the Palestinians, the Arab and Islamic world and internationally

“The Palestinian issue is the first central concern of the OIC member states” Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen

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PALESTINE FILE OIC Ramallah Office’s Workshop Warns that Al-Quds is Exposed to 100 excavations A workshop organized by the office of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Palestine at the headquarters of the Popular National Conference For Jerusalem in Ramallah on December 10, 2019, stated that more than a hundred excavations have been carried out under the occupied Al-Quds since the Israeli occupation of the city in 1967.

The workshop stressed that these include four excavations under and around the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, And 5 below the old town, in addition to five others below the town of Silwan, and eight in other separate locations, as well as 57 holes and tunnels that penetrate the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The organization, in cooperation with the Islamic-Christian Committee for Supporting Jerusalem and the Holy Sites, helorganized the workshop entitled “Israeli Excavations ...

Search for Illusions of Establishing a Jewish City”, with the participation of representatives from the official of Al-Quds city authorities and experts on Al-Quds affairs.

Ambassador Ahmed Al-Ruwaidi, Director of the Representative Office of the OIC in Palestine, in a speech delivered on behalf of the Secretary General of the Organization, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, indicated that the sponsorship of the symposium comes within the framework of media and cultural efforts that the organization seeks to launch periodically to highlight the Islamic and Arab identity of Jerusalem and address Israeli policies aimed at Judaizing it, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the organization.

Al-Ruwaidi stressed the commitment of OIC to enhance communication with Jerusalemites to empower them and to also to follow up the ongoing attacks by the occupation against them and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He added that the OIC would continue to work to coordinate positions and efforts to mobilize and defend international support, and to express absolute refusal to changing the legal and historical status of Al-Aqsa.

Al-Ruwaidi considered as irresponsible the attitudes of some countries that recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that

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the settlements are consistent with international law.e Islamic-Christian Committee for Supporting Jerusalem and the Holy Sites said that the most dangerous issue about the decision of the US President Trump on 6-12-2017 is not only the transfer of the capital, but declaring the city of Jerusalem as Jewish, and thus deny the Christian and Islamic presence in it, indicating that what the occupation is doing under Jerusalem is building a whole city under Al-Aqsa.

He pointed out that there are 29 settlements in the city of Jerusalem, 15 of which are in the eastern part and the rest in the west. As for Al-Quds, there are 43 settlements aiming to change the nature of the city through excavations taking place in full swing, and the Al-Aqsa area is now surrounded by 105 Jewish synagogues. Note that there are 107 mosques in Jerusalem, 43 of which are in the Old City, and 95 churches. Issa continued: “All of this comes within a programmed framework aimed at emptying the city of Jerusalem of its indigenous people, creating a new Jewish character, and establishing the greater capital of Israel on an area of 600 ​​ square kilometers.”

For his part, General Bilal Al-Natsheh, Secretary General of the Popular National Conference For Jerusalem said: “The division of Jerusalem aims primarily at stopping Arab from gatherings in it, which is what Israel considers a burden on it and its public budget, and fears that one day it will wake up to Jerusalem with an Arab majority.”

On his part, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestinian homes, Muhammad Hussein, said: “In all the eras that the Arabs have maintained their presence in Jerusalem, they have proven that Jerusalem is theirs, despite all the nations and invaders that passed by, including today that the occupation is conducting excavations in the city.”

He explained that the excavations began in Jerusalem before 1967, and researchers realize that it started through a British school of archeology that was present in Jerusalem and its beginning was in the Wadi Hilweh region, and then continued to demolish the Mughrabi neighborhood, which the Israeli occupation turned to a gateway for aggression.

Deputy Governor of Al-Quds city Abdullah Siyam said: The excavations are a big plan, part of the procedures of displacement and killing, and the pressures faced by the Jerusalemites with a continuous program around Jerusalem that consists in expelling its people, displacing settlers, and closing institutions, until it became a daily scene by subjecting people to judaization under the American bias. He stressed that the excavations started by the occupation with a religious research story, concluded in destructive measures not only in the Old City, but in Jerusalem as a whole, to link the Old City with its surrounding settlements, calling for positions that translate to real actions to address this scheme.

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Plaudits for the renewal of the UNRWA’s mandate Rejection of the US declaration on the legitimacy of settlements The Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its rejection and condemnation of the statements of the US Secretary of State “that the Israeli colonial settlement is in line with international law”. The organization also rejected and condemned the decision of the Republic of Nauru to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The organization considered the American statement as a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions, especially UN Security Council resolutions 446, 452, 465, 476, 478 and 2334, which all confirm that Israeli settlements are illegal and constitutes an attack on the rights of the Palestinian people. The organization stressed that this US stance is aligned to the Israeli occupation and is a challenge to the international consensus, but will not accord any legitimacy to the settlements. It would undermine the international rule of law and international efforts to achieve peace based on the vision of a two-state solution.

The OIC also called on the international community, and in particular the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities and take concrete measures to fully halt the Israeli settlement policy on the entire occupied Palestinian territory, including the Holy

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City of Al-Quds, in order to achieve peace based on the vision of a two-state solution and contribute to spreading security and stability in the region and the world.

With regard to Nauru’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, OIC considered that the illegal move constitutes a violation of international law and United Nations resolutions on Jerusalem, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 478, which calls on countries that have established diplomatic missions in Jerusalem to withdraw these missions from the Holy City. At the same time, it called on the Nauru government to reverse this decision and respect its legal and political obligations under international law and international legitimacy resolutions.

Earlier, the organization condemned the storming of the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, by groups of extremist settlers with the participation of the Israeli Minister of Agriculture and under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, considering it an extension of Israel’s repeated violations of the sanctity of holy sites, and a flagrant violation of the Geneva Conventions and international law.

The OIC also strongly condemned the military aggression carried out by the Israeli oc-

cupation forces on the Gaza Strip, considering it a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international agreements. On the other hand, the organization marked the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 2019, which was 102 years old, and it was the promise that called for the establishment of a national homeland for Jews on the land of Palestine, and whose serious repercussions formed the beginning of the ongoing Palestinian catastrophe in all its dimensions. It resulted in the establishment of the Israeli occupation state and its accompanying policies of killing, forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, illegal settlements, land confiscation, property destruction, and the denial of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people.

On the other hand, the organization welcomed the vote in favor of a number of draft resolutions on Palestine in the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, especially the decision to renew the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) for the next three years, which was adopted by a majority of 170 votes as against only two-state that voted against the resolution.

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OIC

News

OIC Ministers condemn the attack on oil factories in Saudi Arabia The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen stressed that the Foreign Ministers of the Organization have condemned in the strongest terms and unanimously the targeting of two Saudi Aramco plants in Abqaiq and Khurais Governorate, eastern Saudi Arabia. He made the declaration on the sidelines of the emergency meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers on September 15 in Jeddah, which was devoted to discuss “the announcement of the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation of his intention to annex lands from the occupied West Bank.�

In a statement, the Secretary-General said

that the ministers expressed their condemnation of the terrorist incident, and praised the official statements issued by member and non-members and regional and international organizations that condemned and denounced these attacks that could lead to destabilization of security and stability in the Kingdom and the region, and targeting global energy supplies and the global economy.

He explained that the ministers expressed the solidarity of their countries with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all the measures it takes to confront terrorism and preserve its security and stability, praising the pivotal role it plays in combating terrorism. The min-

isters also demanded serious actions against this wicked attack and those behind it and supporting its perpetrators, considering that prejudice to the security of the Kingdom is a prejudice to the security and cohesion of the Islamic world.

At their meeting, the ministers asked the Secretary General to inform the United Nations and regional organizations of this position and to prepare a report thereon for the next ministerial meeting.

The Secretary General had on September 14, 2019 condemned the targeting of the two Aramco plants in the Abqaiq and Khurais Governorate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with drones.

OIC welcomes the formation of the Sudanese government

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation announced that it welcomed the formation of the transitional government in the Republic of Sudan, after the Sudanese Prime Minister, Dr. Abdullah Hamdouk announced the new ministerial formation.

The Secretary General of the Organization Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, in a statement, expressed his welcome to the ministerial formation, and expressed his hope that this step will contribute to enhancing peace, security and development for the dear Sudan. Al-Othaimeen affirmed the support of the Organization of Islamic

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Cooperation to the Republic of Sudan in the process of rebuilding and achieving peace and security.

On the other hand, Dr. Al-Othaimeen dispatched an urgent aid in the health sector to those affected by the flood in various states of Sudan. On September 09, 2019, a delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Solidarity Fund arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to deliver this assistance.

The delegation met with officials of the Sudanese Ministry of Health and the Humanitarian Aid Commission. They conducted an

inspection tour to assess the damage that occurred to educational and health institutions in Khartoum State, with the aim of the organization’s contribution to the reconstruction efforts of schools and hospitals affected by the disaster.

The OIC Secretary General renewed his appeal to OIC member states to provide humanitarian assistance to Sudan at this critical stage in its history, especially after the formation of the new government, in the context of providing economic support to Sudan in order to improve its current situation.

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Special Report

Secretary General Heads the OIC’s delegation to the 74th UN General Assembly Palestine, Rohingya, Yemen, and other important files take center stage in New York The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen led the delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to New York City to participate in the work of the United Nations General Assembly during its 74th session, in September 2019. on 27 September 2019, the OIC General Secretariat held the annual coordination meeting of the foreign ministers of the member states of the organization, on the sidelines of the work of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The opening session of the meeting witnessed speeches by both the President of the 14th Islamic Summit Conference delivered by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, and the President of the 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers delivered by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the United Arab Emirates,

Dr. Anwar Gargash, and Under-Secretary General of the United Nations for Political Affairs, Mrs. Rosemary DiCarlo, and Secretary General of the OIC. In his speech, the Secretary General said that the participation of the organization in the work of the United Nations General Assembly comes within the framework of cooperation and consultation on many issues that concern the Islamic world, which are also of concern to the international community. He appreciated Mrs. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations for Political Affairs, for attending the annual coordination meeting of the foreign ministers of the OIC member states.

Al-Othaimeen pointed out that the General Secretariat conducts a series of bilateral consultations with regional organizations and non-member countries that have an active role in the international community, with the aim of enhancing the contribution of

the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in dealing with issues of common concern and supporting its position in the regional and international arenas.

Regarding measures to confront the scourges of terrorism and extremism that recently affected Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, the Secretary General said that these events confirmed that the phenomenon has no religion, nationality or ethnicity. Therefore it requires intensifying cooperation with the international group to combat it. Al-Othaimeen reiterated that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation always confronts false and prejudiced ideas about Islam through its initiatives to confront the phenomenon of Islamophobia as well as its endeavor to spread the values of tolerance and moderation and encourage dialogue between followers of cultures and religions through the Islamophobia Observatory and the Voice of Wisdom Centers of the organization.

A Call on the International Community to stop Confiscation of Palestinian funds by Israel The Organization of Islamic Cooperation called on the international community to stop the systematic confiscation by the Israeli occupying Power of the funds of the Palestinian people by withholding Palestinian tax revenues and the allocations for families of Palestinian martyrs and prisoners.

The OIC stressed that, the Israeli illegal actions violate the international law and the agreements signed between the two parties, and thus contribute to the exacerbation of the financial and economic crisis faced by the Palestinian people.

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This came in the meeting of the Six-Party Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Palestine held on September 25, 2019, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in New york.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by the Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Jerusalem Affairs, Ambassador Samir Bakr Diab, the OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen said that the meeting takes place at a time when the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif are witnessing grave challenges and dangerous developments,

as Israel, the occupying Power, continues to expand its dangerous practices and settlement policies including building the wall of annexation and racial expansion and other violations in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

The organization expressed its deep concern about the opening by some countries of diplomatic missions, commercial and cultural offices in the city of Jerusalem, in what constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions.

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Special Report OIC Contact Group Commends the Saudi Call for Dialogue Between the Yemeni Parties The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on the situation in Yemen, at its meeting held at the United Nations headquarters, appreciated the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for dialogue between the Yemeni parties to discuss the recent events that took place in the cities of Aden, Abyan and Shabwa in August 2019, and the response of the Yemeni parties to the invitation out of concern for everyone to act quickly to resolve differences and resume the peace process to reach a comprehensive settlement.

Secretary General, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen pointed out that the OIC General Secretariat is closely following the Yemeni, regional and international efforts related to the Yemeni crisis and ways to activate the peace process which is unfortunately blocked by the Houthi militias by continuing the military escalation both inside

Yemen and on its borders.

The Secretary General emphasized that the organization strongly condemns all provocative actions by those militias, especially military actions on the Yemeni-Saudi border,

targeting cities, civilians, and installations inside Saudi territory, as well as commercial ships off the Bab al-Mandab strait and the Red Sea, which constitutes a threat to international maritime navigation.

Call on the International Community to Expedite Assistance to Jammu and Kashmir The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on the international community to accelerate its efforts to provide crucial assistance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to realize their legitimate rights.

On September 25, 2019, the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir held a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Secretary General of the OIC Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen said in his speech to the meeting, “this contact group held an emergency meeting on August 6, 2019 at the level of permanent delegates in Jeddah, in the wake of the unilateral actions undertaken by the Indian government to cancel Article (370) of the Indian constitution, which included the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

On the sidelines of the General Assembly, the OIC held several meetings at the level of foreign ministers of the organization’s contact groups on peace and dialogue, Muslims in Europe, the aggression of the Republic of Armenia on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the situation in Sierra Leone.

The organization also held two meetings at the level of foreign ministers of the or-

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ganization’s contact groups concerned with the situation in Mali and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In his speech to the meeting of the Contact Group on Mali, which was delivered on his behalf by the Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Ambassador Yousef Aldobeay, the Secretary General of the organization stressed that although the security situation in Mali is alarming, important steps were taken last year to implement a broken

peace agreement signed by the government and armed groups in 2015.

The Secretary General also stressed the organization’s commitment to support Somalia in line with the decisions of the Islamic Summit and the Council of Foreign Ministers, to achieve the goals of the National Development Plan for Somalia. This came in a speech of the Secretary General before the high-level meeting on Somalia, which was held at the United Nations Headquarters.

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Special Report Al-Othaimeen: Committed to the Return of the Rohingyas to their Homeland

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC ) intensified its efforts, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, to find solutions to the crisis of the Muslim Rohingya minority. In this context, the organization held a ministerial meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Rohingya and another ministerial meeting of the organization’s ministerial committee on follow-up to the human rights situation and violence against the Muslim Rohingya minority.

In his speech to the contact group, the Secretary General of the organization, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, high-

lighted the issue of humanitarian needs, praising the efforts and generosity of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in hosting over a million refugees on its soil and providing them with humanitarian assistance.

The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation to the Member States that have provided financial and humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya refugees, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

Al-Othaimeen expressed the organization’s deep gratitude and appreciation to

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, which follows up closely the humanitarian developments related to the mass displacement of the Muslim Rohingya minority and provides them with the much needed support. Al-Othaimeen praised the announcement of the former Saudi Foreign Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf of the Kingdom’s donation of ten million dollars to meet the needs of the Rohingya refugees.

The Secretary General said at the event organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on September 24, 2019, on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, “we are meeting here to discuss the sad tragedy of the Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar, which has forced a large number of Rohingya to flee from their homes to neighboring countries or to faraway places. “ On the other hand, the Secretary-General participated in the side event organized by Bangladesh in New York, attended by Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

The OIC General Secretariat participated in the ministerial meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, organized by the Permanent Delegate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the United States and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York.

Meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly At the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) met with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The two sides held a discussion session in which they expressed satisfaction with the existing relations between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations, and the importance of enhancing fruitful cooperation in various fields was emphasized.

The talks touched on many principles and values that the two organizations share, such as dialogue, tolerance, combatting hatred, extremism and terrorism, as well as contributing to the promotion of international peace and security.

Al-Othaimeen also met with the Prime Min-

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ister of Norway, Mrs. Erna Solberg, on the sidelines of the General Assembly. The two sides discussed a number of issues of common concern.

The Secretary General informed the Prime Minister of the organization’s efforts in

this area, including what the organization’s Voice of Wisdom Center is doing.

On the other hand, the Secretary General met the President of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria, Mr. Tijjani Mohamed Bande. He congratulated Mr. Tijjani on his election as President of the General Assembly for the current session.

Al-Othaimeen also met the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations (UNOAC) Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos. The two sides reviewed ways to build a partnership that brings together the organization and the alliance to implement programs and projects in various fields of common concern.

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OPINION Hıs Excellency Sheıkh-Ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh

Great Influencer in Azeri and Islamic Affairs By: Gamar Javadlı PhD Deputy Chair of Caucasus Muslims Board The 12th Sheikh-ul-Islam of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Allahshukur Hummat oglu Pashazadeh is world-famous religious leader and public figure, and one of highly influential personalities at the international community, especially in the Islamic world.

Allahshukur Pashazadeh, in his religious, scientific and socio-political capacity to addressing global challenges of the 20th and 21st centuries, is the supreme Muslim religious leader for the entire Caucasus region.

