OIC Journal - Issue 23

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

peoples of the world.

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

Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

In 1970, the first ever meeting of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (ICFM) was held in Jeddah. It adopted the decision to establish a permanent secretariat in Jeddah headed by the organization's secretary general. Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu is the 9th

Secretary General who assumed office in January 2005 after being elected by the 31st ICFM Session.

The first OIC Charter was adopted by the 3rd ICFM Session held in 1972. The Charter was amended to keep pace with the developments that have unraveled recently across the world. The 11th Islamic Summit held in Dakar in March 2008 endorsed the new Charter, which has become the pillar of the OIC future Islamic action in line with the requirements of the 21st century. The new Charter provides for the dissemination and safeguard of Islamic teachings and values based on moderation and tolerance, as well as the need to strive for the projection and defense of the true image of Islam. The new Charter also called for encouraging inter-civilizational and interfaith dialogue. Over the last 40 years, the OIC membership has grown from its founding members of 25 to 57 states. In 2011 in Astana, Khazakhstan, the 38th Council of Foreign Ministers endorsed changing the emblem and name to Organization of Islamic

Cooperation.

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

phenomenon and its disturbing manifestations The Member States of the OIC face many challenges in the 21st century. To address these challenges, the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit held in Makkah in December 2005, laid down a blue print called the Ten-Year Program of Action (TYPOA) which envisages joint action by the Member States, promotion of tolerance and moderation, modernization, extensive reforms in all spheres of activities including science and technology, education, and development of trade. It also emphasizes good governance and the promotion of human rights in the Muslim world, especially with regard to the children's and women's rights as well as family

values enshrined in Islamic Shariah [law].

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

information and culture (COMIAC) which is chaired by the President of Senegal.

The OIC has subsidiary organs, notably Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for the Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) and the Islamic Center for the development of Trade (ICDT). Other specialized organs operating under the OIC include the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). There are also affiliated

organs such as the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS). The OIC subsidiary, affiliated and specialized organs play a vital role in boosting cooperation in various fields among the OIC Member

States.

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

The year 2005 is considered a turning point in the history of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (formerly the Organization of Islamic Conference) when it launched its reform process. That year witnessed the holding of the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit at the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques on 7-8 December, which adopted the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action. As a result of the continued developments experienced in the Islamic Ummah, it had become clear the need for a new headquarters suitable for the OIC, the second largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations. Saudi Arabia, the host country, gave great care and attention to this matter and decided to build a new permanent Headquarters for the OIC. During the historic Makkah Summit in 2005, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud unveiled the cornerstone of the new OIC Headquarters.Soon after, the OIC General Secretariat announced an international architectural design competition for its new headquarters. More than one hundred participants from around the world submitted their

designs. On 17 May 2006, the jury announced the outcome of the competition, selecting the design submitted by Bramberger (architect) & Thomas Pucher of Austria. When the design was presented to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques he expressed his admiration and gave his generous approval of the project for immediate implementation.In line with this gracious patronage, the Saudi Government allocated a 40,000sm plot of land in Qasr Khuzam district in Jeddah as the location for the Headquarters. The Austrian architecture team completed the final plans in July 2009; and the Saudi Ministry of Finance presented the detailed plans, estimated budget and design model to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques who gave his approval.The OIC Headquarters will be an international landmark in the skyline of Jeddah and a beacon for joint Islamic action, Muslim culture and its rich heritage. It will also provide a wonderful site for an international prominent institution. The design incorporates and entwines traditional Islamic architecture with modern necessities.

Cornerstone of the HeadquartersConference hall

Main entrance hall

Ekmeleddin IhsanogluOIC Secretary General

OUR MESSAGE

Anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar must stopWhat started with the Rohingyas has now escalated with the targeting of all Muslim communities in

Myanmar. The deliberate deadly violence targeting the Muslim minority in Myanmar is unacceptable. Concerned international organizations, countries, and individuals cannot absolve themselves from the responsibility by claiming not to have the full facts, or that this is an internal issue of a sovereign state, or that the magnitude of the tragedy was not brought to their attention. They are well informed of the escalation, the suffering of the Rohingya is a human rights issue that should not be left to the discretion of the government, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has consistently raised their issue at all levels.

It is time to stop this ethnic cleansing and take all necessary measures to address it and grant the Rohingyas their legitimate rights, including the citizenship they have been stripped of illegally.

The recent spurt of systematic killing of Muslims, burning their homes, schools and mosques, and displacing them from their villages at the hands of some Buddhist extremists filled with hate and bigotry towards their fellow human beings is an atrocity that should be condemned, but more importantly and urgently, be stopped and those behind this violence be brought to justice. It is not enough for the authorities in Myanmar to say that such acts tarnish the image of the country and will not tolerate these acts or that a committee will be formed to investigate the incidents. Concrete results must be presented in a factual and fair manner.

Letting this kind of hate and animosity to fester towards Muslims is not good for the stability and prosperity of the country or the region. We are shocked to see, for the first time, Buddhists including monks rousing hatred and aggression against Muslims, which is contrary to the principles of their religion of promoting peace and tolerance. As we witnessed whenever hostility erupts in Myanmar, it only takes a trivial dispute to escalate into deadly violence and soon spreads to other villages, this in turn ripples into waves of desperately fleeing people to refugee camps in the country and to neighboring countries. Officials in Myanmar must be more firm and quick in dealing with the instigators of these disputes and acts of violence.

The OIC has, time and time again, expressed its readiness to coordinate with the Government of Myanmar and the international community to provide the necessary support to enhance the conditions of Muslims in Myanmar, help them regain their legitimate rights and return to their land.

The international community, countries of influence and individuals with the moral obligation must fulfill their binding promises and live up to their responsibilities. The international community must honor its humanitarian obligations and achieve peace and justice for the Rohingya Muslims. We should not allow genocide to happen under our noses.

Eradicating polio inOIC member states

Polio has been eradicated from the world except in three countries; all are member states in the OIC. This should not be allowed to continue.

Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease, affecting mainly children under five years old. There is no cure for it, but it can be prevented through safe and effective vaccines.

The three countries where polio remains endemic are Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Recently, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has joined Angola and South Sudan in being declared free of re-established transmission, but Chad, another OIC member state, remains the only country with re-established transmission. However, the recent drive to vaccinate and prevent the disease has succeeded in bringing transmission of wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) to its lowest levels ever recorded, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

Nevertheless, efforts for educating the public and implementing vaccination programs should not be relaxed now, but rather increased because of other strains of WPV, especially in areas where access is compromised due to insecurity. While it is understandable that these countries might be financially incapable of taking the necessary measures to vaccinate those at risk, it is shocking and reprehensible that their efforts are sometimes met with violent resistance. The killing of polio health workers seeking to vaccinate children in Pakistan and Nigeria is completely against religious, humane and medical principles.

The last Islamic Summit in Cairo addressed the issue of polio and appealed to the religious scholars and leaders to support the polio eradication campaign and encourage the people to respond positively to it. The OIC General Secretariat and its organs has been actively engaged with the relevant international organizations in combating this disease including the World Health Organization (WHO), GPEI and UNICEF. It is essential for the authorities in the affected countries to effectively implement the polio immunization programs.

A WORD

The views expressed by the writers/

authors of the articles published in OIC

Journal do not necessarily represent the

views of the OIC, but are the personal

views of the authors themselves.

However, OIC reserves the right/

discretion to amend, revise, edit, delete

or scrutinize any part or portion of the

text as and wherever deemed necessary.

OIC JournalIssued byThe Organization ofIslamic Cooperation

Editor - in - ChiefIsam Salim Shanti

General Supervisor &Managing EditorMaha Mostafa Akeel

EditorsAhmed SalemAbdelhamid Salhi

Layout & DesignMohammed Abdelqader Qalaba

Advisory BoardAli Abolhassani ShahrezaHasan Oker Gurler

Address:Madinah Road, P.O. Box 178, Jeddah-21411 Saudi ArabiaTel: 6515222 Fax: 6512288 Telx.: 601366 Islami SJ.

Website: www.oic-oci.orgFor comments, enquiries and advertisementE-mail: [email protected]

OIC Permanent Observerto the UN New York Office320 East - 51st StreetNew York 10022 New York - [email protected] Permanent Observerto the UN Geneva OfficeICC-20 Route Pre-Bois-Case Postal 1818CH 1215 Geneve - SUISSEwww.oic-un.orgoic@oic - un.org

by Maha M. Akeel

Subsidiary OrgansThe 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 (CIDC) www.icdt-oic.org

The Islamic University of Technology (UIT) www.iutoic-dhaka.edu

Islamic Solidarity Fund and its Waqf (ISF) www.isf-fsi.org

Specialized Institutions and OrgansThe Islamic Development Bank (IDB) www.isdb.org

International Islamic News Agency (IINA) www.islamicnews.org.sa

The Islamic States Broadcasting Organization (ISBO) www.isboo.org

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Rabat

(ISESCO)www.isesco.org.ma

Affiliated InstitutionsIslamic 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 Related Links OIC Calendar: May – July 20137- 10 May: Workshop on Building and Enhancing Standardization,

Metrology and Accreditation Capacity in the OIC Least Developed

Countries – Istanbul, Turkey.

8 -9 May: 5th Meeting of the Working Group to Develop the Operational

Program on Issues Contained in the TYPOA to Clarify the Role of

Organizations in the field of Dawa – Cairo, Egypt.

12- 13 May: Meeting of the Follow-up Committee on OIC Satellite Channel

at the level of Experts – OIC Headquarters, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

13 May: Stakeholders' Meeting on the OIC Agro-Food Industries

Association – Muscat, Oman.

13 -16 May: 6th Exhibition of Agribusiness Industries of the OIC Member

States – Istanbul, Turkey.

14- 15 May: 29th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of COMCEC –

Istanbul, Turkey.

18 -22 May: IDB Board of Governors Meeting – Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

27 -29 May: 1st Symposium on Islam and Muslims in North America:

“Challenges and Opportunities” – Washington DC, USA.

28 -31 May: OIC-CTED Workshop on Incitement to Terrorism – OIC

Headquarters, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

29 May: 37th Board of Governors of IIUM – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

6- 17 June: 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games – Riao, Indonesia.

18 -19 June: Meeting to finalize the Implementation Plan of the OIC-SHPA

2013 -2022 – Bandung, Indonesia.

Calls for holding a donor conference for Al-Quds

Underlines Syrian Government’sresponsibility for the continued violence

Special Declaration on Mali

OIC mandated to establish Trust Fundfor the reconstruction of Somalia

Stresses on drafting the covenant on the rightsof women in Islam

OIC putting forth Framework for Cooperationon Labor and Employment

Iyad Madani named new OIC Secretary General

The Twelfth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference:

In Focus

World Affairs

Culture

Media

Economy

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«Cairo Declaration» calls for a Charter to preserve the cultural legacy of the Islamic world

OIC Satellite Television

Deadly clashes erupt again in Myanmar targeting Muslims

OIC Special Envoy for Mali and Sahel to tackle the root causes of the conflict,Appeals for urgent humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees

A European study agrees with OICon Islamophobia as a form of racismSaudi Crown Prince launches Madinah Islamic Culture Capital 2013 festivities

Innovation experts concur on common platform forsocio-economic developmentin Muslim World

the OIC Journal www.oic-oci.org Jan - March 2013 4

IN FOCUS

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu strongly condemned the recent spreading of the violence against Muslims in Myanmar at the hands of extremist Buddhists.

Violence in Arakan in the West of the country continues uninterrupted since last June and has spread to other cities and areas, particularly in the Meiktila city in the Mandalay region in the middle of the country. As a result of this violence, scores of Muslims were killed and their homes and properties burnt, in addition to the burning of mosques and a number of schools. Hundreds of families fled their homes.

“Such violence should not continue,” implored Ihsanoglu.

The clashes began on March 20, apparently triggered by an argument in a gold shop in Meiktila that turned into an escalating riot during which mosques were burned, houses razed and charred bodies left lying in the streets. Since then dozens of people have been detained in connection with the violence, which saw armed rioters -including Buddhist monks - roam the streets of Meiktila, threatening visiting journalists. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed on several towns, state media reported, as authorities tried to quell the violence. It is the worst sectarian strife since violence between Buddhists and Muslims in the western state of Rakhine last year left at least 180 people dead and more than 110,000 displaced.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar human rights stated after the latest violence that he had received reports of

“state involvement”.

“I have received reports of State involvement in some of the acts of violence,” Tomas Ojea Quintana said in a statement. He also pointed to “instances where the military, police and other civilian law enforcement forces have been standing by while atrocities have been committed before their eyes, including by well-organized ultra-nationalist Buddhist mobs.

According to the statement, Quintana also received information indicating that the military and police may be arbitrarily detaining people based on religious and ethnic profiling.

The OIC convened a meeting of the Contact Group at its headquarters in Jeddah on 30 March 2013 after this recent

eruption of violence against Muslims in Myanmar. Ihsanoglu called upon the Member States of the OIC Contact Group to open

channels with the international community to implement the recommendations of the Extraordinary Summit of Makkah which was held last August.

Addressing the Muslims in Myanmar, the Secretary General emphasized that the OIC would champion their cause, stressing that the Organization and its Member States will follow up the issue and stand ready to take all necessary measures to address it. And addressing the Government of Myanmar, the Secretary General stated that it must put an end to the campaigns of hatred and ethnic cleansing that the Buddhist extremists are waging against Muslims in the country, stating that the OIC will take this issue to international fora to find a radical solution to it.

The OIC Secretary General expressed concern over the

Deadly clashes erupt again

OIC pledges to take all necessary measures to address the issue of Rohingya

OIC Secretary General with members of the Rohingya community in Saudi Arabia at the launch of the Global Rohingya Center at OIC

5

in Myanmar targeting Muslims

Myanmar Government’s failure to protect the lives of its innocent civilians. It is the responsibility of the authorities to address the root causes of the issue and safeguard the lives and property of all the peoples of Myanmar, he stressed. He recalled Resolutions passed by the two Summits in Makkah in August 2012, and in Cairo in February 2013 as well as the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Djibouti in November 2012, seeking an end to repression against the Muslim minority in Myanmar with particular reference to the right of citizenship for Rohingya Muslims in the Arakan Region. He added that the recent outbreak of violence highlighted the urgency for evolving a comprehensive approach to address the root causes of the issue.

Ihsanoglu called upon the Government of Myanmar to address the concerns of the international community as reflected in the relevant UN, UNHRC and OIC Resolutions, in particular the restoration of the citizenship of the Rohingya Muslim minority as well as the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar.

The Secretary General reiterated OIC’s willingness to provide humanitarian assistance, without discrimination, to the affected in Arakan Region in Myanmar and called on the Myanmar authorities to remove obstacles hindering the delivery of the urgent humanitarian assistance. He added that OIC was willing to cooperate and coordinate for humanitarian assistance with the Aid Agencies, NGOs and other national and international organizations working in the region.

The Contact Group decided to hold another meeting at the ministerial level on 14 April 2013 at the OIC.

Launch of the Global Rohingya Center at OICThe OIC Secretary General patronized the launching

ceremony of the Global Rohingya Centre at the OIC Headquarters on 24 March 2013, which was attended by the representatives of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU).

Ihsanoglu welcomed the event and explained that the Centre was established to protect Rohingya rights and improve their living conditions wherever they may be. He said that local media was reflecting the views of the authorities, and

because of that, the Centre would carry out media activities in order to provide background information and updated reports needed to prepare accurate and in-depth news about Rohingya. This would assist international organizations to develop plans for providing aid to mitigate the suffering of the Rohingya.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz for his support for the Rohingya Muslim community and the generous hospitality accorded to this minority, thus enabling them to live and work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He commended the auspicious event in Makkah Al Mukarramah on 22 March 2013 when the Saudi Government officially gave residence permits to the Rohingya refugees in the Kingdom.

Abdullah Ma’arouf, Director General of the Center, said that despite the numerous difficulties and various afflictions and disasters that have been impacting the Rohingya in Myanmar for over seven decades and in the middle of the shameful silence of the international conscience towards the Cause of the Rohingyas described by the United Nations as being the most oppressed people worldwide, they now can see hope at the end of the tunnel.

“We are optimistic because two years ago – thanks to Allah – the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) was launched after a long time under the OIC and, today, we are witnessing the launching of another entity, subsidiary to the ARU.”

In preparation for launching the GRC, it was registered in the Netherlands and its office shall be officially opened in The Hague near the International Court of Justice.

On his part, Ambassador Muhammad Al-Tayyeb, Head of the Branch of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Makkah Al-Mukarramah region, indicated that Saudi Arabia opened its doors to the Burmese community since the days of the founding king and since the first days of their ordeal. Amb. Al-Tayyeb indicated that Saudi Arabia supports the OIC which plays a historic role in asserting the rights of the Rohingyas.


OPINION

Media, especially the visual one, has become the powerful tool and most influential in the process of forming public opinion. Through it, information crosses all borders, flies in the air freely and penetrates all walls to eventually settle down in the minds of ordinary peoples producing influence and attitudes in the forms of thoughts and actions. These thoughts and actions will inevitably contribute dramatically in the process of making the future of any state-nation.

Today, Muslims as Ummah have no pan-Islamic satellite channel to form a formidable public opinion, thus should be able to address two key questions at a time communication has been witnessing a real revolution since two decades:

Can the Muslim World afford to be under continued-influence of foreign media, particularly the visual ones?

Is the Muslim World in need to have a pan-Muslim television channel to enhance intra and inter-communication for the benefit of the peoples?

All scientific studies indicate simply, though extremely important, that the Muslim world is now in desperate need of having a serious and purposeful Islamic satellite channel capable of connecting Muslims around the world. This channel is to promote the overall mutual interests of all Muslims that would lead to a close and full cooperation in economy, finance, trade, investment, science and technology, culture, health, women, family, heritage, history, geography and media. These, of course, are all deeply well-established and well-designed objectives ingrained in the text and spirit of the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The geographical area and demographical diversity of the Muslim World is colossal. The map of the Muslim World shows a huge area that extends from the Far East, South East and Central Asia through the Middle East and Africa regions to reach to Latin America region, with a total of 57 countries in addition to Muslim communities in the foreign world. The estimated population of Muslims around the world exceeds 1.5 billion, speaking hundreds of different local languages in addition to three official languages of the OIC: Arabic, English and French. These simple but true data of the Muslim World legitimize the need to launch a pan-Islamic satellite channel in terms its prospect and necessity.

The objectives of the pan-Islamic satellite channel would be the following: first, to bring Muslims closer together in terms of knowing each other based on culture, race, necessities,

history, education, and standard of living. In general, Muslims lack true information about each others, and this can only be overcome through a powerful media tool.

Second, promoting Islamic solidarity that can lead to a strong joint Islamic action as mentioned in all OIC resolutions since 2005 would necessarily require creating a wide awareness among Muslims about the real capabilities and resources of the Muslim World in terms of human and natural resources, which is extremely important to create opportunities of cooperation in all fields at the people’s level. In fact, the diversity of the Muslim World in terms of area, human and natural resources makes it among the richest on earth. Unfortunately, most Muslims ignore these facts due to lack of true information, which require a credible and powerful media tool.

Third, Muslims around the world should have the primary role among all nations to promoting moderation and tolerance in accordance with the teaching of Islam. Too, these are two essential principles of the OIC’s new Charter adopted in Dakar Summit in 2008. Therefore, promoting better understanding and better cooperation between the Muslim World and the rest of the world are two inevitable pillars to fight extremism in all its forms and bring about stability and prosperity for all. Discreet and professional visual media will have an important role in this context.

The new Charter of the OIC, the Ten-Year program of Action adopted by the Third Extraordinary Summit of 2005, and all ministerial resolutions led to convene the open-ended meeting at the level of experts at the Headquarters of the OIC in Jeddah on 23 -24 February 2013. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the practical measures for launching the OIC Satellite Channel as an affiliated organ of the OIC. Meaning, the Channel will be private in ownership but can work under the umbrella of the OIC to serve the overall objectives of the OIC’s Charter, and this explains the decision to grant the private sector in the Muslim World to take the responsibility of managing it. In line with this spirit, the meeting has called for the set up of a Management Board of the OIC Channel whose members would come from the private sector to begin the actual process of launching the channel.

It is about time that Muslims around the world have their own channel and it is pleasing that the OIC and its Member States recognize more than ever that the dramatic events and transformation witnessed at the global level in different contexts, including media, created the dire necessity to possess a powerful tool to defend Muslim identity and interests as well as stability and security. These strategic goals cannot be served without having an advanced and powerful pan-Islamic media with the capacity of reaching out to all peoples. Otherwise, the Muslim World will remain under the influence of foreign media, particularly televisions, which usually have questionable agendas with negative impacts.

The OIC, at this stage, hopes that the Muslim private sectors will be encouraged to step forward to seize this strategic project, which has tremendous prospect of success operationally and economically taking into consideration the existence of more than 1.5 billion Muslims in 57 countries and abroad eager to see the physical embodiment of this project. On its part, the OIC is and will be ready to assist in all possible way to facilitate the launching of the OIC Satellite Channel.

OIC Satellite Television: A New Reality in the Muslim Media World

Dr. Isam Salim ShantiChief Editor

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SPECIAL REPORT: 66 UNGA/ACM 2011

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed deep concern about the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons. Closely following the conditions of the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, Ihsanoglu stressed that OIC supported the legitimate demands of the prisoners in light of the arbitrary measures and denial of basic rights to which they are subjected.

Ihsanoglu noted that it was important to internationalize the issue of Palestinian prisoners at international fora and to expose the Israeli occupation’s racist policies and violation of the principles of human rights and the Geneva Conventions. He called upon the international community to continue to put pressure on Israel to compel it to abide by the provisions of international law and International Humanitarian Law.

The Secretary General condemned vigorously the death of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jaradat in Israeli jails, qualifying his death as a heinous crime and a flagrant violation of the international humanitarian law and Geneva Conventions. Ihsanoglu held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the death of the Palestinian prisoner.

A recent report by UNICEF found that Palestinian children detained by the Israeli military are subject to widespread, systematic ill-treatment that violates international law.

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) estimated that 700 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17, most of them boys, are arrested, interrogated and detained by the Israeli military, police and security agents every year in the occupied West Bank. According to the report, most of the youths are arrested for throwing stones. Israel says it takes such incidents seriously, noting that rock-throwing has caused Israeli deaths. UNICEF said it had identified some examples of practices that “amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Torture”.

According to the report, ill-treatment of Palestinian minors typically begins with the arrest itself, often carried out in the middle of the night by heavily armed soldiers, and continues all the way through prosecution and sentencing. “The pattern of ill-treatment includes ... the practice of blindfolding children and tying their hands with plastic ties, physical and verbal abuse during transfer to an interrogation site, including the use of painful restraints,” the report said.

It said minors suffered physical violence and threats during their interrogation, were coerced into confession and not given immediate access to a lawyer or family during questioning.

“Treatment inconsistent with child rights continues during court appearances, including shackling of children, denial of bail and imposition of custodial sentences and transfer of children outside occupied Palestinian territory to serve their sentences inside Israel,” the report said.

UNICEF based its findings on more than 400 cases documented since 2009 as well as legal papers, reports by governmental and non-governmental groups and interviews with Palestinian minors and with Israeli and Palestinian officials and lawyers.

OIC condemns Qur’an desecration, storming Al-AqsaThe OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu strongly

condemned the Israeli occupation forces storming on 3 March of the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard, attack against women attending study circles in the courtyard, and the brazen violation of a copy of the Holy Qur’an by an occupation policeman, in a clear provocation against Muslims sensibilities. It is also a flagrant violation of international resolutions and charters. Ihsanoglu also strongly condemned Avigdor Lieberman’s forceful entry into, and desecration of, the Holy Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron on 14 January, in a wanton provocative step that forms an aggression against the Islamic sanctuaries.

OIC advocates internationalization of Palestinian prisoners’ issueUNICEF: some practices amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment


PALESTINE FILE



In 1892, Homer Plessy, a mixed colored American, was asked to disembark an exclusive white railroad car in Louisiana and to move to a car designated for coloreds only. Plessy ended up in a prison for his refusal to comply with the instructions of the train conductor. He pursued his case at all levels including the US Supreme Court which established the phrase “separate but equal”. This phrase became a legal doctrine to justify different segregation practices in the US. Accordingly, it was allowed for services such as transportation, education and public accommodation to be separated by race and color, conditional on securing the equality of each group’s public facilities quality. While separation was maintained for decades, equality was not guaranteed. However, in 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American civil rights activist, showed extraordinary courage when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, the fact that eventually resulted a year later in ending segregation in public transportation.

In February 2013, US president Barack Obama honored Rosa Parks with a proclamation marking the 100th anniversary of her birth. Ironically, the same week, Israel started operating segregated bus lines for Palestinians only. This move was designed to please Israeli settlers, illegally residing in the West Bank, who do not feel comfortable sharing busses with Palestinians.

Bussing the Palestinians in segregated vehicles, interestingly enough comes as a natural culmination of growing ideological extremism that have swept the Israeli society. A report issued in 2012 by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) indicated that racial prejudice could be found in almost every aspect of Israeli life. The (CERD) document echoed the 2009 US State Department International Religious Freedom Report, which noted that Israel’s policies in East Jerusalem are designed to “diminish the non-Jewish population”.

A recent poll conducted in October 2012 by an Israeli NGO confirmed the findings of the (CERD) report and noticed that most of Israelis support discriminations against Palestinians. The horrible findings include that 69% of Israelis advocate preference of Jews over Palestinians in jobs. The poll also found that 74% of them favour segregated roads. Likewise, more than two-thirds of the respondents opposed voting rights for the Palestinians living in the West Bank. The poll’s awful results show that 42% of respondents did not like to have Palestinian neighbors or have their children in the same class with Palestinian kids. In 2011, the Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronot reported that “civic teachers around the country were complaining of rampant, virulent

anti-Arab racism amongst Jewish students”. How can a society tolerate, let alone promote, this amount

of racism? The widespread of racism means that the sense of right and wrong of that society is compromised. We should remember that problems in the collective conscience of societies begin with a small crack. When such a crack starts zigzagging in all directions, it becomes uncontrollable. Hence, quick fixes do not work in these cases.

Racial discrimination against Palestinians is a given fact that exists and explicitly manifests itself in government policies. It finds roots in the Israeli education, culture, legislations and, more interestingly, receives the blessings of the rabbinical establishment. At the level of education, Nurit Peled-Elhanan, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, asserted that the Israeli public education incites hatred amongst schoolchildren whose “minds are infected by parents, teachers and leaders, who convince them that the others are not as human as we are, and therefore killing them is not a crime”.

When chauvinistic discourse prevails, hatred ideologues become front-runners in elections race. This should be enough to explain why the Israeli Knesset, which is overwhelmingly dominated by right-wingers, is probably the only parliament where racist laws pass easily with remarkably slim opposition. It is worth noting that in 2010 the Knesset passed more than 30 laws that discriminate against Palestinians. For example, the Knesset approved a bill allowing Israeli towns to reject residents who do not suit “the community’s fundamental outlook”, which allows Jewish towns to keep non-Jews out.

Likewise, the Israeli religious leadership is by no mean less extreme than the country’s parliament. When it comes to racism in Israel, religious decrees go hand in glove with the Knesset legislations. For example, in November 2010, the chief rabbi of Safed, Shmuel Eliyahu, issued a ruling banning Jews from leasing houses to Arabs. Dozens of municipal chief rabbis, who are on the government payroll, signed a document in support of Eliyahu’s decree. What’s more, a group called Lehava representing the wives of 27 prominent rabbis, including the daughter of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox party Shas, signed an open letter calling on Jewish women not to date or work with Arabs.

In such an atmosphere of hatred and racism, policies of the most right-wing government can never be less racist. Split bussing is just one facet of a wide range of discriminatory practices that once in a blue moon make headlines in the Israeli media. Whilst the case of Homer Plessy prompted the American legal system to coin the term “separate but equal”, and the courage of Rosa Parks lead to abolishing segregation several decades ago, it takes more than one Palestinian Homer Plessy to change the current status “separate and not equal”. By the same token, it will take more than one Palestinian Rosa Parks to abolish the Israeli apartheid. It takes the international community to utilize a variety of pressure tools to make Israel end its apartheid system. We should remember that only international pressure that made old South Africa under Frederik de Klerk to end its racial segregation policies and to transform into a multi-racial democracy. This will also require adequate courage by the Israeli society to do an urgent surgery to its collective conscience. It is only then that an Israeli Frederik de Klerk might appear and steer a different course.

“Separate and not equal”

Dr. Shaher AwawdehDept. of Palestine & Al-Quds, OIC

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Preparatory meetings lay down the agenda

At Foreign Ministers meeting, Ihsanoglu calls for clear strategy on Al-Quds and warns against extremism

Preparatory meetings for the Twelfth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference began on February 2, 2013 in Cairo with the holding of the Senior Officials meeting ahead of the Foreign Ministers meeting and the Summit of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Following the opening statement of the Ambassador of Senegal in Riyadh, representing the Chairman of the Eleventh Session of the Islamic Summit, the Assistant Secretary General (ASG) for Political Affairs Ambassador Abdullah

Alim, on behalf of the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, welcomed the participants and congratulated Egypt’s Government and people on the occasion of the second anniversary of the January 25 revolution.

Amb. Alim added, “we look forward today with great appreciation to the Chairmanship of Egypt, which the Muslim world has high expectations of towards more active joint Islamic solidarity.”

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu warned against the growing phenomenon of extremism and violence in a wide region of the Muslim world. In his statement at the opening session of the Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo on February 4, 2013, Ihsanoglu called the Member States to work side by side to eradicate extremism, reminding them of the Ten-Year Program of Action adopted at the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Makkah in 2005, which called for moderation.

The Secretary General pointed out that the OIC has become an active partner in international fora and an important player on Islamic issues, stressing that the OIC’s activities could progress more if it gets greater support

from the Member States. He also stressed that the OIC’s achievements prove that it is now standing on solid ground and has become indispensable.

