DUSHANBE, March 13, Asia-Plus — President Rahmon held talks with the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Prof, Ekmeleddin Ishsanoglu in Dakar, Senegal on March 12.
During the meeting, the two discussed issues related to reforming the OIC, expanding role and powers of the OIC Secretariat as well as the agenda of the 11th OIC summit, presidential press service said.
The 11th summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 13h and 14h, in the presence of heads of states from 57 member states of the OIC, and a number of observers and guests. The Tajik head of state will deliver a statement and the summit today. President Rahmon is also planed to hold bilateral meetings with a number of his counterparts in Dakar today on sidelines of the summit.
The Summit, titled “Islam in the 21st Century”, is significant due to the current events and challenges facing the Muslim Ummah including the issue of Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Somalia, and Darfur. The issue of Islamophobia has high priority on the agenda whereupon the first report on Islamophobia by the OIC Islamophobia Observatory will be released. Also of priority is the Special Development Program for Africa and raising intra-OIC trade among the Member States from 13% to 20% by 2015 in accordance with the OIC Ten-year Program of Action.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and ensuring to safeguard and project the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on September 25, 1969 as a result of criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
In 1970 the first ever meeting of Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (ICFM) was held in Jeddah which decided to establish a permanent secretariat in Jeddah headed by the organization’s secretary general. Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu is the 9th Secretary General who assumed the office in January 2005 after being elected by the 31st ICFM.
The Charter of the Organization was adopted by the Third ICFM in 1972 which laid down the objectives and principles of the organization and fundamental purposes to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation among the member states. Over the last 38 years, the membership has grown from its founding members of 30 to 57 states.