His activity should be evaluated through that actual historical features and the sequence of facts. Thus, this is a great chronicle, when young Sheikh-ul-Islam elected as the Head of the Religious Instution during the atheistic regime of the Soviet state brought the flag-raising mission of the Muslim world to the period of Azerbaijan’s independence.

It should be noted that since the Sheikhul-Islam’s earliest times function coincided with the collapse of the Soviet regime, Allahshukur Pashazadeh was a true witness and active participant in various political events. As he involved to negotiations with Afghan spiritual leaders during the Soviet Army›s invasion of Afghanistan, His Virtue was recognized with his valuable contribution to peacemaking process. At His Virtue’s initiative and with the support of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the international Islamic conference «Muslims in the Struggle For Peace» was held in Baku in 1986, attended by more than 600 delegates from 60 countries.

Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh has also value added to his capacity a noble mission of the Ambassador of Peace to address the annexation of Azerbaijani lands, the forced migration of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani refugees, the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding areas as a consequence of the Armenian agression against Azerbaijan since 1988.

His Virtue has repeatedly held meetings with Russian, Georgian, Armenian religious leaders and heads of international religious organizations and invited Armenian leaders to constructive dialogue on the NagornoKarabakh conflict between Armenia and

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Azerbaijan.

Sheikh-ul-Islam consistently demonstrates goodness and promotes the idea of interfaith dialogue and cooperation, tolerance and multicultural relations between nations and states to advocating friendship and cooperation in this regard. He initiated and organized many international events and scientific conferences in Baku. In 1998 at Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh’s initiative an international conference on «Contemporary and religious and spiritual values» was held in Baku. Allahshukur Pashazadeh was also the Chair of the international conferences on «Grace of God, the Savior of the People» in 2003, «Globalization and Islam» in 2004, «Islam in a Globalized World», in 2006, «The Tolerance Model – Azerbaijan» in 2013, «CIS Countries for Peace and Sustainable Development,» in 2014, and «Strengthening Religious Tolerance: (Azerbaijani Model, Challenges of the OSCE Region and Beyond) in 2015.

As Co-Chair of the Interfaith Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Allahshukur Pashazadeh called the International Forum on “Cooperation for Peace

in the Caucasus” in 2002 in Tbilisi, International Religious Peace Forum in 2004 in Moscow,the Moscow Summit of World Religious Leaders in 2006, Baku Summit of World Religious Leaders in 2010. Referring to the importance of religious education in the era of globalization in 2015 together with the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Sheikh-ul-Islam called for an international conference on «Islamic Enlightenment and Modernity”.

In 2016, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev declared the Year of Multiculturalism, then 2017 – the Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan. In this context, a number of international events dedicated to the improvement of the interfaith and inter-civilizational dialogue was held in Azerbaijan, as well as in the other countries – Finland, Sweden, Iran, Turkey, Spain, Russia and Uzbekistan.

Thanks to his scientific contributions to the field of propagation and promotion of Islamic knowledge, Allahshukur Pashazadeh in 1986 is a Corresponding Member of the Jordanian Royal Academy of Islamic Culture and in 2001 a Member of the International Fiqh Academy, since its year of establishment from 2008 Co-Founder of the International Fiqh Organization.

The Government of Azerbaijan highly appreciated Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh’s services to the people of Azerbaijan.

His Virtue was awarded with the high honors of Azerbaijan, such as the Order of Glory, the Independence, the Honorary Diploma of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and, this year, the highest honor of the Azerbaijani State, “Heydar Aliyev” Order on occassion of his 70th anniversary birthdate and the 40th anniversary of his activity as the Sheikh-ul-Islam of Caucasus. The global major powers and religious organizations highly appreciated the Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh’s diversified contributions with the many highest awards.

Closely involved in addressing the fate of the Azerbaijani people today, not only in the Muslim world, but also in the global social and political processes Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh does not spare his efforts on this light path.

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Bilaterals Secretary General Awarded Medal of 100 years Anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijani Diplomatic Service The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, received, on October 13, 2019, in his office, Mr. Shaheen Abdullah, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

During the meeting and discussions on commemorating the centenary of the establishment of the diplomatic service in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Ambassador presented the medal awarded by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov to His Excellency the Secretary General in appreciation of the role he plays at the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and his efforts in strengthening relations between the Organization and Azerbaijan.

Al-Othaimeen meets Foreign Ministers of OIC Countries on the Sidelines of its Golden Jubilee The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, held on 25 November 2019 at the headquarters of the General Secretariat, meetings with their Excellencies Mr. Chingiz Aidarbekov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Amadou Ba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Senegal, and Mr. Abdullah Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives.

The Secretary General appreciated the participation of the ministers of the member states in the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the organization,

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and stressed that this participation reflects the extent of interest and the special position that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation occupies in the member states.

The Secretary General also received, on the same day, the German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Niels Annen. During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction over the fruitful relations between the OIC and Germany, and views were exchanged on possible ways of strengthening them further.

Russia wants to deepen its relations with the Islamic world Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, held talks with His Eminence Sheikh Rawi Ayn Al-Din, Chairman of the Council of Muftis and Head of the Religious Department of the Muslims of the Russian Federation, on November 7, 2019, at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Ayn Al-Din conveyed the greetings of His Excellency President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the Secretary General and the desire of the Russian leadership to further develop and strengthen relations with the Islamic world.

For his part, the Secretary General expressed his appreciation of the Russian leadership and the importance of strengthening Russian relations with the Islamic world, especially since more than 25 million Muslims live in Russia in the context of a diverse and tolerant environment.

On the other hand, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen received a letter from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, congratulating the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the fiftieth anniversary of its founding.

Al-Othaimeen receives the Somali Deputy Prime Minister Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, On December 2, 2019, received in his office, Mr. Mohamed Mahdi Goulaid, the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia and his accompanying delegation.

The Secretary General affirmed the organization’s readiness to continue its support for security, stability and development in Somalia, in line with the decisions issued by the Council of Foreign Ministers and the recent Islamic Summit in Makkah Al Mukarramah.

Bilateral talks between the OIC and US Agency The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs, Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, held, on 27 October 2019 at the General Secretariat, discussions with a visiting delegation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) led by Mrs. Mia Beers, Division Director at the Humanitarian Policy and Global Engagement at the Office of the US Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Secretary General receives Al-Ghabid Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, received in his office on December 5, 2019, the former Secretary General of the Organization, Dr. Hamid AlGhabid.

The two sides reviewed the achievements made by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as it celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, exploring the prospects for the future of joint Islamic action to achieve the goals of the organization and to serve the interests of its member states and peoples.

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Letters of Credence Al-Othaimeen Receives Letter of Credence of Pakistan’s Permanent Representative OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. AlOthaimeen, received on 2nd December 2019, in his office in Jeddah, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh who presented to him his accreditation papers as the permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the OIC. The Secretary General welcomed Ambassador Rizwan, wished him full success in his mission and assured him of the OIC’s commitment to the promotion of its relations and bilateral cooperation with the Republic of Pakistan. The two sides also seized on the occasion to discuss issues of common interest.

Maldives’ Permanent Representative Present Credentials to OIC Secretary General

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Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen, in his office on 4 December 2019, received Maldivian Ambassador Mohamed Khalil who presented his credentials as the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the OIC. Talks during the audience centered on issues of shared interest, and ways to boost cooperation between the OIC and the Republic of Maldives.

Secretary General Receives Credentials of Malaysia Permanent Representative The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr, Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, in his office on 20 November 2019, received the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dato’ Abd Razak Abdul Wahab, as he presented his credentials as Malaysia’s Permanent Repre-

sentative to the OIC. Talks during the audience centered on issues of shared interest, and ways to boost cooperation between the OIC and Malaysia.

Secretary General Receives Letters of Credence of Libyan Permanent Representative to the OIC Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), H.E. Dr Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, received in his office, on 14 October 2019, Amb. Kamel Bachir Dahan who presented his letters of credence as Permanent Representative of the State of Libya to the OIC. The Secretary General welcomed Amb. Dahan and the two parties shared views on issues of common interest and ways to promote relations between the OIC and Libya.

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Baku, the City of Winds and History on the Caspian Sea

By Dr Hazem Abdo Whoever would love to enjoy the sight of lush green, virgin beauty, pristine waters, rich and colorful history and many other natural wonders, legendary generosity and boundless hospitality must go to Baku, the gateway to the Caucasus and the pearl of the Caspian Sea. There are different theories and stories for the origin of the name of Baku, the city that lies on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, alongside the Bay of Baku. But a popular etymology explains the name as derived from Persian ‫( بادکوبه‬Bâd-kube, meaning «wind-pounded city», a compound of bād, «wind», and kube, which is rooted in the verb ‫ کوبیدن‬kubidan, «to pound», thus referring to a place where wind would be strong and pounding, as is the case of the coastal Caucasian city of Baku, which is known to experience fierce winter snow storms and harsh winds.

A uniquely charming fusion of old and new, Baku has wildly varying architecture, ranging from the old city to modern buildings.

There is also the tolerant manner of life of its people. The city also provides vibrant greenery for everyone to enjoy. Traces of human settlement in Baku go back to the Stone Age and Bronze Age. Baku has countless historical places to visit.

Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center As the city proudly displays its love to its visitors, so it has offered its love to Iraqi ar-

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chitect Zaha Hadid, for how beautiful when love breeds creative artistic ideas to convey a message. Recognized as a cultural and architectural landmark not only in Baku but also in the world at large, Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku has won the London Design Museum’s Design of the Year in 2014.

Situated in the heart of Baku over a surface area of 57,000 square meters, the 80-meter tall architectural masterpiece looks like a ballet dancer wearing white in a snowy winter, an oriental musical instrument playing a dreamy melody, or a beautiful woman with a gentle breeze in her hair. Speaking of this edifice, completed in 2013 after almost

OIC Union of News Agencies (UNA) 6 years of work, Zaha Hadid said: “It is my latest work, the culmination of 30 years of research resulting in this architectural edifice that embodies cross-cultural innovation and inspiration.”

The Center houses a theatre, a conference hall (auditorium), a gallery and a museum.

The museum and gallery honor the legacy of the country’s great leader, late Heydar Aliyev, and provide illustrated information about the bloody crimes committed by Armenians in Khojaly and Nagorno-Karabakh.

A Museum of History and Civilization (Na-

tional Museum of History of Azerbaijan) Located in Baku, in the former mansion of Azerbaijani oil magnate Hajji Zeynalabidin Taghiyev, the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan takes visitors into an amazing journey through a legacy of fine artwork and crafts retracing the rich and vibrant history of the Azerbaijani people.

The palace itself is a unique architectural masterpiece, built by Azerbaijani national oil industrialist and philanthropist Hajji Zeynalabidin Taghiyev (1823-1924) in the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century. Taghiyev was a talented entrepreneur and philanthropist who invested his wealth in countless projects that benefited Azerbaijan, sponsoring scientific and artistic activities, encouraging and aiding Azerbaijani students to carry on their studies abroad.

He built Azerbaijan’s first school of agricultural engineering (1894), sponsored the construction of the first Azerbaijani national theatre (1883), provided funds to build the first Muslim school for girls in the country (1901), and helped finance the Shollar water pipeline supplying water to Baku residents (1917).

Palace of the Shirvanshahs An important piece of Azerbaijani history, the Shirvanshahs Palace is a 15th-century Palace built by the Shirvanshahs on the shores of the Caspian Sea, and used it as a summer resort. The constructions of the Palace occupy almost 1 hectare.

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The Palace ensemble, located in the center of the old city of Baku on a high hill overlooking the sea, consists of several buildings: the main body of the Palace, the Divankhane (Courthouse), the tomb of the Shirvanshahs’ family, the Shah Mosque, the tomb of Seyid Yahya Bakyvi, a water tank, and the remains of the Palace bathhouse.

A wonderful architectural masterpiece, the Palace is one of the most beautiful tourist sites in Baku. It served as a venue for the Shah’s receptions for high-ranking delegations, ministers and dignitaries.

Palace of Happiness (or Saadat Sarayi in Azerbaijani) The Serail was built in the old Neo-Gothic style of the European world of the Middle Ages in the early 20th century (between 1911 and 1912) by Azerbaijani oil magnet Murtuza Mukhtarov, of Jewish origin, for his wife Liza-Khanum. It was designed along the lines of a palace in Vienna (Austria). On 2 August 2001, the building was listed as real estate of historic and state importance.

It was reopened to the public on 5 July 2012, after major overhaul and restoration.

Baku Beaches Baku has very neat and clean silver sand beaches on the shore of the Caspian Sea for tourists to enjoy. Here are some of the best beaches in Baku: Shikhov Beach Located in the heart of Baku, Shikhov beach is one of the cleanest beaches of Baku, free from pollution.

Mambo Beach Mambo Beach is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches of Baku. It is a family-

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friendly destination.

SeaZone Beach The beach offers clean silver sand and smooth water.

Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Located on Mikayil Huseynov street in the heart of Baku, on the coastline of the Caspian Sea, the museum was established in 1967. It was the first museum in the world dedicated to carpets, and is recognized as one of the world’s leading carpet museums.

The museum houses a large collection of rare carpets and carpet items of the country’s most valuable heritage.

The structure of the building was designed to look like a rolled carpet.

Irshad (Islamic Studies) Centre One of the important Islamic cultural landmarks in Baku, the Islamic Studies Centre (Irshad) was established in 1990 to serve Islam and Muslims, and explain Islam’s teachings to Muslims in an accessible manner and with moderation. The Centre is a leading beacon of knowledge and moderation not only in Azerbaijan but also for the whole Caspian and Caucasus region.

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OIC

NEWS

OIC Affirms Continued Developmental Support to Somalia

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the Partnership Forum for Somalia hosted in Mogadishu on 1-2 October 2019.

The OIC Secretary General, H.E. Dr. Yousef

A. Al-Othaimeen, reaffirmed in his address to the Forum his organization’s support to Somalia and evoked the particular emphasis placed on assisting the Somali people and government in their drive to build a re-

newed future for the country.

The Secretary General’s address which was delivered on his behalf by the OIC Assistant Secretary General for political affairs, Amb. Yousef Al Dhobei, also included a fresh emphasis on the OIC’s office in Mogadishu keeping up its role in supporting Somalia’s implementation of its 2020 roadmap as well as its sustained focus on additional developmental and training programs within the Somali national development plan.

The Secretary General renewed the OIC’s gratitude to the King Salman Centre for Relief and Humanitarian Action, for the support it has been extending to the OIC so as to enable it to forge ahead with its projects in Somalia, including a wide range of developmental and humanitarian actions.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General met on the occasion with H.E. Mr. Hassen Ali Khairi, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, who welcomed the OIC’s delegation and paid tribute to the OIC for its interest in Somalia.

Al-Othaimeen Congratulates Yemeni Parties on Signing the Riyadh Agreement Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. AlOthaimeen hailed the signing of the Riyadh agreement between the Yemeni legitimacy Government and the Transitional Council on 5th November 2019, in the presence of HRH Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Crown Prince, Deputy Head of the Ministerial Council and Minister of Defense, along with H.E. President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nehyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Military Chief of Staff.

The OIC Secretary General affirmed that this agreement would contribute to the consolidation of Yemen’s security and stability

and to a firmer stand, as a common front, against the Houthi militia.

He further added that the agreement forms a precursor to a new stage on the way to the achievement of a radical settlement of the crises endorsed by the beloved Yemen, and that “Peaceful and Lasting Settlements in Yemen require international dedication and diligent action that places Yemen’s interest above every consideration”.

Al-Othaimeen expressed the OIC’s profound gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its fruitful and valuable efforts in the consolidation of peace in the region and for its particular interest in the Yemeni situation, an interest which is so much indicative of

the unwavering keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership to ensure Yemen’s stability and to stand by the brotherly people of Yemen.

The Secretary General also expressed the OIC’s appreciation for the role played by the United Arab Emirates in the achievement of the Riyadh agreement, and commended all the Yemeni parties for their positive response and cooperation towards the attainment of a peaceful solution and an agreement that serves the strategic interests of Yemen.

The Secretary General also congratulated the Yemeni President, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, for his efforts in favour of the agreement.

Support for peace, Security and development in Afghanistan Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen has stressed that, the organization remains firmly committed to supporting peace, security, a lasting political settlement and development in Afghanistan.

The Secretary General made these remarks in a statement delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Huseyin Avni Botsali, Perma-

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nent Representative of the OIC in Afghanistan and Head of Kabul Office at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the “Heart of Asia” - Istanbul Process held in Istanbul, on 8-9 December 2019 under the theme “Peace, Partnership and Prosperity».

In his statement, the Secretary also affirmed that the OIC is keen to support and cooperate with the rest of the international com-

munity as they move toward building peace in Afghanistan.

The Ministerial Conference of the “Heart of Asia” – Istanbul Process witnessed the participation of 31 countries, including 11 OIC Member States, as well as 9 international and regional organizations.

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Bissau The city of Bissau boasts a number of important architectural and social landmarks.