Ihsanoglu said this Summit was being held at a critical time for the Muslim world and stressed on the importance of Islamic solidarity underlined in the Ten-Year Program of Action and the OIC charter.

He pointed to the challenges facing the Muslim world, at the forefront of which the Palestinian issue, and in this regard called for adopting a clear strategy on defending Al-Quds.

On the other hand, Ihsanoglu reiterated the OIC’s solidarity with Mali, expressing his support to its efforts in preserving its sovereignty on all its territory and reiterated his support to the African-led forces.

The Twelfth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference

OIC Assistant Secretary General Amb. Alim (c )at the opening of the preparatory meetings

Senior OIC officials at the preparatory meetings

Opening of the Foreign Ministers meeting: seated (L-R) OIC SecretaryGeneral, Foreign Minister of Senegal, Foreign Minister of Egypt


The Arab Republic of Egypt hosted the 12th Islamic Summit Conference on February 6 -7, 2013 with the participation of around 26 heads of

state under the theme “The Muslim world: New challenges and expanding opportunities”. HE Dr. Mohamed Morsy, as Chair of the Islamic Summit for the next three years taking over from Senegal, opened the conference with a speech addressing a wide range of critical issues facing the Muslim Ummah including political uncertainty and turmoil, economic backwardness, and the rising tide of Islamophobia, and called for a united, strong position to overcome them.

The Summit issued a resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds, being the central issue of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim world at large, and held a special session on the problem of Israeli settlements. It also issued a declaration on

Egypt hosts 12th Islamic Summit ConferenceThe Muslim world:New challengesand expanding opportunities

SPECIAL REPORT: 12th ISLAMIC SUMMIT

11

Mali, which is facing exceptional challenges to its security, sovereignty and people. The Final Communiqué of the Summit, called the “Cairo Declaration”, addressed serious situations in some member states, particularly the tragedy in Syria, as well as the oppressive conditions endured by Muslim communities in some countries such as Myanmar.

In addition to the political issues, the Summit did not overlook the important issue of socioeconomic development, which triggered many of the recent upheavals in the Arab and Muslim world. It also approached fundamental issues including human rights in the Muslim world, terrorism, science and technology, education, climate change and humanitarian crises.

The opening statement of the OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu pointed out to many of the achievements made with regards to addressing these challenges during the past eight years since he took office in 2005. These achievements include adopting a new Charter and changing the name and logo of the OIC to reflect its new status; establishing the Independent Permanent

Human Rights Commission; establishing a specialized organization for women development; unanimous adoption of OIC-initiated Resolution 16/ 18 at the UN Human Rights Council on combating discrimination and stereotyping based on religion; creating a department for humanitarian affairs and another for family affairs in the OIC; fostering a strong Islamic voting bloc in the UN and strong international relations; forming a unit for peace, security and mediation in the OIC; the entering into force of the Trade Preferential System; the quadrupling of the average spending of OIC Member States on R&D and establishing the Science, Technology and Innovation Organization.

The sidelines of the Summit witnessed two events related to these achievements: the signing by more member states of the statute of the Women Development Organization, which will be headquartered in Cairo, and the launch of two country reports – Egypt’s and Malaysia’s – as part of the Atlas of Islamic World Science and Innovation project.


Our resources and capacities do not match our current realities

Morsy: Egypt will exert utmost effortto support joint Islamic collaboration

The President of Egypt HE Mohamed Morsy painted a bleak picture of the current conditions and challenges facing the Muslim world in his opening statement of the 12th Islamic Summit Conference in Cairo on 6 February 2013, but promised that he will exert the utmost effort during Egypt’s chairmanship of the Summit to support joint Islamic collaboration and action and to improve the level of coordination among OIC bodies and organs. He called for establishing a conflict resolution mechanism to deal with crises in the member states.

The Egyptian President began his speech by welcoming the heads of delegations and expressing the pride of Egyptians and his appreciation of the fact that Egypt is hosting the OIC Summit for the first time. This is while Egyptians are building a post-revolution better future on the basis of equity, freedom,

dignity and democracy

and also

seeking to

maintain strong connections for coordination, collaboration and integration with the Arab, Islamic and African contexts.

Referring to the theme of the Summit, “The Islamic World: New Challenges and Expanding Opportunities”, Morsy stated that the resources and latent capacities of our nations do not match the current realities, which illustrates the seriousness of the duties to be borne. Briefly describing these realities he said that our nations combined account for one-sixth of the lands, in our countries reside almost one-fourth of the earth’s population, we own half of the world’s reserves of oil and gas, our nations teem with natural resources and riches, and we are abundant with budding youth representing half of the Muslim Ummah. Yet, he continued, economically we contribute a very modest share to the world’s GDP and a humbler share to scientific research and innovation, the average number of people enrolled in the various stages of education is much lower than the averages worldwide, the percentage of those below poverty line increased to 38% in 2011, and 21 member countries are among the least developed countries worldwide. And politically, the hotspots of conflict and tension are on the rise in our Islamic world aggravated by the continuous unjust representation of Muslim nations in international governance organizations and the adoption of double standard policies on issues of interests to Muslims.

Nevertheless, Morsy recognized that the OIC exerted and continuous to exert much effort in all areas to overcome such difficulties and achieve progress and prosperity for the peoples and cooperation among the member states in economic field, commercial, scientific, technological, cultural and media as well as in the fields of agriculture, health, tourism, labor, transportation and environment. However, more action is still needed, he stressed.

The Egyptian President then pointed to the major issues posing a threat to the future of the Muslim world and the

problems facing some states and regions. These are: the deficiencies in the educational areas and religious

culture, which led at times to extremism and violence; the negative image of Islam and

Muslim societies; Muslim communities in several countries suffering from

Islamophobia and discrimination, and he appreciated what the OIC has

done in addressing this issue and called on world countries and international institutions to take measures and issue the requisite legislations to deal with cases of hate, discrimination and

violence against individuals because of their ethnicity

or belief; fostering and activating


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dialogue and understanding between the Muslim world and other countries; sectarian and denominational seditions, and he commended the decision at the Fourth Extraordinary Summit in Makkah to establish a center for dialogue among Islamic schools of thought in Riyadh; and finally, the harsh economic or humanitarian situations in some member states as a result of structural flaws or natural disasters, which requires considering means for developing a relief system and restructuring the OIC relief funds as well as developing early warning mechanisms and establishing a coordination mechanism among relief agencies and NGOs within the member states.

Politically, there are many challenges, said Morsy, at the top of which and in the heart of each one is the Palestinian cause. “This is our central issue and the sublime goal of our organization, established after the burning of Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969, with the main objective of supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people, restoring their legitimate rights and founding a sovereign state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.” He said that Egypt is firmly and unequivocally committed to supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause and the besieged people in Gaza to stop the oppressive attack on them. He congratulated the Palestinians on the success achieved in obtaining observer status at the UN General Assembly. “This success testifies to the fact that our solidarity suffices to help us achieve our common goals. This resolution must motivate us to pursue collaborative action to confront the intense expansion in building settlements on Palestinian lands. It is incumbent upon us to confront the international community with its responsibility to necessarily undertake specific procedures and effective steps to immediately stop illegal settlement activities without delay.”

Another important issue is Syria and the humanitarian tragedy unfolding there. Morsy said that Egypt is eager to put an end to the Syrian tragedy at the soonest. “The ruling regime in Syria must learn the history lesson: Thos who do not care for the interests of the people and set their own interests higher are doomed to vanish while the peoples remain.”

Morsy added that Egypt’s continued efforts began with the quartet initiative proposed at the Makkah Summit last year are based on clear foundations: preserving the integrity of Syrian territories, avoiding the risk of foreign military intervention, and keenness that any political process involves representation of the broad spectrum of the Syrian people without exclusion based on ethnicity, religion or sect. In this context, he called upon all OIC member states to support these efforts and the important steps taken by the Syrians to unify their ranks and establish the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, which has become headquartered in Cairo.

He also called upon all opposition forces that have not yet joined the coalition to coordinate and work on concerted efforts to produce a unified comprehensive vision for the democratization of a new Syria. He urged the Syrian opposition to take the necessary steps to be ready to bear political responsibility on all levels.

The President also highlighted the human conditions in Syria where more than a million and a half Syrians so far are displaced and live under difficult circumstances and hundreds of thousands others have sought refuge in neighboring countries. He expressed gratitude to these neighboring countries and

called upon everyone and all competent organizations to offer all possible support to these countries and thanked those actively involved in this regard.

The escalation of events in Mali is also of deep concern, said President Morsy. He reiterated Egypt’s support of the unity of the Malian lands and the safety of the people and cultural heritage. Thus, he called for dealing with the situation – and with similar cases – from a comprehensive perspective, addressing the diverse dimensions of the crisis. Meaning, the underlying causes at the political level, developmental and security while taking into account human rights of citizens.

Regarding Somalia, on the other hand, with the end of the transition period and the election of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Morsy called for supporting reconstruction efforts and promoting development and service activities by building state institutions and human capacity.

As for the sectarian violence against the Muslims of Rakhine State in Myanmar, Morsy said that with the increasing number of those killed, injured and dispossessed there is a need for a swift international response to protect Rohingya Muslims, preclude any discrimination against them and secure their full access to their legal rights as full citizens in Myanmar. He called on the government of Myanmar to take responsibility for the deteriorating conditions in Rakhine State and on the UN and the international community to adopt one standard emphasizing respect and safeguarding the rights of Muslims in Myanmar when addressing human rights issues.

Within the framework of confronting political crises in the member states, the challenges of external intervention and the imbalance of justice in the international mechanisms, Morsy called for agreeing to establish self-managed and effective conflict resolution mechanism through peaceful means to deal with crises facing the Muslim countries. Such mechanism, he said, shall achieve our interests, protect the rights of our peoples, preserve the independence of our decisions and lead to reduce direct and indirect foreign intervention in any domestic and inter-OIC issues. It shall also contribute to supporting world peace and security.

Moreover, Morsy urged the member states to consolidate their efforts in the OIC to reform international institutions and establish a good governance system that has real democratic mechanisms where world countries are equally represented and contribute to the achievement of world peace and security.

On a different note, Morsy praised OIC’s efforts towards promoting the role of women on all levels, and called on the member states to expedite signing and ratifying the statutes of the Women Development Organization, which Egypt is hosting the headquarters of, in order for it begin its work of developing plans, programs and projects for developing women and building their capacity. He also called on the member states to promote inter-OIC youth communication in all scientific, academic, cultural, technical and other areas through organizing youth events and activities periodically, especially on the sidelines of the Islamic Summit, and through expanding the activities of the OIC Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation.

In conclusion, the Egyptian President expressed his deepest appreciation to the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu for his dedication and achievements during his two terms in office.


The Secretary General presents a more active, diverse OIC

Ihsanoglu: This moment calls upon us to hold fast to the principles of justice and good governance

At the start of his speech the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) thanked the Egyptian people for the warm welcome and generous hospitality and congratulated them on the second anniversary of the glorious revolution of 25 January. He extended his thanks and appreciation to the Egyptian President and Government for hosting the Islamic Summit Conference for the first time in Egypt’s history.

Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for taking the initiative to convene two extraordinary summits, to the President of Senegal for chairing the 11th Islamic Summit and to the President of Turkey for chairing the first economic summit in the history of OIC; all five summits held during the nine years of his term as

secretary general since 2005.The Secretary General alerted that this is a turning point in

the history of the Ummah in which peoples are going through radical changes to break away from the state of stagnation and backwardness and to put an end to an age of tyranny and corruption.

“This moment calls upon us all to hold fast to the principles of justice and good governance and not to pursue blindly personal whims and momentary considerations,” said Ihsanoglu. “This is a moment of self-denial in which the supreme interests should take precedence over any other consideration in order to achieve stability,” he stressed.

The spark of protests that were ignited in Tunis and soon spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria were inevitable, said the Secretary General. These protests have unleashed


15

potentials and paved the way for internal reform with a view to renewing the political and socio-economic institutions. They have also opened new horizons for peoples and nations to engage more positively with the current globalized world.

“The Muslim world, or parts of it, could not remain outside the context of the current age or to remain on the wrong side of history lagging behind the other nations,” urged Ihsanoglu.

A new OIC:The Secretary general went on to introduce to the leaders of

the OIC Member States, after years of uninterrupted collective action, the new Organization of Islamic Cooperation, standing on unshakeable foundations; an organization that is more capable of rising up to its peoples’ aspirations, and that has become an active and indispensable player in international affairs, which raises expectations from the Organization in parallel with its successes and adds to its responsibilities.

“I say sincerely that, in eight years only, the OIC has been able to put a small part of its capabilities to use and to display some of its potentials through direct engagement in decisive issues and through voicing the concerns of the Ummah. In so doing, it has come to occupy its natural position as the second largest international organization in the world and to become a center for engagement and communication between the East and the West,” boasted Ihsanoglu.

This is the vision that was developed in 2005 at the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference in Makkah Al Mukarramah upon the kind initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, acknowledged the Secretary General. King Abdullah in that historical moment had sensed the Muslim Ummah’s need for broader horizons. The Summit initiated the Ten-Year Program of Action, which has become the roadmap that guides the OIC. “We have laid solid foundations manifested in the new Charter, which is inspired by the logic and language of the current age with the purpose of preserving the noble Islamic values, serving as a basis for more development and a mirror reflecting the moderate, modern and contemporary discourse that enables the OIC to be the voice of the Muslim world in international fora,” said Ihsanoglu.

In its new capacity the OIC did not limit itself to its intergovernmental character, according to Ihsanoglu, rather, it has expanded the scope of its actions in order to be more relevant for the Muslim peoples by establishing the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, which represents a landmark development.

The OIC also achieved a paradigm shift in the empowerment of women in the Muslim world, asserted Ihsanoglu. Four ministerial conferences were organized in this regard, and a special organization for women advancement was established in Cairo.

As a worthy partner and key negotiator, pointed out the Secretary General, the OIC ended years of scattered efforts to eradicate Islamophobia by initiating result-oriented

dialogue with the West for the first time. With the adoption of Resolution 16/ 18, which condemns discriminatory practices against Muslims based on their religion and beliefs, and which was based on the eight points he proposed to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the OIC has come to a defining moment in its search for radical solutions to hatred based on religion and belief. The OIC has gained recognition from Western States concerning the need for action to solve the problem through a series of meetings that have come to be known as the Istanbul Process.

And in a time when the Islamic World regrettably is becoming most vulnerable to natural and humanitarian disasters, the OIC was prompted to establish the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (ICHAD), which constituted a vital arm to extend a helping hand to crisis-hit areas, said the Secretary General. In this endeavor, the OIC has achieved many successes and demonstrated the necessity of this initiative.

“Our goal was to advance the OIC from a mere observer role to that of a player on the scene,” stressed Ihsanoglu.

“The Organization has also managed to intensify its activities, expand its work areas and diversify its programs. Therefore,

it is no longer latent or absent, and its discourse is no longer confined to reaction, but has moved to being an instigator,” he added. The Organization has advanced to making events and taking the lead, demonstrating

perseverance and continuing long-term efforts to address the problems of the Islamic.

“It is not my achievement, but rather your confidence in me, through which you have given me the opportunity to prove to you that the Organization can change for the better and promote its image in the world,” verified the Secretary General. Through this support the OIC developed a strong and unified position for its States, making the Islamic Group a voting bloc to be reckoned with in the United Nations, and other international fora, he acknowledged. It has been able to build a network of strong international relations in a few years, and become an integral part of the solutions proposed for various hot-button issues.

These successes offered an opportunity to make use of the OIC’s potential in resolving problems, so the OIC established a unit for peace, security and mediation.

Places of conflict:Addressing specific places of conflict, starting with the

Palestinian issue the Secretary General said it has recently seen a landmark development, with the United Nations’ recognition of the State of Palestine and the upgrading of its status to a non-member observer state. “This achievement would not have been possible without our determination, strong will, good coordination and joint efforts,” he said. Consistent with its duty the OIC endeavors to exert sustained efforts to expand international recognition of Palestine as an independent state within the 4 May1967 borders. He thank the member states

The Secretary General calls for holding a donors’ conference for Al-Quds and

for the establishment of an Islamic financial safety net to help Palestinians


that voted in favor of the State of Palestine, and called on those that chose to abstain to review their positions and adopt a stand in support of the crucial causes of the OIC in different international fora, particularly the Palestinian cause.

In light of growing Israeli violations, the Secretary General called for holding a donors’ conference for the city of Al-Quds based on the Strategic Plan for the Development of Vital Sectors in the City. He also called for the establishment of an Islamic financial safety net to meet the major needs of the Palestinian people following Israel’s escalation of its measures to withhold Palestinian tax money. He also insisted on the need to work for lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip and to start immediate reconstruction of the devastation caused by the Israeli aggression.

In Syria, the Secretary General said that the situation has reached a tragic level beyond all limits with the continuation of killings and bloodshed, which creates extremely difficult humanitarian conditions for the Syrian refugees and for the neighboring states hosting them. He called on the international community, and more particularly the Security Council, to assume its responsibility in providing international peace and security and find a peaceful solution to the crisis. “We seize this opportunity to express the disappointment of the Islamic Ummah over its inaction,” he added.

Regarding Afghanistan, he expressed OIC’s support of the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan under an Afghan leadership and with international and regional cooperation.

As for the Sudan, he reiterated OIC’s solidarity with it for the preservation of its territorial integrity, security and stability; welcomed the recent agreements concluded with the state of Southern Sudan and called for continued dialogue; and supported the efforts geared towards the implementation of the Doha Agreement for Peace in Darfur and renewed demand for the unilateral economic sanctions against Sudan to be lifted and for its debts to be waived.

With regards the situation in Iraq, Ihsanoglu called on everyone to embrace an all-inclusive and serious dialogue towards reconciliation, and once again placed the OIC in the service of this noble objective as it did in 2005.

As for the situation in Mali, which is facing multiple challenges with serious regional and international implications, he announced designating Dr. Jibril Bassouli, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso and African Union’s mediator, as his own special envoy to Mali and the Sahel region to contribute to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Somalia on the other hand is witnessing a qualitative change and unprecedented stability, said Ihsanoglu. He reflected on his visit to Mogadishu last October, a visit which was the first of its kind from an OIC Secretary General, where he witnessed for himself the positive developments underway in Somalia and the efforts of the OIC on the ground through its

office in Mogadishu. He renewed his previous call for member states to provide full support and assistance to the political process in Somalia and the reconstruction.

The Secretary General also mentioned other conflicts in the Islamic world where the OIC has demonstrated solidarity – Azerbaijan, Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Jammu and Kashmir, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Guinea, Yemen, Comoros Islands, Djibouti and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Meanwhile, the affairs of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC member states capture a large part of the Organization’s interest and care launching various initiatives to preserve their rights. In the Philippines, the OIC urged the Government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to continue dialogue in order to resolve outstanding issues on the autonomous region, link the framework agreement signed in October 2012 with the 1967 Tripoli Agreement and to stick to the area of the autonomous region.

In Myanmar, the Rohingya Muslim community is still suffering from grave violations of their human rights and international law, stressed Ihsanoglu. Accordingly, the OIC insists on the international community’s responsibility to compel the Government of Myanmar to take the measures

necessary for the protection of this Muslim minority and to give it its rights in full, including the right to nationality. The OIC also called on the Government to cooperate with it on the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected population and arrange promptly a visit of the delegation of the Secretary General and the foreign ministers of

concerned OIC member states.

Economic development and S&T advancement:

In the non-political issues, Ihsanoglu pointed to the progress made in the economic field where the target of attaining 20% of intra-OIC trade by 2015 is close at hand, and the targeted interventions for the fund to alleviate poverty is growing but the Secretary General invited the member states to redeem the pledges made to the capitalization of the various poverty alleviations funds.

With regards to science and technology, the Secretary General referred to some statistics proving the advancements made in this field and proposed the convening of an OIC Summit in 2013 on Science and Technology to review the agenda of the newly established OIC Science, Technology and Innovation Organization (STI) and mobilize the necessary political and financial support for the promotion of STI in the Muslim world.

Finally, the Secretary General reminded the Member States that the challenges facing the OIC need their profound faith in its work and their continued support and solidarity to enable it in serving the interests of the Ummah.

The Secretary General proposed the convening of an OIC Summit in 2013 on Science and Technology

to review the agenda of the newly established OIC Science,

Technology and Innovation Organization (STI)


17

In 2005, with the adoption of the Ten-Year Program of Action at the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Makkah, the Organization witnessed a paradigm shift as well as a conceptual change from its previous position towards having a complete overhaul for addressing effectively the real aspirations of the Muslim world. A reform process was launched translating the concept of “solidarity” into ‘action” with three firm objectives in hand i.e. (1) Reform within the OIC; (2) Reorganization of the OIC to meet the contemporary challenges through a process of modernization; and (3) Establishment of the OIC’s position as a major player in international affairs.

The aim was to incorporate the contemporary international core values in the OIC system: tolerance, human rights, fundamental freedoms, freedom of religion, justice, equality, dignity, rights of women, concept of democracy based on rule of law, good governance, liberalization of political system, accountability and transparency in order to bring the Organization to a stature that would be at par with other similar institutions at international level, capable of meeting the demands of present times.

Today, under the ongoing reform process the principal mission that the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation assumes is to achieve modernization and moderation in the Muslim world. These two animating principles, together with a number of related measures, shape the guiding concept and vision of the present day OIC being implemented under the motto of ‘Solidarity in Action’.

The essence of all these reforms and initiatives is that the OIC is now being recognized as a global actor in the international affairs and an agent of moderation and modernization in the Muslim World.

This is one of the biggest successes of the OIC since 2005, image building and opening up to the International Community. It is about establishing relations and widening the scope of its receptivity of different significant international actors with an aim to utilize these relations to the benefit of the Muslim world. Member States and non-Member States alike felt a qualitative change in this new approach of the OIC.

Furthermore, opening up the doors of the OIC to influential international actors through innovative and different mechanisms is one of the unique and visionary steps taken in the post 2005 period. Granting the Russian Federation the observer status on special consideration, establishing relations with the

USA through US President’s Special Envoy to the OIC, working towards d e v e l o p i n g i n s t i t u t i o n a l relations with China, the United Kingdom and France through official bilateral

visits and appointing special envoys to the

OIC while other western countries expressing similar interest – all these indicates to one thing. The world powers and actors want to strengthen their ties with the Muslim world and they consider the OIC as the ‘Gate to the Muslim World’.

This also signifies the trust the international community put into the OIC as the sole official body representing the Muslim world. This conviction is strengthened by the list of countries who have officially expressed their intentions to establish formal relations with the OIC either through obtaining full membership, observer status or having special envoys to the Organizations.

Given its unique nature as a cross-regional organization and taking advantage of this specificity, the Organization worked and succeeded in bringing different regions together at physical as well as diplomatic level in order to cooperate and coordinate on various issues of common concern.

Moreover, realizing the fact that most of the political hotspots fall within the purview of the OIC, it took a proactive stance in dealing with peace and security issues faced by the Islamic world. As a strategy, regular appointment of OIC Secretary General’s special representatives and envoys to effectively address conflict situation in its Member States made substantive impacts. Recognition came from the United Nations to the efficacy of its new strategy when the UN Secretary General stated that OIC became a strategic partner to the UN in dealing with peace and security issues in the world.

The leaders at the Summit recognized the importance of strengthening the OIC and recommended some mechanisms and steps.

The Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Erlan Idrissov, said that there is a need for OIC to strengthen its capacity in terms of conflict prevention and mediation so that it could be better equipped to help the brotherly Muslim nations in times of need.

President of Gambia, HE Yahya Jammeh, proposed considering the establishment of an OIC Security Council to serve as a focal platform in conceptualization of strategies responding to and preventing conflicts in the Ummah. To ensure the effectiveness of this council, he further proposed the creation of an OIC Stand-by force for peace enforcement and peace keeping operations. He added that disputes should be resolved by an OIC Dispute Resolution Committee.

A period of transition marked by reform and reinvigoration

Many world leaders visited the OIC Headquarters during this period includingArab League Secretary General Nabil El Arabi and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton


In recognition of the Secretary General’s effortsMuslim leaders praise Ihsanoglu’s dedication and achievements

The Heads of OIC Member States, in their statements at the 12th Islamic Summit in Cairo, bestowed praise and appreciation on the Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu for his efforts in serving the Ummah and achieving the objectives of the OIC especially in implementation of the Ten-Year Program of Action, which has become synonymous with his two terms in office.

Starting with the President of Egypt HE Mohamed Morsy in his opening statement at the Summit as Chair of the 12th Session who expressed his deepest appreciation to OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu for his “efforts and dedication for the achievement of OIC goals and fostering joint Islamic work.” The President added that Ihsanoglu “has been keen that OIC plays a key role internationally, making the status of the Muslim nation prominent.”

President Morsy recognized the efforts exerted by the OIC during the past eight years under the leadership of Ihsanoglu in overcoming the challenges faced by the Muslim world and

achieving progress and prosperity for the people, particularly in the areas of economy, science and technology and culture. He pointed out to specific successes including the increase in intra-OIC trade to 17.8% thus approaching the targeted 20% by 2015 according to the Ten-Year Program of Action, and the efforts towards the promotion of the role of women by establishing the Women’s Development Organization headquartered in Egypt.

Other leaders joined in praising the efforts of the Secretary General. Afghan President Hamid Karzai recognized the OIC Secretary General’s hard work and that of the OIC Secretariat towards advancing the interests of the Ummah with international and regional organizations, and building awareness of Islam as a religion of moderation, tolerance,

President Morsy decorates Ihsanoglu with the Sash of the Nile in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Islamic Ummah


President of Egypt Mohamed Morsy expressed his deepest appreciation to OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu for his efforts and dedication for the achievement of OIC goals and fostering joint Islamic work.

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WORLD AFFAIRSand coexistence.

The Sultan of Brunei Darussalam thanked the Secretary General and members of his staff for their tireless efforts in promoting the cause of the Islamic Ummah. The President of

Nigeria recognized OIC’s efforts and commitment to resolve conflicts in Africa. He stated that the OIC Contact Group on Mali is a testimony of OIC commitment and indicates that OIC will remain a valued partner with Africa in the search for sustainable stability, peace and development in that country as well as in the Sahel in general.

The President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also commended the efforts of the Organization, stating that with the wise leadership of Prof.Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in opening

the OIC office in Somalia was timely and helped Somalia recover from drought and famine, extended humanitarian relief to thousands of needy citizens, raised hope and put

the country in to the right path for economic recovery. “In this

regard, let me wholeheartedly repeat our vote of confidence to the OIC.”

The President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Dr. Dervis Eroglu also expressed gratitude and appreciation to the OIC Secretary General and the Member States for their incessant efforts towards the cause of Islam throughout the world, and for their support for the just cause of the Muslim Turkish Cypriot people. He reiterated his gratitude to OIC Secretary General for the exemplary leadership role he has played in guiding the OIC.

The President of Yemen Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi thanked the Secretary General and the staff at the General Secretariat for their effort and work, which placed the OIC in high esteem and welcomed in international fora. The President of Comoros Union also reiterated this point.

The Prime Minister of Iraq Nuri Al-Malki expressed Iraq’s appreciation of the efforts by the OIC and its Secretary General in initiating and issuing HRC Resolution 16 /18 for combating religious intolerance and the eight points proposed by the Secretary General on how to do that.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Dipu Moni expressed her deep appreciation to the Secretary General

for his uniting efforts for raising the profile of the OIC and supporting members’ cooperation along newer dimensions. The Foreign Minister

of Guyana, on the other hand, expressed her country’s gratitude to OIC Secretary General for his astute leadership and the valuable contributions he has made to the OIC during his tenure.

The Vice President of Libya’s General National Conference Dr. Saleh Al-Makhzoom expressed gratitude to the OIC Secretary General and General Secretariat for standing beside the Libyan people and their glorious revolution. He said that the Libyan people greatly appreciate the political and humanitarian support provided by the OIC from the first moment of the revolution, which will make Libya the best supporter to OIC’s resolutions in the service of the Muslim world.

The UN Secretary General bank Ki-moon in his message said that he is encouraged that cooperation between the two organizations has significantly increased in the socioeconomic and political fields, particularly in the area of conflict prevention and resolution. He thanked the OIC and its members for their contribution in addressing some long-standing issues, namely Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia and Iraq.

Some heads of delegation in the Summit praised the Secretary General for his leadership and efforts in reforming the OIC General Secretariat, restructuring it and boosting its capacity including the President of Tunis, the President of Gambia, the Foreign Minister of Bahrain and the Chair of the National Council of Oman. Other leaders praised the Secretary General and the General Secretariat for the high-level preparation and organization of the Summit and making it’s a success including the Emir of Kuwait, the Emir of Qatar, the President of Palestine, the President of Sudan, the Minister of Social Affairs of Mozambique, the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan and the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan.

The Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah thanked the Secretary General and members of his staff for their tireless efforts in promoting the cause of the Islamic Ummah.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai recognized the OIC Secretary General’s hard work and that of the OIC Secretariat towards advancing the interests of the Ummah with international and regional organizations, and building awareness of Islam as a religion of moderation, tolerance, and coexistence.

The President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Dr. Dervis Eroglu expressed gratitude and appreciation to the OIC Secretary General and the Member States for their incessant efforts towards the cause of Islam throughout the world, and for their support for the just cause of the Muslim Turkish Cypriot people.


The Cairo Summit adopted a bundle of resolutions concerning the Palestinian issue, the most significant of which is the call to hold a donor conference for the benefit of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the establishment of an Islamic Financial Safety Net to assist Palestine, and it mandated the OIC General Secretariat to take practical measures to follow up its implementation.

The Summit reaffirmed the centrality of the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the whole Muslim Ummah, and emphasized the Arab and Islamic character of Occupied East Jerusalem and the need to defend the sanctity of Islamic and Christian holy places. It reiterated its strong condemnation of Israel, the occupying power, for its continued aggression against Islamic and Christian holy places in and around Al-Quds Al-Sharif, for its destruction and occupation of Palestinian homes in the City of Al-Quds, particularly in the Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah districts, and for all its illegal colonial practices, settlement and wall construction and other measures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the City of Al-Quds, which are aimed at changing its legal status, demographic composition, Arab and Islamic character and geographic nature.

