Foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states gathered in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday for the group’s 52nd session, with regional crises, Palestine, and cooperation among member states high on the agenda.
– Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi opened the meeting, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
– Welcoming delegates, al-Zaidi said the Islamic world faces growing challenges that test its ability to coexist and adapt to economic, cultural, and media transformations.
– “What we are witnessing in terms of crises at the regional and international levels calls for greater joint action to protect the interests of our peoples, serve the causes of our nation and ensure the future of our generations,” he said.
– On Palestine, the prime minister reaffirmed Iraq’s position that the Palestinian issue remains at the core of the conflict in the region.
– He said ensuring justice for the Palestinian people and guaranteeing their rights are essential to regional security and stability.
– Al-Zaidi also called for freedom of trade, protection of trade routes, and the smooth flow of transportation through international corridors.
– He announced an Iraqi initiative aimed at integrating energy grids, railway networks, transportation and digital communications among OIC countries, as well as developing digital payment systems and trade platforms and strengthening integration between industrial zones.
– The initiative aims to promote security, stability, and prosperity and strengthen the ability of member states to confront crises and challenges, he said.
– Al-Zaidi also thanked Pakistan for its efforts to defuse regional tensions and urged OIC member states to step up efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.
– OIC Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, meanwhile, strongly condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they constitute a “blatant violation” of the kingdom’s sovereignty and threaten the safety of Islamic holy sites and regional stability.
– The Yemeni Houthi group has recently targeted energy and aviation sites in Saudi Arabia. Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized government. The latest fighting began in July and a 2022 truce broke down.
– The OIC chief said safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states is a shared responsibility and called for prioritizing dialogue and political solutions to consolidate peace and stability.
– He also pledged to strengthen the OIC’s role in preventing and resolving conflicts by promoting preventive diplomacy and activating the organization’s mediation mechanisms.
– Iraq took over the OIC’s rotating presidency from Türkiye during the meeting.
– Held under the theme “Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development,” the two-day session is addressing Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza and developments in other crisis zones across the Islamic world.