It also represents a space for coexistence despite the cultural diversity found in it.

Bissau the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2019: The celebration of Bissau as the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2019, for the African region, is an opportunity to highlight the diversity and cultural richness of this city and discover its culture and historical monuments, and an occasion to introduce the human values of this city›s culture and its ancient history.

Bissau is the capital of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, and its largest city. It is also a port on the Atlantic Ocean, specifically at the mouth of the Giba River and its confluence with the sea. It is the main port and administrative and military center of the country, with an estimated population of 355,000 people. Its economy is mainly dependent on agricultural products.

Bissau Heritage and Landmarks: Islam is the predominant religion in GuineaBissau, where Muslims constitute 40 per cent (800.000) of its citizens. The total population of Guinea-Bissau is about 1.4 million, which makes Islam the faith with the largest number followers in the country. The credit of spreading Islam in the Guinea-Bissau region is attributed to the Fulani people, who settled in West Africa and established

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Capital of Islamic Culture for the African Region2019 a large kingdom in it during the fourteenth century AD that stretched from the Gambia River to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The Fulani were able to control the Kingdom of Mandi, and since they were subordinate to

“Islam is the predominant religion in Guinea-Bissau, where Muslims constitute 40 per cent (800.000) of its citizens.” the Almoravids, they spread Islam in the lands of the region that included what is known today as the state of Guinea-Bissau.

The Fulani continued to control the region and spread Islam in it until the late nine-

teenth century with the coming of colonialism that suppressed the Islamic movement in the region.

Bissau History and Culture: Established in 1687 AD by the Portuguese, the city was a fortified port and a commercial center. Later, it became the capital of Portuguese Guinea in 1942. Following the proclamation of independence in 1973, «Madina de Boe» was declared as the capital of the autonomous region. However, Bissau remained the capital of the regions under Portuguese control in what was called (Portuguese Guinea). When Portugal recognized the independence of Guinea and withdrew its forces in 1974, the two regions (Portuguese Guinea and independent regions) merged and Bissau became the capital of the new state.

Guinea-Bissau is famous for its annual carnival, and one of the attractions of tourists and foreigners is the Fortaleza Damurah fort, which includes the shrine of “Alicar Cabral”, which is one of the most prominent political faces in the country. We also find a memorial to the victims of the port of Guinea-Bissau.

Many buildings were destroyed during the Civil War, including the Presidential Palace and the French Cultural Center, which is currently rebuilt and the city center is still under development.

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Dialogue Al-Othaimeen at Jakarta Workshop… OIC believes in Diversity and Dialogue The Second International Workshop on Promoting Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue in South and Southeast Asian Countries started in Jakarta, Indonesia, under the title «Together for Diversity and Promoting Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue». The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) co-organized the workshop in partnership with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID).

The workshop witnessed the attendance of 65 participants from five South and Southeast Asian countries, as well as a number of political decision makers, religious leaders, and representatives of regional and international associations and organizations.

In his speech, Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, the OIC Secretary-General, indicated that, “‹Together for Diversity and Interreligious Dialogue› reflects our resolve and will to promote dialogue to resolve disputes and tensions. This international workshop comes at a time when societies in Southeast Asia encounter serious challenges, especially concerning Islamic-Buddhist relations.»

“diversity of cultures, civilizations and religions is not only a legitimate and recognized matter, but also an essential part of our world” Al-Othaimeen added in his speech, delivered on his behalf by Mr. Bashir Ansari, Director of Dialogue and Outreach Department at the OIC General Secretariat, that religions have brought universal values, such as dignity, equality, fairness, justice and human rights. He stressed the need to respect followers of religions and provide them with appropriate conditions to practice their religious beliefs and rituals freely.

The Secretary-General stressed that the OIC is committed to supporting interfaith and intercultural dialogue. He stated that the OIC Charter calls for supporting and adopting

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intercultural dialogue, resolving conflicts, alleviating the suffering of those affected and safeguarding human dignity. «The OIC accords these issues the highest priority in its vision as being essential components capable of improving human life and facilitating the acceptance of the other regardless of religion, ethnicity, color, language, and gender,» concluded the OIC Secretary-General.

For two days, the participants discussed various topics on political, legislative, legal and social reforms, ways to address hate speech and violence, in addition to the challenges faced by governments in member states, regional and international organizations and religious institutions to confront extremism, intolerance, violence, hate and terrorism in Southeast Asia. They also discussed ways to ensure a balance between protecting freedom of expression, confronting hate speech and extremism.

It is worth noting that the Organization of

the values of peace, harmony, understanding, coexistence and cooperation between peoples, contributing to maintaining international peace and security and encouraging friendly relations, good neighborliness and mutual respect.

Al-Othaimeen pointed out that the OIC believes firmly that the diversity of cultures, civilizations and religions is not only a legitimate and recognized matter, but also an essential part of our world. He called for exerting efforts to facilitate understanding and visualization of cultures, civilizations and religions as a global human heritage.

In the same context, he asserted that the OIC is committed to contribute effectively at various levels to enriching interfaith and

“The OIC Charter calls for supporting and adopting the values of peace, harmony, understanding, coexistence and cooperation between peoples, contributing to maintaining international peace and security and encouraging friendly relations, good neighborliness and mutual respect.”

Islamic Cooperation plays an active role in enriching dialogue between cultures and enhancing understanding between followers of religions and civilizations and takes this project as a priority in its programs and activities in member countries and globally, believing that hate speech does not affect one region in the world and is not related to one religion or a specific culture.

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Dialogue Sawt Al-Hikma: Our Message has Reached 54 Million People The Voice of Wisdom Center (Sawt Al-Hikma) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation succeeded in delivering its message against extremist thought calling for tolerance and moderation to 54 million people in various countries of the world, after it gained thousands of followers who are active through its website and social media accounts in three languages: Arabic and English and French.

On its 3rd year anniversary, the Center said that it has decided from the beginning to focus its efforts mainly on cyberspace, after the Internet has become a fertile environment for various violent ideas and an incubator that serves as fertile ground for extremists and helps them spread their toxic ideology. The Center therefore launched 11 pages on various social media platforms in three languages, through which content prepared by specialists is published, to respond to claims of extremism and fatwas of violence in the name of religion on the one hand, and on the other hand to respond to Islamophobia advocates that are driven by people with right-wing backgrounds who espoused hatred for Muslim.

The messages and publications of the center reached 54 million users across the various accounts in the three languages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Center added that while it conducts its activities on social media, it did not lost sight of the fight against extremist ideology on the ground, as it held a number of conferences and seminars in Saudi Arabia,

Somalia, and the United Arab Emirates that focused on discussing the issue of terrorism and combating it, enhancing intellectual security, and spreading the values of tolerance.

The Center also launched a short video contest named “tolerance of religion” for short video clips that encouraged young people to express themselves through the camera.

Istanbul Process: Al-Othaimeen Expresses Concern over the Rise of Hate Speech Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen reiterated OIC’s concern over the continued rise of religious intolerance and hate speech, which continues to seriously jeopardize the lives of innocent people of different religious backgrounds, recent manifestations of which are the deadly incidents in New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

In his written statement to the 7th Meeting of Istanbul Process held in The Hague, The Netherlands on 18-19 November 2019, the OIC Secretary welcomed the convening of the 7th Meeting after a gap of 3 years and

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highlighted its importance for combating the threat of incitement to hatred based on religion.

Dr. Othaimeen, underlined the crucial importance of collective efforts at international level to confront the maleficent phenomena, through multiple tools including the Istanbul Process, which draws upon the landmark UN HRC Resolution 16/18, which provides a comprehensive action plan to combat the unruly phenomena of incitement to hatred, discrimination and violence based on religion, faced globally by all States.

The Secretary General also welcomed the announcement by Pakistan to host the 8th meeting of Istanbul Process as an effort to contribute to the global efforts in raising awareness, sharing best practices and discussing best options on how to combat this global concern.

The Meeting, hosted by the Netherlands, was held under the theme ‘Combating Religious Intolerance: Building inclusive and resilient societies, and pushing back against incitement to hatred and violence’.

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Dialogue “Voice of Wisdom” honors the winners of

Religious Tolerance

The Voice of Wisdom Center of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) organized a short film contest on (Religious Tolerance), and the General Secretariat of the Organization held a tribute ceremony on 27 October 2019 at its headquarters in Jeddah to honor the winners of the competition.

OIC Secretary General’s Director of Cabinet and Senior Advisor Dr Abdullah bin Musa Al-Tayer, on behalf of Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, gave the awards to the first three winners.

The contest aims to transcend rhetoric and reach out to the youth and social network people with real examples of human-interest stories, Dr Al-Tayer said during the ceremony.

Praising the fruitful conclusion of the contest, Dr Al-Tayer expressed hope the upcoming contests will be equally successful. The world people stand in unison today against extremist ideology, he stressed, pointing out that the OIC is an integral part of the global effort to counter extremist propaganda and promote coexistence, dialogue and mutual acceptance.

Al Tayer said that the voice of wisdom has achieved remarkable development on social media platforms with an increase in followers from across the Islamic world. Al Tayer said that the next stage will shift from focusing on social networks alone, to launching physical activities, revealing that there is a planned initiative to be launched in Africa.

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He added that all colleagues at the General Secretariat of the Organization contribute effectively to the Voice of Wisdom Center.

He explained that the Voice of Wisdom initiative is one of several OIC initiatives that will see the light of the day in the near future, which aims to cultivate hope, stressing that terrorism and violent extremism cannot be fought without spreading hope and optimism among Muslim youth. The Director of the Secretary-General’s Cabinet congratulated the winners of the competition and thanked the members of the Center and the new media company represented by Mr. Ammar Bakkar and his contributions to the Center.

The award winners were Mr Qada Humeidi (Algeria, first place), for his short film “human embryo”; Mr Khaled Basiouni (Egypt, second place), for his film “long good company”; and Mr Mohamed Salihou Abdullah (Nigeria, third place), for his “the human face of tolerance” short film.

The competition aims to spread tolerance in the Islamic world, and it was launched in February 2018, with a budget of $ 10,000 and continued until June 2018.

The competition was followed by tens of thousands of young people from the Islamic world, and the volume of interaction with the videos participating in the competition reached two and a half million between interactions and comments. The competition

saw the participation of dozens of Muslim youth from various countries of the Islamic world in addition to China.

Thirty participants qualified in the final stages and the three best works were selected based on the decision of the specialized judging committee appointed by the Voice of Wisdom Center As for the winning works, the first place video titled “Mudghah” “human embryo” by the Algerian producer, Kada Hamidi, reflects the influential meaning of positivity in society and the meaning of the Muslim having positive energy in his social environment. The second place a video entitled: “long good company” by producer Khaled Bassiouni, embodied one of the wonderful stories of tolerance that took place in Egyptian society between two Muslim and Christian families, and the video reflected the intensity of the interdependence between the two families and how all Egyptians share the joys and sorrows of one nation as Muslims and Christians.

The third place video titled (the human face of tolerance) by Nigerian producer Mohamed Salihu Abdullah, embodied the story of an imam of a mosque in the Plateau region of Nigeria. The imam Sheikh Abdullah Abu Bakr rescued more than 300 Christians who took refuge in his mosque after an attack on his village, and the video reflects the values of tolerance during the darkest circumstance that a society passes through.

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Dialogue Russia - Islamic World Forum Discusses “Interfaith Harmony” The fifth annual meeting of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia - Islamic World” was held in the Russian city of Ufa under the slogan “ 50th Anniversary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ... Interfaith Harmony: The Experience of Russia and the OIC Countries”.

The forum was on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, was attended by more than 70 delegates from the members of the Strategic Vision Group (Russia - the Islamic World), Russia, foreign countries, heads of international organizations and many other guests.

Ambassador Samir Bakr Dhiab, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Jerusalem Affairs represented the OIC Secretary General Dr. Yusef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen during the event. Other top dignitaries that graced the occasion include the Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of Russia Nikolai Zhuravlev, and the Deputy Foreign Minister, Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov.

For his part, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in his welcome address delivered by Ambassador Diab, expressed the readiness of the OIC to intensify cooperation with Russia, stressing that the Russian Federation, which is an observer at the OIC, is an important partner of the Organization in the international arena.

He also highly appreciated the holding of the events dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Organization during the Group meeting in Ufa and noted that this, without a doubt, clearly demonstrates the dynamically developing relations.

The participants of the Forum warmly welcomed the address of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. In his message, Russian President noted that Russia actively and successfully cooperates with the OIC in many areas, pointing to the importance of the Russian Federation and the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation “coordinating efforts to counter global threats and challenges, resolve regional conflicts and solve various humanitarian problems.”

Welcoming participants, the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov noted the merit of the Muslim Ummah of

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the Republic “in strengthening interfaith peace and harmony” in Russia, stressing that “Bashkortostan from the religious point of view is a model for all multinational and multiconfessional Russia”.

For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed in his message “appreciation for the fruitful interaction with the organization in order to find effective solutions to the urgent problems of our time”.

Mr Lavrov pointed to the necessities imposed by the current turbulent conditions in international relations towards “promoting inter-religious harmony as an essential component of maintaining global and regional stability.”

In his speech, Chairman of GSV “RussiaIslamic world”, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov noted that Russia and the Muslim world “should more actively use the potential of bilateral relations”, stressing that “together, we will be able to set the order based on equality, respect for international law and justice faster” . In this regard, he recalled that the main objective of the Group is to contribute in every possible way to the further rapprochement of Russia with the Islamic world, with an emphasis on building up economic, scientific, technical and cultural-humanitarian cooperation.

Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OIC Ramazan Abdulatipov pointed out that the activities of the

Group conducted jointly with the OIC, in particular the holding of business summits and other international forums, is an important component of Russia’s interaction with the member-states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, stressing that the creation of the GSV “played a role in shaping the policy of a multipolar world”. He also noted that the “Muslim vector” is a significant reserve of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation.

The participants of the meeting congratulated the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is, in fact, the “collective voice of the Islamic world”, on its half-century anniversary, noting that for 50 years it has been resolutely and regularly defending the interests of the Muslim Ummah in the international arena. The participants of the meeting also noted that the OIC still has great potential to further strengthen its authority both in Islamic countries and in the world as a whole.

In this regard, they supported the efforts of the leadership of the GSV “Russia-Islamic world” to increase cooperation with the OIC member-states.

The Forum also included awarding the winners of of the prize of the President of the Strategic Vision Group, Rustam Minikhanov, and in the framework of the forum, a ceremony was held for the winners of the award, which was received this year by the Religious Board of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan, and Russian Muftic Council.

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conference

Egyptian President receives heads of Delegations participating in Cairo Water Conference

Water Scarcity is a Serious Issue for a third of the Muslim World The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, stressed that water security has become a prerequisite for achieving sustainability and for ensuring health and prosperity of the OIC Member States.

He also pointed out that achieving growth in almost every economic sector depends on the availability of water resources.

The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, had the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen during his visit to Cairo to participate in the water conference.

The Egyptian President welcomed the heads of delegations participating in the “Cairo Water Week” organized this year under the theme “Responding to water scarcity”. He reaffirmed Egypt’s keenness to organize and host this event annually in order to enhance water awareness, encourage innovation to meet the challenges of water, identify global initiatives and efforts exerted to address those challenges and consider ways to maximize cooperation mechanisms in the water sector.

For his part, the OIC Secretary General thanked the Arab Republic of Egypt, commending the wise leadership of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his vision for the advancement of Egyptian economy. He further commended Egypt’s outstanding efforts to achieve the goals and

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objectives of the OIC. Al-Othaimeen then expressed gratitude to the Egyptian Water Resources and Irrigation Minister, His Excellency Mohamed Abdel Aty and his team for the excellent organization of the second meeting of the OIC Water Council and for the hospitality extended to the delegations of the participating states.

Addressing the second meeting of the OIC Water Council, held in Cairo on 22 October 2019, , the Secretary-General said that water scarcity is a source of great concern to one third of the organization’s member states, which are located in dry or semidry areas. Al-Othaimeen cautioned that the growing population and the effects of climate change on water provision have become one of the underlying causes of conflict and a growing threats to people, livelihoods and businesses throughout the world.

The Secretary-General said that the OIC General Secretariat attaches high priority to enhancing cooperation in order to help OIC Member States find solutions to waterrelated challenges.

Al-Othaimeen called upon Member States with technological and financial capabilities to move forward to assist other disadvantaged Member States in this field, taking into account the magnitude of water-related challenges. He urged all stakeholders, including international organizations, to join hands to implement the recommendations

of the second meeting of the Water Council.

It is worth mentioning that the SecretaryGeneral expressed his thanks to the Arab Republic of Egypt, praising the “wise leadership of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his vision for the advancement of the Egyptian economy”. He also appreciated the outstanding efforts exerted by Egypt to achieve OIC goals and objectives.

Furthermore, he thanked the Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel Aty, and his team for the excellent organization of the second meeting of the OIC Water Council and the generous hospitality extended to the delegations of the participating States.