On the other hand, the Summit welcomed the decision by the General Assembly to grant to Palestine nonmember observer State status in the United Nations. It reiterated its call on Member States to support the efforts to expand international recognition for the State of Palestine on the basis of the 4th of June 1967 borders, and stressed that the question of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif is the primary issue on which Member States must adopt a unified stand at the international for a. It requested OIC institutions to adopt appropriate measures to ensure support to resolutions submitted by the OIC on this issue.

Meanwhile, the Summit reiterated the need for Member States, the Islamic Development Bank and private financial

institutions to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in order to alleviate their suffering and to support the continued strengthening of Palestinian State institutions. It requested international institutions to abide by the agreements of Sharm El-Sheikh Conference on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and to expeditiously disburse pledged commitments for reconstruction.

The Summit called on Member States, in coordination with the State of Palestine, to promptly hold a donor conference no later than April 2013, to finance the Strategic Sector Plan for the Development of the City of Al Quds adopted by the 4th Extraordinary Islamic Summit held in Makkah Al Mukarramah in August 2012.

On the other hand, the Cairo Summit strongly condemned the violent attacks, harassment and terror being perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including Islamic and Christian places of worship and agricultural lands, with the support and protection of the Israeli occupying forces, and called for the settlers to be held accountable for their crimes.

The Summit condemned in its resolutions Israel’s withholding of Palestinian tax revenues and demanded their immediate release in line with agreements reached and international legal principles, stressing that this is essential for ameliorating the Palestinian financial crisis, and called on Member States to provide emergency assistance during this critical period to the Palestinian people and their leadership.

The Summit also condemned the continued imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians, including children and women, and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in Israeli jails and detention centers in harsh conditions detrimental to their health, including solitary confinement, torture, denial of access to proper medical care, denial of family visits and denial of trial in accordance with legal principles. It called for the immediate release of all prisoners and for their treatment in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

The Summit reiterated its calls on the international community to put pressure on Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza Strip and ensure free movement of goods and persons to and fro. It called on the international community, including the Security Council, to act forthwith to compel Israel to implement the relevant resolutions on the cause of Palestine, to respect the agreements signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization and implement fully the Quartet Roadmap with a view to ending the occupation of Palestinian Territory that began in 1967.

The President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas in his statement at the Summit thanked each and every one for their support by voting in favor of Palestine at the UN General Assembly,

Called for establishing an Islamic Financial Safety Net to assist PalestiniansCairo Summit calls for holding a donor conference for Al-Quds

President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas


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leading to obtaining international recognition and raising the status of the State of Palestine to that of an observer state at the United Nations.

“This widespread international support would boost the legal and international status of the Palestinian issue and, henceforth, prevent the Israeli occupation government from claiming that the land of the Palestinian State is a “disputed land” because, according to international law, it has now become a state under occupation since 1967, and covers the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip,” said Abbas.

He expressed appreciation to the Human Rights Council, which re-affirmed the illegality of settlement and requested Israel to end its settlement presence on the territories of the State of Palestine to which article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention is applicable.

With regards the violations and attacks, he said, “All that is happening in the Holy City, in Al-Aqsa and our cities, villages and all our tents in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza require the Islamic Ummah to stand firm, take an open stand and urge the great powers to put pressure on Israel and indeed compel it to stop its occupation and hostile policies against our land and our people, to end its occupation and to proceed to the Security Council to assume its responsibility regarding this plight which has continued for more than 65 years.”

“With your support and brotherly solidarity, we can also overcome the dangerous financial and economic difficulties facing us following the blockade and Israel’s seizure of our money, imposition of restrictions on our economy, control of our natural resources and surface water and preventing us from exploiting and investing more than half of our land area,” appealed Abbas..

On Al-Quds, he said it is of utmost importance to support the City of Al Quds Al Shareef, especially to implement the strategic plan to develop critical sectors as adopted by the 4th Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference held in Makkah Al Mukarramah in August 2012. He also called on the OIC General Secretariat and the Islamic Development Bank to put in place mechanisms to mobilize necessary resources to implement the said development plan.

Meanwhile, Abbas pointed out that he is also working with all sincerity to come out of the state of division and achieve Palestinian national reconciliation.

All the heads of delegations who spoke at the Summit expressed their commitment and solidarity with the Palestinian cause as a top priority, and the resolutions adopted had reflected their common views on the issue.

However, some speakers had specific points. The President of Indonesia Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for example suggested a number of steps to be taken regarding the Palestinian Case. In the diplomatic domain, he called for enhancing global consensus against illegal settlement activities to prevent further expansion of Israeli settlements such as calling on the UN Security Council to take action, initiating an emergency UN General Assembly session and a special session at the UN Human Rights Council. In the legal domain, the President suggested exploring the possibility of referring the matter to the appropriate international legal body. And in the economic field, he said that the OIC needs to ensure that the Israeli authorities do not financially and economically benefit from their illegal settlement activities and that the State of Palestine is not financially disadvantaged. OIC Member States must deplore Israel’s decision to withhold Palestine’s tax revenue amounting to $100 million per month, which has deprived ordinary Palestinians of urgent and vital social public services. Hence, the OIC should consider appropriate means of making up for the financial shortfall, and he welcomed the planned setting up of the Islamic Financial safety net to assist Palestine and Pledged Indonesia’s funding support. He pointed to Indonesia’s efforts in helping the State of Palestine build its capacity for effective governance through a capacity building program.

The President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmedinijad focused his statement exclusively on the Palestinian issue. He suggested adopting several approaches congruently for the Palestinians to gain their rights: legally, continuing the popular resistance, unity among the Palestinians, and supporting the Palestinian unity.

The Prime Minister of Jordan in his statement to the Summit - Jordan being responsible for protecting the sanctities of East Jerusalem and supporting Jerusalemites - warned of what is happening in East Jerusalem as a result of one-sided fevered Israeli policies targeting the sanctities of Al-Quds and called on the member states to adopt a united and effective approach to confront these violations.

Al Aqsa Mosque


The Cairo Summit underlined the Syrian Government’s primary responsibility for the continued violence and destruction of property. The Summit expressed in its Final Communiqué

grave concern over the deteriorating situation and the increasing frequency of killings, which claim the lives of thousands of unarmed civilians, and the perpetration of massacres in towns and villages by the Syrian authorities.

The OIC Member States called for immediate cessation of violence, killings and destruction, for the respect of Islamic values, human rights, and for saving Syria from the danger of an all-out civil war, including its dangerous consequences on the Syrian people, on the region, and on international peace and security. The Summit urged the Syrian regime to show wisdom, and call for a serious dialogue to take place between the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution, Opposition Forces and representatives of the Syrian Government committed to political transformation in Syria and who have not been directly involved in any form of oppression, in order to pave the way for a transition process that would lead the Syrian people to achieve their aspirations for democratic reforms and changes.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah urged the international community to shoulder its historic and moral responsibility to end the suffering of Syrian and Palestinian people. In a speech, read out on his behalf by Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, King Abdullah also called on the Muslim World to break its silence on the ongoing carnage in Syria where “the situation is worsening by the day due to heinous crimes perpetrated by the brutal regime there.”

He said the UN Security Council should find a solution to the ongoing crisis in Syria and urged the OIC Member States to turn their back on the council if it fails to solve the crises in Palestine and Syria.

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, stated that resolution of the crisis in Syria would come only if the current regime gives up power or is toppled along with the immediate cessation of violence. In this, he emphasized that the Security Council has a historic responsibility that it cannot overlook and has options it cannot evade to stop the blood shedding of Syrians through the use of Chapter VII of the Charter and promptly issue a binding resolution for the cease-fire, send peacekeeping forces to implement this resolution, and ensure a peaceful transition of power in Syria.

The Final Communiqué appealed to the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces to speed up the constitution of a transitional government representing all parties and factions of its people without any discrimination or exclusion, and to be ready to assume

the political responsibility in full until the completion of the political change process sought.

In this vein, the Final Communiqué supported the quartet initiative launched by HE Dr. Mohamed Morsy, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, at the Fourth Extraordinary Summit held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. This initiative represents, according to the Communiqué, a tangible effort to settle the crisis through a consensus that would preserve the rights and fulfill the just demands of the Syrian people, and guarantee at the same time territorial integrity of Syria, while welcoming any efforts by Member States in support of the objectives of the initiative.

The Summit extended gratitude to the State of Qatar for its appreciated efforts to achieve the Doha agreement on 11 November 2012 and called on the remaining opposition to join the national coalition that was formed so that it brings together without exception all the spectrum of the Syrian opposition. It also commended the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced Syrians and the efforts deployed by the State of Kuwait to host the donors Conference on the humanitarian situation in Syria held in Kuwait on 30 January 2013 under the auspices of the United Nations.

The Summit affirmed the strong commitment to secure humanitarian assistance for the Syrian people, and urged Member States to donate generously to the Syrian people in coordination with the competent international and regional bodies, including the OIC General Secretariat to implement all its humanitarian assistance activities in Syria and to coordinate also in this connection with the Support Unit of National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces.

It commended the efforts of the Syrian neighboring countries Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq in hosting massive and increasing numbers of Syrian brothers and for the assistance they have already provided. It acknowledged the security, financial, socio-economic and environmental impact on these countries and called upon OIC Member States to provide more funding, resources and support in order to assist those States and enable them to continue providing humanitarian assistance and care in line with the principle of international solidarity, cooperation and burden sharing. It also commended the efforts of other Member States in hosting Syrian brothers especially Egypt and Libya.

On the other hand, the Summit strongly condemned the unjustified and unlawful Israeli aggression on 30 January 2013 against sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and requested the international community to take prompt action to stop such future aggression particularly at this very delicate situation on the ground.

Expressed its support for the quartet initiative, called for serious dialogueCairo Summit underlines Syrian Government’s

responsibility for the continued violence


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The 12th Islamic Summit Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) adopted a declaration on the situation in Mali calling for the accelerated deployment of the International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) and invited the OIC Member States to provide logistical and financial support to this mission. The Summit also called upon Member States and well-known humanitarian organizations to supply the necessary humanitarian aid in order to relieve the suffering endured by millions of refugees and displaced persons in Mali and in the sub-Saharan region. The Summit leaders extended their gratitude to the countries, which have already offered contributions in the wake of the Donors’ Conference held in Addis Ababa on 29 January 2013.

The Summit firmly condemned the acts of diverse terrorist groups and movements as well as the transitional organized crime and drug trafficking networks, which constitute a real threat to the security and stability of Mali and the entire region, aimed at disrupting the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Mali. It commended the various prompt assistance provided by brotherly and friendly governments at the request of the

Malian authorities. The Summit also reaffirmed full solidarity with the people

of Mali and its National Unity Government and reiterated firm support for the current efforts aimed at recovering the territorial integrity and re-establishment of state authority by the Republic of Mali on its entire national territory. In this regard, the Summit took note of the adoption of resolution 2085 (2012) by the UN Security Council, which sets out a global approach for resolving the ongoing multidimensional crisis in Mali and the current initiatives by the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOW AS).

The Summit leaders commended the Transitional National Unity Government for preparing the road map and the National Assembly for adopting it and urged for its implementation by organizing free, transparent and credible Presidential and Parliamentary elections and the adoption of a comprehensive approach taking into consideration all the dimensions of this crisis. They insisted once again on the importance of supporting the development efforts in the Sahel region in general and Mali in particular and invite

member states to extend the needed support and assistance to help it achieve its objective.

The Summit requested all Member States to immediately provide financial and development assistance to Mali including through the possibility to establish a Special Fund on voluntary basis for the purpose to support economic development in Mali. The Summit also requested the OIC Secretary General to elaborate, in consultation with the Government of Mali, AU, ECOWAS and with bilateral and multilateral partners, a strategy for post-conflict reconstruction.

The Summit decided to establish an OIC Contact Group on Mali at Ministerial level to closely monitor the development of the situation in Mali.

Special Declaration on Mali:Calls for accelerated deployment of AFISMA, establishes OIC Contact Group

Malian forces walk down a street duringrunning battles with militants in Gao (epa)

Young girls from Mali collect water on the terrain of arefugees camp near Dori, Burkina Faso. (epa)

Remains of Islamic Police Headquarters of themilitant group MUJAO in Gao, Mali (epa)


The Cairo Summit welcomed Somalia’s significant achievement in selecting the new parliament members and the election of President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud through a transparent and democratic process, and under supervision by regional and international organizations, most notably the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It also welcomed the subsequent formation of a

new government, which was able in a short period of time to improve the security situation, promote stability, restructure state institutions, particularly security and financial institutions and the judiciary. This, in addition to opening dialogues with the political forces, and reaching out to its regional neighbors and the international community, which enabled it to establish new bilateral relations with the United States, European countries, and Arab, Islamic and African countries, Japan and China, as well as with international donor organizations including the World bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and certain Arab funds.

In this context, the Summit commended the visit by the Secretary General to Somalia on 8 October 2012, and urged all Member States to enhance their engagement with Somalia in order to assist the country rebuild state institutions and capacities as a way of contributing to its stabilization.

The Summit also commended the role of the OIC Office of Humanitarian Affairs in Somalia for its outstanding work in assisting the Somali people during the past two years. It mandated the OIC General Secretariat and the IDB, in cooperation with the Government of Somalia, to set up the

implementation mechanisms for the decision issued by the OIC 38th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, held in Astana, in July 2011, on the establishment of a Trust Fund for the reconstruction of Somalia.

The Summit urged Member States to open embassies in Somalia to help strengthen bilateral ties between Somalia and Islamic States, and supported the request made by the Federal Republic of Somalia to the United Nations to lift the arms embargo on Somalia as a step towards rebuilding the Somali forces to enable it to promote security, stability and development in the country.

It also commended the efforts exerted by the Government of Somalia in the areas of dialogue and national reconciliation, and called upon the armed opposition groups to respond to the government’s call to renounce violence and resort to peaceful means to voice their goals and demands and to ultimately achieve the Somali people’s wish to appreciate security, stability, and development.

Meanwhile, the President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in his statement to the Summit confirmed that the OIC and its members were at the forefront for the Somalia cause for the last 22 years where many have forgotten them while swimming in an ocean of chaos and civil war. “With your efforts Somalia has rejoined again the international community. Today, I am sitting among you here as the elected President of a legitimate government of a sovereign nation-state Somalia.”

He outlined his vision for the future in Somalia based on addressing a Six Pillar Policy Framework – security, reconciliation, piracy, human security, governance and the economy. He reiterated his strong desire for close partnership and cooperation with the international community and particularly with the members of the OIC in addressing these issues. He invited all the member states to re-establish their diplomatic missions in Mogadishu.

OIC mandated to establish Trust Fundfor the reconstruction of Somalia

The leaders participating in the Cairo Summit valued the initiative undertaken by His Royal Majesty King Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, the Monarch of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which called for a national dialogue among all factions of the Bahrain society. The initiative aimed at fulfilling the requirements of modernization, achieving continued reform, realizing the aspiration of the Bahraini people, enhancing understanding, strengthening, and reserving national security, safety and territorial integrity. They called upon all factions of the Bahraini society to respond positively to the initiative of HRM King of Bahrain, in order to resume the national dialogue aimed at reaching consensus on matters that would ensure the national interests and promote prosperity for the people of Bahrain.

Cairo Summit calls upon all factions inBahrain to respond positively to dialogue initiative

Foreign Minister of Bahrain Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa

President of SomaliaHassan Sheikh Mohamud


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The Cairo Summit expressed full and continued support to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Yemen, and called upon all the Member States to extend all necessary assistance to the new leadership to consolidate peace,

stability security and development in the country.The Summit commended the achievements of the

initiative presented by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to resolve the crisis in Yemen and achieve the peaceful transition of power, and the efforts of the Yemeni President and the National Unity Government in implementing the GCC initiative and its timed mechanism. It welcomed the call of H.E. President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to start the

comprehensive National Dialogue Conference on 18 March 2013 and urged all relevant parties to participate positively in this Conference with a view to preserving the unity of Yemeni territory and people.

It also commended the commitment by the international community to supporting security, unity, stability and development in Yemen, including the positive role played by the ‘Friends of Yemen’ initiative. It highly appreciated the efforts of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for organizing and holding two conferences for the ‘Friends of Yemen’ and donors in Riyadh to mobilize support for Yemen’s economy and achieve development in Yemen.

The Yemeni President expressed appreciation in his statement to the Summit of the GCC initiative led by Saudi Arabia in ending the killing and violence. He said that all the Yemeni factions made big compromises to reach national reconciliation and pave the road for national dialogue to establish solid grounds for good governance and the state of regulations and law. He expressed confidence that the Yemeni people through dialogue will be able to build a modern state where freedoms and democracy and justice are strengthened.

Cairo Summit calls on Member States toextend assistance to Yemeni leadership

Member States urged to support Sudanovercome critical economic situation

The OIC Member States reaffirmed their full support for the Sudan and respect for its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. They welcomed the Framework Agreement, signed in Addis Ababa on 27 September 2012 between

H.E. Omar Hasan Ahmad Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of the Sudan, and H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, which addressed a number of outstanding issues between the two countries, and the latest agreement signed on 5 January 2013 in Addis Ababa. The Heads of OIC Member State expressed the hope that the Agreements would help find a final solution to all outstanding issues and develop bilateral relations between the two countries in all domains.

Meanwhile, they further reiterated their support for the Sudan in its efforts to confront its economic and financial difficulties after the secession of South Sudan, and appealed to

the Member States and OIC financial institutions to contribute in providing all forms of support and assistance to the Sudan in order to enable it overcome the critical economic situation. They urged the Sudan and South Sudan to maintain good neighborliness and seek to resolve peacefully all outstanding issues between them through dialogue and negotiation.

In this context, they commended the steps taken in implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Doha, Qatar. They called upon the non-signatories to the Doha agreement to join the process. They also called upon the OIC General Secretariat and Member States to follow up the implementation of the outcome of the International Donors Conference for the reconstruction and peace building in Darfur. Furthermore, they commended the initiative propose by the State of Qatar to establish Darfur Development Bank and its offer to support the efforts exerted to establish the Bank and to contribute to its capital.

They also commended the initiative of the State of Kuwait for holding a donors’ conference for the reconstruction of East Sudan in Kuwait on 12- December 2010 and its contribution of US $500,000 to implement development projects in East Sudan.

The President of Sudan Omar Hassan Al-Bashir in his statement to the Summit thanked the OIC Secretary General and the General Secretariat for the valuable report presented to the Summit on Sudan.

President of YemenAbd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi

President of SudanOmar Hassan Al Bashir


The OIC Member States expressed their rejection of the postponement of the Conference on the Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Weapons of Mass Destruction that was scheduled for December 2012 as a serious breach of the decision taken by the Member State Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Member States reaffirmed their continued support for the establishment of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Middle East, and called on Israel, as the only non-NPT party in the Middle East, to accede, unconditionally and without further delay, to the Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon party, and to place all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive safeguards of the IAEA. To this end, they regretted the statements issued by the conveners of the 2012 Conference on the Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Weapons of Mass Destruction, on postponing the conference scheduled to be held in December 2012 in Finland.

They expressed their grave concern over the failure of Israel to declare its participation in the Conference on the Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Weapons of Mass Destruction, continuation to undermine the convening of the Conference as well as the realization of Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Weapons of Mass

Destruction.They expressed their rejection to the postponement and

their sincere belief that the pretexts announced for postponing the conference are rather unrealistic, especially in relation to the provisions stated in the 2010 Review Conference Final Document. Thus, they put on record their utmost reservations on what is being raised about the inability of the conveners to implement the mandate issued by all the NPT parties because of the “Non- Constructive” attitudes adopted by non-Party to the treaty, as well as, with regards to the non-conducive environment in the Middle East to hold the conference according to schedule. They called for the speedy convening of the conference.

Meanwhile, the Member States reaffirmed the inalienable right of all states to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the criteria fixed by the International Atomic Energy Agency and under its auspices, and the cooperation between OIC Member States in this regards.

They called for supporting the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the adoption of the Universal Declaration of a Nuclear-Weapon-free World, as an important step towards the adoption of the Nuclear Weapons Convention, and welcomed the nuclear-weapon-free status of Central Asia. In this respect, they called upon nuclear weapon states to sign the Protocol on negative security guarantees to the Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Treaty.

The Member States emphasized once more that nothing in the NPT shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of the parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with articles I, II, III and IV of Treaty. They stressed that this right constitutes one of the fundamental objectives of the Treaty. In this connection, they confirmed that each country’s choices and decision in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be respected without jeopardizing its policies or international co-operation agreements and arrangements for peaceful uses of nuclear energy and its fuel-cycle policies.

Member States express their rejection of postponing the Conference on the Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear

Weapons and Weapons of Mass Destruction

Member States stress on abiding byOIC resolutions in voting at international fora

The leaders called upon all OIC Member States to abide by previous OIC resolutions that call upon them to vote for resolutions submitted on behalf of OIC at international fora, in particular at the United Nations. They stressed that failure to vote for those resolutions and the announcement of positions different from those agreed upon is a departure from the consensus imposed by the duty of Islamic solidarity

between Member States.They mandated the General Secretariat to follow up

OIC Member States’ voting patterns on resolutions relating to issues of concern to the Organization at international fora and urged Member States to vote in favor of these resolutions that had been adopted by the OIC at Ministerial and Summit levels.

President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad


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Urges Member States not to pay ransoms to terrorist groupsThe Summit condemns all forms ofterrorism including State terrorism

The Heads of State strongly condemned terrorism, including State terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations committed by whomsoever and wherever, and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen mutual cooperation in the fight against terrorism through evolving an appropriate definition of terrorism by consensus at the international level as well as international convention to combat terrorism.

The leaders took note of the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006 and its three reviews in 2008, 2010 and 2012, and reaffirmed its status as a living document to be updated and called for the subsequent review mechanism of the strategy to take into account the root causes of terrorism and draw distinction between acts of terrorism, being unequivocally unlawful and rejected, and the legitimate struggle for the right of self-determination by the people under foreign occupation and colonial or alien domination. They recognized that a time-structured approach, envisaging short, medium, and long-term objectives, to the implementation of the strategy could best accommodate the contentious issues related to the strategy. They also called upon Member States to sign and ratify the OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism, if they have not already done so.

On the other hand, the Islamic leaders considered that financing of terrorism is a matter of grave concern to the international community and recognized that the payment of ransoms to terrorist groups constitutes one of the main sources of financing of terrorism. Therefore, they urged Member States not to pay ransoms and to cooperate for banning the payment of ransoms claimed by terrorist groups.

Meanwhile, they expressed their deep concern over the rise of systematic State terrorism manifested, among others, by blatantly assassinating Iranian scientists and researchers and condemned such abhorrent terrorists acts. They also

strongly condemned the terrorist attack against the Gas compound in Ein Aminas, Algeria perceived not only as an aggression against Algeria and the neighboring countries, but also against the very values of Islam, particularly tolerance and dialogue. They highly valued the prompt and firm action of the Algerian authorities, which defeated the criminal objectives of the terrorist groups and saved the lives of hundreds of innocent human beings. They, furthermore, reaffirmed their full support with the Algerian people and authorities.

The leaders commended the continuous efforts of all Member States in strengthening global efforts in order to effectively eliminate all forms of terrorism. In this regard, they reiterated their support to the continued efforts made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud in establishing the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, and the commencement of its activities.

The Afghan President Hamid Karzai in his statement to the Summit called on all OIC Member States to not only condemn acts of terrorism, but also to take decisive and concrete action to prevent extremis and terrorism from abusing our religion and tarnishing its image. He said that to address the challenge they need not only strong political unison but also sustained effort at raising the standard in human capital and economic development.

The Prime Minister of Iraq Nuri Al-Malki also sounded the alarm bells on the need to confront terrorism and extremism. He called on the OIC Member States to sign a draft code of conduct document for confronting terrorism in all its forms; working on drying up its intellectual, media and financial sources; depriving it from establishing safe havens for its operations to target lax and unstable Arab and Islamic states; and prevent terrorist organizations from taking advantage of popular movements and protests demanding democracy and freedom to divert these legitimate demands towards religious and sectarian conflicts.

On his part the President of Nigeria requested all OIC Member States to align themselves with the evolving global consensus on control of the movement of conventional weapons, in order to make Africa a safer place for investment and development.

UN Secretary General in his statement requested continued cooperation to combat terrorism highlighting the need to set up the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and intensify joint efforts to build the institutional capacities of States to effectively deal with terrorism.

Prime Minister of Iraq Nuri Al Malki


The Muslim leaders reiterated their support to the Secretary General’s efforts, initiatives and good offices aimed at finding just solutions to the political, cultural and economic issues of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC Member States. They commended the expansion of these efforts to include new countries in North America, Australia, and Europe, and the Secretary General’s continued efforts to address the issues of Muslims in Southern Philippines, Southern Thailand, Republic of Myanmar, as well as the issues of Muslims in the Balkans, the Caucasus, India, etc., in total respect of the sovereignty of the States in which these communities live. They affirmed that the current challenges require the adoption of the principles of dialogue and cooperation and the obligation to respect the culture and traditions of peoples.

With regards the issue of Muslims in Southern Philippines, they urged the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to continue their efforts in order to find a solution to pending issues, consistent with the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, related to the autonomous region, revenue sharing, definition of strategic minerals and the Transitional Mechanism.

Furthermore, they welcomed the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed on 15 October 2012 between the GPH and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under the facilitation of the Government of Malaysia. They urged the GPH, the MILF and the MNLF to continue their efforts in close cooperation in order to find solutions to pending issues. They also affirmed the need to relate the FAB to the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and urged the OIC Secretary General to exert his efforts with the GPH, MILF and MNLF to avoid any discrepancies between the two tracks of negotiations.

As for the continuation of atrocious acts against Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar, which represents a serious violation of the international law and international human rights covenants, they urged the Government of Myanmar

to take all necessary measures to protect their basic rights, including their basic right to a nationality and from all forms of discrimination in accordance with UNGA Resolution A / RES / 67 / 233. They also affirmed the responsibility of the international community to work with the Government of Myanmar to take all necessary measures to protect minorities in its territories and put an end to violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority. They also called on the Government of Myanmar to grant easy access for humanitarian aid to be channeled to the affected and the needy.

The leaders welcomed the invitation extended by the Government of Myanmar to the OIC Secretary General to visit Myanmar, including the Rakhine State and urged the Government of Myanmar to facilitate this visit as soon as possible. They welcomed ASEAN Member States’ firm commitment to help resolve this issue, and the participation of the OIC and the international community to work closely with the Government of Myanmar to continue addressing this issue in support of the democratic and reform process in Myanmar.

The Member States requested the OIC General Secretariat to coordinate with the authorities in Myanmar for the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Contact Group on Rohingya to visit Myanmar to assess the needs of humanitarian assistance for those affected and coordinate with the authorities in Myanmar to develop a plan for the urgent provision of this assistance. They appreciate all assistance offered by Member States to Rohingya Muslims, including the significant USD 50 million financial support provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and humanitarian assistance provided by Turkey, UAE and others.

On Thailand, the leaders commended the efforts of the Secretary General in following up the situation of Muslims in Southern Thailand, and were encouraged by the Government of Thailand’s continued efforts to overcome the obstacles in the implementation of the commitments included in the 2007 Joint Statement. They expressed hope that the Government of Thailand will make further constructive steps and request the Secretary General to continue the constructive dialogue with the Government of Thailand in the interest of Muslims in Southern Thailand towards the achievement of peace and stability therein.

And concerning the Turkish Muslim Minority in Western Thrace and the Muslim population of the Dodecanese, the Member States expressed their support to their just cause and called on Greece to take all necessary measures to ensure the respect of the rights of Muslim community and their identity and culture, taking into account the widespread reactions of the Muslim Minority in Western Thrace against the latest regulations on the appointment of 240 Imams in Greece. They also called for refraining from taking further steps on that matter against the will of its Muslim citizens.

OIC Member States commend the Secretary General’s effortsin addressing issues of Muslim communities around the world

Ihsanoglu going over documents withHaji Murad of MILF at the Cairo Summit


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Member States called upon tosupport OIC Human Rights Commission

Heads of the OIC Member States reaffirmed that Human Rights in Islam are an integral part of the overall Islamic order and it is obligatory on all Muslim governments and

organs of society to implement them in letter and in spirit within the framework of that order.

In that context, they commended the progress made by the Independent Permanent Human Rights’ Commission within the short time since its establishment, welcomed the finalization of its Rules of Procedure, and called on all Member States to lend their full support to the Commission to enable it to function in accordance with the mandate as provided for in its Statute, with particular emphasis on the four priority areas identified by the Commission in the initial stage of its work, namely the Human Rights for Women, Rights of the Child, the Right to Development, and Human Rights Education.

On a related note, they recognized the importance of the Tunisian initiative on creating an international constitutional court within the United Nations System as a consultative and judicial structure mandated with ensuring respect and development of the concepts of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Establishing the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission is a paradigm shift

The OIC started the process of establishing of an Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), based on the mandate of the Ten-Year Program of Action and the new OIC Charter. The statute of the Commission was adopted during the 38th CFM held in Astana in June 2011and entered into force following its adoption. The 38th CFM also elected 18 independent experts composing the Commission, which would constitute an important pillar of the ongoing process of reform at the OIC.

Establishment of the Commission that was achieved in half the stipulated period, constitutes a singularly significant event in the four decades long history of OIC. It symbolizes the new OIC propelled by the vision of ‘moderation and modernization’. It is based on the collective will of Member States to mainstream the human rights dimension across the programs and activities of the OIC. It is a major focus of international attention as the first cross regional human rights mechanism owing to the nature of OIC’s membership.

The Commission, having been established, held its first formal session in Jakarta in February 2012. The Commission elected a distinguished Lady from amongst the 18 Commissioners to serve as its First Chairperson. The second formal session was held in Ankara, Turkey, in August 2012, where Rules of Procedure were finalized for onward submission and adoption by the CFM.

The Rules of Procedures were adopted at the 39th

CFM held in Djibouti in November 2012, allowing the Commission to be fully functional. In this regard, working groups were held in Jeddah in December 2012 with a view to initiating discussions on priority areas, which included women’s and children’s issues, political and minority rights, as well as the Israel-Palestine conflict.

It is being seen and acknowledged as a paradigm shift. The Secretary General hopes its work would dispel the misperceptions regarding Islam’s incompatibility with human rights. It would represent a confluence of universal rights and freedoms and Islamic values. It would catalyze a coherent and strong OIC system aimed at facilitating the full enjoyment of all human rights in the Member States.

Leaders at the 12th Islamic Summit affirmed the need to coordinate the relief efforts and activities of relevant civil society institutions to improve the collective performance of the Organization and Member States, and to coordinate efforts, exchange experiences, and encourage the institutions to work through those coordination mechanisms.

The leaders took note of the various initiatives of the OIC General Secretariat in the humanitarian domain to assist affected Member States, and reiterated their support for the OIC in its various humanitarian activities, despite its very limited financial resources. They urged all Member States and their philanthropic and humanitarian civil society organizations to provide the General Secretariat with all necessary means and assistance to enable it to fulfill its duties towards the needy and vulnerable populations in the face of increasing humanitarian challenges, in accordance with rules and regulations in force in each State. They mandated the Secretary General to convene an Expert Group Meeting to conclude discussions on preparing a document for the establishment of a Special Emergency Fund and present it to the next session of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

Some of the speakers at the Summit voiced their support for establishing the Fund. The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Dipu Moni said, “We need to expedite the on-going process for establishment of OIC Humanitarian E m e r g e n c y R e s p o n s e Fund.”

On the other hand, the President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz urged serious consideration for establishing an Islamic o rg a n i z a t i o n specialized in aiding refugees to intervene in an efficient

manner to relieve their suffering and provide consultation to the countries hosting them.

On a related note, the leaders welcomed the “Justice for Khojaly” international civil awareness campaign initiated in the framework of the “OIC Memorial Day Program” and aimed at disseminating of historical truth on the mass massacre of Azerbaijani civilians perpetuated by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia in the town of Khojaly in February 1992, which constitutes the crime against humanity. They called upon Member States to support and actively participate in the events of the Campaign and exert due efforts for recognition on national and international levels of this genocidal act as a crime against humanity”.

Humanitarian Affairs Department,an active addition to the OIC

The geographical area covered by the OIC Member States is highly prone to natural disasters. In addition, because of the presence of almost all the political hotspots, again, within the geographical boundary of the OIC, it is extremely vulnerable to manmade disasters as well. This fact legitimizes the frequent need and requirement for humanitarian assistance to be extended to the OIC Member States.

The OIC as an Organization was not born with any specific mechanism for dealing with humanitarian situations in its Member States. Whatever actions were taken were on ad hoc basis. It was as early as January 2005, at the aftermath of Tsunami, that a concerted humanitarian effort was launched for the first time in the OIC by the Secretary General. At the same time, a need for having a concrete mechanism to deal with humanitarian disasters was felt more than ever.

Keeping in line with its new mission and vision enumerated in the OIC Ten Year Program of Action and the new Charter, a process was initiated and the department of International Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs (ICHAD) was created in June 2008 by the 35th Council of Foreign Ministers. Subsequently in May 2009 the OIC adopted a document covering the strategic objectives of the OIC’s action in the humanitarian areas.

What is important about this newly created mechanism is that it works as a unifying force of the efforts deployed by various government and civil society institutions of the Muslim World working in this field. As a result, the efficiency of such assistance increases manifold because of its channeling in a coordinated and target oriented manner and avoiding duplication towards its optimum utilization. This last factor related to ‘avoiding duplication’ is very important as the fact remains that our resources are limited but needs are never ending.

Muslim leaders affirm the needto coordinate relief efforts


President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz

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Nevertheless, during this short period since its establishment ICHAD had achieved many things:

• Energizing humanitarian action and establishing the Alliance of OIC Humanitarian Institutions to facilitate relief operations and field intervention in natural and man-made disasters.

• Reaching out to NGOs and civil society institutions in the humanitarian field through paving the way for their access to a consultative observer status subject to certain conditions.

• Launching a program to sponsor 25000 orphans who lost their families as a result of the Tsunami in Banda Aceh, Republic of Indonesia, through coordination with the IDB and at a total cost of US$135 million.

• Holding donor conferences for Niger, Sierra Leone, Comoros Islands, Mali, Pakistan flood-affected people and Darfur.

• Relief campaign for Gaza (US$14 million).• Inaugurating an eye hospital in Gaza at a cost of US$1.5

million and establishing a logistic unit in Arish, Egypt to reach the population in Gaza.

• Construction of 200 housing units in Pandang, Western Sumatra, Indonesia at a cost of US$2 million for the earthquake victims.

• Setting up special funds for the refugees of Bosnia Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.

• Cooperating with the UNDP and the South- South Cooperation Unit in the United Nations. OIC-UNDP Partnership Program at a cost of US$25 million to establish training, health, and educational projects in Somalia.

• Field visits to assess damages in Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso, Comoro Island, Gaza, Yemen, Kenya (Somali refugees), Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

• Establishment of the OIC Humanitarian and Development Office in Niamey for the implementation of the recommendations of the Doha international conference on food self-sufficiency in Niger in July 2009.

• Opening of an OIC humanitarian coordination Office in Mogadishu, Somalia in March 2011.

• Opening of an OIC humanitarian coordination Office in Islamabad in March 2010.

• Signing of a MoU with WFP for the distribution of food for 366,000 IDPs in the Afgoy Corridor in Somalia.

• Enhancing cooperation with key international humanitarian actors such as DFID, ICRC, Australian Aid Agency, OCHA, Swiss Development Agency, ICRC, Medecin Sans Frontieres, etc.

• Despatching Emergency humanitarian missions to the Tunisian-Libyan borders and to the Libyan-Egyptian borders

• Established an OIC Coalition from major Humanitarian actors in the OIC Member States to assist Somalia.

• NGOs conferences in Libya, Islamabad, Doha and Khartoum.

• Construction of houses for the floods victims in Pakistan. OIC is committed to construct 600 houses for Pakistani floods affected people. Work has already started for the construction of 225 houses.

• Extraordinary Conference in Istanbul for Somalia which received pledges for 350 million US dollars from OIC Member States.

OIC relief efforts in Somalia

Sponsorship program of orphansvictims of the Tsunami in Banda Aceh

OIC’s Eye Hospital in Gaza

Custodian of the Two Holy MosquesKing Abdullah’s relief campaign for Palestinians


Muslim leaders, meeting at the 12th Islamic Summit in Cairo, expressed their grave concern at the continued rise of attacks on Islam and Muslims and in particular the attack on the sacred image of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the burning of the Holy Qur’an and negative stereotyping and discrimination against Muslims. Furthermore, the leaders expressed their alarm at the rising trends in some national policies, laws and administrative measures that stigmatize people belonging to certain religions and beliefs, particularly Islam, under a variety of pretexts, hence impeding their freedom to express their identity, legitimizing discrimination against them and impairing their ability to observe, practice and manifest their religion freely without fear of coercion, violence or reprisal. Therefore, Member States were called on to develop a unified strategy to impress upon the international community to take effective measures against such acts of incitement of intolerance and hatred that may lead to violence and loss of lives.

Member States’ Initiatives:In addition, the leaders called for developing educational

curricula in such a way as to inculcate the true Islamic values of mutual understanding, tolerance, dialogue and pluralism, and for establishing bridges between the members of the Islamic Ummah to enhance unity and solidarity through the holding of symposia and conferences that would explain these values. They also called for combating extremism disguised as religion and doctrine, refraining from declaring followers of other Islamic schools of thought as disbelievers and deepening dialogue between these schools to promote moderation and tolerance. Hence, they commended the proposal by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques during the 2012 Makkah Al- Mukarammah Extraordinary Summit to establish a centre for dialogue among the schools of thought to promote unity and solidarity among Muslims.

The Summit also commended the efforts of His Majesty

King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein in holding in Amman in 2005 an international conference to discuss the manifestations of defamation of Islam, which produced the ‘Amman Message’. It further appreciated the numerous initiatives of His Majesty on bridge-building and elimination of misconception among followers of different religions, including the initiative of the ‘World Interfaith Harmony Week’ endorsed by the UN General Assembly in October, according to which the first week of each February was declared the ‘Interfaith Harmony Week’.

The Summit leaders also reiterated their strong support for the initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco calling for developing an international charter that defines appropriate standards and rules for exercising the right of freedom of expression and opinion, and the obligation to respect religions symbols and sanctities as well as spiritual values and beliefs.

In addition, they welcomed and commended the initiatives taken by Member States, including the 10th Anniversary of the initiative of Kazakhstan Leader Nursultan Nazarbayev to conduct the ‘Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions’; and the ‘Global Movement of Moderates’ initiative by Malaysia; the ‘alliance of civilization’ initiative by Turkey. They called upon the Member States to support the request of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for United Nations to adopt a resolution condemning any state or individual or group that insults divine religions, prophets and messengers while taking preventive measures in this regard.

The leaders condemned any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to hostility or violence, whether it involves the use of print, audiovisual or electronic media or any other means. In this regard, they commended the

‘Istanbul Process’ initiative, and urged for further progress in implementing the steps unanimously agreed in relevant United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions towards the common global goal to combat religious intolerance.

Legal instruments:On the other hand, they recognized the need to further

institutionalize cooperation among Member States to effectively implement the ‘Strategy on Combating Islamophobia’ adopted by the 11th Islamic Summit and the importance of expediting the implementation process of its decision on developing a legally-binding international instrument to prevent intolerance, discrimination, prejudice and hatred on the grounds of religion, and defamation of religions and to promote and ensure the respect for all religions.

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia HRH Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud strongly advocated, in the statement he read to the Summit on behalf of King Abdullah, issuing a legally-

Member States to develop unified strategyfor effective measures against intolerance

Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud


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binding international instrument to prevent defamation of religions and the promotion of respect for all religions.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in his statement indicated that the challenges that emanate from Muslim communities themselves are no less dangerous than those coming from abroad. To meet these challenges, the Emir suggested adopting dialogue, negotiations and other peaceful means to prevent fueling religious racism. He also called for paying attention to human development and youth issues and not to marginalize them in addition to continuing the dissemination of the correct concepts about Islam and deepening rapprochement and peaceful coexistence with the other as well as promoting tolerance and recognition of diversity as a source of strength and richness.

The participants in the Summit took note of the legal advice and conclusions of the Eminent Persons Panel, held on 7- 8 January 2013, in Istanbul and requested the Secretary General to commission the studies recommended as a matter of priority. Furthermore, they recognized the need for the Panel to continue its work in close coordination with the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) to address the malaise of Islamophobia, and requested the Commission to report in this regard to the next meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers. On the other hand, they called upon all States to ensure, in accordance with their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, that religious places, sites, shrines and symbols are fully respected and protected, and to take additional measures in cases where they are vulnerable to vandalism, desecration or destruction.

Islamophobia Observatory:Expressing satisfaction of

the work by the Islamophobia Observatory in the General Secretariat, the Summit leaders requested the Secretary General to propose a mechanism for response to such observed incidents with full cooperation with Member States to make the work of the Observatory more effective. They also requested the Observatory to further its cooperation with similar organs in partner organizations. The leaders impressed upon the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish as a matter of priority an international observatory to monitor advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence throughout the world, so as to serve as an early warning mechanism to assist States in fulfilling their obligations under International Human Rights Law.

Encouraging dialogue:The Summit called on the OIC to take the lead and on

the Member States to contribute towards strengthening inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue and dialogue among civilizations, and welcomed the establishment of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center for

Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICID) in Vienna. They also called on OIC Member States to participate effectively in the activities and programs of the KAICID.

The Summit commended the Secretary General for engaging in dialogue with the United Nations, and other international organizations, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, political leaders and civil society to underscore the concerns as well as raise global awareness over the dangers of Islamophobia, and for his initiative in building

close working cooperation with the UN Alliance of Civilizations. It called on the Member States to support this collaboration towards successful implementation of the recommendations contained in the High Level Group (HLG) of the Alliance of Civilizations.

Taking note of the recent establishment of the League of Ulemas, Preaches and

Imams of the Sahel countries in Adrar, Algeria, the Summit leaders expressed their support for their role and action in combating religious extremism and the dissemination of Islamic values of tolerance and dialogue.

Meanwhile, the leaders underlined the important role of education and responsible media in the promotion of tolerance, and appreciated the efforts of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote and include human rights aspects in educational programs, particularly the World Program for Human Rights Education proclaimed by the General Assembly on 10 December 2004. They called upon all States to promote, particularly through education, understanding and respect in all matters relating to freedom of religion or belief, in an effort that involves acceptance by the public of, and its respect for, diversity, including with regard to religious expression. They urged non-governmental organizations, religious leaders and institutions and the media to support and foster such efforts.

the Summit called upon all States to ensure, in accordance with their

obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, that religious places, sites, shrines and symbols are fully

respected and protected.

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani


Cairo Summit stresses on draftingthe covenant on the rights of women in Islam

Leaders at the Cairo Summit stressed on the significance and necessity of drafting the covenant on the rights of women in Islam, and underscored the need for taking practical steps

to that end.They welcomed the efforts by the Arab Republic of

Egypt to advance the role of women, as reflected in the establishment of the OIC Women Development Organization (WDO), as a specialized agency based in Cairo, and invited Member States to join the Organization by signing and ratifying its statute so that it could enter into force, be fully functional and carry its mandate.

They also commended the OIC General Secretariat and the Governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Indonesia for convening the Third and Fourth OIC Conferences on ‘Women’s Role in the Development of OIC Member States’ respectively in Tehran on 19- 21 December 2010 and in Jakarta on 4- 6 December 2012. They encouraged all related stakeholders including the private sector, civil society institutions and the general public to promote gender equality, gender justice and the advancement of women in their work and activities in a manner that would not contradict the Islamic Sharia. On the other hand, the leaders reemphasized the importance of family in the process of the political, economic and social development of the Islamic societies; and recognized that the issue of family should continue to be part of the discussion of all meetings and forums related to women in the OIC.

The Summit commended the OIC Secretary General for his extensive efforts in promoting the cause of women and in empowering them in the OIC Member States, promoting the status of children and preserving their rights as well as empowering the youth and their role in society.

In this regard, it called upon Member States to improve child conditions in the Muslim World and strive towards developing adequate methods for the education and

rehabilitation of Muslim youths so as to enhance their role in society with a view to meeting future challenges. It further affirmed the leaders’ interest in the promotion of contacts among the youth of their countries in various scientific, academic, cultural, technical, sports, and other domains through regular youth events and activities, and to expand the activities of the OIC Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation to become a channel of continuous engagement and mutual knowledge, to develop cooperation in programs, and grant training and student exchange. In this regard, they welcomed the establishment of the Islamic Countries Young Entrepreneurs Network (ICYEN) initiated by the OIC Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, an affiliated organ of OIC, and called upon Member States to support the activities of the Network.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his statement to the Summit said that the OIC and the UN have an important responsibility to address people’s aspirations, particularly by promoting democratization, good governance, the rule of law, and human rights, as well as socio-economic progress. To that end, he stated that empowering youth and women is crucial. “They have been at the forefront of the recent changes and must be given the opportunity to realize their full potential. The United Nations stands ready to work closely with you on all fronts,” said Ban.

Achievements in empowering womenThe OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu

endeavored to empower women from the start of his first term. Success in the field of Women, Children and Family issues is depicted through launching the Conference on Women’s Role in the Development of OIC Member States in 2006, the establishment of the Department of Family Affairs at the General Secretariat in 2009, adoption of the OIC Plan of Action for Advancement of Women (OPAAW) in 2008 as well as through the establishment of a specialized institution called Women Development Organization.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Libya and Guinea signed on February 4, 2013 the statute of the Women Development Organization, a specialized organ of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers meeting that preceded the 12th Islamic Summit Conference.


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Cairo Summit adopts resolutionson environment and climate change

The Cairo Summit underscored the need for robust global cooperation, especially for countries vulnerable to adverse consequences of

climate change, including adequate financing and transfer of technology, capacity support from developed to the developing countries, particularly to the least developed and the most vulnerable countries, under the UN Convention on Climate Change. It stressed that the provision of finance should be in addition to the existing commitments for official development assistance (ODA). With regard to the post-2015 global development architecture, it reiterated that Sustainable Development should be one of the core priorities with a strong implementation framework backed by the requisite resources.

The Summit’s Final Communiqué welcomed the adoption of the OIC Water Vision by the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water held in Istanbul in March 2012. It invited the Member States to cooperate for the implementation of the Water Vision including cooperation to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

The Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Hamrokhon Zarifi in his statement to the Summit hoped for the OIC Member States to take an active part in the fruitful cooperation for seeking mutually beneficial solutions of water related issues, preparation and approval of joint programs for supervision, rational water resources protection in the trans-boundary rivers, and thereby contribute to the establishment of peace and stability in various regions of the Islamic world. He pointed out that in the case of the construction of hydropower stations cascade in trans-boundary rivers and application of huge hydropower resources of Tajikistan, which generate 60% of water in Central Asia, the Muslim countries of Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran would be provided by cheap electricity and safe drinking water, which in turn, will be a contribution by Tajikistan to advancement of “green economy” based on renewable energy sources development. The Minister said that at the initiative of Tajikistan the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted several important resolutions on water, the most recent is proclaiming the year 2013 as the “International Year of Water Cooperation”.

The Summit’s Final Communiqué has invited the COMSTECH to accord special attention to the promotion of cooperation among OIC Member States in areas such as renewable energy and green technology, and effective utilization of the existing expertise in the Member States in such fields.

The participants underlined the importance of a transparent and inclusive inter-governmental negotiation process within the UNGA on sustainable development goals and post-

2015 development agenda. They called upon Member States to undertake consultations so as to make a unified, substantial contribution in these processes. They reiterated that Sustainable Development, in keeping with the outcome of the Rio+20, should be one of the core priorities in the post-2015 development framework with a strong means of implementation backed by the requisite resources.

The Summit emphasized the need to actively engage in preparation of EXPO-2017 exhibition in Astana, Kazakhstan, with a view to exploring possibilities for the mutual cooperation in area

of environment, renewable energy, and transfer of green technologies

Furthermore, they welcomed the initiative of Tajikistan adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation and called upon the OIC Member States to effectively participate in the event of this International Year.

Achievements in the field of environment:The challenges of environmental degradation and

climate change are assuming increasing significance for OIC countries. The OIC General Secretariat and OIC institutions have accordingly stepped up their activities and programs in these areas.

Adoption of the OIC Water Vision The OIC Water Vision was adopted by the Conference of

Ministers Responsible for Water held in Istanbul in March 2012. The OIC Water Vision gives a brief overview of the diverse water environments across the OIC countries and the different dimensions of water related challenges being faced by them. It recognizes the critical role of the OIC in promoting cooperation among Member States on water-related issues and its ability to bring together expertise from diverse countries with unique water characteristics.

The Water Vision not only identifies the opportunities for concerted action but also lays out a roadmap for promoting collaboration among Member States in all aspects of water.

The Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water also adopted a set of recommendations for the implementation of the OIC Water Vision. The next meeting of the Water Ministers, to be convened in 2013, will be considering follow up actions.

OIC Green technology Blue PrintThe OIC General Secretariat is coordinating closely

with COMSTECH for the preparation of the OIC Blue Print on Green Technologies. The feasibility study for the Blue Print is being conducted by the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM) and will be funded by the IDB.

Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Hamrokhon Zarifi


The Muslim leaders recognized the crucial role of science and technology in the socio-economic development of the OIC Member States and in addressing the contemporary challenges of

development, poverty eradication, environment, climate change, human health, energy and water resources.

Hence, they welcomed the fact that despite many other immediate priorities and recent economic crises, the OIC Member States have on the average been able to move closer to the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action (TYPOA) target of budgetary allocations of 1% of the GDP for research and development (R&D). From 2003 to 2011, national spending on R&D on the average quadrupled from 0.2% to 0.81% of the GDP. In this regard, they expressed appreciation for the national actions and strategies, bilateral and multilateral cooperation among Member States, ongoing OIC programs and activities and appreciated the vision and strong interest of the OIC Secretary General.

The Member States stressed the need for continuing activities and programs for strengthening R&D as part of institutional framework for science, technology and innovation (STI), national strategies for science and technology, conducting STI Foresight Studies, encouraging private sector participation in R&D, promoting emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and biotechnology and enhancing of quality education.

The Member States recalled the decision of the 4th Extraordinary Session, held in Makkah on 14 -15 August 2012, to adopt clearly defined measures to promote scientific and technological development and innovation and higher education. Therefore, they mandated the COMSTECH Secretariat to study and take necessary measures to propose an Islamic Summit on Science and Technology and its impact on the Islamic Ummah, under the auspices of the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH). In this regard, the COMSTECH Executive Committee will finalize the concept for the Summit in coordination with the Member States.

The Member States also welcomed the convening of the 19th International Conference of Islamic World Academy of Sciences to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 6 -9 May 2013 with a view to forging greater cooperation among the scientists for socio-economic development of Member States.

The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Dipu Moni said in her statement to the Summit that the Member States need to invest more in science and technology, and as part of Bangladesh’s ‘Vision 2021’ it has taken programs towards establishment of a knowledge-based and technology dependent Digital Bangladesh.

Achievements in advancing S&TAs a result of national actions and strategies, cooperation

among OIC Member States, ongoing OIC programs and activities and concerted efforts by the relevant intuitions, encouraging progress has been registered in the domains

of science, technology, higher education, health and environment.

Some of the indications of the progress made in certain areas include:

• Since the adoption of the TYPOA, substantial increases in research budgets have been reported by certain OIC Member States. In certain cases gross R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP nearly doubled.

• Prior to the adoption of the TYPOA (in 2003), the OIC Member States were, on an average, spending 0.2% of the GDP on R&D. From 2003 to 2011, this percentage has quadrupled to 0.81% which is in the vicinity of the target set by the TYPOA.

• In the year 2000 scientific publications in international journals by scientists and engineers from 57 OIC Member States numbered 18, 391. This number increased five folds to 92, 503 in 2011.

• In 2003, the number of researchers, scientists and engineers in the OIC countries engaged in R&D was around 250 per million i.e. one-tenth of the world average of 2532 per million. This number has nearly doubled to 457 i.e. one-fifth of the world average. Six Member States have more than 1000 researchers per million people: Tunisia 3240; Jordan 1934; Turkey 1715, Iran, 1491; Azerbaijan 1218; Egypt 1018.

• The Global Innovation Index 2012 (GII), published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), lists a number of OIC Member States, such as Malaysia, Jordan and Senegal as good performers.

• In the domain of Higher Education, nine universities from the OIC Member States are included in the top 400 World University Rankings Supplement of the QS for 2012.

The key activities, programs and achievements by the OIC since 2005 in science and technology are:

Establishment of the Science, Technology and Innovation Organization (STIO) as a Specialized Organ of the OIC. The Statute of the STIO came into force with its adoption in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 24 February 2010.

Atlas of Islamic World Science and Innovation ProjectLaunched in 2008, the Atlas is an initiative to map key

trends and trajectories in science and technology-based innovation in the OIC Member States.

Promotion of peaceful application of nuclear energyIn collaboration with the IDB and IAEA, the OIC General

Secretariat is pursuing projects for the strengthening and establishment of cancer radiotherapy facilities in the OIC member States from Africa. Likewise, projects on isotope hydrology and mosquito sterilization are being pursued in earnest in collaboration with the IDB and IAEA.

OIC project on Communications SatelliteThe aim of the project is to provide cheaper and better

satellite services in OIC countries and, foster the development of a satellite manufacturing and services industry.

Selection of Centers of ExcellenceThe OIC General Secretariat, COMSTECH and IDB

Member States stress the need to strengthen Scientific Research


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Launching of Egypt's and Malaysia’sScientific Innovation Reports

have selected five Centers of Excellence which will receive IDB support for high level training of scientists and engineers and for promoting cutting-edge research in science and technology. These five Centers are as follows: i) International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research (ICDDRB), Dhaka, Bangladesh; ii) International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry), Karachi, Pakistan; iii) Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey; iv) Institute of Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences, Zanjan, Islamic Republic of Iran; and v) National Institute of

Agronomy Research (INRA), Rabat, Morocco. Institution of Awards and prizes for Science and

Technology COMSTECH Award is offered every two years during

COMSTECH’ General Assembly to two prominent Muslim scientists in the disciplines such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. The IDB Science & Technology Award is offered every year to three prominent scientific, research institutions. ISESCO Award is offered every three years.

The secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu on 5 February 2013 in Cairo inaugurated the launching of Egypt and Malaysia’s country reports as part of the Atlas of Islamic World Science and Innovation project. This was on the margins of the 12th Islamic Summit Conference in Cairo.

The Atlas of Islamic World Science and Innovation project was approved during the 11th session of the Islamic Summit Conference, held in Dakar, Senegal in 2008, and it is being implemented by the OIC General Secretariat in partnership with the Royal Society of UK, the Qatar Foundation, the British Cultural Council, the International Development Research Centre in Canada and the specialized and subsidiary organs of the OIC – the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre (SESRIC), the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

The Atlas project has been able to map key trends and trajectories in science and technology-based innovation in selected OIC Member States. The aim of the countries’ case studies is to come with an independent and objective assessment of how innovation capacities in OIC Member States are changing, and the opportunities and challenges for progress in the future.

The various case studies on different OIC Member States conducted in line with the Atlas project witness strong and growing commitment to promoting knowledge, science and technology in the OIC Member States.

Concerning the Egypt report, it highlights the contributions of Egyptian scientists, researchers and intellectuals in the domains of space, mechanics, medicine, philosophy and architecture spreading over thousands of years, and how the quest for knowledge gained momentum in the early period of Islam in the 8th century. The report also presents an analysis of current policies and their strong points in the area of sciences, the challenges facing them, as well as the scientific and innovation system in Egypt. It also contains proposals to improve the science, technology and innovation framework in Egypt. The report also outlines cooperation and partnership opportunities in the area of science and technology at the regional and international levels.

In Malaysia, science and technology are playing a pivotal role in economic transformation. Malaysia has been able to achieve that thanks to the commitment of the Government to science, technology and innovation systems, policy frameworks and strong administration as well as the availability of human resources. While the report highlights the strong points of the science, technology and innovation framework in Malaysia, it also outlines areas that can be improved upon and offers recommendations on necessary measures in this regard.

The Atlas of Islamic World Science and Innovation project partnership between the OIC and various Member States aims to present a model to be copied in developing a more inclusive partnership for the sake of scientific and technological advancement and scientific diplomacy.

Ihsanoglu launching the first country reports on scientific innovation


The Muslim leaders gathered at the Cairo Summit resolved to accord high priority to the health sector and take steps for the mainstreaming of health issues in national planning. They reaffirmed that preserving the well-being and physical health of children is the duty of every parent and society as prescribed by Islam. They, therefore, appealed

to the religious scholars and leaders to support the polio eradication campaign and encourage the people to respond positively to it.

The leaders endorsed the recommendations and decisions of the 3rd Islamic Conference of Health Ministers held on 29 September-1 October 2011 in Astana, Kazakhstan, and called for the early finalization of the OIC Strategic Health Program of Action 2013 -2022, which will provide a framework for more collaborative efforts and international cooperation for addressing the various health challenges facing the OIC Member States.

They urged the OIC General Secretariat to further strengthen its cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other international partners.

Achievements in addressing health issuesThe OIC General Secretariat gave considerable attention

to health issues in the member states during the past years. Some of the achievements in this regard are:

Institutionalization of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers (ICHM)

In order to pursue effective action in the domain of health and promote international cooperation, the OIC General Secretariat initiated the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers on biennial basis.

Establishment of the OIC Health Implementation Unit (HIU)

A Health Implementation Unit is being established in the Department of Science and Technology at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah. Functions of the HIU include

streaming lining and monitoring implementation of the resolutions and declarations emanating from the ICHMs and to provide expert advice on health related issues.

International partnerships for preventing and combating diseases

The OIC General Secretariat continues to work in cooperation with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Secretariat in Geneva in accordance with the bilateral work programme to enhance collaboration on polio eradication for 2009 and beyond. The OIC General Secretariat has been instrumental in obtaining religious injunctions (Fatwa) and mobilizing political support and funds in favor of polio eradication campaigns in the Member States.

The OIC has also been pursuing close cooperation with the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two sides in 2009. The General Secretariat is also elaborating a Joint Work Plan with the Stop TB Partnership.

Mother and Child Health projects in Mali and Bangladesh

The OIC and the US Government signed a Cooperation Framework in 2009 to implement projects on Mother and Child Health. Currently Mother and Child health projects are being implemented in Bangladesh and Mali based on collaboration between OIC, USAID, other international partners and the governments of the two countries.

Self-Reliance in vaccine and drugs The OIC General Secretariat and relevant OIC

institutions have been carrying out efforts for the promotion of self-reliance in vaccines and drugs in the OIC Member States. These include coordination with private sector manufacturers and relevant international partners for the participation of experts from the OIC Member States in international capacity-building activities in the area of vaccine and drug production.

Preparation of the OIC Strategic Health Program of Action: 2013- 2022

In line with the decisions of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers, the OIC General Secretariat, SESRIC and IDB are collaborating in the preparation of the OIC Strategic Health Program of Action 2013- 2022.

Muslim leaders call for finalizing OIC Strategic Health ProgramCairo Summit appeals to religious

leaders to support polio eradication campaign

President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan


Pakistani security officials escorting healthworkers administering polio vaccination (epa)

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Member States urged to continue efforts for quality educationThe Cairo

Islamic Summit lauded the increasing interest of the Member States in the

‘OIC Educational Program: Solidarity through Academia in the Muslim World’ being pursued by the General Secretariat. Member States were invited to generously support the initiative and actively participate in the Educational Exchange Program.

The Sultan of Brunei was one of those who offered scholarships for

studying in Brunei Darussalam and expressed support for the educational programs of the OIC.