He urged all members of the OIC Water Council to organize similar activities to raise awareness and promote cooperation among Islamic countries.

The Secretary-General said that the increasing population of the world, the dwindling water resources, the increasing pollution of water resources, in addition to the effects of global warming are all factors that have made reliable access to water as one of the biggest problems facing humanity in the twenty-first century.

It is noted that water-related issues are extremely important for OIC Member States.

Water scarcity is a major concern in one third of the Organization’s member states, which are located in dry or semi-arid regions.

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‫مهرحان المنظمة‬ A Call for Fair and Affordable Pricing of Medicine and Vaccine The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, stressed that the General Secretariat in cooperation with its partners has focused on capacity building for both manufacturers and national regulatory authorities (NRAs), harmonization of standards, research collaboration and joint development among the OIC Members States.

In this connection, he expressed appreciation to the National Agency of Drug and Food Control of the Republic of Indonesia for hosting the first-ever meeting of heads of medicine regulatory authorities of the OIC Member States (Jakarta, November 2018), encouraging all the Member States to support this initiative to promote effective regulation for medicine and vaccine pricing, combatting substandard and falsified medicines.

Addressing the opening session of the seventh Islamic conference of health ministers (Abu Dhabi, 16 December 2019), Dr AlOthaimeen pointed out that the OIC has developed a comprehensive health improvement plan, calling on the Member States to provide the necessary resources to implement the OIC Strategic Health Program of

Action (OIC-SHPA 2014-2023).

He reviewed the progress made since the conference’s previous session (Riyadh, 5-7 December 2017), especially as regards noncommunicable diseases – such as cancer –, and communicable diseases, such as polio.

Further, he commended the OIC institutions concerned, including COMSTECH, SESRIC,

the IDB, ISESCO and IIFA for their efforts in implementing the OIC-SHPA. He also thanked such international partners such as WHO, IAEA, the Global Fund for fighting HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, GAVI, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that have cooperated with the OIC in furthering its health agenda.

OIC Supports Efforts towards Achieving Self-Reliance in the Production of Vaccines A Training Workshop organizaed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Vaccine Cold Chain Management was held on 01 October 2019 in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, under the patronage of H.E. Nila Moaloek, Indonesian Minister of Health.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the OIC General Secretariat; World Health Organisation (WHO); some members of the diplomatic missions accredited to Indonesia; and other Indone-

sian high-ranking officials.

The training workshop was organized by the Ministry of Health of Indonesia in cooperation with the OIC General Secretariat and it was conducted by the newly launched OIC Centre of Excellence for Vaccines and Biotechnology products as part of the OIC efforts towards achieving self-reliance in the production of vaccines.

H.E. the Secretary General, in a statement read out on his behalf by Amb. Askar Mussi-

nov, Assistant Secretary General for Science & Technology, called on the participants in the workshop to seize the opportunity and build useful networks for joint action to achieve self-reliance in the production and supply of quality, safe and affordable vaccines among the OIC Member States. He further underscored the centrality of health to the overall wellbeing and socio-economic development of OIC Member States.

OIC Supports Efforts to End Poliomyelitis The Sixth Annual Meeting of the Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication (IAG) was held in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, on 4 September 2019, under the patronage of His Eminence the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar

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Al-sharief. Members of IAG, including representatives from the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, Islamic Development Bank Group, World Health Organization and UNICEF, attended the Meeting. Representatives

of priority countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia) also attended the meeting that reviewed progress made in the fight against polio.

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conference Al-Othaimeen: IIFA’s Role in Combating Terrorism and Extremism is Essential Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, stressed that the chaos currently affecting some Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudential) authorities due to the mushrooming modern communication networks and the ease of access to the public opened the way for religion hijackers to bombard the cyberspace with thousands of baseless fatwas that do not reflect moderate Islam. Rather, they serve sedition and confusion among Muslims.

Addressing the 24th Session of the OIC International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) Conference hosted by the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on 3-4 November 2019, Al-Othaimeen stated that the chaotic status of fatwa in the Muslim world underlines the IIFA’s important role in addressing terrorism and extremism and forging applicable

authentic concepts that keep up with the pace of developments.

In his speech, Al-Othaimeen also stressed that it is important for the IIFA to continue its significant role in uniting Muslims and harmonizing their jurisprudential and intellectual approaches in a bid to achieve Muslims’ unity and rapprochement. “The political and economic solidarity among Member States will be more feasible when there is a balanced and convergent intellectual and religious environment, which the IIFA can help provide,” added the OIC Secretary General.

The OIC Secretary General called on the scholars participating in the 24th Session of the IIFA Conference to stand up to the extremists, the deluded, and the callers for sectarianism through further spreading the message of moderation and tolerance and sparing no effort to lead Muslims to the true and noble essence of their religion.

Al-Othaimeen Praises SMIIC Efforts in the field of Halal Food Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, praised the efforts of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), which contributed to meaningful cooperation among Member States by setting a unified standard for the Halal food sub-sectors.

This was part of his speech at the 14th General Assembly Meeting of SMIIC held in Makkah, Al-Mukarramah, on 5 November 2019, delivered on his behalf by Amb. Ahmed Senyomo, the Assistant Secretary General for Eco-

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nomic Affairs.

The Secretary General also commended SMIIC efforts in coordinating the collective responses of the OIC Member States regarding the development of standard specifications in the sectors of health, renewable energies, precious metals, jewelry, leather, tanning materials, petroleum products, textiles, and manufactured products, among others.

Al-Othaimeen urged SMIIC secretariat to provide technical support and training to the interested Member States in order to raise awareness of the newly published or revised OIC- SMIIC Standards.

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Celebrating Tunis as the Arab Region’s Capital of Islamic Culture 2019 The City of Tunis Tunis, the capital of the Republic of Tunisia, is located in the country’s North East. It hosts a wide range of civilizational landmarks including the Old City which covers around 75 hectares and the two peripheral quarters that had developed since the Middle Ages (Bab Souika District and Bab Al Jazira District) as well as a rising number of suburbs (some close, some less so). “Greater Tunis” includes the governorates of Tunis, Ariana and Manouba, and accounts for over two million and a half people representing around 25% of the overall Tunisian population. Tunis is the most prominent political, economic and administrative center in the country.

For extended periods in history, Tunis has been an important trade center in the Mediterranean and in the Maghreb. It was conquered in the year 82 H/701 G by the Arab commander Hassan Ibn Noaman who raised it as a maritime military base to check the Byzantine attacks. He built it on the ruins of an ancient Lubic township known as “Tenis” or “Tershish”. The goal at that time was to use it as an advance post for the protection of Carthage. Many Arab literary figures tried to attach a meaning to its name (Tunis) by reference to the Arabic language.

They hypothesized that it was given that name based on a tale according to which there happened to be a monk who lived in the vicinity and the Muslim caravans passing by used to seek rest beside his temple, enjoy the companionship of his melodious voice, and routinely observe: “This temple offers one good company”, and the name came thus to be linked to the place as “Tunis” (Arabic for “offers good company”).

Arab reference books note that Hassan had favored Tunis for its closeness to Carthage, situated about ten miles North, and for its closeness to the sea of Rades (the Gulf of Tunis). And so he dug out a canal linking the City to the sea so that it may be used as a seaport and a centre for the Islamic fleet after he established in it a shipyard and recruited for it skilled workers from Egypt during the rule of Abdulaziz Ibn Marwan.

Tunis inherited the ancient city of Carthage which turned into a small suburban village serving as a quarry for stones and marble as well as a large salt marsh. Tunis thus was the most important city in the land of Tunisia,

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importance than the mosques of Kairouan, Fez and Cordoba. Tunis was also among the major centers frequently rebelling against the rule of various governors. One of the best-known revolts recorded in history was the revolt of Mansour Al Tanbadhi who rose against the Aglabid dynasty and almost succeeded in vanquishing it in 824 G. The prestigious status of Tunis qualified it to assume the role of temporary capital whenever Kairouan was besieged or under severe pressure. Tunis, a Major Centre during the Fatimid and Zeirid Dynasties Following the fall of the Aglabid dynasty at the hands of the Fatimid Shiaa caliphate in 909 G, Tunis again witnessed a fresh urban development which continued under the Zeirids from whom it inherited, most importantly, a vast number of mosques and other edifices which are still standing, including additions to the Zeitouna Mosque like the vestibule arcade and the vestibule dome as reformation works well documented with engraved scripts. Among works attributed to the Zeirids we find Al Qarana baths, the Al Ishbili Mosque, and such other landmarks. We also find among the eminent figures whose names have been recorded

‫تونس‬

and Arab reference books started branding it as one of “The Twin Cities”, meaning Kairouan and Tunis. While the former was dominant in the Midland and the South, Tunis had the North in particular as its vital space, a position that was of a great benefit to her whether in terms of farmlands, quarries or crafts making it a center of attraction for the wealthy among the Arabs. It also benefited from its existing urbanized structure and more particularly from the road network, which linked it with all corners of the country, including Kairouan and other major cities like Bizerta, Beja, Tabarka, Kef, Tebessa and others. Some of the roads were of Roman origin.

A Radical Change with the Aglabid Dynasty During the Aglabid era, Tunis witnessed a major urban development in the ninth century of the Christian era (third century of the Hegir) with the building of a fortification around it, the completion of the construction of the Grand Mosque of Zeitouna under Emir Abu Ibrahim Ahmed in the year 250 H/864 G which became one of the foremost centers of scholarly studies in the Islamic world, as well as one of the most active centers in the Maghreb, of no less

in the City’s history the scholar Mihriz Bin Khalef (1022 G) hailed in history books as a virulent adversary of Shiaa and a fervent proponent of the Sunni doctrine and as a close advisor to Prince Al Moez Ibn Badiss.

However, the city just like the rest of Ifriqiya (covering the entire Maghreb of today.), was not spared the Zeirid rule crisis which led to the Hilalis’ sweeping campaign that dismembered the country’s unity and led to its fragmentation into small sectarian princedoms. There emerged in Tunisia, then, a small emirate known as the Beni Kharasan Emirate, which was unquestionably a preeminent entity in Ifriqiya. The Kharasanids developed Tunis into an unrivaled city in the land, and in their time, the Zeitouna Mosque witnessed further additions that were documented on marble plaques, with the emergence also of new districts and majestic palaces including the Kharasani’s own palace built around the area of today’s AlQasr Mosque with the likelihood that it could have been erected at the spot where Dar Al Hussein is located today. The dome of the dynasty’s founder can still be seen in this district and is known as “Sidi Boukhrisan” near the current Saraya restaurant.

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Al-Othaimeen at World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh: 60% of Conflicts Occur in the Muslim World The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef AlOthaimeen, attended on Sunday 15 December 2019 the World Youth Forum, held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, on the theme “Current Challenges to International Peace and Security”.

The Secretary General said in his speech at the opening session, also attended by H.E. Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s Foreign Minister that the topic of current challenges to international peace and security is of significant importance to the OIC, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. He also noted

OIC Youth Strategy

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held, on 3 October 2019 at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an open-ended meeting of the Steering Committee on Youth and Sports. The meeting, was held under the chairmanship of Azerbaijan as the incumbent chair of the 4th ministerial youth conference.

The meeting discussed and adopted the draft Plan of Action for the implementation of the OIC Youth Strategy. Participants from Member States and OIC institutions reviewed and adopted the draft Plan prepared by the General Secretariat in collaboration with relevant OIC institutions.

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that the OIC is assuming a role of a unique nature, given that around 60% of the conflicts in the world are happening in the Muslim world.

For several years now, the international scene has witnessed growing and expanding waves of hatred, extremism and terrorism, and witnessed a surge of armed terrorist groups, Dr Al-Othaimeen underlined.

He went on to say that for the OIC, countering terrorism and violent extremism, sectarianism, and Islamophobia, are issues of top priority.

He said that the OIC took the lead in de-

veloping relevant legal frameworks, adding that the OIC believes that countering violent extremism and terrorism cannot be achieved by security and military means alone, but that it requires identifying and addressing the origin and underlying the causes of these phenomena, using a comprehensive approach. He pointed out that the OIC, through Sawt Al-Hikma (Voice of Wisdom) Center, was contributing to the efforts aimed at combating hate speech, violence and extremism, and emphasizing moderation, justice, equality, tolerance, and coexistence.

Al-Othaimeen Addresses World Children Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, issued a special message on World Children’s Day stressing that, on 20 November each year, the entire international community renews its commitment to the 1959 Declaration on the Rights of the Child adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. They renew their pledge to defend, promote and celebrate their right to life, food and shelter, education, freedom of expression, and non-discrimination among others and translate them into dialogues and actions to create a better world for children, which ensures their rights and promotes their well-being.

Al-Othaimeen added that, since children represent the greatest wealth of the world and the foundation for building the future, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has put childhood issues among its priorities, adopted various programmes to

address them, and held five Islamic conferences of ministers in charge of childhood in cooperation with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

The OIC General Secretariat, in cooperation with the ISESCO, has also drafted a comprehensive strategy on childcare and wellbeing in the Muslim world in implementation of the resolution of the 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Abu Dhabi in March 2019. This Strategy shall act as an implementation mechanism for the amended Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam.

On this day, the OIC General Secretariat expresses its best wishes to the children of the world and wishes them a happy and prosperous future. The Secretary General concluded his statement with the following words: “It is important to remember that the future of childhood is our responsibility.”

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Harnessing the Strong Credentials of 15 Islamic Countries for the Development of Science, Technology and Innovation In a message to the closing ceremony of the First OIC Robotics challenge, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, underscored the importance of analytical and critical thinking and problem-solving skills as key drivers of socio-economic growth and development in the Muslim countries. Al-Othaimeen congratulated the participants of the First OIC Robotics Challenge and encouraged them to continue their pursuits for the path of science and innovation for a better and sustainable future.

The First OIC Robotics Challenge was organized from 27-31 October 2019 in Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan in partnership with the Uzbek Ministry of Innovative Development and the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).

The three-day competition was open to youth from OIC Member States to emphasize the critical role of the young generation in our future. The participants displayed

their robots in the Robo-Sumo as well as Robo-Football contests. Prizes were awarded to the top three teams of each category.

The competition was organized as part of the implementation of ‘OIC STI Agenda 2026’ adopted by the First OIC Summit on Science and Technology held in Astana in September 2017.

On a separate note, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a Brainstorming Meeting in Almaty – Kazakhstan on 19 November 2019 to discuss the proposal of the Founding President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Nur Sultan Nazarbayev, to bring together 15 leading OIC Member States with strong credentials in the field of science, technology and innovation to suggest practical measures for helping other Member States in their efforts for the development of science, technology and innovation under the banner “OIC-15 Dialogue Platform”.

On behalf of the OIC General Secretariat, Ambassador Askar Mussinov, Assistant Sec-

retary General for Science and Technology emphasized the importance of science and technology for overcoming the challenges of development, environment degradation, health, energy shortages and water resources scarcity faced by the Muslim world.

He mentioned major achievements and initiatives of the OIC in the fields of higher education, health, science, technology and innovation, water and environment pointing out OIC’s places special emphasis on strengthening cooperation among the Member States for the promotion of science, technology, innovation, higher education and research. He thanked the Government of Kazakhstan for promoting the objectives and policies of the OIC. The meeting appreciated the ongoing initiatives and emphasized the need for increasing intra-OIC collaboration for meeting the targets set by OIC STI Agenda 2026 adopted by the First OIC Summit on Science and Technology held in Astana in September 2017.

Call for Improving the Quality of Education The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Othaimeen called on universities in the OIC Member States to improve their quality of education and enhance R&D in order to keep pace with world-class universities.

The Secretary General made the call in a statement delivered on his behalf by H.E. Amb. Askar Musinov, Assistant Secretary General for Science & Technology, at the 27th Graduation Ceremony of the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) held on 09 No-

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vember 2019 in Mbale, Republic of Uganda.

The Secretary General congratulated the graduates and advised them to continue to upgrade their knowledge to keep abreast with the rapid technological advances.

The ceremony was addressed by several officials from different countries who paid tribute to the OIC for its commitment to the promotion of higher education, science and technology among OIC Member States and for its unwavering support for the Islamic University in Uganda.

Under the OIC patronage, the University has registered major achievements ranging from increased academic programs to enhanced modern infrastructure development.

IUIU, which started off with only 88 students in 1988, now boasts over 10,245 students with seven faculties up from just two faculties at its inception.

At this year’s graduation ceremony, a total of 2261 students were graduated with various awards ranging from certificates to PhD degrees.

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social

Affairs

Women’s Advisory Committee holds its 5th Meeting

Plans and Programs to Enable Women in the Islamic World in 2020

The Advisory Committee on Women of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held its fifth meeting on 03 November 2019, at the OIC General Secretariat’s headquarters in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The two-day meeting started with a statement delivered by the Committee’s chairperson, Mrs. Helen Mary Laurence Elbodo Marshal, Minister of Women’s Affairs, National Solidarity and Humanitarian Action in the Republic of Burkina Faso, concurrently chairperson of the seventh session of the ministerial conference on women in the OIC Member States.