The Summit’s Final Communiqué called upon all Member States to continue their efforts for quality education that promotes creativity, innovation, and research and development, and in this regard promote collaboration, academic interaction and exchange of knowledge between their academic institutions. It invited the Member States and financial institutions to assist in the efforts of the OIC universities - the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Bangladesh, the Islamic University in Niger (IUN), the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) and the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) - for the development of quality education, human resources and physical infrastructure, including appropriate facility for female students. It underscored the importance of non-discrimination between members of the native academic staff and those from other Member States in the universities of the OIC.

The Member States affirmed their support for the efforts of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to contribute to the establishment of an International Islamic University in Afghanistan as well as to the Bank’s efforts to mobilize financial resources for this purpose.

Achievements in higher educationThe OIC Secretary General has never forgotten his

academic background and stressed on advancing higher education in the member states.

Educational Exchange ProgramWith a view to taking practical steps towards strengthening

the bonds of Islamic solidarity and achieving its renaissance, the OIC General Secretariat has put in place a framework for greater cooperation and linkages in academia i.e. learning, teaching and research.

The ‘OIC Educational Exchange Program: Solidarity through Academia in the Muslim World’ aims at promoting solidarity through academia and cooperation among Member states in the crucial field of higher education. The Program is receiving increasing attention at the international level. Under the OIC Program, scholarships have been announced by several public and private sector universities in the OIC Member States. A dedicated webpage for the Program facilitates timely provision of information about scholarship offers to the widest possible audience. The Program also involves faculty exchange, short term student exchanges, research collaboration and vocational training.

Adoption of ‘Key Performance Indicators: A Guide for Assessment and Quality Enhancement for Universities in the Islamic World’

In October 2011, the OIC Ministers of Higher Education adopted a document entitled ‘Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): A Guide for Assessment and Quality Enhancement for Universities in the Islamic World’. This document is meant to serve as a guide for universities in the OIC Member States for achieving academic excellence, enhancement of R & D, improvement of quality of education to compete with the World Class universities. Further guidelines to facilitate the implementation of the KPIs by the universities in the OIC Member States are being developed.

Establishment of the Association of Quality Assurance Agencies of the Islamic World

The Association of Quality Assurance Agencies of the Islamic World which was established as a follow-up of the decision of the 36th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in 2009 and is based in Malaysia. The Association provides a platform for cooperation in capacity building and exchange of best practices, experience and expertise among quality assurance agencies of countries of the Islamic world.

Strengthening of OIC universitiesThe period 2005 to 2012 has seen progressive

strengthening of the OIC universities i.e. Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Dhaka, Islamic University of Niger (IUN), Niamey, Islamic university in Uganda (IUIU), Kampala, and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuala Lumpur.

The OIC universities have seen expansion of faculties, development of infrastructure, new ICT facilities, training of staff and improvements in educational standards.

Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dipu Moni


Muslim leaders at the Cairo Summit, which was the first Islamic Summit after the Arab uprisings triggered mainly by poverty and unemployment, expressed their concern

that global growth remained modest and unemployment high. They emphasized that youth unemployment crisis is a major challenge to the OIC Member States, especially in the least developed countries and those who lack the fiscal space needed to finance the creation of job opportunities as well as social protection schemes.

The leaders stressed that youth employment crisis, aggravated by the global economic and financial crisis, is a global challenge. Therefore, it needs to be addressed by relevant mechanisms at the international level, taking into account its social and economic characteristics that vary considerably in size and nature, within and among countries and regions. It requires actions by governments, employers and workers at the country level to promote create and maintain decent and productive jobs. The leaders acknowledged that the youth are part of the solution and their voices should be heard, their creativity engaged, and their rights respected in dealing with the youth employment crisis.

Consequently, the Muslim leaders announced their determination to work collectively in order to prioritize job-generating growth policies and promote youth entrepreneurship. They look forward to working closely with the ILO with a view to generating partnerships that can help OIC Member States in addressing these challenges. To this end, they welcomed the convening of the OIC Labor Ministers Conference to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from 23 -26 April, 2013, which aims at putting in place an OIC Framework for Cooperation among its States on issues related to labor and employment.

Other recommendations:• Called upon the Member States to continue coordinating

their efforts on global economic issues including issues of stabilization and reform of the financial system.

• Commended the progressive increase in intra-OIC trade from 14.44% in 2004 to 17.71 % in 2011. Urge Member States to complete the necessary procedures to make the Trade Preferential System operational.

• Called on all Member States to work together in supporting the economies of Arab Spring countries and increasing the volume of investments targeted at them in developmental and services domain.

• Invite the IDB Group to take effective measures with the view to scaling up the contribution of the Private Sector to development.

• Reiterated the need for strengthening the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development with proper mechanisms for supporting vital areas.

• Recommended that the Islamic Development Bank

concludes the second program on the Development of Africa to be implemented in the next five years.

• Hailed the establishment of the OIC Plan of Action for Cooperation with Central Asia.

• Commended the role of COMCEC and all OIC committees and programs in operationalizing the OIC projects and activities, particularly the frameworks for tourism, transportation and agriculture.

• Called on the General Secretariat and IDB to take necessary measures to speed up the implementation of the OIC Dakar-Port Sudan Railway Project.

• Commended the initiative of His Highness the Emir of the State of Kuwait to establish a Decent Life Fund with US$100 million.

• Commended the endeavors under the COMCEC for deepening economic and commercial cooperation among the member states, in particular the operationalisation of the Standard and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the launch of S&P OIC/COMCEC Index 50 Shariah Index, establishment of COMCEC Capital Markets Regulators’ Forum, establishment of OIC/COMCEC Private Sector Tourism Forum and Transport Cooperation Framework within the OIC (Izmir Document 2011). Requested the Member States to actively participate in the programs and projects developed under the auspices of the COMCEC.

• Welcomed the decision of the 39th Session of Council of Foreign Ministers, held in Djibouti on 15 -17 November 2012, to establish an OIC Food Security institution in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan.

The President of Turkey Abdullah Gul in his statement to the Summit focused on the economy and gave a brief overview, as Chair of COMCEC, of what COMCEC has achieved since 2008. Gul indicated that he submitted the strategy and Statute of the COMCEC at the 4th Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Makkah Al-Mukarramah last year. He noted that the purpose of the strategy was for the OIC to be regionally oriented and for the COMCEC to be a platform for knowledge provision and dissemination towards a common language and understanding. The objectives also include bringing the policies of OIC Member States closer. In light of this, two new mechanisms were set to achieve the objectives of the strategy, i.e. the need to form working groups in the fields of cooperation set by the strategy, and a management of the project cycle that aims to provide financing to implement the projects of Member States in the field of cooperation. The third function of the working groups would be to provide a regular consulting mechanism among Member States. Moreover, the amended Statute shall enhance the efficiency of services provided by the General Secretariat to the COMCEC.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman also focused on the economy in his statement

OIC putting forth Framework for Cooperation on Labor and EmploymentMuslim leaders express concern over high unemployment


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to the Summit. He said that Malaysia has constantly been advocating the need to create awareness about economic and trade potentials among developing countries. In 2005 it initiated the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) which has evolved from the OIC Business Forum. Another important economic initiative that could bring tremendous benefits to the Muslim world, according to Aman, is that Malaysia has taken the leading role in the establishment of an international zakat institution. “We believe zakat collection can serve as the main and basic tool for economic and social development and as a means to alleviate poverty.” He added that Malaysia is now in the final process of establishing the World Zakat Organization (WZO). Malaysia has also initiated Capacity Building Program for OIC Countries for reducing poverty and strengthening economic development, especially in the underdeveloped OIC countries through enhancing capacity building in human resource development, management skills and development of infrastructure. Under Phase One of this program, three capacity building projects were initiated in Mauritania, Bangladesh and Sierra Leone.OIC working for stronger economic cooperation

The promotion of economic cooperation among its Member States is one of the main objectives of the OIC since its establishment. Foremost among the major achievements in the domain of economic cooperation for sustainable development in OIC Member States have been:

Harmonization of Tariff: Through the execution of the three main OIC/TPS instruments namely the Framework Agreement, PRETAS and the Rules of Origin and their entry into force in 2002, 2010, and 2011 respectively.

Trade Financing Intervention: Through the establishment of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) in 2008. The cumulative net trade financing approvals for OIC Member States has increased by 63% from US$24.4 billion in 2005 to US$39.9 billion in 2011.

Increased Intra-OIC Trade: The net result of the efforts made in trade facilitation, promotion and financing and the reinvigorated activities of the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) is an increased volume of intra-OIC trade from 14.44% in 2004 to 17.71% in 2011.

Creation of Poverty Alleviation Fund: The establishment of the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) in May 2007 as a Waqf with a capital of US$ 10 billion. Up to date, the Fund has extended funding to 29 projects in the various OIC countries, amounting to about US$1.06 billion.

Establishment of Special Regional Programs for Africa and Central Asia: The establishment in 2008 of a five-year Special Program for Development of Africa (SPDA) with a financing window capital of US$12 billion has facilitated OIC targeted interventions in such areas as human and agricultural development, social infrastructure, energy and transportation. Similarly, the OIC Plan of Action for Cooperation with Central Asia is expected to expand cooperation with OIC Member States in Central Asia in the domains of trade and investment, human capital and infrastructure development, environment and culture.

Development of Halal Standards and Establishment of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries

(SMIIC) in 2010. Cooperation in the

Tourism Sector: The adoption of a Framework for Development and Cooperation in the domain of Tourism between OIC Member States 2008-2018 has paved the way for participation in the implementation of a project on a Network of Cross Border Parks and Reserves in the West Africa, in collaboration with such partners as UNWTO and KOICA.

OIC Dakar Port-Sudan Railway Project: aimed at covering a network of 10,000 km, was initiated in 2008. The feasibility studies of the Project have reached an advanced stage and are being executed in alliance with African Union/ NEPAD, including funding from IDB Group.

Common Agricultural Policy: Under the IDB Jeddah Declaration, established in 2008, an amount of US$1.5 billion was committed to financing over 27 projects in OIC Member States with the technical participation of FAO and IFAD respectively. Also, a Framework for intra-OIC cooperation in Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Security was elaborated.

Establishment of OIC Cotton Action Plan: aimed at revitalizing the cotton sub-sector. 27 priority projects were selected for implementation, out of which 6 are already disbursing.

Enhancing the role of Private Sectors in the OIC activities: through the establishment of agencies such as International Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) within the IDB Group and the closer cooperation with institutions such as Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (ICCIA).

Cooperation with Regional Organization: framework agreements were signed with such institutions as: United Nations, FAO, IFAD, the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and D-8 Organization.

Assistance to Member States for Capacity Building: three pilot projects in Sierra-Leone, Bangladesh and Mauritania under the Malaysian Capacity-Building Program for OIC Countries were launched.

Cooperation among Stock Exchanges of the OIC Member States: The efforts in this domain led to launching of the Standard and Poor’s (S&P) OIC COMCEC index, the establishment a Forum for the Capital Markets regulatory Authorities of the OIC Member States to work on such issues as Market Development, Capacity Building, Islamic Finance and Financial Literacy respectively as well cooperation between Central Banks and Monitory Authorities in OIC Member States.

President of Turkey Abdullah Gul


Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy announced formally the appointment of former Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Madani as the new Secretary General of OIC.

At the concluding session of the 12th Islamic Summit, Morsy congratulated Madani and wished him every success in discharging his responsibilities as the secretary general of world’s second largest organization after UN.

The 67-year-old Madani is the 10th secretary general of OIC, following Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the current Secretary General, whose term expires end of 2013.

Iyad Madani’s election was unanimous because he was the lone candidate for the post. There were

three potential contenders from the African continent for the post, but all of them

withdrew in favour of Madani.

Iyad Madani is the first Saudi to fill this key post. Madani was Minister of Hajj until 2005. Then he served as Minister of Culture and Information from 2005

to 2009. Madani was appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of Knowledge

Economic City on 10 March 2012. He also serves as vice president of King Abdullah bin

Abdulaziz Foundation for Housing Development.

Iyad Madani named new OIC Secretary General starting 2014

At his last Islamic Summit, Ihsanoglu: I put all my modest capabilities and humble experience at the disposal of the OIC

At the closing session of the 12th Islamic Summit, the Secretary General of the OIC, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu thanked Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy with all sincerity for putting around his neck the Grand Cordon of the Nile. “Egypt has granted me many favors, and here is a new one that you have embraced me with in the name of dear Egypt.”

He expressed his thanks, appreciation and gratitude to the Member States, each and every State, for the care and support they have lent him over the years, particularly the host country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, whose support for the Organization since the first day, and for him personally since he assumed his term of office, was of great help, and a badge of honor on his chest.

Ihsanoglu also expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Government of his country, the Republic of Turkey, for

allowing him this opportunity to serve the Islamic Ummah, and for its support all these years. He gave special thanks to President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for their continuous attention and support. He also reiterated his thanks to the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, its president, government and people for their great support and their efforts to make the conference a success. Then, Ihsanoglu addressed his dear friend and colleague, Iyad Madani, congratulating him. “I am confident and sure that he will shoulder the responsibility of the General Secretariat as I did and even more.”

“I put all my modest capabilities and humble experience at the disposal of the Organization, at any time, and in any form, in order to accomplish the goals we set together,” added Ihsanoglu. “I also put my modest experience at the disposal of Member States for the good and the elevation of the Islamic Ummah.”

In his brief but eloquent statement upon being appointed the new Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Iyad Madani thanked President Morsy for giving him the opportunity to “express his gratitude for the great trust, which the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses, leaders of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have bestowed on me by electing me to become the OIC Secretary General after the end of the tenure of my dear brother and friend Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the man who deserves appreciation and praise from all of us for his perseverance, determination, diligence, successes and accomplishments.”

Madani said that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is not merely a gathering of the nations of 57 countries bonded by faith and Islam, but before that a genuine expression of the

Ummah’s yearning for solidarity and concretization of the spirit of Islamic civilization. “This civilization was prized for establishing unique values based on Tawhid (oneness of God), centered on moderation, reasoned by justice, equality, tolerance and development of the earth, and with freedom entrenched by the fact that God, and no one else, has released us from our burdens and from the yokes upon us.”

However, he pointed out that there is no dynamism for the Ummah without a will; no will without a leadership, no leadership without a vision, and no vision without a path.

“You, by the grace of Allah, are the leadership of this Ummah, reflecting its will. Your vision is crystallized by this Organization, and your resolutions, observed by the Ummah, determine the path of this Organization. How honored I am to join your path as a servant in the march of the Organization.”

Madani: No will without a leadership, no leadershipwithout a vision, and no vision without a path


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WORLD AFFAIRS

Ihsanoglu underlines to President Obama:Peace in the Middle East, socio-economic development and

combating religious intolerance priority for US-OIC collaboration Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

– The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, sent a letter to the President of the United States, Barack Obama, on the occasion of his re-election. In it, Ihsanoglu recalls the great strides of US-OIC collaboration on a range of issues during the past four years of Obama’s administration including health, humanitarian aid and women’s empowerment in the Muslim world and that he looks forward to furthering the cooperation in key areas of mutual interest and concern in the upcoming four years. He underlined that peace in the Middle East, socio-economic development and combating religious intolerance are priority areas for the OIC.

The letter was handed to President Obama’s Special Envoy to the OIC, Rashad Hussein, during the visit of Hussein to OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah on 23 January 2013. The Secretary General stated in his letter to President Obama that his reelection is testimony to the trust placed in his dynamic leadership by the American people and could be viewed as a vote of confidence in his policies signifying ‘change’ with particular reference to the policy of engagement with the Muslim world. He pointed out that OIC, being essentially a political organization operating along the principles of moderation and modernization, aims at sustaining a policy of engagement and not confrontation.

Ihsanoglu stressed that the Palestinian issue remains at the heart of the most pressing concerns to the OIC and the international community, which requires firm commitment by the US, and that the status quo of political stalemate and continuation of Israeli occupation and

settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territory including East Jerusalem are neither acceptable nor viable. Ihsanoglu stated that upgrading the status of Palestine to non-member observer state at the UN General Assembly last November is a golden opportunity that should not be lost and urged Obama to accelerate the realization of peace and stability.

Ihsanoglu referred to Obama’s speech to the Muslim world in Cairo in 2009, which he attended, calling it visionary and a positive statement with far reaching implications that raised expectations for a common future anchored in mutual respect and understanding. In this context, Ihsanoglu mentioned that OIC will continue to combat extremism, terrorism, intolerance and incitement to hatred and violence on religious grounds. The consensual passage of UN Human Rights Council resolution 16/ 18 on

combating religious intolerance, which codified the eight points identified in his address to the 15th Session of the Human Rights Council, has been widely acknowledged as a positive development and a triumph of multilateralism, Ihsanoglu added. It must also be seen as a poster child of OIC-US cooperation, he said, pointing out to the Istanbul Process that he initiated with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to build on the consensus achieved.

The Secretary General also highlighted the issue of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar in his letter. While he acknowledged Obama’s efforts to bring the issue of the Rohingya Muslim community to the attention of the national authorities during his recent visit to the country, he urged Obama to support protect the human rights of the Rohingya ethnic minority and to restore their citizenship.

US President Barack Obama waves after delivering hisinaugural address in Washington DC on 21 January 2013 (epa)


WORLD AFFAIRS

OIC Chief congratulates the new Pope of the Vatican: An invitation for historical reconciliation between Islam and Christianity

OIC Special Envoy for Mali and Sahel to tackle the root causes of the conflict, emphasize tolerant values of Islam

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu sent a letter of congratulation to the new Pope of the Vatican. In the letter Ihsanoglu stated that with immense pleasure and satisfaction he received the news of his Eminence’s election as Pope of the Vatican.

The Secretary General said that he seizes this opportunity to express ardent hope that under the new Pope’s guidance and leadership the relationship between Islam and Christianity will regain its cordiality and sincere friendship. He expressed to the new Pope that the legacy as champion of the poor

and the most vulnerable, who carries a message of love, brings to us all the tidings of a better and more peaceful world. It also induces the OIC to look forward, for an era of dialogue among civilizations, with more meaningful amiability and cooperation.

Finally, the Secretary General emphasized that over the last eight years, the OIC has called for and worked hard to propagate the idea of

“Historic Reconciliation between Islam and Christianity”, whose followers count for two third of humanity. He concluded: “I would like at this historic moment to reiterate this call, while praying for success in your holiness’ lofty and noble mission.”

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – OIC Special Envoy for Mali and Sahel stressed that OIC can and will play a major role in promoting the true values of Islam as opposed to what the terrorist groups in Mali is claiming to be acting in the name of Islam, and the OIC will be actively contributing to existing international efforts aimed at finding mediated and

durable solutions to the conflict. Djibrill Yipènè Bassole, the Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso who is also the Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General for Mali and the Sahel Region, met with the Secretary General of the OIC Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in the latter’s office on 11 March 2013.

The Secretary General and the Special Envoy held extensive discussions and exchange of views on the crisis in Mali. In particular, they examined the ways and means to stabilize the country by facilitating dialogue among the stakeholders and supporting the transitional government.

The Special Envoy briefed the Secretary General on the latest developments in Mali particularly on the situation in the North and the ongoing international military offensive against terrorism.

On his part, Ihsanoglu presented and explained the mandate of the Special Envoy and reiterated OIC’s firm position for the respect of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Mali and its unwavering support for the country. He requested the Special Envoy to lead the implementation of all OIC Resolutions on the conflict and devise a strategy that would focus on identifying its root causes. He further requested him to continue to emphasize on the noble, peaceful and tolerant values of Islam and dissociate it from the activities of terrorist groups.

Speaking to the OIC Journal after his meeting with the Secretary General, Bassole said that the military intervention alone will not solve the problem that is why OIC and its Member States need to help Malians and provide humanitarian assistance and promote socio economic development because poverty is part of the problem.

“The OIC can and will play a major role, first, because Mali and all its neighboring countries are members of the OIC, and secondly, because some of the terrorist groups are claiming to be Islamic and we should not allow them to act in the name of Islam,” he stressed. In this regard, the OIC can play a role to promote true Islam and reconciliation.

“We will promote dialogue but not with the terrorist group. The armed group should distance themselves from terrorist activities.”

Pope Francis waves from awindow in Vatican City (epa)

Djibrill Bassole

45

OIC, UN Secretaries General discuss recent developments

OIC: Dialogue between Thai Government andNational Revolutionary Front should involve other stakeholders

New York, USA – OIC Secretary General had a meeting with the UN Secretary General at the UN Headquarters in New York on 12 February 2013 after addressing the open debate of the UN Security Council on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict”. During the meeting both Secretaries General discussed some recent developments of common concern including Syria, Mali, Palestine and Muslim Rohingya Minority in Myanmar.

Secretary General Ihsanoglu briefed his counterpart on the outcome of the Twelfth OIC Summit recently held in Cairo. The OIC Secretary General particularly referred to the OIC Summit decision for the establishment of a financial safety net to meet the major needs of the Palestinian people and hoped that the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis will be re-activated. Both the Secretaries General

expressed their satisfaction over the successful holding of the donors’ conference for the Syrian people held in Kuwait on 30 January 2013. They underlined the importance of following the path of dialogue and peaceful solution.

Earlier during the day OIC Secretary General addressed the Symposium titled “The Role of Interfaith Dialogue in Peace building and Women Empowerment”, jointly organized by the OIC Permanent Observer Mission and the Peace Islands Institute at the UN

Headquarters, on the occasion of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. In his address he called for increasing women’s participation in every aspect of life in the society and underlined the importance of their role in the development of societies and peace building. Taking this opportunity, he reiterated his rejection of and opposition to violence against woman.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The OIC, commenting on the agreement signed on 28 Feb. 2013 between the Government of Thailand and the National Revolutionary Front (BRN), expressed hope that this dialogue will be accompanied by concrete confidence building measures to allow other stakeholders to join the process and create an environment favorable to the realization of a just and durable peace. The Agreement signed is meant to start a peace dialogue aiming at solving the Southern Border Provinces (SBP) problem under the framework of the Thai Constitution and with the

facilitation of Malaysia. The OIC Secretary General believes that, for dialogue to fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the people, it should address the root causes of the problem and deals with issues underlining the problems of identity, culture, language, justice, development and political participation and domestic affairs.

The OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has written to both the Governments of Thailand and Malaysia expressing the wish to see other parties and stakeholders in the Southern Border Provinces included in the dialogue process seeking to achieve a lasting peace in the region.

The OIC Secretary General reaffirmed the spirit of friendship on which the constructive relationship between the Royal Thai Government and the OIC is based as reflected in the Joint Statement issued on 1 May 2007 by the Foreign Minister of Thailand and the OIC Secretary General. Based on this joint Statement, the Secretary General reiterated his willingness to expand his constructive cooperation with the Thai authorities to engage in a meaningful and lasting solution to the problem, which would enable the people of the SBP to assume the responsibilities over their domestic affairs and a decentralization process that allows the people to practice their own cultural and linguistic specificity and manage their natural resources in full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Thailand.

Secretary General of Thailand's National Security Council Paradorn Pattanathabutr (L) speaks with Chairman of the Advisory Council for Peace Building in the Southern Border Provinces Aziz Benhawan ahead of talks

with Thailand's National Revolutionary Front (BRN), (epa)

OIC and UN Secretaries General at the UN in New York


The 24th October 2011 was a historic day for Azerbaijani diplomacy and its pursuance of peaceful and cooperative foreign policy since its regaining of independence. On that day Azerbaijan, a relatively young state with an old history and prospering economy, managed to gain support of 155 member states of the United Nations and won a seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. This was indeed a historic turnaround. This achievement also demonstrated that Azerbaijan deserves international community’s support as a respectful and peaceful member of the international relations. The non-permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council allows Azerbaijan to make its own contributions to the maintenance of global peace and security. As President Ilham Aliyev declared while addressing the UN Security Council in May 2012: “as a rotating chair of the UN Security Council, Azerbaijan will support international law and justice”. This position takes its roots from the fact that despite itself being subject to military occupation of its lands through violation of international law and norms, Azerbaijan is still a true and strong believer in the crucial importance of international law as the only basis of the current international system.

Through carrying out a principled and consistent strategy, Azerbaijan has turned into a regional leader and reliable partner in international relations. Nowadays it is on the way to becoming a regional transport and transit hub. Alongside with currently operational regional oil and gas pipelines like Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, the expected completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway would add another transport dimension to the successful energy and transport strategy thus taking the trilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to a new stage. While it dearly needed foreign direct investment in order to develop its energy sector after the signing of Contract of Century, Azerbaijan now has become a source for exporting foreign direct investment towards mainly neighboring and regional countries. Large scale undertakings and projects initiated by Azerbaijani investment in the countries in the region is now expanding towards Eastern and Central Europe as well as the Central Asia.

Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the relations with brotherly Islamic countries and enjoys strong and

growing cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It is worth noting that over the recent years we have managed to further strengthen our already strong relations with the OIC through mechanisms such as bilateral interaction and political dialogue. The Republic of Azerbaijan has always supported and will continue to support the activities and initiatives of the OIC.

Another important dimension of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy is the promotion and encouragement of peaceful coexistence and understanding among different civilizations and faiths. It has always been a place where Muslims, Christians and followers of other faiths have lived in peaceful coexistence for centuries. It is therefore our historic responsibility that we continue our efforts to strengthen intercultural dialogue and understanding. Azerbaijan and in particular its capital Baku has hosted a number of large-scale events such as the Forum on Intercultural Dialogue and Baku International Humanitarian Forum with a view to creating a platform where people of different faiths and cultures can share ideas and exchange views on the current global issues.

The continuation of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan stands out as the main challenge facing young and dynamic diplomacy of Azerbaijan. The international community, in particular, OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs (US, Russia and France) continue their efforts, to end the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenian armed forces and total ethnic cleansing of indigenous Azerbaijani population of the occupied territories. The continuing occupation undermines the regional and international efforts to restore lasting stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus region. The UN Security Council Resolutions, 822, 853, 874 and 884 of 1993 alongside with similar decisions and resolutions by other regional and international organizations reinforce Azerbaijan’s position by reaffirming its sovereignty and territorial integrity and calling for the unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Peace talks have been ongoing for more than twenty years with no concrete outcome under the premises of the OSCE Minsk Group. Azerbaijan has shown its commitment to the peaceful solution of the conflict and remains in its position however the lack of political will on the part of the Armenian side brings the peace process into a stalemate and seriously damages the negotiations.

The continued, firm and unequivocal support of the OIC to the settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan is indispensable and in particular, personal devotion of H.E. Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General of the OIC and his principled stance in holding the profile of this conflict high on the agenda of the OIC is highly appreciated by Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s diplomacy has managed to lay down a strong foundation to build on and will carry on strengthening its regional and international role through the exercise of its available diplomatic resources in the years ahead.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Policy Priorities

By Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E

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OIC expresses concern at the deterioratingsecurity and political situation in Iraq

OIC Secretary General congratulates JordanianMonarch over successful parliamentary elections

Ihsanoglu condemns assassination in Tunis of opposition figure

OIC hails signing of Implementation Matrix for Cooperation Agreements by Governments of Sudan and South Sudan

Baghdad, Iraq – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, expressed serious concern at the deteriorating security situation and the continuing political crisis in Iraq, insisting on the need for the Iraqi Government to assume its duties in restoring security and stability throughout Iraq.

The Secretary General called once again on all political and religious leaders in Iraq to join their efforts in order to put an end to the mounting violence and to endeavor to build true national reconciliation among all members of the Iraqi people in order to ensure Iraq’s security, stability and unity.

The Secretary General reiterated OIC’s willingness to play any role desired by different Iraqi parties to support their reconciliation.

The Secretary General had issued several statements during the last three months appealling to the political and eminent religious leaders in Iraq to place Iraq’s interest

before any other consideration and to spare no effort to preserve the unity, security and stability of Iraq in such a way as to preserve social peace and stability. He also invited all Iraqi parties to embark on a comprehensive and serious dialogue leading to a genuine national reconciliation among the Iraqi people away from sectarianism and marginalization of the other and to seek to improve the conditions of the Iraqi citizen.

The Secretary General renewed the preparedness of the OIC, which enjoys acceptance with all Iraqi factions and parties, to send a high level delegation to Baghdad to contact all Iraqi parties and to contribute to the rapprochement of the views and to consider preparations to activate the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Document of 2006.

The Secretary General reiterated his call for proper handling of the Iraqi protesters’ requests in order to preserve social peace, security and stability in Iraq.

Amman, Jordan - During a reception held by His majesty King Abdullah II for heads of delegation of international observers for the Jordanian parliamentary elections at the Royal Court in Amman on 24 January 2013, the head of delegation of the OIC election monitors, Ambassador Habeeb Kabachi, conveyed to the Jordanian monarch the congratulations of the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu over the success of the electoral process held in a transparent and

democratic environment together with popular participation. Ambassador Kaabachi expressed to the monarch the satisfaction of OIC delegation with the good conditions under which the election was held, under the supervision of the independent electoral commission and in the context of the King’s commitment to developing and strengthening the reform process he started since assuming the throne of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Tunis, Tunisia – The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has strongly condemned the assassination in Tunisia of the late Chokri Belaid, one of the icons of the Tunisian political terrain. He denounced this heinous terrorist act and expressed his condolences to the

family of the deceased. The Secretary General appealed to

all Tunisians to imbibe the spirit of responsibility and stand

against violence and physical elimination, and to place the

interest, security and stability of Tunisia above all other

considerations.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu commended the signing of the implementation matrix for the nine cooperation agreements concluded between the Government of the Sudan and the Government of South Sudan concerning bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the domains of security arrangements and economic cooperation. The Secretary General requested

the two governments to abide fully by the provisions of these agreements within the agreed timeframe in a bid to realize the hopes and aspirations of the people of the two countries for peace, stability and development. In another respect, the Secretary General commended the efforts of the African Union High-Level Mechanism and all regional and international efforts which helped realize this significant achievement.


The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu reiterated OIC’s call on the Security Council to assume its responsibility and do its utmost to protect the Syrian people and bring a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict through a political dialogue.