Minister Helen noted in her statement the tangible progress achieved in the area of women’s empowerment in the OIC Member States, with some states having boosted their legislations in a way that is conducive to the promotion of women’s role and empowerment. Yet, women are still facing challenges in many other Member States.

On his part, Amb. Tareg Bakheet, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs, addressed the meeting and stated that the fifth session will discuss the results of the work of the two working groups that were set up by the fourth session, one being dedicated to the elaboration of a strategy to popularize the OIC’s Action Plan for Women’s Advancement (OPAO) and the other to finalizing the concept paper on the elaboration of the OIC’s gender policy.

Ambassador Tareg Bakheet thanked the

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government of Burkina Faso and Her Excellency the Minister, appreciating her tireless efforts in following up the implementation of the decisions issued by the conference, and her great keenness to follow the activities of the Advisory Committee on Women.

The Assistant Secretary General also praised the efforts made by Turkey in light of its presidency of the sixth session of the Ministerial Conference for Women, its support for the Advisory Committee on Women, and the first edition of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Award for Women’s Achievements.

Ambassador Bakheet also thanked the members of the Advisory Committee for attending the meeting, congratulating Ms. Aisha Soadjo Kebbouri for her appointment as Chair of the Committee at its current session, as well as both Ms. Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas, the new member of the Committee from Turkey, and Ms. Fatima Sano / Toure the new member from Burkina Faso I wish them all the best of luck and success.

The meeting’s covered preparations for participation in the proceedings of the 46th session of the committee on women’s conditions at the New York conference, in addition to discussions on the second edition of the OIC prize for women’s achievements that is meant to be awarded at the 8th session of the ministerial conference on women, scheduled to be held in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in 2020.

Ambassador Tariq emphasized the commitment of the General Secretariat to make all possible efforts to support the activities of the committee and follow up the implementation of the decisions issued by the Ministerial Conference on Women.

It is worth noting that the Consultative Committee for Women was established by decision of the sixth session of the Ministerial Conference on Women held in Turkey in 2016 to act as an advisory mechanism and proposes policy recommendations on issues of empowerment of women and the advancement of their status within the framework of the Ministerial Conference on Women.

Ambassador Bakheet said that he was briefed on what the committee has done since its inception through the reports of its four meetings, its participation in the activities of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2018 and 2019 in New York, and its role as the selection committee for the Organization›s Prize for Women Achievements whose first edition was organized during the work of the seventh session of the Ministerial Conference for Women in Burkina Faso, stressing that this illustrates the important role of the Committee in supporting the organization›s efforts in the area of women›s empowerment in Member States.

It is worth mentioning that the committee’s fifth meeting is the first one since the appointment of Ambassador Tareg Bakheet as Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs. He also thanked Mrs. Esra Albayrak for the efforts made by the Committee under her chairmanship, thanks to her sincere efforts and the support of the members of the Committee, the General Secretariat and other relevant organ of the organization.

Bakheet expressed his aspiration for more interaction between the members of the committee and the General Secretariat and other relevant organs of the organization to contribute more to the organization›s efforts in the field of empowering women and advancing their status in the Islamic world.

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social

Affairs

Al-Othaimeen Calls for Monitoring and Resolving Challenges Affecting Girls The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef AlOthaimeen, addressed a call to the member states and relevant organs to intensify work on monitoring and exploring the challenges affecting girls across the Muslim world, enabling them to access adequate education and good-quality care.

There is need to improve the lives of girl children, especially those in difficulty in conflict-

torn regions, those suffering under occupation, displaced and refugee children and rural girls, he underlined.

While celebrating the International Day of the Girl, marked on October 11 every year, Dr Al-Othaimeen called for more efforts to uphold the rights of girls, giving them greater opportunity for a successful life, while raising awareness about forms of inequality against them.

For the record, the fifth OIC Ministerial Conference on the Child (Rabat, February 2018) recommended, inter alia, that studies on all types of violence against children and child labor in the Muslim world be conducted, in recognition of how catering to girlhood shapes the future of societies and drives allround progress and prosperity in the Muslim world.

Review of the OIC Strategy for Empowering Marriage and Family Institution A meeting of the Open-ended Group of Inter-Governmental Experts to review the draft OIC Strategy for Empowering Marriage and Family Institution took place at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah on October 1, 2019. The meeting convened in implementation of the resolution of the First Session of the Ministerial Conference on Marriage and Family Institution and Preservation of its Values in the OIC Member States. The said resolution stipulated developing the OIC Strategy for Empowering Marriage and Family Institution in the Muslim World.

Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, the OIC Secretary-General, extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al

Saud and HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for hosting the First Session of the Ministerial Conference in 2017. He also thanked the Saudi government for its efforts to follow up on the implementation of its resolutions and for the attention and support accorded by Saudi Arabia, the Headquarters State, to the OIC. In his speech delivered by Amb. Samir Bakr, the Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds, Al-Othaimeen indicated the meeting would discuss and enrich the OIC draft OIC Strategy for Empowering Marriage and Family Institution before the submission thereof to the Senior Officials› Meeting of the Ministerial Conference of Social Development scheduled in Turkey next November for review and then adoption by the Minis-

terial Conference.

Al-Othaimeen highlighted the challenges facing the marriage and family institution in many OIC Member States, especially high divorce rate, worsening unemployment and poverty, domestic violence, displacement due to wars and unrest, destabilization of the family concept and foundations, and the impact of the media and globalization.

The two-day meeting discussed the draft OIC Strategy for Empowering Marriage and Family Institution submitted by the OIC General Secretariat, the Islamic Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ISESCO), the Center for Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the International Islamic University Malaysia.

On their International Day: OIC calls for Attention to the elderly The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) joins the international community in celebrating the World Day of Older Persons, which falls on October 1, to highlight the significant contributions that older people make to society, to take pride in their giving, and to raise awareness of the problems and challenges they face.

The OIC attaches special importance to the elderly in its Member States. The resolutions adopted by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers called on Member States and OIC Subsidiary, Specialized and Affiliated Organs to strengthen its role in addressing policies related to the elderly and promoting Islamic values and traditions in order to provide healthy lives for them. The relevant Ministerial Resolutions also called for a Ministerial Conference on «Promoting the welfare and

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social security of the Elderly in the Islamic World».

The General Secretariat works in coordination with the Member States and the relevant OIC Organs to achieve this goal. The 14th Islamic Summit Conference, held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2019, also welcomed the efforts

made in this regard.

In the light of the General Secretariat’s keen interest to achieve the desired level of the well-being of the elderly, and as a result of the recommendations of the workshops organized at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in 2018, and in Niamey, Republic of Niger in 2019, a draft OIC strategic plan for the elderly was prepared by The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center (SESRIC), one of the OIC Subsidiary Organs, to be presented to the next Ministerial Conference on Social Affairs. The Secretariat calls upon Member States and all institutions concerned with the issues of older persons to undertake awareness-raising activities on the issues and concerns of this group.

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Towards the Establishment of the OIC platform for the Protection and Conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Islamic World Towards the Establishment of the OIC platform for the Protection and Conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Islamic World The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at its headquarters in Jeddah hosted two-day deliberations, October 7-8, to establish the OIC platform for cultural heritage protection and conservation. The workshop brought together delegates of member states and OIC agencies, along with representatives of international organizations and non-member states to discuss how to preserve heritage and archaeological sites in the Muslim world.

In his address to the meeting, Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen said, “the OIC cultural heritage protection and conservation platform stems from the Organization’s firm commitment to exert every possible effort to bolster joint Islamic action for the preservation of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible.” The project, he went on, is a demonstration of the General Secretariat’s commitment to join in the effort to safeguard the global cultural heritage repository, particularly in the Muslim world.

Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs Ambassador Tariq Bakheet, speaking on behalf of Dr AlOthaimeen, explained that the objective of the OIC platform is to promote the integration of cultural policies into national development policies and contribute to effective mainstreaming of national cultural policies into international cooperation and development policy.

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The meeting chairperson, Mr Ismail AlHammadi, Chief of the Tangible Heritage Department of the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, pointed out that the platform should be seen as an effective springboard for the member states to further stimulate their economies.

For his part, the French Consul General and Special Envoy to the OIC underscored the need for international expertise and the combined effort of the OIC and the international community for heritage conservation in the Muslim world.

Contribution to Cultural Development The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) took part in the deliberations of the seventeenth session of the Advisory Council for Cultural Development in the Islamic World, organized by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural Affairs and hosted in Tunis, capital of Tunisia, on 20-21 September 2019.

The meeting discussed the documents of the eleventh session of the conference of ministers of cultural affairs in the Member States hosted by the Republic of Tunisia on 17-19 December 2019.

It is worth noting that the meeting reviewed the reports on the follow-up of the execution of the Islamic world’s cultural strategy between the tenth and eleventh sessions as well as the report of the Islamic World’s Cultural Heritage Committee, in addition to the two studies submitted to the eleventh con-

ference of the ministers of cultural affairs.

On the other hand, the meeting discussed the draft text of the Tunis Declaration for the Reform of the Current Cultural Policies in the Islamic World, in preparation for its adoption by the 11th conference of the Member State’s ministers of cultural affairs, in December next, in Tunis.

First Islamic Art Biennale in Riyadh in Cooperation with ISESCO Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Culture and Chairman of the National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, has congratulated the Islamic countries on UNESCO’s adoption of a resolution to proclaim 18th November as International Day of Islamic Art. Prince Badr announced that the Islamic Museum in Riyadh would host the first Islamic Art Biennale, which will be held by the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in cooperation with Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). Prince Badr announced this decision on his Twitter account.

His Highness added that this Biennale would serve to celebrate and publicize Islamic Art in its diverse forms of expression throughout the ages, and shed light on its role and influence on other artistic movements.

In this vein, a joint work team from the Saudi Culture Ministry and ISESCO is due to be set up to coordinate and prepare for the organization of the Biennale, which is the first in its kind, in 2020.

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Kuwait hosts ‫شؤون األسرة‬ (Art in the Civilization of Muslim Countries)

Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyya (DAI) of the National Council for Culture and Arts in the State of Kuwait held an exhibition “Art in the Civilization of Muslim Countries” at the Amricani Cultural Center under the auspices of the Kuwaiti Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Mohammad Nasir Al-Jabr.

The Secretary General of the (Kuwaiti) National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) Kamel Al-Abduljalil said in a speech on this occasion that art is the truest news of history and one of the major components in nurturing the soul and body. It also constitutes a vehicle of civilization and a reflection of the cultural identity and creativity of man.

He believed that the importance and the advantage of this exhibition lies with its handling of the geographical extension of Islamic civilization, which reached areas far from the center, such as Spain and China, and the dimension of the time span that exceeds 14 centuries.

He pointed out that the exhibition sheds light on the manifestations of Islamic art, its variations and materials, such as stones, wood, glass, fabric, calligraphy, decoration, metal artifacts, jewels and ornaments, so that invisible senses appear and harness nature and its elements, reformulation and composition.

Abduljalil added that this exhibition embodies a luminous side of Islamic civilization including an active role in communication

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among peoples in geographical areas extending in the Middle Ages and modern times.

He explained that he shares the opinion of Sheikha Hessa AlSabah, the General Supervisor of the Islamic Antiquities House and one of the owners of (AlSabah Group), that it is difficult to define the word (art) «unless it is associated with a type of its kind, such as visual, plastic or cinematic art.»

He stated that Sheikha Hessa Al-Sabah said in a brilliant introduction, included in the brochures of this exhibition, that the word “art” is not described in Arabic in the sense that it has no limits and this is the secret of its convergence with the products and intentions of the human mind.

Furthermore, Abduljalil said that all this proves the civilized character of Islam that is far from accusations of bias against arts in general.

He added that the Islamic civilization that inspired the world was, and still is, based on enlightened values through which Muslims were able to prove their existence and embody the noble teachings that their great religion brought, which paints the image of existence from the angle of Islamic perception and beautiful expression of life through its perceptions.

He pointed out that that the spread of the religious message of Islam and its continued expansion contributed to the convergence

of Muslims with different peoples of different faith, civilization and culture, leading to exposure and cross-fertilization with great empires such as Byzantium in the West and Sassan in the East, which contributed to the development of arts as reflected by the contents of this exhibition.

He considered this exhibition one of hundreds of evidences of their endeavors to spread culture, enlightenment and entertainment through its cultural seasons.

For her part, the Director of the Department of Cultural and Art Resources in the House, Dalal Al-Fadhli, said that the exhibition covers the beginning of the first AH century and 7th AD century up to the emergence of the Ottoman Empire, the Safavid Empire in Iran, and the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent.

She pointed out that the exhibition includes more than 200 diverse historical art pieces “inspiring the heart before the eye”, including a Quranic manuscript decorated with gold, silver, a text written on a shaded red background from the 10th century AH.

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CULTURE

Cultural Lecture Series for Last Quarter of 2019 Fear from Islam or Islamophopia and the Muslim Experience in Australia Dr. Qotb Mustapha Sanou, Minister in charge of diplomatic affairs and diplomatic advisor to HE the President of the Republic of Guinea, said in a lecture he delivered at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 16 September 2019, “Fear from Islam, or Islamophopia, is contingent upon Muslims, their conduct and the manner in which they –individually– project this noble faith which, in fact, does not carry in its texts any advocacy of bloodshed”.

The lecture was delivered within the framework of the “OIC lecture series” under the theme of “Culture of Fear For or From Islam: A Critical Perspective” in which Dr. Sanou highlighted the need to engage in an exercise of self-criticism to dig out the reality, and drew attention to the adverse fact whereby “undue fear for Islam” could lead in the end result to the export of a negative message by some erring Muslim individuals or groups, which then could give rise to Islamophobia.

In the lecture which was facilitated by Dr. Abdullah Bin Moussa Al Tayer, Director General of Cabinet at the OIC and Senior Advisor to the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Sanou presented various definitions of the concept of “fear” stating first that it is “a certain behavior resulting from a feeling of insecurity”. He noted that there were two types of “fear”, the first being rational and the second rather devoid of reason, under which he placed the phenomenon of Islamophobia, which has pervaded the West and certain other parts of the world.

In the second lecture, Australia’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation

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(OIC), Radwan Jadwat, gave a lecture entitled: “Australia – A Story of Cultural and Religious Diversity”, at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat, in Jeddah on Monday, October 28, 2019 Australia’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Radwan Jadwat, gave a lecture entitled: “Australia – A Story of Cultural and Religious Diversity”, at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat, in Jeddah on Monday, October 28, 2019.

The lecture is part of a series of seminars hosted by the OIC at its headquarters in Jeddah.

Ambassador Ali Goutali, Director of the Department of Al-Quds and Palestine Affairs, introduced Ambassador Jadwat, highlighting that he worked in the diplomatic corps in several countries in the Middle East.

For his part, Ambassador Jadwat said that the Islamic world is important for Australia because of the presence of a large number of Muslims in Australia, where multiculturalism and diversity are important elements in the country.

The Ambassador reviewed his bitter personal experience with the apartheid policy encountered by his family in South Africa in the era of the apartheid regime, before migrating to Australia.

Ambassador Jadwat elaborated on the differences between the two experiences at that time, noting that as a person of Indian descent he and his family were prohibited from dealing with the white man in South Africa, this distinction ended once his family obtained an immigration visa to Australia, where the Australian embassy’s employee who treated family’s visa request in South Africa was the first white man with whom his family dealt with throughout their stay in South Africa during the apartheid era.

He added that multiculturalism is mainly the cornerstone of the state and society in Australia, where Muslims enjoy their religious centers and halal restaurants and practice their religion freely.

Ambassador Jadwat pointed out that Australia includes 200 different languages, with 3 million people speaking languages other than English, and Christians represent half of the population of Australia, where Muslims immigrated to this country from countries that were subject to British rule, noting that Muslims are already participating in life in Australia dynamically and without any obstacles.

As Australia’s envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, he affirmed his country’s solidarity with the Islamic world against the New Zealand attacks that claimed the lives of dozens of Muslims while performing prayers in a New Zealand mosque.

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CULTURE Towards Developing a Vision that Addresses Cultural Challenges in the Islamic World The Organization of Islamic Cooperation called for the elaboration of a cultural vision that addresses the challenges in this area facing the countries of the Islamic world.

This call came in a speech by the SecretaryGeneral of the Organization, Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen who addressed the 11th session of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers held by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat, in the Tunisian capital on 17-19 December 2019.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Ambassador Tariq Bakheet, said that this session comes at an opportune time as it signals the OIC member states’ recognition of the magnitude of challenges facing our world today, where the cultural perspective emphasizes its active role to achieve the common goals of our Muslim world in building entrenched values of cultural diversity and the principles of moderation, tolerance and the rejection of extremism, hatred and intolerance.

He further added that the cultural aspect plays a major role in cultural coexistence between Muslims and other peoples, especially the western ones. In conclusion of his speech, the Secretary General expressed hope that the conference would come up with a clear vision that incorporates accurate implementation mechanisms and continuous follow-up, so that the resolutions of the 11th session would be put into practice, to enhance cultural communication, and confront the challenges looming for the Muslim world.

Al-Othaimeen added that «Allow me, first of all, to renew my congratulations to His Excellency President Qais bin Said on the occasion of his winning the confidence of the Tunisian people and his election as President of the Tunisian Republic, expressing to His Excellency sincere wishes for success in his great duties, and appreciating and thankful for his patronage of this conference.»

He also added: «I also appreciate the continuous efforts made by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and its Director General, His Excellency Dr. Salem bin Muhammad Al-Malik in order to advance the Islamic cultural scene.

Thanks all of you for your attendance and

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your participation in this meeting, which we hope will in its deliberations and recommendations Al-Othaimeen pointed out that the eleventh Conference of Culture Ministers came together to review the challenges faced by the Islamic world in the cultural field, pointing out that it coincide with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment, and with the closing ceremony of the Tunisia’s showcase representing the Arab region, as the capital of Islamic culture for 2019, Which also coincided with the passage of 40 years since the registration of the city of Tunis, as well as Carthage on the World Heritage List, and the passage of 10 years since the celebration of Kairouan as the capital of Islamic culture.

He said that the choice of Tunisia, with its ancient history and its distinguished gift throughout the ages, as the capital of Islamic culture for 2019, demonstrates its position which constitutes a unique model in the history of human civilization and assures the whole world that green Tunisia was and still is a land of convergence between civilizations and that Islamic civilization is an essential basis for the human march and an extension of the civilizations that preceded it.

The Secretary-General noted that the conference had come at an appropriate time in recognition of the Organization›s member states to the magnitude of the challenges facing the Islamic world today, where the cultural perspective confirms its effective role in achieving the common goals of the Islamic world in building relationships based

on respect for human dignity, and consolidating the values of cultural diversity and social justice, the principles of moderation, tolerance, rejection of extremism, hatred and intolerance. Al-Othaimeen stressed the importance of culture as a bridge and a portal for improving the image of Muslims in the world as demonstrated through communication and cultural exchange between the peoples of member states and with other peoples of the world, indicating that this is what led the organization’s attention to culture, placing it at the center of interests and prioritizing it as one of the main pillars of programs that the organization works to embody.

It is worth noting that culture has a fundamental role in enhancing understanding and activating coexistence between us and others, and within the values and principles of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and its goals that it seeks to achieve by giving priority to the language of openness and dialogue with the other.

Ambassador Tariq Bakhit stated that the cultural issue necessitates talking about the question of Palestine, and Jerusalem in particular, as it has a special place in the organization›s interests. Israel, the occupying Power, has embarked on an organized policy to Judaize the city of Jerusalem, to obliterate its religious, civilizational and cultural heritage, and to displace its inhabitants in an attempt to impose its false reality on the whole world, and the Israeli occupation remains a blatant challenge to protecting identities, heritage monuments and cultural institutions in Palestine.

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HUMANitarian affairs

First Ministerial Conference for Social Development Joint effort of the General Secretariat and three Institutions in Addressing Social Development Issues The Organization of Islamic Cooperation held the first session of the Ministerial Conference for Social Development in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey on December 9, 2019, which was opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit delivered the speech of the Secretary-General of the organization, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, at the opening session, where he said that the convening of the conference comes in the context of the organization’s interest in social development issues due to their in achieving development in the member states.

Al-Othaimeen added that, the OIC is working to ensure social equality and prosperity for all its peoples, especially in the area of enabling the institution of marriage and the family and preserving their values, and ensuring the welfare of the child and social security of the elderly and those with disabilities.

The Secretary General expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the organization’s specialized, subsidiary and affiliated institutions for their tremendous efforts, each in its field of competence, including the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training For the Islamic countries (SESRIC), and the International Islamic University in Malaysia, for their efforts in the field of strengthening the institution of marriage and the family,

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which produced unique and rich document on the strategy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the field of empowering the institution of marriage and the family and preserving its values in the Islamic world.

The speech highlighted the effort made by (ISESCO) in the field of child care and protection in the Islamic world, which was crystallized by holding five ministerial sessions of the Islamic Conference of Ministers of Childhood in coordination with the General Secretariat, while it seemed that the completion of the draft of the organization’s strategy for the welfare and protection of children and their discussion was nearing completion.

The report was commissioned by the Council of Foreign Ministers at its forty-sixth session, held on 1-2 March 2019 in the United Arab Emirates.

Al-Othaimeen recalled the joint effort with the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission in reviewing and revising the Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam, after the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Council called for a second meeting of government experts to review it.

The Secretary General also praised what SESRIC achieved in coordination with the General Secretariat in the field of preserving welfare and social security for the elderly and people with disabilities in the Islamic world. SESRIC prepared a draft welfare strategy for the elderly and its operational

plan of action in accordance with the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers at its forty-sixth session 2019 in Abu Dhabi.

The Secretary General added that the conference constitutes an occasion to review the challenges faced by the Islamic world in the social fields, especially those related to empowering the institution of marriage and the family and preserving their values, issues of child welfare, welfare and social security for the elderly and people with disabilities in member states, and evaluating the successes recorded during the fifty years since the founding of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The Secretary General stressed that, challenges should be converted to opportunities to serve the interests of peoples, as the Social Development Conference is a major turning point towards achieving the goal that everyone aspires to, to set a road map for the social action agenda in the Islamic world by strengthening and building upon what was previously achieved, for the people of member states to enjoy the desired luxury that everyone seeks.

At the end of his speech, he affirmed that the General Secretariat of the organization, its institutions, and its various bodies would spare no effort in working to achieve the desired goals of the conference, in the interest of the Islamic Ummah.

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Special Report Bridal Shows in Marginalized Areas of Gaza DBA - Emad Abdel-Gawad Recently, the Gaza Strip witnessed the establishment of the first youth team specialized in presenting performances through «marionette» or string dolls, hoping to promote this kind of popular traditional art.

The team of eight girls and two boys adopts humanitarian goals behind its shows, which focus on shedding light on the marginalized areas in the Gaza Strip, which has been besieged by Israel for more than 12 years.

A member of the team, Yasmine Rassas, who works as a graphic designer and illustrator, told the German News Agency (DPA) that they are preparing the first team in the Gaza Strip specialized in presenting «marionette» puppet shows. Yasmine explains that the team received intensive training over a period of six months before they started performing shows targeting marginalized areas, «because children in them are in dire need of entertainment and psychological support.»

She notes that they use simple tools such as wood, coral and leather to make dolls that are moved with strings, and her performances are increasingly being admired among the population.

The story of the show is composed, the appropriate characters are chosen for the story, and voices that fit the characters are recorded. Sounds can be used in the show itself in an improvised manner, and the theater is a screen that hides the puppet engine for viewers to see only the marionettes.

This ancient art is new to the Gaza Strip and begins with drawing the character based on a script, then carving its details, and ending with its coloring and clothing.

The designer within the team, Tarnim AlMadhoun told DPA that she usually creates puppet figures from the street and contemplates the normal life of the local community in Gaza. Al-Madhoun explains that the team formed many dolls that resemble the reality in Gaza society in its finest details, knowing that it takes about four days for a single doll to work on to be ready.

She added that learning marionette bridal art is not an easy thing and needs a lot of training. However, the team has succeeded, through puppet shows, in transmitting social and cultural messages to ensure the spread of joy despite the modest possibilities.

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The process of making dolls go through several stages, the most prominent of which is sculpting the face according to the shape of the required figure, smoothing the head and body, then making the hands, fixing the hair and eyes, and choosing clothes for the character before the strings are tied in the doll’s knuckles for easy movement from the top.

The credit for the initiative of establishing the Marionette Brides Team in Gaza goes to Mahdi Karira (40 years old), who has been attracted to it since his early years to play with dolls and dig up memory through them in search of the days of the beautiful time.

And for years, he kept moving with his hands the threads of the past with marionette dolls, which were made by a childish dream, which became a team that formed an old age, according to what he told the German News Agency.

«At the beginning, I faced many difficulties, but gradually thanks to self-education via video clips on the Internet and consultations with specialists abroad, I started the stage of making dolls and then moving them,» Karira said of his journey in this field.

Karira developed interest in string dolls eight years ago, driven by his love for Egyptian puppet theater, such as (Bougie and Tamtam), (Sesame World), and operetta (The Big Night), which are theatrical perfor-

mances that have been shown on Egyptian television for years.

He points out that marionette dolls are the most difficult type of dolls, and when a doll is made, all its joints must be movable by strings tied to a wooden piece on top.

Karira prefers to use paper pulp and glue to make dolls instead of wood, which «needs a lot of tools and machines» which is difficult for him to provide due to his limited resources.

It highlights that the greater the number of strings in the dolls, the more difficult it is to move it, as each member has a thread tied to it and is responsible for moving it, but the greater the movement, the more beautiful and dazzling the show and the realism in performance.

Karira works in writing songs and scripts for civil society institutions in Gaza, combining the writing of the theatrical script and then making the dolls that the script needs.

He explains that the dialogue is recorded in a special studio, and then the sound and movement of the puppets are matched with the decorations required to embody the puppet theater.

Karira produces theatrical stories, which he publishes through his YouTube channel, about some values and topics of interest to women, children and the local community.

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HUMANitarian affairs Global Size of the Waqf Endowment Assets 105 billion - 1 trillion dollars

Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) stated that Islamic Social Finance Instruments such as Zakat and Endowments (Waqfs) are among a wide range of tools introduced by Islam to combat poverty and consolidate public welfare.

These, he noted, encourage the inter-exchange of riches and the redistribution of revenues and wealth. He further added that the Waqf institution offered free education to many who became illustrious scientists and scholars.

These declarations were made in a statement by the Secretary General at a forum on Islamic Social Finance held in Jakarta on 1213 November 2019, delivered on his behalf by the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, Amb. Ahmed Ssenyomo.

The symposium comes as part of the OIC’s efforts to promote Islamic Social Finance as an effective tool to mobilize funds to manage the issue of financial exclusion faced by the underprivileged in OIC Member States.

Al Othaimeen noted that Islamic Social Finance instruments could assist governments and societies in meeting innumerable developmental needs, and affirmed that, despite the considerable efforts put in, the official use of these instruments in favor of the poor, the destitute and the underprivileged, is still limited.

The Secretary General said, “The forum provides our countries with an opportunity to discuss ways and means to promote active cooperation between OIC countries on the

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use of Islamic social financing to enhance social and economic development in our member states. I am sure that our deliberations today and tomorrow will further enhance the existing cooperation between our member countries that is beneficial to all. We should direct our collective actions towards developing Islamic social financing, which we have not yet tapped fully into its potential in most of our countries. “ He continued: “ Islamic social financing tools, such as zakat and endowments, are among the many tools that Islam brings to fight poverty and enhance the welfare of people. These tools also encourage wealth circulation and income redistribution. Needless to say, their role in developing the social sectors of the economy.

An educational endowment has provided free education, which produced great scholars from Al-Azhar University in Egypt, Al-Zaytoonah University in Tunisia and AlQarawiyyin University in Morocco. In addition, the endowment provided employment opportunities for those who are skilled in the labor market. Activating Zakat collection and endowment has become a priority for Islamic countries. To this end, some member states of the organization have established mandatory systems of collecting zakat administered by the state, while others have formed government institutions that specialize in collecting zakat voluntarily. Moreover, in 1986 the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) adopted a resolution authorizing the use of Zakat funds in investment

projects, provided that the basic and immediate needs of the beneficiaries entitled to them are met.

Since the beginning of the 1990s, several member states of the organization have established some agencies to meet the endowment needs, either in the form of ministries or government committees. The Islamic Conference of Endowment Ministers, which was held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1997, called on the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to start studying the endowment issues, including financing the endowment properties. Hence, the Awqaf Property Investment Fund was established, which held its inaugural meeting on February 3, 2001 with a capital of US $ 57 million.

The Secretary General said that Islamic social financing tools can help governments and societies meet a range of development needs, noting that, despite the efforts made by some member states and non-members of the organization, the official use of these tools, which is inspired by religious teachings, to care for the poor, the destitute and the disadvantaged, in the contemporary environment is still limited.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that at least $ 600 billion in excess Zakat from 40 OIC countries can be distributed annually for development and humanitarian action. According to data collected for Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen (constituting 17% of the Muslim population in the world), it comes out that these countries alone produce at least $ 5.7 billion in Zakat annually, explaining that if it is taken into account that Zakat is currently paid through Informal mechanisms, the actual amount available is likely to be much greater.

Endowment structures are widely available in many countries, especially in the Middle East, and are a preferred method of charitable giving. According to available data, the global size of the endowment assets ranges from $ 105 billion to $ 1 trillion.

The Secretary-General said in his speech that “in this context, the development of the endowment industry should be seen as an additional source of support for programs related to social and economic development.

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HUMANitarian affairs Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) Executed 2275 Projects in 135 Countries

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen has approved the provision of financial, developmental and educational assistance for a number of Member States and some Muslim communities through the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), which featured programs in several countries including Niger, Palestine, Ecuador, Lebanon, Mali, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen, said in a statement on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 that the assistance provided underscore the OIC solidarity with the Member States and standing with Muslim communities around the world, in fulfilling its lofty message.

The OIC Islamic Solidarity Fund’s vision is to promote the intellectual and moral level of the Muslim peoples in the world, and provide material assistance to Muslim communities to support them socially and culturally.

The Fund also provides urgent humanitarian assistance to Islamic states and Muslim communities that are exposed to disasters and crises.

The Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) was established by virtue of a resolution issued by the second Islamic Summit Conference which was held in the city of Lahore in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1974, in response to a concept suggested by the late King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in favour of setting up a Fund that would build up solidarity among the Islamic peoples and that would operate as a subsidiary organ of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

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The Fund has executed and financed, since its establishment until the end of the current year 2019, 2775 projects to the tune of 236 million US Dollars, benefiting 135 countries, which projects have since doubled in their value as waqf assets.

The ISF depends in its financial resources on voluntary donations from the Member States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia having registered generous contributions amounting to 117 million US$. The ISF’s financial resources also derive, in part, from the Member States’ mandatory contributions to its operating budget.

Projects carried out by the ISF include the university sector in which it invested 87 million dollars for the benefit of 92 universities and faculties across the world, foremost of which those universities which operate under the OIC’s umbrella such as the Islamic university in Uganda, the Islamic university in Niger, and the like.

ISF projects also included the emergency sector with the extension of assistance in kind and in cash to a number of Muslim communities in 59 states, that were hit by natural disasters or crises, besides as other sector concerning assistance to the Palestinian people which reached a total of 27.5 million US dollars.

Other diverse sectors also benefited from the ISF’s contributions including the sectors of information, women and child affairs, mosques, schools, Muslim youth nurturance, scientific seminars, workshops and Dawa programmes, aside from the Islamic

universities sector.

Solidarity with Member States The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed sadness as massive wildfires raged through AlChouf area in the Mount Lebanon Range, causing severe damage to homes and businesses.

The General Secretariat expressed full solidarity with the government and people of Lebanon, offering compassion for the families affected and prayers for prompt recovery to the wounded.

In the same vein, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, has expressed his dismay following torrential rains that resulted in deadly floods and landslide across some African countries, which brought massive destruction and loss of lives in Somalia, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Nigeria, resulting in massive displacements of populations in the four countries.

On Pakistan, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), H.E. Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, expressed his deep condolences to the Government and people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, following the train fire accident, which resulted in many deaths and injuries. The Secretary General extended his condolences to the families of the victims and wished prompt recovery to the injured.

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institutions Al-Othaimeen: OIC Member States most affected by Climate Change, Least Liable

«Climate change has emerged as a serious threat to the lives of millions of people worldwide during the last few decades,» stated Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

This was part of his speech at the opening of the 16th Regular Session of the OIC Independent Permanent Commission for Human Rights (IPHRC) held at the IPHRC headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday 26 November 2019. The theme of this Session, which is going on until 28 November 2019, is «Climate Change and Environmental Protection: a Human Rights Perspective».

Delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Tayer, Director General of the Cabinet and Chief Adviser, on behalf of the OIC Secretary-General, the speech asserted that climate change poses an existential threat to communities given the increasing weather volatility, declining agricultural productivity, and the receding water levels and quality.

Al-Othaimeen added that while the impact of the OIC Member States on global warming is minimal, they are among the most vulnerable to climate change, which is ascribable to their high dependence on high climate-sensitive natural resources and low adaptation capacities due to technological and financial impediments.

The Secretary-General said that the melting of the icebergs and the increase in the levels of water above the sea level lead to a decrease in the area of land suitable for human habitation, and the negative effects resulting from the deterioration of the environment causing social and political problems, affecting the basic human rights, habitats and food security.

He added that over the past few years, the international community has made rea-

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sonable progress in raising awareness and building consensus to deal with the negative effects of climate change.

However, the Secretary General added that, it is disturbing that despite many international statements and pledges, it has not been possible to achieve global goals to reduce global warming, as developed countries, the largest source of harmful gas emissions, have failed to meet their obligations, and this has necessitated that developing countries bear a disproportionate burden of environmental degradation caused by uncontrolled consumption patterns, and greenhouse gases.