“The real and grave challenge that needs the urgent action of this Council is the ongoing violence in Syria,” he said.

Ihsanoglu addressed the UN Security Council on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict” at the United Nations Headquarters on 12 February 2013. The OIC Secretary General stated that the conflict in Syria puts the Council’s, and the international community’s ability to protect civilians in armed conflict to a clear test. He affirmed that neither the Security Council nor the international community has passed this test. The Secretary General expressed his disappointment that the Syrian leadership perpetuated violence against its own people.

Meanwhile, Ihsanoglu launched an appeal in January to the Member States and to their various non-governmental organizations active in the area of charity and relief, as well as to all civil society institutions, to urgently extend their assistance to the Syrian refugees in Jordan, particularly at the Al-Zaatari camp in the province of Al-Mafraq, and in the other neighboring countries. Ihsanoglu expressed his deep sympathy and full support for the Syrian refugees in the face of their present ordeal made even more intolerable by the severe winter conditions and their repercussions on those sheltered in camps. Ihsanoglu also expressed his appreciation for the efforts put in by Jordan to offer secure and appropriate shelter to the refugees in accordance with the resources available to the country.

Donors’ conference exceeds $1 billion targetThe Secretary General, upon the invitation by UN

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, participated in the donors’ conference in Kuwait for the Syrian people on 30 January 2013. The conference came in response to the call for coordinated efforts aimed at assisting the Syrian people who

have been displaced to neighboring countries due to the situation in their country.

The donor countries have pledged more than $1.5 billion for Syrians displaced by nearly two years of fighting, Ban Ki-moon announced after the conference. Ban Ki-moon told the final session of the one-day conference that the meeting has “reached its target” of $1 billion of aid for Syria’s neighbors hosting refugees and another $500 million to fund humanitarian work for 4 million Syrians afflicted by the civil war inside the country.

Number of refugees reaches 1 million markThe UN refugee agency, citing data received from

UNHCR’s offices in the Syria region, on 6 March announced that the number of Syrians either registered as refugees or being assisted as such has reached the 1 million mark.

“With a million people in flight, millions more displaced internally, and thousands of people continuing to cross the border every day, Syria is spiraling towards full-scale disaster,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres. “We are doing everything we can to help, but the international humanitarian response capacity is dangerously stretched. This tragedy has to be stopped.”

The number of Syrian refugees fleeing their country has increased dramatically since the beginning of the year. More than 400,000 people have become refugees since January 1, 2013. They arrive traumatized, without possessions and having lost members of their families. Around half of the refugees are children, the majority under the age of eleven. Most have fled to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. Increasingly, Syrians are also fleeing to North Africa and Europe.

The High Commissioner noted that the impact of this large number of refugees arriving in neighboring countries is severe. Lebanon’s population has increased by as much as 10 per cent. Jordan’s energy, water, health and education services are being strained to the limit. Turkey has spent over US$600 million setting up 17 refugee camps, with more under construction. Iraq, juggling its own crisis with more than 1 million Iraqis internally displaced, has received more than 100,000 Syrian refugees in the past year.

“These countries should not only be recognized for their unstinting commitment to keeping their borders open for Syrian refugees, they should be massively supported as well,” said Guterres.

In December, the UN’s Regional Response Plan for Syrian Refugees estimated that 1.1 million Syrian refugees would arrive in neighboring countries by the end of June 2013. UNHCR is adjusting this plan, in light of the new figures. Currently, the plan is only about 25 per cent funded.

Appeals for urgent humanitarian assistance to the refugeesIhsanoglu: Syrian conflict puts Security Council’s ability to protect civilians at a test

Syrian refugees at Mafraq, Jordan (epa)

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The Syrian crisis seems today to be heading toward a phase that could be touted ‘Syrian exceptionalism’. This attribute could apply to a raging and sustained crisis for which the contending parties seem simply unable to work out any foreseeable way out. The attribute seems to carry a string of terrifying implications for the entire region and whatever conventional concepts and terminology regional actors have been so far used to. About two months ago, the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper published a news story reporting that four French TV channels aired a movie on the Syrian revolution. This development could be read as a mutation of the Syrian crisis from being perceived as a fleeting crisis to being characterized as a dramatic or ‘dramatizable’ phenomenon with its own literature that reflects facts inspired by the upshots unfolding from the dark tunnel in which the crisis is stuck. As time passes, the Syrian crisis appears to turn into an enduring emotional state that inspires dramatic creativity. This is precisely what happens with protracted crises, just like the literature on the Palestinian cause and the profuse and creative literature on the Lebanese situation and many other such cases.

The news report claimed that the website ‘Sham Network’ alone has nearly two hundred thousand video clips shot by members of the opposition to the Syrian regime. The clips feature scenes of the raging war in Syria. The huge number of the clips underlines the magnitude of the crisis, not just in security and political terms, but also in terms of the accumulated tragedies that daily punctuate the Syrian scene. Syrians today scramble to have their most basic living needs fulfilled. They lack heating under the severe winter cold. Many of them are homeless with no sense at all of security or stability. Worse, the State apparatus itself is on the verge of utter collapse and the country’s unity is facing the danger of being shattered to pieces while sectarian and ethno-centric sentiments are growing rampant.

Though the Syrian case of presumed exceptionalism, if metaphorically so described, is characterized by the elements shaping a potentially region-wide crisis, it is still, at least up to this moment, a crisis threatening internal disintegration that barely affects the broader regional

neighborhood. Contrary to the political buzz amid political pundits, it is clear that the crisis will not spill over beyond its intra-Syrian confines, as the warring factions seek to keep the conflict as inter-Syrian as possible, and make sure that the region does not, and would not, have any unbearable price to incur as part of an unstated agreement to never move beyond the red and non-negotiable lines.

Conversely, Israel, which has so far proved to be the ‘present absentee’ in the Syrian conflict, conducted last January a blitzkrieg which injected a greater dose of confusion into the picture. True, Israel could have purposely staged the blitz to send a signal that it holds a direct stake in the unraveling developments in Syria. In point of fact, Israel appears to be the only party that could benefit from the situation. Tel Aviv seems to be aware that the Syrian crisis, promising to be protracted as it looks, would offer a more comfortable regional environment with Arab States so crisis-laden that they would relegate the Palestinian issue to the lower rungs of their priority ladder.

This grave situation is set to confront us once again with a radical change of the terms and concepts linked to the much-touted Middle East crisis, or what some analysts call the ‘crisis of all crises’, namely the Arab-Israeli conflict. Tensions across the region exacerbated into what has come to be known as the ‘Arab Spring’. Now that the entire region has turned into a hot spot, the Palestinian issue has again hit the rock bottom of the concerns of both the Arab political and media circles.

Israel is, to be sure, quite conscious that over the long term the Syrian crisis will raise a different type of sensibility about the reality of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The concept of resistance will no doubt be redefined and its traditional mantras revisited. Expectedly, the Palestinian cause will no longer hinge on any accommodation of domestic considerations, as has hitherto been the case, in the sense that it has been time and again tapped to secure perennity of rule.

Within this perspective, the Syrian crisis could be seen as a severe shudder for the Arab vision about the problems of the whole region. The Arab regimes have brandished trite and hostile political clichés as part of an acrobatic game slated to keep a right distance from the Arab-Israeli conflict without ever getting sucked into an open war with the Israeli enemy.

The regime in Damascus has failed to nurture the age-old slogans as a way of inflaming animosity toward Israel and turning the Arab-Israel conflict into a front of intransigent resistance to serve nothing but the interests and clout of some regional actors. Eventually, this policy undermined people’s confidence in the Syrian leadership which has consistently projected itself as the last bastion of anti-Zionist resistance. In point of fact, the issue of the Arab-Israeli conflict has not proved to be the decisive element in determining the position of the masses toward the political regimes, as the demands for radical political changes have been, calling principally for an immediate rotation of power

Watch out! Syria May Turn into a Case of Exceptionalim

By Aiman AbboushiDept. of Information, OIC


Khartoum, Sudan – In the statement delivered on his behalf by Amb. Abdullah Alim, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, at the eighth session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUOICM) held on 21 and 22 of January 2013 in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) reiterated the importance that OIC Members States that witnessed peoples’ demands should deal with them wisely and reasonably through energizing the democratic channels and governance and improvement of economic and social conditions. He also asserted that the OIC considers the PUOICM a highly important partner in its efforts towards the realization of its objectives in all political, economic, social, and cultural areas.

The final communiqué of the eighth session of the PUOICM called for the need for effective at all international fora to protect and promote the collective interests of the Muslim Ummah, including the UN reformation process and the expansion of the UNSC membership.

Moreover, the final communiqué expressed concern regarding the rise in the acts of Islamophobia that contradict the principle of freedom of religion and called upon OIC Member States to take all appropriate measures, including working under the framework of the UN, to issue the required international legislations that ban any action that defames religions or instigates hatred, discrimination or violence against the religious symbols and characters.

The Palestinian Cause The final communiqué stressed the centrality of the

Palestinian Cause and that it should remain the main issue at the international fora and events until the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights and establish their independent viable State with Al-Quds Ash-Sharif as its capital. In the same context, it strongly condemned the Israeli expansionist settlement policies and called for the immediate stoppage of all settlement operations and all other legislative and administrative measures that aim to change the legal situation of Al-Quds City.

In addition, the final communiqué called upon the UNSC to take prompt action to remove the settlements. It also welcomed the UNGA recognition of the Palestinian State in November 2012 and its obtainment of the observer status. It confirmed the recognition of the independent Palestinian State and called for the immediate application of this recognition. The final communiqué requested all OIC Member States to raise the level of diplomatic relations with the Palestinian State.

The final communiqué also called for the release of the members of the Palestinian Legislative Council as well as all Palestinian prisoners held unjustly in the prisons of Israeli occupation.

Other Issues The final communiqué commended the efforts of the

Government of Sudan both regionally and internationally to achieve peace in Darfur. It welcomed the Doha Agreement and called the factions that had not signed it to join the peace procession. It also called the International Community and donors to abide by their pledges for helping achieving comprehensive peace there.

The final communiqué called for the immediate and unconditional revocation of the resolution of the International Criminal Court against the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir as being a flagrant infringement of the International Law and the national sovereignty of the Republic of Sudan. It also condemned the Israeli attack on Al-Yarmuk Complex in Khartoum.

The final communiqué called for the respect of the rule of law and conventions adopted at the international organizations, notably the UN and noted that the unfair application of their provisions resulted in double standards that made people lose confidence in the efficiency and fairness of these institutions.

It indicated the need to activate the proposal of establishing an Islamic Court of Justice and issue a practical resolution in this regard to contribute to conflict settlement among the Muslim countries without prejudice to the sovereignty of OIC Member States or their independent national judiciary.

The final communiqué also called for the establishment of the supporting institutions for the OIC structure to strengthen its existing institutions and activate its activities in the field of economic cooperation through the support of the Islamic Bank of Development (IDB) and the establishment of an Islamic monetary fund to help the Muslim countries.

It called for the expansion in the scope of political participation through Shura and ensuring equality and civil freedoms and social fairness and promotion of transparency, accountability, end of corruption in the OIC Member States. It also called for the development of an Islamic Human Rights Charter.

The final communiqué urged Member States to promote the international values of democracy, Shura, human rights, and Humanitarian International Law in line with the noble Islamic values.

The final communiqué stressed that inter-cultural dialogue and highlighting the common values and denominators, inter-faith dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding, and equality among peoples are necessary for the international peace and security, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

It indicated the need for taking appropriate legislative and political measures and adopting the appropriate programs and plans to promote the important role of woman in society and support the efforts of woman members of parliament in particular on national, regional, and international levels.

The Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States Callsfor Establishing the Supporting Institutions of OIC Structure

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Norwegian Refugee Council discusses closer cooperation with OIC

Expert Group Meeting on Humanitarian Affairsdiscusses establishing the Special Emergency Fund

OIC delivers fully-serviced village to flood victims in Pakistan

OCHA Director of Operations visits the OIC

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Elisabeth Rasmusson, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), visited the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah at the head of a high-level delegation on 1920- February 2013. Rasmusson and her six-member delegation held fruitful talks with the Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Ambassador Atta El Manaan Bakhit and his staff. The two delegations discussed best ways and means of

developing a closer cooperation in the humanitarian field. The NRC is an important partner since it is the first Norwegian International NGO, established in 1946, and enjoys a field operational presence in over 20 countries worldwide. The NRC Secretary General paid a courtesy call on the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and briefed him on the outcome of the mission and the way forward with regard to OIC and NRC relationships.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Fifth Expert Group meeting on Humanitarian Affairs held at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah to discuss the modalities of the establishment of a Special Emergency Fund concluded its work on 18th February 2013. The meeting was in implementation of a resolution by the 39th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on 1517- November 2012 in Djibouti and in compliance with the provisions of the Final Communiqué of the 12th session

of the Islamic Summit Conference held on 67- February 2013 in Cairo, which mandated the Secretary General of the OIC to convene an Expert Group Meeting to conclude discussions on the document dealing with the establishment of a Special Emergency Fund. The document is to be submitted to the 40th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting to be held in 2013 in Conakry, Guinea.

Punjab, Pakistan – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) delivered one hundred housing units, a school, a health center and a mosque to the people of the D. G. Khan village in Multan, Punjab Province, Pakistan. The handover ceremony was held for the D. G. Khan villagers, affected by the disastrous floods that hit Pakistan in the summer of 2010, in the presence of officials from OIC General Secretariat, the Government of Pakistan, and some OIC Member States. The project was launched at the directions of the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu who had announced the pledges at the OIC Donors’ Conference for the benefit of the victims, held in July 2010. The OIC thanked Cameron, whose permanent

representative to the OIC Ambassador Tijani handed over the keys to the villagers, for contributing the largest share towards the financing of the project. Guyana was also thanked for its contribution to the building of the village. The OIC also paid tribute to Pakistan for providing facilities to the OIC to complete the project. The D. G. Khan village project had been planned by the OIC in collaboration with the Youth Parliament of Pakistan. It received donations from the staff of the OIC General Secretariat and other OIC organs. The OIC intends to provide a similar project within three months, including 125 housing units, a school, a health center and a mosque for the benefit of the Dado villagers in Punjab province.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – OCHA Director of Operations John Francis Ging paid an official visit to the OIC General Secretariat on 67- March 2013 on a familiarization tour.

Ging held fruitful discussions during the two-day visit with the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Ambassador Atta El Mannan Bakhit and ICHAD staff. Discussions centered on the most effective ways of improving coordination between the OIC and OCHA, for a better and speedy delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy and vulnerable people during humanitarian

crisis, and also on their respective experiences regarding the humanitarian situations prevailing in Mali, Myanmar, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, etc.

The discussions also recognized and stressed the fundamental need to develop a more inclusive global humanitarian system which will embrace new actors from the Muslim world, and reiterated the call made previously to see the two organizations play a more complementary role in terms of negotiating access.

HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS


Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the OIC, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, received on 12 January 2013, in his office, Enver Hoxhaj, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kosovo along with his accompanying delegation.

The Secretary General and his guest held a useful and extensive exchange of views on current issues and

the role of Kosovo in ensuring peace and stability in the Balkans. In particular, they exchanged views on ways towards rallying further international support and recognition for Kosovo, including by an increasing number of OIC Member States. The last being Pakistan; 31 out of 57 OIC Member States have so far recognized Kosovo. Kosovo Foreign Minister expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Secretary General for his enduring support to Kosovo and reiterated his invitation to the Secretary General to visit Kosovo in the coming months. The Secretary General accepted the invitation to visit Kosovo in the near future. He also commended the role of Kosovo towards ensuring lasting peace in the Balkans and welcomed the interest of Kosovo in the activities of the OIC. He further stressed on the need to further strengthen OIC-Kosovo relations, particularly in connection with the welfare of Muslims in the Balkans and Kosovo’s expectations from the OIC and its Member States.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria Dr. Michael Spindelegger invited the OIC to open a regional office in Vienna to facilitate closer cooperation. The Foreign Minister visited the Headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 11 February 2013, upon the invitation of the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. The Minister and his accompanying delegation met with senior officials of the OIC. Assistant Secretaries General Amb. Samir Bakr for Palestine and Al-Quds, Amb. Hameed Opeloyeru for Economic Affairs and Amb. Abdul Moiz Bokhari for Science and Technology as well as other officials of the General Secretariat briefed Vice Chancellor about OIC activities and called for further enhancement of OIC-Austria and OIC-EU relations. The Director General of the Cabinet Amb. Vefahan Ocak congratulated Dr. Spindelegger on the opening of the King Abdullah Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna last November, the inauguration ceremony of which Secretary General Ihsanoglu had attended.

The Austrian Foreign Minister from his side expressed

interest in establishing regular dialogue with the OIC and proposed to the OIC to open an office in Vienna. To this end, he invited the OIC Secretary General to pay an official visit to Vienna to discuss issues of mutual interest and to explore opportunities for cooperation between the OIC and Austria, including on sharing experience in water management, an issue of concern for many OIC Member States.

“We found that there are many issues of common interest, and I would like to cooperate closer with the OIC,” said the Austrian Foreign Minister to the OIC Journal. “The water management issue is a big concern for some parts of the Muslim world and we have lots of experience in it, and there is also the issue of interfaith dialogue especially with the opening of the King Abdullah Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.”

During the talks, Dr. Spindelegger reiterated Austria’s support for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Austria was one of the European countries that voted in favor of Palestine, which obtained the status of non-member observer state at the United Nations General Assembly in November 2012.

Ihsanoglu, Kosovo Foreign Minister exchangeviews on rallying support for recognizing Kosovo

Foreign Minister of Austria proposes opening OIC office in Vienna

OIC NEWS

The Foreign Minister of Kosovo with OIC Secretary General

Foreign Minister of Austria (C) with OIC senior officials

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Stockholm, Sweden – Upon invitation by Carl Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu paid an official visit to Stockholm on 45- March 2013. During the meetings with various officials, recent developments in the Middle East, Northern and Western Africa were discussed. Furthermore, both sides explored ways for increased dialogue and potential cooperation about matters of common interest, expressed their readiness for enhancement of relations, including through regular

political dialogue and consultations at various levels. They also underlined the importance of promotion of tolerance, intercultural and interfaith dialogue.

During the visit, the OIC Secretary General was received by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, Speaker of the Parliament Per Westerberg, and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. He had extensive consultations and working lunch with Foreign Minister Carl Bildt with the attendance of Minister of Integration Eric Ullenhag, and Minister for Public Administration and Housing Stefan Attefall. The OIC Secretary General also addressed the foreign policy experts, academicians and Ambassadors resident in Stockholm at a seminar organized by the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) under the theme ‘OIC: Past, Present and Future’ where he presented an outline of OIC reforms since 2005 and underlined the growing profile of the OIC as a global actor and as the sole official representative and collective voice of the Islamic world. Furthermore, the Secretary General also came together with the OIC Ambassadors in Stockholm at a working dinner at the Turkish Ambassador’s Residence and visited the Stockholm Mosque and exchanged views with the representatives of Muslim community living in Sweden.

Helsinki, Finland – Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu paid an official visit to Helsinki on 56- March 2013 upon the invitation of Errki Tuomioja, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland.

During the visit, Ihsanoglu was received by H.E the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli V. Niinistö and the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Eero Heinäluoma. He had consultations with Minister Tuomioja on issues of mutual concern and discussed ways and means to further improve bilateral relations between Finland and the OIC. The Secretary General also came together with the members of the Finnish Religions Forum and exchanged views about the conditions of Muslims living in Finland and discussed ways to enhance interfaith dialogue and tolerance including under the Alliance of Civilizations.

During the meetings in Helsinki, recent developments in the Middle East, Northern and Western Africa were discussed. The OIC Secretary General and Minister Tuomioja expressed their mutual interest towards development of bilateral relations between the OIC and Finland and agreed to continue regular political dialogue and consultations at various levels.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, on 24 February 2013 received a telephone call from the Secretary of State of the United States of America, John Kerry. During the conversation held ahead of Secretary Kerry’s tour of the region, both sides discussed the situation in the Middle East, in particular Palestine and Syria, the situation of the Rohingya in Myanmar and the situation in Mali, among other issues. The conversation also touched on the bilateral relations between the OIC and the US and how to enhance their

agreements and joint programs, especially the bilateral cooperation in the area of health and the Istanbul Process meetings. The Istanbul Process is discussing putting in place mechanisms for the implementation of resolution 16/ 18 on combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence, and violence against persons based on religion or belief. The conversation was the first discussion between the Ihsanoglu and Kerry since the latter’s assumption of office as US Secretary of State in the administration of President Barrack Obama.

Sweden latest European country to express interestin enhancing relations with OIC to a higher level

OIC and Finland to develop bilateral relations

Ihsanoglu and Kerry discuss situation in the region

His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf with OICSecretary General and his accompanying delegation

President of Finland receiving OIC Secretary General


Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), on 28 February 2013, formalized their continued partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of OIC, and Sally Fegan-Wyles, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, Director ad interim of UNITAR, officialized the MoU at a ceremony.

The objective of the MoU is to provide a cooperative framework within which UNITAR and OIC can create and implement capacity development and research activities in line with their common priorities in the areas of international

peace and security; economy, science and technology; and cultural and social issues.

The MoU is an outcome of discussions between the OIC and the United Nations (UN) and its agencies, which took place in May 2012, regarding key themes for further enhanced cooperation between the two organizations.

These discussions indicated the following areas to be enhanced by the overall partnership between the UN and OIC: collaborate more closely on promoting peace and security in different contexts (from conflict prevention to peace-building, from peace-keeping to peace-making processes in OIC countries); address urgent humanitarian needs in OIC countries affected by man-made or natural disasters or by violent conflict; more concerted efforts to mobilize resources for priority activities of both organizations; foster economic and social reforms; and promote intercultural dialogue.

Since the initial discussions, OIC has funded a joint seminar (between UNITAR and OIC) on sustainable development, which took place in May 2012 in New York, and two workshops on sustainable cities, which took place in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro in the framework of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

In accordance with the MoU, UNITAR’s scope of involvement moving forward will include, among other activities, developing joint capacity building and training programs to assist OIC Member States in promoting education for sustainable development, and developing training programs and capacity building projects for youth.

New Memorandum of Understandingstrengthens partnership between UN and OIC

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The OIC Secretary General announced on 20 March 2013, the establishment of a specialized Peace, Security and Mediation Unit (PSMU) at its General Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in accordance with the decision taken by the 39th Council of Foreign Ministers in Djibouti in November 2012. Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that the OIC is in the process of finalizing the working methods of the PSMU with a view to its full operationalization. It is hoped that the PSMU would strengthen OIC’s role in mediation and quiet diplomacy as tools in conflict prevention and resolution. It would seek to support the intensification of the use of Good Offices of the Secretary General, Special Representatives and

enhance cooperation with other regional and international organizations.

The Unit initially will focus on its capacity building, after which it is expected to function principally through monitoring current and potential crisis situations and undertake timely diplomatic response. This would be coupled with identifying and analyzing major root causes of potential conflict and determining ways and means to address these conflicts. The PSMU would also seek to interact with the Member States and the international and regional organizations to share experiences in mediation and conflict issues.

OIC launches Peace, Security and Mediation Unit at its Headquarters

OIC Secretary General and AssistantSecretary General of the UN sign the MoU

OIC NEWS

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, received in his office on 24 February 2013, Dr. Bouabdellah Ghlamallah, the Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments, and Mr. Saleh Attiya, the Consul General of Algeria in Jeddah.

During this meeting, the Secretary General commended the important part played by Algeria in promoting solidarity among Islamic States and developing joint Islamic action. The developments in the region were also reviewed. The Secretary General underscored the Organization’s continued support for security, stability and development in Algeria.

OIC Secretary General receives AlgerianMinister of Religious Affairs and Endowments

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Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The OIC Secretary General noted that the Republic of Tatarstan can play a crucial role in the implementation of the various OIC economic programs.

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the OIC, made this observation when he met at his office in Jeddah on 16 March 2013, with H.E. Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation and his accompanying delegation.

While commending the positive role of Tatarstan in the broader context of OIC’s growing relations with the Russian Federation as an observer member of the OIC, the Secretary General particularly referred to the increasing participation of Tatarstan in the development of Halal food industry and the promotion of Islamic financial products.

The meeting hailed the increasing participation of the Tatarstan in the various OIC trade fairs, exhibitions and other private sector events and underscored its great potentials in building intra-OIC capacity in the agro-industrial and agro-food sub-sectors. Both sides agreed to cooperate in the field of science and technology as well as education, especially in the Scholarship Programs.

OIC Secretary General explores consolidationof OIC economic relations with Tatarstan

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Upon the invitation of the Secretary General of the OIC Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, His Royal Highness Prince Charles paid a historic visit to OIC Headquarters in Jeddah on 17 March 2013. During their meeting, the Secretary General welcomed the interest shown by His Royal Highness Prince of Wales in the activities of the OIC aimed at scaling up food, energy and water security programs in the OIC Member States.

The Secretary General and some senior officials of the General Secretariat gave a comprehensive briefing on the various intra-OIC programs and activities in support of agricultural development, food security and drought resilience. His Royal Highness Prince of Wales praised the programs and activities of the OIC under the leadership of the Secretary General and expressed his readiness to encourage the Prince’s Charities to make available its vast

experiences to interested OIC Member States through the OIC and its specialized institutions, particularly the Islamic Development Bank Group.

The Secretary General and His Royal Highness also agreed on the need for regular exchange of views and information on energy and water issues, including the on-going actions to boost sustainable use of water and energy resources for agricultural production and enhancing food security.

HRH Prince of Wales pays a historic visit to the OIC Headquarters

OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu receiving Prince Charles at the OIC

Prince Charles looking over a picture bookon Al-Quds by IRCICA in the Secretary General’s office

Ihsanoglu and President of Tatarstanduring a press conference at the OIC


OIC Chief: UN Human Rights Council’srole should be constructive and remedial

Geneva, Switzerland – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu gave a speech on 28 February before the 22nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In his speech he emphasized the importance of avoiding politicization of the Council’s resolutions. The Secretary General reiterated subscription to the view that this Council’s main role should be constructive and remedial, and not judgmental or selective.

The Secretary General pointed out that Human Rights at the OIC is witnessing an increasing importance during the High Level segment each year and it has in fact become now a major pillar of the reform and restructuring exercise. He added that the establishment of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) - in half the stipulated time - symbolizes the transformation accomplished at the OIC. The IPHRC reflects the resolve -expressed at the highest level in OIC- towards mainstreaming human rights perspective across programs and activities of the organization, he said.

Moreover, the Secretary General stressed that the Commission – operationalized last year – developed its Rules of Procedures (RoP) in a record time. It has clearly identified rights of women and children as well as human rights to education and right to development (RtD) as the first list of priorities. It simply represents a paradigm shift, it is a major exercise in institution building at OIC, he stressed. Ihsanoglu pointed out that the IPHRC deserves encouragement as the World’s first cross regional human rights mechanism. I am confident that the Member States intend to and will utilize its potential optimally.

The Secretary General said that this session of the Council is being held at a time when the international scene is littered with hotspots of armed conflict. Situations in Syria, Mali and Myanmar are of particular concern to OIC. With the new trends and techniques of warfare emerging in conflict ridden areas there is a need to ensure that the international law is not violated in any case. Ihsanoglu stated that the 12th OIC Summit in Cairo – held earlier this month - clearly pronounced and underlined the Syrian Government’s primary responsibility of the continued violence and destruction of property. Thus, the Summit called for immediate cessation of violence and respect for human rights. On the situation in Mali, the Secretary General stated that the OIC has condemned the acts of terrorist groups reaffirming solidarity with the people of Mali and its National Unity Government.

As for the situation of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Ihsanoglu said it constitutes a major concern of OIC with particular reference to their right to citizenship. The OIC is confident that the substantive work of this session will duly address all the issues in terms of a result oriented approach, and that this Council’s role would continue to figure prominently in forging and implementing international consensus, he stated.

On Palestine, the Secretary General reiterated the urgent necessity for this Council to address the long-standing and permanent sufferings of Palestinian people. The Israeli occupation and policies pose a continuing threat to the entire body of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. Key issues including the Palestinian refugees; Civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights in Occupied East Jerusalem; settlements in the occupied Arab territories; apartheid wall; blockade of Gaza Strip; and the Palestinian prisoners have all been riddled with violations of the whole range of Human Rights, Ihsanoglu emphasized.

On Kashmir, the Secretary General of OIC said that promotion and protection of human rights of the Kashmiri people continues to form part of the OIC’s agenda and expressed concerned at the Human Rights situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. He said that the recent arrests of Kashmiri leadership also constitute a matter of concern. The OIC continues to call for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

“We believe engagement between Pakistan and India is a positive development that must be continued and intensified with a view to resolving all outstanding issues.”

Finally, on the issue of Islamophobia the Secretary General emphasized that it continues to form a vital concern at the OIC. He said that the increasing trend of Islamophobia is indeed ominous in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, and that the OIC has a principled position against denigration of all religions as well as sacred symbols and veneered personalities in each case.

Ihsanoglu stated the consensual passage of HRC resolution 16/ 18 has been widely acknowledged as a positive development and forms a triumph of multilateralism, along with the ‘Istanbul Process’, which has come to be recognized as the way forward by all stakeholders. He added that within the framework of the Istanbul Process, we must continue to address interrelated issues, and that OIC will be hosting the next event in the Istanbul Process.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Ihsanoglu delivering his speechat the UNHRC in Geneva

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Ihsanoglu: No sustainable development ispossible without strong and empowered women

OIC observes International Day of Women

New York, USA – OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu addressed the Symposium on “The Role of Interfaith Dialogue in Peace-building and Women Empowerment”, which coincided with ‘World Interfaith Harmony Week’. The event was co-organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the OIC and Peace Islands Institute at the UN Headquarters on 12 February 2013.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in his message to the Symposium delivered by Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary General for Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships, UN-Women, commended the OIC and the Peace Islands Institute for organizing the symposium.

“Only when we achieve a fundamental change in mind-sets can we realize true progress. Faith-based organizations can challenge prejudices and support the full participation of women in political, economic and social life by refuting

attitudes that perpetuate inequality,” said Ban.In his remarks, Ihsanoglu said that no sustainable

development is possible without strong and empowered women, adding that women are at the core of building societies; and the vast potential of OIC Member States women population must be extended to all fields of social life including economic, commerce, professional and political decision-making.

As part of its reformed agenda, the OIC did not fall short in envisioning and enhancing the role of women in the ever-evolving Muslim societies. The OIC Ten Year Program of Action, which was adopted by the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit held in 2005, highlighted the importance of the role of women in society, and provided a road map for women to play their due role in social development.

The Secretary General had taken the initiative to convene the first ever Ministerial Conference on Women’s Role in the Development of OIC Member States in Istanbul in 2006. The adoption of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) by the Member States at the 2nd Ministerial Islamic Conference on Women’s Role in the Development of the OIC Member States was a landmark event. In this regard, the Secretary General emphasized that the establishment of the OIC Women Development Organization in Cairo as an OIC specialized institution is another major achievement. The Secretary General also considered the establishment of an OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) a major step in furthering the cause of women.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation joined the International Community in observing 8 March, the International Day of Women. In his message on the occasion, OIC Secretary General said that it is indeed important for the international community to take cognizance of the chosen theme for this year, “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women”. It seeks to strengthen and make good on the international community’s commitment to put an end to violence against women, he stated. The theme is also in consonance with the aspirations of the Islamic Ummah towards promoting the social welfare and well-being of women in OIC Member States.

“Our efforts must remain focused at removing discrimination against women and addressing such

impediments,” stressed Ihsanoglu. This would require a determined, sustained and committed collective effort to devote our energies and resources towards bringing women into the mainstream of the societies by creating conditions that would facilitate playing their due role as partners in development. Their legitimate claims and demands for equal treatment, access to opportunities, role in affairs of the state including policy and decision making and protection from violence and abuse must be met. Women in OIC Member States are and have been holding high positions as Heads of Government, Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentarians, Ambassadors, and civil and military bureaucracy. Much, however, remains to be done and OPAAW has afforded the opportunity to make targeted interventions to that end.

Participants in the OIC symposium in New York

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) congratulated the Saudi people and Government on the appointment of 30 women into the new configuration of the Shoura Council, describing it as part of the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz for women issues in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.


Vienna, Austria - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation participated in the Fifth Annual Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC), held on 26- 28 February 2013 in Vienna, Austria. The 5th Forum, which was entitled “Responsible Leadership in Diversity and Dialogue”, focused on how responsible leadership could make a difference, particularly in the following three major issues:

• the promotion, protection and full enjoyment of the right to religious freedom in a context of religious pluralism, which consists not only of greater diversity, but of perceptions of that diversity and new patterns of interaction among religious groups,

• media pluralism and diversity of media content and their contribution to fostering public debate, democracy and awareness of diverse opinions, and

• the shaping a new narrative for migration, integration and mobility in the global economy.

The 5th AoC Global Forum brought together over 2,000 delegates from more than 100 countries and international organizations. Attendees included youth leaders, representatives from the private sector and civil society, journalists, foundations, alongside governmental and multilateral representatives.

During the two day event, leaders from around the world, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President Heinz Fischer of Austria, the Emir of Qatar Shaikh Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey, Romanian President Traian Basescu and Foreign Minister Margallo of Spain, Foreign Minister Salehi of Iran, and others conducted closed door meetings to address current global issues such as Syria, Mali, Israel-Palestine, and the future of sustainable development.

Forum outcomes included the Vienna Declaration, a document affirming the commitment of numerous governments and international organizations from around the world to advancing cross-cultural dialogue.

Outlining his vision to make the Alliance more active

in addressing acute inter-ethnic and inter-religious tensions, the incoming High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Nassir Al-Nasser from Qatar, one of the OIC Member States, stated, “We will strive to use the tools at our disposal in the difficult settings around the world. We will not shy away from them.”

Ambassador Ömür Orhun, OIC Special Envoy to the AoC, was one of the speakers at the workshop on Social Media: how a new ethics of communication will help to combat intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization. Other panelists included Islam Muhammad, Anna Lindh Foundation, Susan Moeller, International Center for Media and Public Agenda, Alfonso Molina, Fondazione Mondo Digitale, and as moderator Daniela Krautsack, Cows in Jackets.

The idea was that main social media providers debated how to become platforms for the exercise of free speech while taking up a responsible role regarding practices that might subdue violent confrontations at the same time. The aim of this workshop was to engage attendees in a constructive discussion on these topics taking into consideration the need to implement the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Resolution 16 /18 that calls for “strengthened international efforts to foster a global dialogue”.

The said workshop then focused on the emerging role of social media and the balance between regulation policies, ethics of communication and freedom of expression.

The OIC, being the political voice of the Muslim world with a say when it comes to dialogue among civilizations to bridge the gap in the Muslim-West divide, is expected to remain actively involved with the AoC, as this is one of the best fora to continue sensitizing the international community on the dangers of discrimination against Muslims and intolerance against Islam as a global issue.

During the concluding session of the 5th Forum, participants were informed that the 6th UNAOC Global Forum will be in Indonesia in 2014, the most populous Muslim country in the world and an OIC Member State.

CULTURE

5th Annual Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations:Role of responsible leadership in diversity and dialogue

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon giving his speech at the opening of the 5th Global Forum of the UNAOC (epa)

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«Cairo Declaration» calls for a Charter topreserve the cultural legacy of the Islamic world

Ihsanoglu calls for criminalizing assault on monumentsCairo, Egypt – Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General

of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), called upon OIC Member States and international organizations to protect ancient monuments, stressing the importance of enacting laws that maintain the safety of cultural heritage, and confront those who sabotage it.

In his statement at the Conference on the Protection of Cultural Heritage, held in Cairo on 31 March 2013, in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, and the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), he called for the restoration and maintenance of these monuments and not to relegate them to vandalism and erosion.

Ihsanoglu called upon the international community represented by the United Nations, UNESCO, and other stakeholders interested in human heritage, to protect these antiquities and criminalize any attempts to lay hands on them and called for enacting laws in this regard.

Ihsanoglu indicated that there were recent statements about the desire to "cleanse" the country of some features claimed to be incompatible with Islamic religion in the opinion of some people. He added that "whether this has been exaggerated or not, it reflects rigid and extremist trends that indicate a total ignorance of the noble Islam."

The OIC Secretary General stressed that if the ideology calling for the destruction of ancient monuments continues to spread, it will affect many parts of the world, and portray Islam and Muslims as ignorant and intolerant.

Ihsanoglu mentioned the incident of destroying the shrines of Imams Ali Al-Hadi and Hassan Al-Askari in Iraq which heavily impacted the national unity in Iraq between Sunnis and Shiites. He also pointed to the activities of some fanatics who called for the destruction of Pharaonic monuments in Egypt.

On the other hand, the Secretary General warned against the continuing systematic Judaization of the Palestinian cities and establishments, especially in Al-Quds Ash-Sharif through excavations in the area of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the displacement of the Arab population of Al-Quds Ash-Sharif and other policies

In the same context, Ihsanoglu indicated that the historic monuments in Syria have been randomly destroyed by air strikes or ground attacks without the slightest regard for their historical, cultural, or religious value. He also denounced the demolition of Islamic shrines in both Mali and Tunisia.

At the end, the Conference issued the 'Cairo Declaration' that expressed deep concern over the grave situation in some parts of the Muslim world as far as cultural heritage is concerned. The Declaration noted that this risk is reflected in the hostilities, violations, destruction, and desecration to which the architectural, archaeological, and intellectual

heritage is subject. It indicated that religious intolerance is the reason because it drives some parties to call for the destruction of monuments because of such that are alien to Islam or for political reasons; as well as extremism and occupation and eradication policies in occupied Palestine.

The Conference was held under the title ‘The Importance of Cultural Heritage and its Preservation: the Islamic Vision of Cultural Heritage’ and attended by the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, Egyptian Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, and Dr. Halit Eren, Director General of IRCICA in Istanbul. The Declaration stressed the need for the scholars and specialists of the Islamic world to discuss the risks to heritage in the Islamic world and take measures to address them.

It warned against the recent damage and destruction of Islamic Cultural Heritage and that before it in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya during the revolutions in these countries, during the ongoing war in Syria and Mali, and earlier in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, and most seriously, what has been happening for decades by Israel in the occupied territories.

The Cairo Declaration pointed out that the preservation of cultural heritage is not limited to the physical continuity of buildings, but should also ensure the continuity of non-material aspects of culture, including heritage conservation.

The Declaration stressed the need to continue preserving the heritage in accordance with the principles and policies set forth in international and Islamic conventions, and declarations in force and in particular, the Riyadh Declaration of the International Conference on Architectural Heritage in Islamic Countries in May 2010.

It stressed that all States and authorities are required to take measures to stop any aggression or destruction that affects heritage irrespective of its source or location.

It demanded that the preservation of cultural heritage be part of sustainable development policies and educational and media policies.

The Declaration also called upon the OIC, its concerned organs, and IRCICA, to issue a ‘Charter on Heritage Preservation’ based on Islamic principles, which include a clear vision to maintain it, and to seek its adoption by international institutions working in the field.

Ihsanoglu at the Conference on the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Cairo


Legal experts prepare OIC strategy on religious intolerance

Ihsanoglu calls for an international warningsystem against instances of religious intolerance

Istanbul, Turkey – A panel of legal and human rights experts prepared the groundwork for the political strategy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to tackle religious intolerance against Muslims and the growing incidents of Islam bashing. The two-day meeting held in Istanbul of the Panel of Eminent Persons on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims expanded on a working paper drafted by the OIC General Secretariat for a politically tenable strategy that is anchored firmly in international law.

With the increasing trend of Islamophobia, such as the reprehensible episodes of burning of copies of the Holy Qur’an by a Pastor, the Utoya massacre in Norway, and most recently the release of the trailer of ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ on YouTube, in addition to indications of institutionalization and constitutionalization of Islamophobia, there is mounting public pressure on OIC Member States to draw a line and take concrete action, according to OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

“The OIC strategy must be proportionate to expectations

of the Muslim World - being their political voice. It must be substantive and credible to shift the initiative away from the street to the table of meaningful and result oriented multilateral discourse,” said Ihsanoglu in his opening remarks to the meeting on January 7, 2013. “We must emphasize that there is no hierarchy of human rights whereby a single right can trump others. OIC believes that the relevant provisions of international law on freedom of opinion and expression support our position. If so, it must clearly be brought out with cogent legal arguments. Or we should look for other legally tenable options to engage the negotiating partners in a result-oriented fashion,” he added.

As mandated by the 39th Council of Foreign Ministers held in Djibouti in November 2012, the significance of the Panel lies in furnishing a set of available options, in terms of legal merits and demerits, on combating discrimination and intolerance against Muslims. The output of the Panel’s work was presented to the OIC leadership at the 12th OIC Summit in Cairo on 2 -7 February 2013, which endorsed it.

London, UK – Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), called for an effective international mechanism that could act as an early warning system against instances of discrimination and intolerance on religious grounds. He proposed an International Observatory, perhaps at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with a broad mandate to monitor and document all instances of discrimination and intolerance on religious grounds.

The Secretary General was speaking at the high-level international meeting on 22 January 2013, in London, UK, upon the invitation of Baroness Saiyda Warsi, Senior Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to develop a common understanding on the way forward on the issue of intolerance on religious grounds.

The Secretary General pointed out that the OIC has an ‘Observatory’ monitoring Islamophobia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has a mechanism to monitor hate crimes, but what is needed is an international observatory with global coverage that would monitor intolerance and discrimination against all religions and their respective followers. He said that this would help develop an empirical basis to understand the extent of the problem, which in turn would figure into evolving an effective and concerted international response.

Ihsanoglu also called for building on the consensus that went into the UN Human Rights Council resolution 16 /18 on combating intolerance on religious grounds and the ‘Istanbul Process’ for implementing the resolution. He also pointed out that the recent meeting of eminent lawyers

and human rights practitioners in Istanbul agreed that the provisions of existing legal instruments, including articles 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), suffice in covering OIC’s concerns, and that according equal weight to the concerns on both sides could form a good point of departure for developing a common understanding.

The London meeting came after the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly in December 2012, which adopted the resolution on combating religious intolerance for the second year in a row. The London meeting was the third in a series of meetings after Istanbul and Washington D.C.

OIC to hold the next event of the ‘IstanbulProcess’ on combating intolerance in Geneva

the Organization of Islamic Cooperation announced plan to convene the next event of the Istanbul Process geared towards combating discrimination and intolerance on religious grounds in Geneva in June 2013. OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton jointly launched the Istanbul Process in 2011 for consensual implementation of the approach to combating discrimination and intolerance signified by the OIC-sponsored UN Human Rights Council Resolution 16 /18. The Process was furthered by subsequent events held in Washington in 2011 and Wilton Park in London in 2012. The Spokesman added that the event was likely to be held on the sidelines of the 23rd Session of UN Human Rights Council in June this year, with the exact dates to be announced in due course.

ISLAMOPHOBIA

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A European study agrees with OICon Islamophobia as a form of racism

Brussels, Belgium – A first of its kind pan-European qualitative survey of Islamophobia found that discrimination against Muslims in Europe is widespread. According to the study by the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) released on 21 March 2013, Muslims continue to experience discrimination in a range of areas, more specifically in employment, education and access to goods and services. Based on this, ENAR, representing EU-wide network of NGOs, called on the European Union (EU) institutions to recognize Islamophobia as a specific form of racism.

“This is what we have been saying for a long time, that Islamophobia should be recognized as a form of racism and dealt with accordingly,” commented the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which recently released its fifth annual Islamophobia Report that clearly indicated the rising trends in some national policies, laws and administrative measures that stigmatize Muslims.

“Western leaders need to recognize Islamophobia as a threat to peaceful coexistence and understanding among people,” said the Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

The ENAR study found that Muslim women and girls are the most affected because of their hijab or niqab (head or face veil) and face double discrimination on the basis of both their religion and their gender.

Moreover, increasing hatred against Muslims in Europe manifests itself as opposition to, as well as protests against, the building of mosques and property damage to Islamic places of worship. Examples of this include the height restrictions for mosques in Austria and the attacks by activists of the Bulgarian party ATAKA on the Sofia mosque and Muslim worshippers.

The ENAR report also found that Islamophobia is promoted both by extremist political parties, as well as mainstream parties to gain votes and popularity. As an example Italy where Mario Borghezio, of the Lega Nord Party and a current member of the European Parliament (MEP), recently proposed taxing Muslims who have too many children in order to ‘slow down the great Islamic advance in Europe’.

More worryingly, according to the report, is that an uninhibited form of racism has emerged, using freedom of expression and ‘white victimhood’ as justifications for promoting exclusion and discrimination.

Last but not least, the report pointed out that media has contributed to the rise of Islamophobia in Europe through biased reporting. In Belgium, for example, 51% of complaints on the ground of religion targeting Muslims in 2011 related to media and the Internet.

The OIC Secretary General pointed out that the OIC-initiated resolution 16 /18 at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) seeks to bridge the gap of understanding, promote tolerance and develop a consensus to make the proponents of intolerance and hatred that lead to violence and deaths,

accountable before the eyes of law. This consensus around resolution 16/ 18 was retained with the adoption of a similar Resolution at the HRC in March 2013, which could strengthen the Istanbul Process, an implementation mechanism jointly initiated by the OIC and the US.

Furthermore, Ihsanoglu assured that OIC Member States are all committed to the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and other international instruments that safeguard the individual’s right to freedom of religious practice and freedom of expression and also to live a life free of intimidation, discrimination, coercion, fear or threat.

• Muslim women and girls are the most affected by discrimination because of their hijab or niqab.

• Islamophobia is promoted both by extremist and mainstream political parties to gain votes and popularity.


ECONOMY

Ambassador Alim: The selection mirrors theprominent standing of Taiba among world cities

Saudi Crown Prince launches Madinah Islamic Culture Capital 2013 festivities

Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, inaugurated on 12 March 2013 celebrations to mark Madinah as the Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 1434 AH - 2013 AD.

In his address, the Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud for his unstinting support to joint Islamic action in all fields and to the ISESCO, which selected Madinah as the capital of Islamic culture for the year 2013 under its Program of Islamic Culture Capitals.

“The selection of Madinah is in fact an extension of the great civilizational message of enlightenment carried out by the city of the noble Prophet (PBUH), during his era and afterwards. Madinah was the capital of the then nascent Islamic State, a center of Islamic radiance that spread to the distant horizons reached by the Arab Islamic conquests, and was a center of Islamic sciences and a beacon of Arabo-Islamic culture,” said Dr. Altwaijri.

The Director General pointed out that ISESCO’s Program of Islamic Culture Capitals falls within the framework of strengthening Islamic cultural unity, promoting relations of comprehensive cultural cooperation among the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and deepening the concept of interdisciplinary Islamic solidarity. He explained that the ISESCO’s ten-year program to celebrate capitals of Islamic culture includes in its new version for the years 2015 - 2024 thirty-one capitals. The Program of Islamic Culture Capitals aims, inter alia, to renew Islamic civilization contribution, promote its intellectual, scientific and cultural heritage, and revive the historical memory of Muslim peoples to boost their motivation, strengthen their determination and help them link the past to the present.

For his part, Ambassador Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Alim, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, emphasized that the selection of Madinah to be the Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2013 mirrors its grand and distinctive place among the cities of the Muslim world in the East and the West. He also highlighted the sanctity and specialty of Madinah as the Messenger of

Allah’s shelter and migration destination. Ambassador Alim added that: “it is Taiba Al-Tayeba, about which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “faith would recede to Medina just as the serpent crawls back into its hole”, which is an indication that the noble and pristine religion of Islam spread from Madinah, though it originated in Makkah, and that Muslims did not have a state and a stature until they immigrated to Madinah. It was, still is and will continue to be a visitor’s destination during Hajj and Umrah seasons”.

Amb. Alim added that from Madinah, the pristine religion of Islam radiated light of spiritual, noble and sublime nature for the Islamic culture, given its long history and lofty civilization as the jewel in the crown and the glory of Islam.

Ambassador Alim expressed his thanks and appreciation to Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Medina and Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Celebration of Madinah as the Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2013 for inviting the OIC to participate in the opening

ceremony.

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Muslim leaders laud OIC Educational Exchange Program

Mbale, Uganda – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu called on universities in the OIC Member States to improve their quality of education and enhance R&D in order to compete with world class universities. The Secretary General made the call in a statement delivered at the 20th Graduation Ceremony of the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) held in Mbale, Uganda on 16 March 2013. The Secretary General further congratulated the graduates and advised them to continue to upgrade their knowledge and skills, and keep

abreast with the rapid technological advances in order to ensure continued progress in their lives.

The colorful ceremony, which coincided with the Silver Jubilee cerebrations of IUIU and the 50th anniversary of Uganda’s independence, attracted thousands of guests from the East African region as well as from countries as far as Nigeria in West Africa. A total of 1,856 students graduated this year. 55 % of them (1,022) were males while 45 percent (834) were females.

Ihsanoglu calls on Islamic Universitiesto strive for world class standards

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The ‘OIC Educational Exchange Program: Solidarity through Academia in the Muslim World’ is drawing increasing interest and participation from Member States, and their public and private universities. A significant number of students from the OIC Member States are currently benefiting from the higher education scholarships offered under the Program by high-ranking universities in various Member States and many more offers are in the pipeline. Leaders of the OIC Member States who had gathered in Cairo for the 12th Islamic Summit Conference from 2 to 7 February 2013 expressed their appreciation for the Educational Exchange Program launched by the OIC General Secretariat. The Final Communiqué of the Summit called upon all Member States to actively support and participate in the Program.

“The OIC Educational Exchange Program is based on the recognition of the central role of knowledge, higher education, research, and science and technology in the advancement of the Muslim world,” said OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology Ambassador Abdul Moiz Bokhari.

“Accordingly, the OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has particularly focused on the promotion of cooperation between the OIC countries in these fields.” The Program, which aims at developing greater cooperation and linkages in academia deals with the post-graduate, masters, doctoral, research levels and includes exchange of students, faculty members and researchers for short durations between interested institutions of higher education in the Member States. Various elements of the Program include scholarships, faculty exchange, distance learning, research projects, and specialized courses meeting the specific requirements of Member States. Amb. Bokhari pointed out that 18 universities from the OIC Member States are now included in the top 500 World University Rankings Supplement of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) for 2012. These universities can pair up with other universities in the OIC Member States for exchange of experience and expertise.

Initiative to unify Islamic universities in Africa

Khartoum, Sudan – An initiative to unify Islamic universities in Africa has been launched in an effort to foster cooperation, enhance academic mobility and promote mutual recognition of degrees. The initiative was launched by the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World at the First International Conference on the Biography of the Prophet held at the International University of Africa in Khartoum, Sudan, from 10- 13 January 2013. It focuses on expanding cooperation frameworks and communication between African universities as well as strengthening links between universities in Nile Basin countries.

The initiative will seek to unify systems and programs between African Islamic universities, including in the areas of admission, planning, curriculum, examinations and degrees granted. It will work on mutual recognition of degrees, promote joint research in areas related to the development of Islamic studies, and study problems facing

Muslims in various countries, especially in Africa.Under the initiative, academic conferences will be

organized along with joint education and exchange programs for students and staff, study grants, sabbatical years in Islamic universities, and journals and books. Academic networks among Islamic universities will be set up along with a directory for disseminating information on institutions and courses offered.

According to a 2007 report, ‘Islamic Universities Spread through Africa’, there are about 17 Islamic universities in Sub-Saharan Africa states populated by around 250 million Muslims including in Chad, Ghana, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Financial support for at least six African Islamic universities has been provided by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Bank. They include Islamic universities in Uganda and Niger, Zanzibar University in Tanzania, King Faisal University in Chad, Mogadishu University in Somalia and Al-Hikmah University in Nigeria.

EDUCATION


OIC condemns the killing of polio vaccinators in northern NigeriaIhsanoglu urges media in member states to raise awareness about polio

Medicine and vaccine manufacturers from OICMember States to work towards self-reliance

Joint Statement of OIC-Stop TB Partnership:Deaths from the disease are avoidable

Kano, Nigeria – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu condemned the killings of polio vaccinators that took place in early February in northern Nigeria and reiterated the support of the OIC for the polio eradication campaigns in Member States. The Secretary General referred to the strong support for polio eradication expressed by the 12th Islamic Summit Conference held in Cairo from 2 -7 February 2013. He reiterated his appeal to the religious scholars and leaders to support the polio eradication campaigns and encourage all parents to ensure polio vaccination for their children in order to protect them from life-long polio paralysis.

The Islamic Fiqh Academy and OIC Health Ministers have endorsed the safety and efficacy of polio vaccines. Around 54 OIC Member States had successfully eradicated polio through polio vaccination without any reported harmful effects on the vaccinated children.

The Secretary General urged the media in the OIC Member States to raise public awareness regarding the safety and efficacy of polio vaccines and the support of the OIC for polio eradication activities. Ihsanoglu reiterated his request to all OIC Member States, the private sector and Islamic philanthropic organizations to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Dubai, UAE – The first meeting of Medicine and Vaccine Manufacturers from OIC Member States was held in Dubai on 27- 28 February 2013. The meeting was convened by the OIC General Secretariat in cooperation with the Science, Technology and Innovation Organization (STIO), which was hosted by the National Research Foundation (NRF), Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates. The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Abdul Moiz Bokhari, Assistant Secretary General of OIC and was attended by a select-group of vaccine manufacturers and the relevant OIC institutions.

The participants vowed to work together for promoting self-reliance and recognized that the objective could be achieved through joint action in a phased manner under the spirit of Islamic solidarity and fraternity. The meeting discussed the status of medicines and vaccines production in the OIC countries, major challenges to self-reliance, possible avenues for collaboration and the role that the OIC can play

in facilitating cooperation and joint action.The meeting agreed on a set of recommendations

that included short, medium and long term measures, industry-academia linkages, harmonization of standards, creation of pooled procurement facility for vaccines and related supplies through public-private partnership, and establishing a strategic stock of medicines and vaccines for emergency. The meeting welcomed the offer by the three participating companies to fund R&D activities for human and veterinary vaccines for OIC countries and training courses and workshops on Quality Management System (QMS), Validation, Clinical Trials and CGMP.

The meeting agreed to hold its next session soon after some of the technical assessment studies are completed and shall submit its recommendations to the forthcoming meeting of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers to be held on 21 -23 October 2013 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – On the occasion of the World TB Day, 24 March, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Stop TB Partnership reaffirm their commitment to take effective action to overcome the deadly disease of Tuberculosis and to work together in this regard.

The OIC-Stop TB statement recognized the threat posed by TB, an airborne disease that is developing drug-resistant strains, in an increasingly interconnected world. The disease feeds on and perpetuates poverty, stifles economic development and prospects of better future for families.

The OIC countries accounted for half a million deaths out of the total 1.4 million who died of the disease in 2011. Accordingly, the statement emphasized the need for prioritizing the fight against TB within OIC-Stop TB spheres of influence and improving access for TB diagnosis,

treatment and care for everyone. It called upon the relevant authorities in the OIC Member States to allocate necessary resources for this purpose.

TB prevention and treatment will be one of the priority issues during the 4th Islamic Conference of Health Ministers, which will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 21- 23 October 2013. The OIC looks forward to working with international partners, including the WHO and Stop TB Partnership, to benefit from the new tools and tests being developed for the prevention diagnosis and treatment of TB including development of new drugs and vaccines.

The joint statement underscored that TB is preventable and curable, and deaths from the disease are avoidable through ensuring timely and effective action.

HEALTH

65

Dr. Isam Salim Shanti An open-ended meeting at the level of experts was held at

the Headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on 25 February 2013 at the invitation of their Excellencies the Ministers of Information during the 9th session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers (ICIM) held on 19- 20 April 2012 in Libreville, Gabon. The meeting meant to discuss the implementation of the resolution 2 /9-INF to deal with the issue of the rise of Islamophobia in the Western World and the practical mechanisms to handle the issue. Previously, the OIC General Secretariat has circulated to all Member States a concept paper with specific mechanisms to correct the misconception and misunderstanding of Islam in many western societies. The paper was based on the workshop, which the OIC held in Brussels in February 2012 and was attended by prominent academics, media specialists, and civil societies.

The Secretary General of the OIC Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed during the meeting the OIC’s deep concern about growing intolerance against Islam and Muslims in the West due to reports and literature being published and offensive films being disseminated targeting Islamic symbols and values in numerous and various mass media. This, he said, leads to negative stereotyping, racial discrimination and targeting of Muslims in order to distort the image of Islam, which is based on the fundamental values of peace, tolerance, moderation and peaceful coexistence with other religions and beliefs. He stressed on the importance of media in shaping the international public opinion and that media, if well-utilized, would bring immense benefits for all peoples around the globe. However, he warned that media, if misused, could lead to the spread of disunity and enmity among the peoples of the world.

The Secretary General emphasized the need to provide member states with the financial and logistical capacities to finance projects related to direct interaction with foreign media, especially the establishment of a fund to which member states, institutions and individuals would contribute. He added that the establishment of the fund is urgently needed to begin the actual process of interplay with external media for the benefit of the Muslim world.

The meeting decided the following important steps. First, it approved the concept paper submitted by the Department of Information of the General Secretariat, entitled “Proposal for Mechanisms to Correct the Image of Islam and Muslims in

Europe and North America” and urged its implementation. Second, the meeting approved the proposal by the State

of Kuwait to establish a waqf (endowment) fund to defend Islam, its values and sanctities. It is to be supported by the OIC Member States and the private sector such that it would be of a waqf investment nature and its proceeds would be allocated for engagement with external media on issues relating to combating Islamophobia to rectify the distorted image of Islam and defend it and its sanctities and symbols. The fund would be based in Kuwait and the State of Kuwait will provide the OIC General Secretariat with a paper on the establishment of this waqf fund. This fund would replace the Interaction with External Media Fund which was approved during the7th session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers.

Third, the meeting welcomed the initiative of the State of Kuwait, which would commence practical steps towards the establishment of the fund and lay down its working mechanisms through setting up its Board of Trustees, whose membership would be restricted to the states, institutions and individuals who contribute to the fund as well as the OIC General Secretariat.

Fourth, the meeting decided to set up a committee comprising the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the OIC General Secretariat to launch a marketing campaign for this fund in order to provide the necessary financial resources.

Fifth, the meeting recommended cooperating with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Center for Inter-faith and Inter-Cultural Dialogue in Vienna, Austria, on media affairs to counter Islamophobia.

Sixth, the meeting recommended leveraging the expertise and programmes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in media and cultural aspects related to addressing Islamophobia in the media.

Seventh, the meeting called for cooperation with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations initiative established by Turkey and Spain in 2005 to promote understanding and tolerance among cultures.

Eighth, the meeting welcomed the Malaysian’s initiative to provide the “Salam Baitullah” documentary on Hajj which Malaysia offered to share and broadcast on TV channels in OIC and non-OIC member states.

Ninth, the meeting called to consider the possibility of establishing cooperation partnerships with research and study centers and universities to combat Islamophobia in the media and in public relations.

Tenth, the meeting welcomed the Amman Message. Eleventh, the meeting called for interaction with civil

society institutions in various fields in order to correct stereotypes about Islam and Muslims.

Handling Islamophobia from Media Perspective:Correcting the Image of Islam and Muslims

OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu (C ) and Directorof Information Department Shanti (L) at the meeting

MEDIA


MEDIA

OIC Satellite Television: A New Reality in the Media WorldDr. Isam Salim Shanti An open-ended meeting at the level of experts was held at

the Headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on 23 -24 February 2013 at the invitation of their Excellencies the Ministers of Information during the 9th session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers (ICIM) held on 19 -20 April 2012 in Libreville, the Republic of Gabon. The meeting meant to discuss the implementation of the resolution 8 /9-INF to launch an OIC Satellite Channel under the umbrella of the OIC.