The OIC Secretary-General also stated that the OIC Member States face various human rights challenges due to population growth, resource depletion, environmental degradation and climate change. Therefore, he pointed, environment conservation have become one of the priority issues on the OIC agenda. He drew the attention to the growing awareness among the OIC Member States of the need to combat the negative effects of environmental changes through the adoption of climate-friendly technologies and the promotion of international cooperation.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in cooperation with ISESCO, recently concluded the Eighth Islamic Conference of Environment Ministers, which emphasized, among other recommendations, the important role of cultural and religious factors in protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development.

Al-Othaimeen said that there is an urgent need to develop an integrated policy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to raise awareness, interaction and cooperation on environmental issues between the countries

of the organization, explaining that this requires the establishment of partnerships at the national, regional and organizational levels to support international sustainable development agenda. He also stressed the need to include field practitioners, researchers, scholars, policy-makers, and education communities, to fill knowledge and financing gaps. The Secretary General emphasized that this policy should cover all dimensions, including capacity building, disaster risk management, research, environmental impact assessment and economic diversification.

The IPHRC 16th Regular Session witnessed the presence of representatives of the OIC Member States and Observer States, national human rights institutions of Member States, experts from various relevant international and regional organizations and media personnel.

The agenda of then meeting featured issues of concern to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights in the member states of the organization, and the violations of human rights in Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir. The commission also held regular meetings of the four working groups concerned with Palestine, the rights of women and children, Islamophobia and Muslim minorities, and the right to development, where decisions were taken on the plans of action for the commission.

Draft Human Rights Declaration Discussed A two-day meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Intergovernmental Group of Experts was held at the Jeddah based General Secretariat, on 6 through 7 November 2019, to review amendments to the declaration of human rights by the 57 OIC countries.

The meeting reviewed the draft declaration on human rights by the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission.

In an opening statement delivered at the meeting on his behalf by Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs Ambassador Tarek Bakheet, Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen expressed appreciation to the member states for their effort to refine this treaty of human rights.

He pointed out that the document will make an effective contribution to human rights promotion in OIC countries.

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institutions Extraordinary UNA Meeting Calls for Countering Media Challenges in the Islamic World

Countering modern and traditional media challenges and exploring ways to develop modern media was the highlight of the first extraordinary meeting of OIC’s UNA (Union of News Agencies).

The meeting took place on 12 December 2019 at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat, and was opened by H.E. Mr Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah, Minister of Media of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Head of UNA Executive Council, in the presence of Mr Abdullah bin Fahd Al-Hussein, Chairman of UNA General Assembly and President of the Saudi Press Agency.

The OIC Secretary General’s speech, delivered on his behalf by Dr Abdullah bin Mousa Al Tayer, Director General of the Office of the Secretary General and Senior Adviser, highlighted that the Agency served, in its time, as a sincere attempt to counterbalance the flood of information. However, with the introduction of new technologies, the Agency has been renamed Union of News Agencies of the OIC Member States (UNA), in light of today’s new requirements and demands.

In his statement, the Secretary General pointed out that roughly 4.5 billion people use the internet on their mobile phones, and around that same figure uses social media networks. He explained that it is possible to reach 60% of the world population, if mod-

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ern technology was put to use to that end.

The Secretary General said that the Union of News Agencies was created in 1972, just three years after the founding of this organization, which is the second largest international organization after the United Nations, and we celebrate this year the 50th anniversary of its establishment.

He added that the media and communication had turned the world into a global village, in the words of Canadian thinker Marshall McLuhan sixty years ago. Since then there has been a huge qualitative development in the content of the media. The world today is no longer a small village, but rather it is contained in a mobile phone screen in the hand of one of u, adding that the era of monopoly over the news has ended.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen pointed out that the traditional recipient turned into a reporter, and the ordinary citizen is now like an integrated media station, pointing out that the role of traditional media templates, including news agencies, has not ended, but rather has gained greater capabilities in transmitting content at a lower cost, a wider scope of reach, and faster.

He stressed that the challenge facing the media today, with its new means, is not the content nor the speed of its spread, but the credibility of the news. The news agencies in the member states enjoy credibility, stress-

ing that the Federation of News Agencies of the OIC Countries can play an important role in coordinating the efforts of Islamic news agencies, in training, support, and the practice of intercontinental communication.

The Secretary General said that the union desperately needs constant and stable financial support from all member states in order to continue to evolve, therefore Secretary General reminded the meeting of the previous decisions by the leaders of the organization that called for support to joint Islamic media work institutions, particularly the Union of News Agencies.

Saudi Minister of Media, Mr Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah, warned in his speech of the professional challenges facing news agencies, noting that although news agencies in our countries are commonly perceived as the most trusted sources of information, there is still room for improving and modernizing information tools, especially in light of the tremendously diverse media outlets resulting from technological breakthroughs. He stressed the importance of keeping up with the developments and upgrades in the media industry that require quick action by UNA, revisiting its laws and regulations and updating them to ensure they still serve their purpose today and are capable of embracing modern communication technologies and social media.

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Rabat Ministerial Meeting: Strengthening the Role of Youth in the Protection of Environment

The Secretary General of the Organization of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, has emphasized that the challenges of environmental degradation, climate change, water, food and energy security are global, requiring coordinated national, regional and international response.

Al-Othaimeen stressed in his opening remarks, during the 8th Islamic Conference of Environment Ministers (ICEM) that historically the share of the OIC countries in greenhouse gas emissions and global warming has been negligible; still, the countries are among the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

The ministerial conference was held under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, at the Headquarters of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in Rabat, Morocco, on 2-3 October 2019.

The Secretary General underscored the importance that OIC attaches to issues pertaining to environmental protection and energy security, given the peculiar challenges facing OIC countries due to population growth, depletion of resources, environmental degradation and climate change.

The 8th Ministerial Session, which was jointly chaired by the OIC and ISESCO, approved

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a number of proposals for increasing intraOIC collaboration that include adoption of strategies to actively involve all stakeholders including scholars, and most importantly the youth in the protection of the environment and achievement of sustainable development.

During the conference, the winners of the second edition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Award for Environmental Management in the Islamic World (KSAAEM) were given prizes. The gathering appreciated the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by institutionalizing the award to acknowledge and encourage professionals who are working in the OIC countries to improve environmental sustainability.

At the close of the 8th session of the Islamic Conference of Environment Ministers, the members of the Islamic Executive Bureau for the Environment (IEBE) were elected.

IEBE is composed of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as chairperson, ISESCO in charge of the secretariat, and the following nine Member States: The United Arab Emirates, Tunisia and Somalia (for the Arab region), Burkina Faso, Sierra Leon and The Gambia, (for the African Region), Uzbekistan, Suriname, and Malaysia (for the Asian Region).

In addition, the Conference adopted the “Draft Strategy for the Activation of the

Role of Cultural and Religious Factors in Protecting the Environment and Achieving Sustainable Development in the Islamic World”.

Likewise the Conference adopted the “Draft Guidance Document on Strengthening the Role of Youth and Civil Society in the Protection of the Environment and Achievement of Sustainable Development”, taking into consideration the observations of the Conference members, and in accordance with the criteria laid down by relevant decisions and resolutions governing rules of cooperation with the non-governmental organizations, adopted by OIC Summits and Ministerial meetings.

The Conference also adopted the Report on the Program of the celebration of the Islamic World Environmentally-Friendly Capitals. It adopted the City of Agadir in the Kingdom of Morocco and the City of Nur-Sultan in the Republic of Kazakhstan as the Islamic World Environmentally-Friendly Capitals for the years 2020-2021; adopted the City of Kampala in the Republic of Uganda as the Islamic World Environmentally-Friendly Capital of Merit for the African region for the years 2020-2021; and adopted Al-Quds AlSharif as the Islamic World EnvironmentallyFriendly Permanent Capital.

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institutions ISESCO launches an initiative to restore ibn Khaldūn’s house in Tunis Dr. AlMalik’s initiative was warmly applauded by the audience of the ceremony, most notably Dr. Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Tunisian Minister of Cultural Affairs, and the heads of delegation of Muslim countries to the 11th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, held in Tunis on 17 December 2019.

Ibn Khaldun is one of the most famous philosophers, historians and sociologists in the Arab history. He studied in a school close to his birthplace in downtown Tunis, where he spent the longest period of his life. He also lived in Egypt for almost a quarter of a century and died there in March 1406 at the age of 76. He was buried near Bab al-Nasr cemetery close to al-Abbassya neighborhood.

He left many works and his biography has been the subject of many studies. His works are used as references in philosophy, history and art. The book “Muqaddimah” is still his greatest work.

As part of its new vision and future strategies, which adopts the protection and conservation of heritage in Muslim countries, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) launched an initiative to restore the house of Abd ar-Rahman ibn Khaldun in downtown Tunis.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ISESCO Director General, announced this initiative during his address at the closing ceremony of the Celebration of Tunis as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2019, held last Wednesday in the City of Culture, Tunis.

Dr. AlMalik stated that “we face enormous digital and cultural challenges and transformations that we should keep up and deal with. We should also invest in the cultural diplomacy, promote the cultural capital, and export our enlightening culture. The salient example of this is our intention to restore the house of ibn Khaldun in Tunis and ensure the necessary financial resources for it.”

ISESCO-OIC Hold Consultation and Coordination Meeting The Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, received Ambassador Tariq Bakhit, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Social and Cultural Affairs at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Ambassador Samir Bakr Diab, Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs at the OIC, and together they explored ways of developing cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of joint action.

During the meeting, held at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat, the parties agreed to promote consultation and coordination in organizing conferences and symposia on issues of mutual interest and holding, alternately, coordination meeting in Rabat and Jeddah to this effect.

The parties also agreed to implement comprehensive training programs for capacity building in the preservation of Islamic heritage and inscription of its sites on ISESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List and UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Moreover, the parties agreed to support sociocultural institutions in Palestine in general and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in particular; maintain and protect landmarks in Al-Quds Al-Sharif against attempts of Judaization and obliteration; and organize symposia and workshops in the field of social development, namely for refugees and displaced people.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Director of External Relations and Cooperation at ISESCO.

ISESCO: Promoting Arabic is our shared responsibility The Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, reaffirmed that promoting Arabic in its educational, scientific, and media dimensions is a shared responsibility, which we must all shoulder, each from his/her position.

In his address at the opening of ISESCO’s celebration of World Arabic Language Day, which was held at the Organization’s headquarters, under the theme: “Arabic and Artificial Intelligence”, Dr. AlMalik stated that, as part of its new vision, ISESCO di-

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rects attention toward renewing the curricula, methods and tools of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers.

In addition, the Director General revealed that ISESCO is currently working with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Sci-

entific Organization (ALECSO) to lay the methodological foundations and draft a comprehensive plan for devising a joint reference framework for teaching and learning Arabic, which is hoped to be completed in the upcoming two years.

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institutions Islamic Development Debuts Green Sukuk Worth EUR 1 Billion

The Islamic Development Bank has created an innovative Sustainable Finance Framework to utilize funds exclusively for green projects in IsDB Member Countries and catalyze the role of the Bank’s preferred financing tool – the Sukuk bond.

Through the new Framework, the /green Sukuk will be the first of its kind in Europe

following the very first globally seen green Sukuk launched in Malaysia in 2017. The Sukuk will be issued to reflect the IsDB’s ambitions to help leverage greater funds from capital markets into specifically green development projects by unlocking the necessary funds though Islamic financing, a method that places great importance on improving

the quality of life, social equity and fairtrade relations and; forbids profiteering at the expense of others, or investment in businesses that damage society.

Since Sukuk was proven to easily fit into the current fixed income and bond system infrastructure and is already acceptable to many conventional fixed-income security investors, the involvement of an established financial hub like Luxembourg to set up the Framework contributes positively towards further development of Islamic finance from the Sukuk and Capital market segment.

As part of the Summit, and reflecting on themes of the day, President Bandar Hajjar of the IsDB and President Hoyer of the EIB in the presence of Luxembourg Minister for Finance Pierre Gramegna signed an MOU to set out the framework of cooperation for co-financing. Each institution intends to dedicate funds worth USD1 billion over the next 5 years for co-investment in countries of joint operations. With a priority to countries in Africa and the Middle East – in particular in fragile countries, the financing will target jobs creation and growth; vital infrastructure; support for climate action; and technology and innovation.

Bosnia and Herzegovina entrepreneurs rewarded for accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals Applicants, participants and the honourable guests were welcomed at the Center Skenderija as part of the Sarajevo Halal Fair on the 28th September 2019, by H.E. Abdulah Skaka, Mayor of the City of Sarajevo, Senior Advisor of the IsDB Group, Dr. Hayat Sindi, and the President of the Management Board of BBI, Mr. Amer Bukvi.

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, Bangladesh, Niger, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

The competition, which was organised in partnership with the Bosna Bank International, attracted more than one hundred entrepreneurs, scientists and innovators across Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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 commercialisation.

Shortlisted teams presented their ideas to an esteemed judging pan-

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el from public and private sectors led by Dr. Hayat Sindi, the IsDB’s Senior Advisor to the President, Science Technology and Innovation.

The winners of the 2019 Bosnia and Herzegovina Transformers Roadshow are: • Aida Hajdarpasic Saracevic and Edin Hamzic – for their project on genomics for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder • Ajla Ališah, Prof. Dr. Abdulah Gagi and Dr. Maja Varatanovi for their project on micro biologically pure water for humans, animals, the environment and food production • Tamara Jovovic Sadikovic, Zana Tafi and Anes Joguncic for their project From Lab Tests to Diagnosis • Zlatko Memisevic for his Facebook for education platform LEARNY Dr Hayat Sindi, Chief Scientific Advisor to the President, said: “We are overwhelmed by the depth and insight presented today by all of the participants. We are proud to support and empower those who will change the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond through science, technology and innovation.

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institutions IsDB and CEDARE signed an MoU to Build Climate and Environmental Resilience The Islamic Development (IsDB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Centre For Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) to enhance and formalize cooperation and collaboration between the two Parties. The Agreement was signed by H.E. Dr. Bandar M. H. Hajjar, Chairman of the IsDB Group and Dr. Nadia Makram Ebeid, Executive Director of CEDARE at their premises in Cairo, Egypt.

The main objective of the MoU is to promote knowledge sharing, co-finance programs and projects, build climate and environmental resilience, promote socio-economic development sustainability; in addition to providing harmonized technical assistance to their common member countries in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

IsDB approves $238.1 million project financing for Member States The approval was given during the 332nd session of the BED chaired by IsDB President Dr. Bandar Hajjar in Jeddah. Details of the approvals are: Benin - $69.1 million (62.15 million Euros): Support to the Social Housing Project.

The project aims to provide access to decent housing, connected to urban services (potable water, sewage, electricity), to more than 20,000 inhabitants by the end of 2024.

Cote D’Ivoire - $47.86 million (43.06 million Euros): Abidjan and 11 Secondary Cities Sanitation Project. The overall objective of the project is to help in achieving a sustainable improvement in the provision of sanitation services in Abidjan and 11 secondary cities by eliminating the uncontrolled dumping of sludge. This will protect the populations and the environment against

water borne diseases, sewage flooding and discharge of untreated effluents; preventing ground and surface water pollution.

Kyrgyz Republic - $20 million: Irrigated Agriculture Development in Issyk-Kul and Naryn Regions Project. The project objective is to improve the livelihood of the rural population through sustainable agriculture development and water resources management with adaptation to climate change. It also aims to support 13,200 farmers in providing access to improved agricultural infrastructure (irrigation and crop storage) and create 2,000 new jobs at on-farm and off-farm level.

Nigeria - $100 million: Support for Malaria Elimination Project. The project’s objective is to improve the delivery and uptake of malaria prevention and treatment activities in

selected states to achieve at least 80% universal coverage of vector control, Seasonal Malaria Chemoprophylaxis (SMC), and case management in the public sector of 13 states in Nigeria. It is anticipated that during the period of the project implementation, the overall burden of malaria in the country will reduce from current figures of 27% to less than 15%.

“Unlocking Energy Access Finance through crowdfunding” Project- $1.11 million.

His Excellency Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President, IsDB, commented, “The Islamic Development Bank pays significant attention to projects that will create decent jobs, promote health and sanitation, as well as an enabling environment for the proliferation of technological advancement that will transform the economies of our member countries.”

IsDB applauds US $30m agreement with Serba Dinamik for ‘Reverse Linkage’ Member Countries

The Reverse Linkage mechanism is a technical cooperation programme championed

by IsDB to provide solution to development challenges by means of triangular cooperation. Through the Reverse Linkage mechanism, IsDB matches two member countries to exchange technology, resources and expertise. “Our agreement with SDHB is the first private sector partnership for Reverse Linkage mechanism. Reverse Linkage has proven to be a success. In addition to working with the public sector, we are currently extending our partnerships with developers from the private sector and civil society,” says Dr. Bandar Hajjar, IsDB President. “This agreement will strengthen the cooperation between IsDB and the SDHB in the transfer

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of proven expertise, know-how and technology in key transformational areas for the benefit of IsDB member countries.”