The Secretary General of the OIC Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu delivered a statement in which he stated that the Muslim world lacked efficient media tools and most particularly an all-inclusive Islamic satellite channel with a clear message to educate peoples about the importance of the joint Islamic action and the various sectors related to the economy, finance, investment, science and technology, tourism, culture, sports, media, heritage, history and geography. He stressed that such a channel would bring Muslims closer together, helps increase awareness about the various capabilities and resources of the Muslim World, and would convey Muslims’ message to the rest of the world concerning their positions vis-à-vis international issues.

The meeting adopted several practical measures. First, it adopted the concept paper submitted by the Information Department at the OIC with regard to the launching of the OIC satellite channel.

Second, the meeting called for the creation of an Advisory Board with a membership of 15 Member States representing the official three geographical regions of the OIC World: Africa, Asia, and the Arab region. The members will be elected by alternation at the sessions of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers, in addition to the State of Palestine as a permanent member, the General Secretariat, the Islamic Broadcasting Union (IBU) and the

OIC Broadcasting Regulatory Authorities Forum (IBRAF). Third, the meeting called for the creation of a Management

Board of the OIC Channel whose members will come from the private sector. The board shall be responsible for the overall supervision and management of the OIC Satellite channel and shall report to the advisory board as regards the channel’s general policy aimed at achieving the objectives of the OIC Charter.

Fourth, the meeting decided that the OIC Satellite Channel shall commit to the OIC Charter, and that the Department of Legal Affairs at the OIC General Secretariat shall define the nature of the legal relationships between the Advisory Board and the Management Board.

Fifth, the meeting took note of the candidatures of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey to host the headquarters of the OIC Channel, with the decision on the headquarters being left with the private sector, which would be the investors. The Channel shall have branches in the different regions of the OIC (African Group, Asian Group and Arab Group).

Sixth, the meeting decided that the Channel shall start its official work with the three official languages of the OIC (Arabic, English and French), and shall introduce other languages subsequently.

Seventh, the meeting decided to constitute an ad hoc committee to follow up the process of launching the OIC Channel. The committee shall be composed of Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Gabon, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, and the OIC General Secretariat.

Eighth, the OIC Satellite Channel would request for membership as an OIC affiliated institution after its establishment.

Finally, the General Secretarial would invite the members of the committee to a meeting at a future date to follow up the process of launching the OIC Channel.

Holding Media Conference on Africa Dr. Isam Salim Shanti An open-ended meeting at the level of experts was held at

the Headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on 25 February 2013 at the invitation of their Excellencies the Ministers of Information during the 9th session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers (ICIM) held on 19 -20 April 2012 in Libreville, the Republic of Gabon. The meeting meant to discuss the implementation of the resolution 6 /9-INF to implement a Special Media Programme Highlighting Africa’s Position and Role in the Muslim World.

The meeting decided to hold a special two-day media conference to discuss the importance of Africa in terms of natural and human resources for the Muslim World and to highlight Africa’s potentials and investment opportunities in the mass media in the Muslim world and worldwide. The

meeting took note that this conference might be held in Tunisia, Morocco or the United Arab Emirates, or any other state interested in hosting the conference. The conference would take place prior to the 10th Islamic Conference of Information Ministers, which will be held in 2014 in Tehran, Iran. States interested in hosting the forum should inform the General Secretariat accordingly before the end of March 2013.

In addition, the meeting welcomed the proposal by Malaysia to provide capacity-building programmes to train media practitioners in the domain of radio and TV broadcasting for African states willing to benefit from these programmes.

Finally, the meeting welcomed the proposal by Malaysia to publish all information on African states’ capacities through ‘South-South Information Gateway’.

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IDB and IFPRI explore cooperation in food security

IDB follows up projects in Somalia

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – A delegation of senior experts from the International Food Research Policy Institute (IFPRI) headed by Dr. Shenggen Fan, Director General of IFPRI, met with Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of the IDB Group on 5 January 2013 and reviewed current global food security situation and discussed possible areas of relevant collaboration between the two institutions. The team also discussed IFPRI’s 2012 report on Global Food Policy. Also featuring on the agenda were elaborations on a recent decision of the Organization of Islamic cooperation (OIC) to create an OIC Food Security Institution and the possibility of cooperation between IDB and IFPRI on the Qatar-led Global Dry-land Alliance Initiative to boost food security in the arid regions using high-tech methods of farming. Later on, the IFPRI delegation reviewed policy developments with senior economic and agricultural experts from the IDB

Group and explored grounds for cooperation to enhance food security in IDB member countries. On the occasion, Dr. Shenggen Fan stated that an integrated approach is required to go beyond agriculture and support social safety nets as well and generate employment and income opportunities for the poor and thus eradicate hunger.

IFPRI seeks a mandate of achieving sustainable food security and reducing poverty in developing countries through scientific research and research-related activities in the fields of agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries, policy, and natural resources management. It is one of the 15 centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food secure future.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – In line with its continued support to the people of Somalia, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) follow-up in mid-January on its various projects in the country worth around US$ 450,000. They mainly comprise supplying orphanages, hospitals and schools in Somalia’s second largest city, Hargeisa, and other parts of the country with medicine, medical equipment and other much needed items. It is also following up on the progress of the delivery of supplies and equipment to women empowerment centers in different Somali cities.

The IDB has also provided financing for construction or rehabilitation of 19 irrigation canals in Mudug in the north-central region, Hiiraan and Middle and Lower Shabele regions in the drought hit areas. Once operational, the canals will benefit 2.5 million residents. Since 1991, IDB has provided US$ 17.3 million in the form of project financing and relief aid in the sectors of education, health, irrigation, construction and rehabilitation of water canals and digging of new water wells in Somalia.

IDB Group establishes Country Gateway Office in Indonesia Jakarta, Saudi Arabia – The Islamic Development Bank

(IDB) Group signed an agreement with the Government of Indonesia on 28 February 2013 to establish the IDB Group Country Gateway Office in Indonesia signifying a new milestone in its strategic partnership with the country. The agreement was signed by the Minister of Finance of Indonesia Agus Martowardojo and the President of the IDB Group Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali. The IDB Group President said that the gateway office is a proof of strong bilateral relations between IDB Group and the Government of Indonesia, as it will help accelerate economic growth and development of the country within the framework

of the Member Country Partnership Strategy (MCPS) for Indonesia, which is based on the development of the private sector and infrastructure as key pillars. Leveraging on its key strengths, the IDB Group Country Gateway Office will serve as a platform for all entities of the IDB Group to effectively generate more business opportunities particularly in energy and transportation, implement projects and programs, expand cooperation in Islamic financial products and services, trade and project financing, and provide technical and advisory services, both in the public and private sectors.

IDB, WCO sign MoUJeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Islamic Development Bank

(IDB) and the Brussels-based World Customs Organization (WCO) on 5 March 2013 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the IDB Headquarters in Jeddah. The document, signed by Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of the IDB Group, and Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the WCO, envisages providing a general framework for cooperation and collaboration between the two institutions aimed at supporting socio-economic development of IDB

member countries by assisting their respective Customs administrations in capacity building, income optimization and developmental and modernization efforts. The two institutions will collaborate to identify and implement joint Customs capacity building programs in IDB member countries with a view to promoting modernization and cross-border trade. It is also expected to facilitate regional cooperation and integration, exchange of knowledge and expertise.

ECONOMY


Libyan delegation discusses Islamic bankingand other development agenda with IDB

IDB provides US$ 50 million Youth Employment Support to Yemen

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – A Libyan delegation comprising Finance Minister and Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Governor for Libya Al Kilani Abdel Karim El Jazi, Economy Minister Mustafa Mohammed Abufunas, and IDB Board Member for Libya Bader Abdullah Abuaziza met with IDB Group President Dr. Ahmad Mohammed Ali and other senior IDB Group officials on 29 January 2013. They agreed to increase existing volume of cooperation including establishment of an Islamic fund for small and medium enterprises in Libya, exchange of expertise in Islamic banking as well as the Bank’s participation in Libyan efforts to launch a border economic zone between Libya and Tunisia.

The Libyan ministers praised the active role of the IDB Group in countering the economic, investment and commercial challenges the country has been facing since

the recent developments in the country.The IDB Group President expressed the Group’s readiness

to mobilize all efforts to promote cooperation with Libya and enumerated the areas and initiatives in which the two sides could increase their cooperation. He cited the example of Islamic banking and expressed IDB’s preparedness to establish a forum of experts to study the experiences of countries in which Shari’ah- compliant banking has been adopted. Dr. Ali welcomed the consolidation of the Libyan private sector and stated that the Bank is ready to organize a meeting of concerned bodies to familiarize the Libyan private sector with various IDB services.

Libya is amongst the major shareholders of the IDB and maintains shares in all the IDB Group entities. The IDB has so far approved more than US$ 484 million towards financing projects in different sectors in Libya.

London, UK – During the 5th ministerial meeting of ‘Friends of Yemen’ hosted by the British Foreign Ministry in London, UK in early March, the President of the IDB Group Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali signed a US$ 50 million agreement with Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Sa’adi, Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and IDB Governor for Yemen.

The agreement, signed in the presence of Alan Duncan, the British Minister of State in the Department for International Development (DFID), aims to provide economic empowerment to the needy Yemeni youth and families by contributing to capacity building and providing them with production inputs for job creation in various

fields, such as construction of rural roads and irrigation canals, reclaiming agricultural lands, harvesting rain water, coffee cultivation and bee-keeping, etc. The financing arrangement is expected to pay great attention to employment of less-privileged females as well as the youth who will be employed in these projects.

The agreement, similar to those signed earlier with Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, comes within the framework of the US$ 250 million Youth Employment Support (YES) Program launched by the IDB in 2011 to assist job creation for the youth in IDB member countries in the Arab World affected by the recent developments.

OIC Secretary General stresses importance of OIC Trade Preferential System to WAEMU Countries

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu stressed the importance of OIC Trade Preferential System (TPS-OIC) to member countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and to the entire Member States of the OIC. The Secretary General made this remark during a meeting with the President of WAEMU Commission Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare and his accompanying delegation in his office in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 13 January 2013. While highlighting the activities of the OIC towards enhancing economic cooperation among its Member States through the implementation of the various development projects, the Secretary General emphasized that the continued partnership of the OIC with regional organizations, having

common membership with OIC, is crucial to realizing the objectives of rapid socio-economic transformation and increased welfare for the peoples of the entire Muslim world. On his part, the President of WAEMU Commission reaffirmed the commitment of WAEMU Commission to a closer collaboration with the OIC General Secretariat in support of the joint execution of projects in various spheres, including trade, agriculture, rural development and food security. The two sides also lauded the on-going arrangements on the elaboration of an impact assessment of TPS-OIC on the WAEMU member countries, which is undertaken in collaboration with the Islamic Center for the Development of Trade and Islamic Development Bank.

ECONOMY

69

IDB 8th edition (2013) Women’s Prize Laureates announced

United Nations to Partner with IDB on Dry Lands

IDB 11th edition (2013) S&T Prize Winners announced

OIC commends TRNC’s participation in intra-OIC affairs

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Three enterprising women respectively from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Indonesia, and a woman-led organization from Pakistan have been selected for the award of the IDB Prizes (8th Edition) for Women’s Contribution to Development for the year 1434H/2013, announced Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of the IDB Group on 5 March 2013. The selection process for the Prizes was overseen by a committee of expert women from different parts of the Muslim World. The themes for this year’s Prizes were “Women’s Management of Natural Resources for Development” for the individual category and “Women’s Role in Environmental Leadership” for the organizational category. According to the decision of the selection committee, the individual category Prize of US$ 50,000 of cash award will be equally shared among the three winners. These are: Mrs. Seidaliyeva Balikhiya Amzeevna (Kazakhstan) for her innovative solution to restore the vitality of chemically-

affected soils by creating an eco-fertilizer produced from mining waste. Professor Mrs. Pervin Mammadova (Azerbaijan) for her invention in biotechnology to neutralize oil-polluted soils, and Mrs. Tri Mumpuni (Indonesia) for her innovative and practical application of renewable energy in the remote villages of Indonesia. The organizational category Prize has been awarded to the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan in recognition of the organization’s use of earthquake-proof and flood resistant eco-construction techniques in disaster prone areas in the remote regions of Pakistan. This unique technique has facilitated women’s active participation in the development of their communities. The Prizes will be awarded to the laureates by the Chairman of the IDB Board of Governors at a special ceremony during the 38th Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 21 -22 May 2013.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The United Nations will partner with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in tackling the challenges of food security in dry land countries according to Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Director of Earth Institute of Columbia University, USA. Professor Sachs was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Global Dry Land Alliance (GDLA) Experts Group Meeting at the Headquarters of the IDB in Jeddah on 18 February 2013. “The Global Dry Land Alliance is a path to peace, not just food security,” he added. Professor Sachs observed that the pressures of

drought and poverty are part of the causes of the crises in countries like Mali and Somalia. Earlier, in his opening remarks, IDB President Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali welcomed the experts and expressed gratitude to the Government of Qatar for supporting dry land countries. In his remarks, the Executive Director of the GDLA, Ambassador Bader Al-Dafa stated that the essence of the dry land initiative is to protect land and agriculture. To do that, according to Ambassador Al-Dafa, it requires research and scientific endeavor because countries suffering from dry lands constitute 40% of the world.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The President of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB) Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali announced the decision of the Selection Committee regarding the winners of the IDB Prizes for Science and Technology (S&T) for the 11th edition (1434H/2013); these are: Category-I (most outstanding contribution to social and economic development): National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS), Lebanon. Category-II (most outstanding contribution to a given scientific field): Solar Energy Research Institute (Seri), Malaysia.

Category-III: (most noted scientific institution from a least developed member country): Avicenna Tajik State Medical University (TSMU), Tajikistan. Each Prize consists of a cash award of US$ 100,000 and a trophy. The prizes will be awarded to the winners by the Chairman of the IDB Board of Governors in a special ceremony to be held on the occasion of the 38th IDB Board of Governors Meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan during 21- 22 May 2013.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The OIC Secretary General received in audience at his office in Jeddah on 16 March 2013, H.E. Sunat Atun, Minister of Economy and Energy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), who was on a working visit to the OIC Headquarters.

The Secretary General commended the close working relations between the OIC General Secretariat and the TRNC,

aimed at increasing intra-OIC economic cooperation in the areas of trade, agriculture, tourism and finance.

The meeting hailed the increasing participation of the TRNC in the various OIC trade fairs and underscored its great potentials in building intra-OIC capacity in the agro-industrial and agro-food sub-sectors.


Innovation experts concur on common platformfor socio-economic development in Muslim World

IDB partners with GAVI to save children’s lives with vaccines

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – “Entrepreneurial spirit, knowledge infrastructure, and relevant policies are must-haves for innovation to bring about socio-economic growth in Islamic countries”, concluded a panel of innovation experts gathered at the IDB Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on a two-day meeting of more than 20 internationally renowned innovation experts from different parts of the world. The experts from Australia, Bahrain, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, and the USA, shared their views and experiences on innovation policies and pro-poor technologies.

Earlier, the Chairman of the IDB Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, in his inaugural address said that sharing of innovative ideas and experiences from its member countries and with the rest of the world contributes to the IDB motto:

“Together we build a better future”.Dr. Ali added that the Bank has set eradication of

diseases, alleviation of poverty, empowerment of women and achieving human development high on its priorities list to materialize its socio-economic development mandate in line with its Vision 2020. The IDB Group Chairman then touched upon innovation as the main theme of the upcoming Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors to be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 21- 22 May 2013, and underscored IDB Group’s plans to enhance innovative activities both at the institutional and member country levels. Elaborating

that in today’s global village all developments efforts are interconnected, Dr. Ali referred to the agreement signed last December between IDB and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for eradication of polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria as an instance of the Bank’s extensive scope of international cooperation.

Case studies of national policies from advancing countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, and Korea together with sector-specific innovation approaches on Islamic Finance, Halal industries, renewable energy and nanotechnologies, in Africa and South Asia, were presented at the meeting on 23- 24 February 2013. The experts also shared with the participants innovative technology solutions with the potential to lift entire rural villages out of poverty. The main successful technology-based solutions discussed included the IDB-financed Solar Home System project in Bangladesh, the Dertu water distribution system in Kenya, the cell phone cash transfer system in Senegal, and the mobile health services in rural Mozambique. The expert meeting called upon the IDB Group to continue the dialogue towards assisting member countries in developing innovation framework that suits economic development model in respective countries, strengthen its capacity building and knowledge transfer and share such knowledge through IDB and other websites. The Experts also recommended the creation of a knowledge exchange platform based on good practices.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The GAVI Alliance (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) signed on 11 March 2013 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the IDB Headquarters to help save children’s lives by accelerating the introduction of life-saving vaccines in IDB member countries.

According to the MoU signed between Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of the IDB Group, and Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of GAVI, the IDB will work closely with GAVI to help secure sufficient funds for immunization. By 2020, GAVI plans to vaccinate more than 400 million children in at least 29 member countries with the objective of preventing 3.2 million deaths. An estimated US$7 billion will be required to reach this target.

“We are joining hands with the IDB to accelerate the introduction of life-saving vaccines in IDB member countries and ensure that children have a healthy start in life,” said Dr. Seth Berkley. “We also aim to increase the uptake of new and underused vaccines in these countries and hopefully generate new sources of funding.”

On the occasion, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali stated that promoting health is among the major strategic thrusts of the Vision 1440H (2020) of the IDB Group and that it was happy to enter into a cooperation agreement with GAVI to

save the lives of millions of children in member countries, thereby playing a major role against child mortality. He mentioned that at the initial stage, IDB will try to support the governments of selected member countries to implement the vaccination program through its “triple win financing model” in which it will seek collaboration with other partners while also providing the recipient countries the opportunity to contribute a portion of the cost along with IDB. This kind of tripartite partnership will ensure country ownership as well as sustainability of funding in the long term.

Since it was founded in 2000, GAVI has helped around 33 member countries of the IDB introduce vaccines against yellow fever, hepatitis B, meningitis and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) disease. With support from the IDB, GAVI expects to roll out vaccines against two of the biggest killers of children in developing countries – diarrhea and pneumonia – as well as new and underused vaccines, including human papillomavirus (HPV) against cervical cancer, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid and rubella.

The IDB intervention in the health sector has surpassed over US$ 2 billion since its inception with over 30% approved during the last three years (2010 -2012). The Bank’s Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) is the arm dedicated for supporting poverty reduction interventions with focus on health of the poor.

ECONOMY

71

Djibouti

COUNTRY PROFILE

Full Name: Republic of DjiboutiCapital: DjiboutiPopulation: 774,389 (2012 estimate)Area: 23,200 square km.Official Languages: French, ArabicMonetary Unit: Franc (DJF)OverviewDjibouti is situated in Northeast Africa on the Gulf of

Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The country’s coastline stretches 314 kilometers, with terrain consisting mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands.

Djibouti’s climate ranges from arid in the northeastern coastal regions to semiarid in the central, northern, western and southern parts of the country. Although the coastal regions are hot and humid throughout the year, the hinterland is typically hot and dry.

Djibouti is sectioned into one city and five regions. It is further sub-divided into eleven districts. They are Region d’Ali Sabieh, Region d’Arta, Region de Dikhil, Region d’Obock, Region de Tadjourah, and Ville de Djibouti.

Djibouti’s population is predominantly Muslim. Islam is observed by 94% of Djibouti’s population, while the remaining 6% follow Christianity.

As the headquarters of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional body, Djibouti has been an active participant in the Somali peace process, hosting the Arta conference in 2000.

Djibouti is currently holding the chairmanship of the 39th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

EconomyDjibouti’s economy is largely concentrated in the service

sector. Commercial activities revolve around the country’s free trade policies and strategic location as a Red Sea transit point. Due to limited rainfall, vegetables and fruits serve as the principle production crops, and other food items require importation. The GDP in 2012 was estimated at $2.377 billion, with a real growth rate of 4.8% annually. Per capita income was around $2,700. As of 2010, ten conventional and Islamic banks operate in Djibouti.

As of 2013, the container terminal at the Port of Djibouti handles the bulk of the nation’s trade. About 70% of the seaport’s activity consists of imports to and exports from

neighboring Ethiopia, which depends on the harbour as its main maritime outlet. The port also serves as an international refueling center and transshipment hub. In 2012, the Djiboutian Government in collaboration with DP World started construction on the Doraleh Container Terminal, a third major seaport intended to further develop the national transit capacity. A $396 million project, it has the capacity to accommodate 1.5 million twenty foot container units annually.

EducationEducation is a priority for the Government of Djibouti.

As of 2009, it allocates 20.5% of its annual budget to scholastic instruction. In the late 1990s, the Djiboutian authorities revisited the national educational strategy and launched a broad-based consultative process involving administrative officials, teachers, parents, national assembly members and NGOs. The initiative identified areas in need of attention and produced concrete recommendations on how to go about improving them. The Djiboutian Government has especially focused on developing and improving institutional infrastructure and teaching materials, including constructing new classrooms and supplying textbooks. At the post-secondary level, emphasis has also been placed on producing qualified instructors and encouraging out-of-school youngsters to pursue vocational training.

WildlifeThe country’s wildlife, consisting of flora and fauna, is

in a harsh landscape with forest accounting for less than one percent of the total area of the country. The flora and fauna species are most found in the northern part of the country in the ecosystem of the Day Forest National Park. It covers an area of 3.5 square kilometers of Juniperus procera forest, with many of the trees rising to 20 meters height. This forest area is the main habitat of critically endangered and endemic Djibouti Francolin (a bird), and another recently noted vertebrate, Platyceps afarensis (a colubrine snake). The area also contains many species of woody and herbaceous plants, including boxwood and olive trees, which account for 60% of the total identified species in the country. According to the country profile related to biodiversity of wildlife in Djibouti, the country contains some 820 species of plants, 493 species of invertebrates, 455 species of fish, 40 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians, 360 species of birds and 66 species of mammals.


While Christianity shaped the Western world’s spiritual and moral principles and values, the credit goes to the Greek philosophical heritage as far as the molding of the West’s intellectual character.

The story of the rescue of the Greek heritage at the hands of the Nestorians who fled from Constantinople and sought refuge in Persia, followed by the Arabs’ translation and explanation of the said heritage and the additions they made to it, further developing it before transferring it to the West, forms one of the most admirable episodes in human history.

By transferring this heritage to the West, the Arabs had thus paved the way for the Western Christians to found the scholastic movement which is based on the idea of subjugating philosophy to theology and establishing a rational link between religion and reason. This major change was the starting point that ushered in the era of Enlightenment in Europe.

The Arabs resorted to Greek philosophy driven by their need to reach a rational justification of religious facts. The word “Arab” was a term conventionally used to refer to the scientists and intellectuals of Islam in the middle ages, as their lingua franca was Arabic and as they lived under the umbrella of the Arabo-Islamic state and were advocates and interpreters of the Arabic language.

One’s mere verbal declaration of faith was not enough, as faith needed to be tied to reason, and even be able to withstand the arguments of reason.

We have already noted how Islamic civilization – since the early days of Islam – had exhibited a marvelous phenomenon, which is one of its particular hallmarks, manifested in its diligent efforts to merge religious belief with reason and matter with spirit, and to avoid separating the two. It was the separation between religious belief and science that prompted the West to sever the link between science on the one hand and morality and ethics on the other, and to separate scientific realities and the requirements of lofty morals.

Arab scientists relied fundamentally on the works of Aristotle, and at a lesser level on Plato, to evolve a modality to elucidate some of the intricate issues such as the oneness of the Creator and the multiplicity in the universe, or the divine perfection and the living creatures’ imperfection, as well as the pathway of evolution from God “the first cause” or the Creator, through the “rationality of the universe” and the “universal spirit” to the world of matter.

By necessity, Arab intellectuals in this area had to address many of the issues which are today classified among the scientific rather than philosophical issues, such as the nature of

matter and that of time, and the relation between time, mass and movement.

While modern researches have today surpassed the ancient works of Arabs, still this in no way should detract from the value of their pioneering efforts. Contemporary Western intellectuals do acknowledge that the Christian intellectuals, who contributed to paving the way for the era of Enlightenment, were in fact standing on the shoulders of their Arab predecessors. This is well illustrated, for instance, in the science of mathematics.

Everyone knows, even grade-school children in the West, that the numerical figures used in displaying the results of a football match for instance, are termed “Arabic numerals”. These school-children may believe that these figures had been used in the West since ancient time, whereas the reality is that they only reached Europe in the thirteenth century, transmitted by Arabs to the West. Strangely though, Europe had at first resisted using the Arabic numerals and the decimal system for many centuries.

Before it started using the Arabic numerals Europe used to depend on the arcane and useless Roman numbers system. Compared to the Arabic decimal system in which one may write 1848 with no more than four digits, eleven digits were needed in the Roman system as follows MDCCCXLVIII.

It is evident from the above that, using the Roman numbers, any simple mathematical operation would be a real challenge, taking so much time and effort, whereas any mathematical operation, however complex, may be easily resolved in the decimal system in much less time.

One may easily assert that the scientific progress achieved in Europe would have had no chance of taking place had the Europeans continued using the unwieldy Roman system, thus depriving themselves of the simplicity and flexibility of the decimal system, and more particularly of the use of the zero (from the Arabic sifr) which forms the jewel in the crown of the decimal system.

Despite the fact that the Arabic numerical system does have Indian origins, it was still the Arabs who developed it and gave it practicality, adding to it a revolutionary miracle: the zero.

Arabs used the zero for the first time in the year 873, whereas the Indians only started using it in 876, three years later.

As for Europe, it continued for another few centuries, after this event, to jeer and mock this quaint accounting system based on something called a zero, nothing at all!

I am of the firm belief that had they in fact contributed to the West nothing else but this simple “zero” and the decimal system, the Arabs’ contribution would have still been of momentous weight for the Western progress and Enlightenment.

The West held the view – as it still does – that religion forms an obstruction to science, but the great scientific inroads achieved by the Arab and Muslim scientists have belied this claim.

What actually had impeded scientific progress in the West was not religion but rather the shortsightedness of the Church’s fanatical theologians. The persecution meted upon Galileo, and the burning at the stake of ‘witches’ in Europe only give us an inkling of that shortsightedness.

We have noted that most discoveries in the science of Arab mathematics were not the product of work outside the sphere of religion or in denial of it, but rather the direct result of the requirements of religion or needs. Islam, as a matter of fact, urged scientists and scholars to ponder all that crossed their minds, and not to constrain their intellectual exercise to any single field.

VIEWPOINT

Philosophy and theArab ZeroAmbassador Saadeddin TaibAdvisor to the OIC SecretaryGeneral, OIC

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

peoples of the world.

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

Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

In 1970, the first ever meeting of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (ICFM) was held in Jeddah. It adopted the decision to establish a permanent secretariat in Jeddah headed by the organization's secretary general. Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu is the 9th

Secretary General who assumed office in January 2005 after being elected by the 31st ICFM Session.

The first OIC Charter was adopted by the 3rd ICFM Session held in 1972. The Charter was amended to keep pace with the developments that have unraveled recently across the world. The 11th Islamic Summit held in Dakar in March 2008 endorsed the new Charter, which has become the pillar of the OIC future Islamic action in line with the requirements of the 21st century. The new Charter provides for the dissemination and safeguard of Islamic teachings and values based on moderation and tolerance, as well as the need to strive for the projection and defense of the true image of Islam. The new Charter also called for encouraging inter-civilizational and interfaith dialogue. Over the last 40 years, the OIC membership has grown from its founding members of 25 to 57 states. In 2011 in Astana, Khazakhstan, the 38th Council of Foreign Ministers endorsed changing the emblem and name to Organization of Islamic

Cooperation.

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

phenomenon and its disturbing manifestations The Member States of the OIC face many challenges in the 21st century. To address these challenges, the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit held in Makkah in December 2005, laid down a blue print called the Ten-Year Program of Action (TYPOA) which envisages joint action by the Member States, promotion of tolerance and moderation, modernization, extensive reforms in all spheres of activities including science and technology, education, and development of trade. It also emphasizes good governance and the promotion of human rights in the Muslim world, especially with regard to the children's and women's rights as well as family

values enshrined in Islamic Shariah [law].

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

information and culture (COMIAC) which is chaired by the President of Senegal.

The OIC has subsidiary organs, notably Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for the Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) and the Islamic Center for the development of Trade (ICDT). Other specialized organs operating under the OIC include the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). There are also affiliated

organs such as the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS). The OIC subsidiary, affiliated and specialized organs play a vital role in boosting cooperation in various fields among the OIC Member

States.

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

The year 2005 is considered a turning point in the history of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (formerly the Organization of Islamic Conference) when it launched its reform process. That year witnessed the holding of the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit at the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques on 7-8 December, which adopted the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action. As a result of the continued developments experienced in the Islamic Ummah, it had become clear the need for a new headquarters suitable for the OIC, the second largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations. Saudi Arabia, the host country, gave great care and attention to this matter and decided to build a new permanent Headquarters for the OIC. During the historic Makkah Summit in 2005, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud unveiled the cornerstone of the new OIC Headquarters.Soon after, the OIC General Secretariat announced an international architectural design competition for its new headquarters. More than one hundred participants from around the world submitted their

designs. On 17 May 2006, the jury announced the outcome of the competition, selecting the design submitted by Bramberger (architect) & Thomas Pucher of Austria. When the design was presented to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques he expressed his admiration and gave his generous approval of the project for immediate implementation.In line with this gracious patronage, the Saudi Government allocated a 40,000sm plot of land in Qasr Khuzam district in Jeddah as the location for the Headquarters. The Austrian architecture team completed the final plans in July 2009; and the Saudi Ministry of Finance presented the detailed plans, estimated budget and design model to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques who gave his approval.The OIC Headquarters will be an international landmark in the skyline of Jeddah and a beacon for joint Islamic action, Muslim culture and its rich heritage. It will also provide a wonderful site for an international prominent institution. The design incorporates and entwines traditional Islamic architecture with modern necessities.

Cornerstone of the HeadquartersConference hall

Main entrance hall

OIC Journal - Issue 23

Documents

Transcript of OIC Journal - Issue 23