Speaking during the signing of the agreement, the CEO of SDBH, Dato Dr. MA Karim Abdullah stated: “We are pleased to partner with IsDB. It is a win-win situation for both parties. We already have global collaboration with Microsoft in the frontiers of technology and another partnership in artificial intelligence with Stanford University. We are happy that IsDB is joining hands with us to put our objectives into reality.”

The purpose of this MOU is to strengthen the development cooperation between IsDB and SDHB in the transfer of proven expertise, know-how and technology in key trans-

formational areas for the benefit of IsDB member countries.

The areas identified include but not limited to construction, procurement of equipment, sharing or development of standard operating procedures, capacity development, human capital development (training of trainers), designing course contents and syllabus, design and development of suitable IT platforms and certification schemes.

As part of the agreement, the first phase of the project will kick-off with US $18 million TVET (energy) in Guyana, one of IsDB member countries in Latin America. The project will focus on relevant energy sectors and specifically position Guyana as a potential Hub in oil and gas in the CARICOM region.

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IAEA and IsDB Launch Women’s Cancers Partnership Initiative

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) launched a drive to raise funds for projects helping countries tackle cancers that affect over 8.6 million women globally every year.

The Partnership Initiative to Increase Access to Diagnostics and Treatment of Women’s Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries is a joint effort with IsDB and other partners to increase cancer services for women in priority countries. During the opening of the 2019 IAEA Scientific Forum, the Bank announced a plan to mobilize an initial US $10 million in grant funding which will help unlock further IsDB resources for the initiative.

The funds will go towards projects in 17 countries which are both members of the IAEA and the IsDB: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’ Ivoire, Djibouti, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The projects will expand breast and cervical cancer control programmes, including the upgrade of over 40 cancer facilities through

the procurement of equipment, training and education for 100 cancer care professionals, such as radiation oncologists, medical physicists and oncology nurses, and strengthening quality assurance in the use of nuclear and radiation medicine.

“Health accounts for around a quarter of spending under the IAEA technical cooperation programme,” said IAEA Acting Director General Cornel Feruta and the opening of Forum. “I am pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, to fund IsDB and IAEA projects tackling women’s cancers in countries which are members of both the Bank and the Agency. I am grateful for the Bank’s support in this important effort.”

Millions of women suffer and die from largely preventable and treatable cancers.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with around two million new cases in 2018 alone. It is also the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in low- and middle-income countries, followed by cervical cancer.

Radiation therapy is a key component for

treating women’s cancers: seven out of eight breast cancer patients are recommended to receive radiotherapy, alone or in combination with other treatments. Radiation medicine, including external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy, is also a main treatment modality for advanced cervical cancer, and about 70 per cent of cervical cancer patients will need it for cure or palliation.

“I am very proud that we are launching this important partnership initiative to fight women’s cancers today, which will contribute to saving over 1 million women’s lives from breast cancer and 3.7 million women’s lives from cervical cancer over the next decade.” said IsDB President Bandar M.H. Hajjar. “As the global cancer burden continues to increase, international organizations, including multi-lateral development banks, are united in the desire to work together to address this challenge.”

The IAEA and IsDB have a longstanding collaboration to support Member States of both entities in improving cancer control.

Since 2013, the IsDB has approved US $ 364 million in grants and loans for cancer control programmes in such countries.

The two-day Scientific Forum was held during the IAEA General Conference. Leading scientists and experts from around the world are reviewing successes and challenges related to the setting up of nuclear and radiation medicine services to address a growing cancer burden.

IsDB President to Preside over the Meetings of MDBs’ Presidents for 2020 Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) took over the chairmanship of the meetings of the Presidents of MDBs starting January 2020 for a year. This selection was made during the regular meeting of the heads of international Multilateral Development Banks in Washington on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

It is worth mentioning that this plat-

form, which meets three times a year, includes the following institutions: World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Finance Corporation (IFC), African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (AsDB), European Investment Bank (EIB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) , The Inter-American Development Bank (IaDB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the European Council for

Development (CEB), the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

The IsDB presidency of this international development platform coincides with Saudi Arabia’s assumption of the presidency of the G20.This platform provides an informal space for dialogue and exchange of views among the Presidents of the twelve MDBs on development cooperation issues, and joint action to achieve the SDGs.

Al-Aqsa Committee Approves Projects worth 50 Million Dollars The Administrative Committee of the AlAqsa and Al-Quds Funds held its seventysixth meeting chaired by His Excellency Eng. Yousef Ibrahim Al-Bassam, at the headquarters of the Islamic Development Bank in Jed-

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dah, and approved development projects worth 50 million US dollars. The projects include the establishment and expansion of a number of schools in the education sector, in addition to projects in the sectors of

restoration and local government, Health, agriculture and roads, in all the Palestinian territories.

A total of what has been approved from the Al-Aqsa Fund since its inception in 2000.

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Egyptians Perpetuating a 3500-Year Tradition Passed Down As a Legacy Hujaj Salama – DPA Were you to visit the tombs and temples of the Pharaonic kings, queens and nobility in the Western outskirts of the historic city of Luxor in Upper Egypt, your steps will guide you for a stroll around the old town of Qorna whose roots are so deeply entrenched in history. You will be magnetized by the rocks in all their categories and splendid colors and by the dwellings inhabited by ancestral families that have been passing down timehonored Egyptian crafts and arts dating back to over 3500 years.

These are people who are committed to the arts and crafts of sculpture, carving and painting on stones. Children, women and men, all are engaged in preserving the arts of their Pharaonic ancestors who sculpted, carved and sketched hundreds of tombs and scores of temples in Al Qorna mountain, known in earlier times as the Tiba Graveyard.

Here rest the remains of Pharaonic kings, queens and nobility in tombs carved out in rocks thousands of years ago by the delicate hands of skilled artists who resided in the laborers’ village, today known as Dir Al Madina, south of Al-Qorna. And, following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of the laborers’ village which was established during the New Kingdom’s era (1570-1070 BC), the inhabitants of Al-Qorna carried on the mission of preserving the arts of sculpting, carving, drawing and painting, in what has come to be known today as the “Alabaster Industry”.

Side by side with the hundreds of people working in sculpting, carving, drawing and

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painting statues and murals which are fullsize replications of the statues and paintings adorning graveyards and filling temples of ancient Egyptians, you will find what is known today as the “Alabaster workshops” set up on the wayside of roads leading to Pharaonic-age temples and cemeteries in that region flanking the tombs of Kings Valley and Queens Valley as well as the districts of Al Ashraf, Al Assasif and Dira Abul Naga.

Also, you will find the temples of Ramsium, Habu, Siti I, Amnahtb II, Isis, Merenptah, Hatshipsut and other prominent ancient shrines around which visitors gravitate from all countries of the world.

The Alabaster workshops host many of these natural artists from Al Qorna town as well as huge showrooms for the display of hundreds of Pharaonic statues, paintings and artifacts which tourists come to purchase and take home with them.

Dr Salah Abdel Moati, former rector of the Fine Arts College at Luxor said, these natural artists including children, women and men of Al Qorna town have played a major role in the preservation of many crafts and arts of ancient Egyptians.According to Ibrahim Zotes, president of the Arts and Heritage Preservation Society in Luxor, these sculptors and painters in Al Qorna get some assistance from governmental institutions which include them in external and internal exhibitions where they get the opportunity to display their Pharaonic engravings, statues and paintings.

These institutions also organize workshops at Al Qorna Cultural Centre to train children in the crafts and arts of their Egyptian

ancestors who had inhabited that region thousands of years ago. Zotes called for a permanent mechanism to offer ongoing support to these artists and help them keep up their endeavor in protecting those historic arts and crafts from extinction, to provide the required blocks of stone for their statues and paintings, to provide technical nurturance for the new generations of Al Qorna, to organize art workshops to their benefit and to help them market the Pharaonic artworks they produce in their homes through a remarkable family partnership which involves all the family members: some cutting the stones, some sculpting statues, some carving or painting murals and some applying colors to the statues or paintings.

Indeed, everyone has a role in sculpting, carving, sketching or coloring those statues or paintings which continue to enchant visitors of the Pharaonic antiquities in Luxor from around the world.

The Al Qorna inhabitants, up to the year 2008, used to live in dwellings set up above the tombs of ancient Egyptians amidst their temples, before the government decided to relocate them to the new Al Qorna town set up a few kilometers from the old one.

However, some of the old original dwellings of old Al Qorna are still standing to this day among those temples and tombs built by ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago, such as Ramsyoum, Azbet El Ward, Naja El Jenina and the area adjacent to the Alabaster workshops, opposite the graveyards of ancient Egypt’s dignitaries and nobility at Dira Abu Naga, Assasif and Al Ashraf.

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The Suffering of Refugees in DPA - Gregor Mayer The Vucjak camp, located ten kilometers from the Bosnian town of Bihac, does not have the minimum human basic needs, as shown by photos snapped by many activists.

Rows of mattresses scattered on wet land, showers and bathrooms in a disgusting condition that do not meet the minimum standards of hygiene. Furthermore, the shelter camps are set up on muddy land where feet sometimes sink into stagnant waters in some areas of the camp. This raises a red flag about worsening conditions with the increasing severity of the cold in the height of winter.

The Bosnian city of Bihac, with a population of 50,000, has set up these camps in the Vucjak region to cope with the wave of migration and refugees. Yet it stands helpless in the face of this situation. The city is located directly on the border with Croatia.

It attracts immigrants who want to cross the border without papers to set their feet on the European Union territory.

Currently, there are approximately seven thousand migrants and refugees in more than one shelter camp in the town of Bihac, an administrative district of the Una-Sana region. With the accumulation of refugees, the camps of international organizations ceased to admit more of them for more

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than 7 months. Refugees now sleep in the streets. For this reason, the Bihac authorities were obliged to establish makeshift camps, to the extent possible, including the Vucjak camp, in an area that was previously a landfill site, in addition to the fact that the majority of migrants and refugees residing there were forced to do so by the Bosnian police who gathered them from the city.

This measure was met with widespread criticism from international organizations and human rights associations, which warned that the camp did not meet the minimum standards of humanitarian accommodation.

The Red Cross Society of the city distributes modest samples of food and some tea. They also fill water tanks and provide some required medical and health needs. However, the volunteers working in them admit that their resources are very limited. They criticize the central government in Sarajevo, which ignores the problem, leaving the city of Bihac and Una – Sana Canton to their inevitable fate.

It is reported that, as of last September, there was still a field hospital providing health services and first aid. It was supervised by German activist Dirk Planert. He was supervising volunteers and paramedics from Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovenia. During the Bosnian war (1992-1995), the 52-year-old

photographer and journalist risked his life escorting and overseeing the passage of convoys carrying humanitarian aid to Biha, which was trapped between two fronts. In June, the German Dortmunder returned to Vucjak on the occasion of an exhibition organized by the city for his photos. There he got to know the conditions in Vucjak when he visited the camp. He said with irony: «it looks as if someone decided to get rid of 1,000 people, so simply.» Then he decided to stay in the non-habitable place and provide assistance.

Late in September, the Bosnian authorities expelled the Planert team from the country.

Until then, the volunteers were treating the wounds of illegal immigrants trying to cross the border into Croatia, who were returned by the Croatian police to Bosnia.

«The procedure is always the same: the detainees must lineup, while the police seize money and shoes of the migrants, take or destroy their cell phones, beat them and send them back to the other side of the border,» explained Planert, adding that the injuries are usually bruises due to beating, kicking, and sometimes they suffer broken bones. Croatia denies these accusations, which were also corroborated by human rights organizations, accompanied by documentary evidence and videotapes.

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the Bosnian Camps Continues Because of the rugged mountain roads leading to Croatia, migrants call them «the game», given that they either succeed in reaching Germany, Austria or Italy, and from there they start asylum procedures, or they fail and get beaten and punished only to start the process again, from Vucjak camp on the Croatian border. This explains why most immigrants insist on staying in spite of the difficult conditions they face there.

It also explains why they go deep into UnaSana Canton, in the far northwest of Bosnia, despite the roughness and difficulty of life in this region, although it would have been easier for them to reside in other areas less harsh when the severe winter come as it will not be possible to provide central heating in Vucjak camp, and snowfall poses a real threat that may end in a humanitarian catastrophe.

Following warnings from several relief organizations, Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Immigration, Home Affairs and Citizenship in the European Union, called on November 14 for closing down the camp. In view of the tense situation, Mayor Sehrit Fadil announced a month ago: «We have decided to suspend all supplies to Vucjak and risk escalating the crisis until the central government (in Sarajevo) does its job.»

Since then, nothing has changed. The pro-

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Currently, there are approximately seven thousand migrants and refugees in more than one shelter camp in the town of Bihac

vincial government recently announced that it would close the regular camps in Vucjak: Pera and Velika Kladuša (Miral), which are supervised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). However, shortly thereafter, she stated that IOM camps would be maintained, but those residing therein would be subject to a curfew. It is not yet clear how this procedure will be carried out, because in front of overcrowded facilities in Beira, in Vucjak, there are dozens of refugees camping outdoors.

The situation was further complicated by the fact that the attitude of the population towards migrants had worsened. In summer and early fall, Vucjak residents still showed some sympathy for the refugees and they are used to being on the streets and parks of the city. Over time, this sympathy began to diminish and calls began to spread through social media warning about the threat that refugees and migrants pose to the security and stability of the city, taking advantage of the least problem between the city’s population and immigrants as an excuse to reinforce their hostile positions.

Some of the weekend robberies by emigrants, contributed to the general malaise of the population. In mid-November, anxious citizens called for a demonstration under the slogan «People are sick of immigrants.»

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COUNTRY PROFILE

Republic of Mali

Mali or formally the French Republic of Mali (République du Mali) is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast to the south, Guinea to the west and south, and Senegal and Mauritania to the east. Its area is more than 1,240,000 km² and has a population of 14.5 million people.

Its capital is Bamako. Mali consists of eight regions and its northern borders reach deep into the Sahara Desert. Niger and Senegal rivers pass through the southern region of the country where the majority of the population live. The country’s economic activities are structured around agriculture and fishing. There are some natural resources in Mali, such as gold, uranium and salt.

Geography of Mali The Republic of Mali is divided into three natural regions: the arid deserts in the north, the semi-desert plains in the center, and the flat grasslands in the south. There are few mountain heights in the Republic of Mali; the highest peak reaches about 1,155 m above sea level, which is the summit of Mount Hombori Tondo in the south.

The Senegal River and the River Niger are the two main rivers in the Republic of Mali, with residents living in cities and villages near their banks. The Senegal River runs in the southwest of the Republic of Mali, while

64 OIC Journal Sept - Dec 2019

Capital: Bamako Language: French Currency: West African franc CFA Area: 1,240,000 km² Population: 14.5 million people

the Niger River enters the territory of the Republic of Mali near Bamako, then it goes to the northeast in the inner delta which is the most fertile land in the Republic of Mali, and then the river bends forming a large twisting known as the twisting of the Niger River, and from there it heads towards its estuary in southern Nigeria, leaving behind a network of water drains and lakes on the territory of the Republic of Mali.

Economic overview The economy of the Republic of Mali is primarily rural in nature, as it relies on agriculture, livestock and cross-desert trade with neighboring peoples, especially as it is a «closed» country that has no seaport and is among the 50 least developed countries in the world.

The Republic of Mali belongs to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union.

Economic activities are concentrated around the region surrounding the Niger River in the south of the country. Cotton and livestock are among the most important exports of the country, after gold, which is at the top of these exports.

The desert covers two-thirds of the entire north of the country, with rainfall rates of less than 127 mm per year.

The middle or «coastal zone» as it is called,

is relatively dry, and the «Sudanese region» as it is known climatically, in a third of the north of the country where the rain rates reach 1400 mm annually and is covered by savannas that turn into forests in the south.

In total, the desert covers 65 percent of Mali.

Population According to the latest official census conducted in 2009, the population of Mali is 14 million and 517 thousand people and they are made up of several ethnicities, the most important of which are the Bambara, Bubus, Bouzou, Dujon and Tuareg. Although French is the country›s official language, the population usually speaks the local dialects and the most widespread is the Bambara dialect.

10 percent of the population is nomadic, 80 percent work in agriculture or fishing, and the remaining 10 percent work in industry and services.

Religion Islam is the religion of the majority in Mali (90 percent of the population is Muslim) according to numerous international sites, while Catholics and Protestants, along with the pagans, make up 10 percent of the population. It is rare to find a village in Mali without a mosque.

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Niger Republic hosts the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers Niamey

Grand Mosque of Niamey The Grand Mosque of Niamey is located in Niamey City, capital of Niger Republic. It is the largest mosque in the city, and is located along Islam Avenue. The mosque features a unique minaret with 171 steps from top to bottom, from where you can have an overview of Niamey’s skyline.