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Organisation of the Islamic Conference
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Map of OIC member states (green) and observers (blue).
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| Headquarters | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | |||
| Official languages | Arabic, English, French | |||
| Membership | 57 member states | |||
| Leaders | ||||
| - | Secretary-General | Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu | ||
| Website http://www.oic-oci.org/ |
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The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an international organization with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. It groups 57 Islamic member states, from the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkan, Southeast Asia, South Asia and South America. The official languages of the organization are Arabic, English and French.
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History and goals
Since the nineteenth century, Muslims had aspired ideas of uniting their community to serve their common political, economic, and social interests. Despite the presence of secularist, nationalist, and socialist ideologies, in modern Muslim states, King Faysal of Saudi Arabia cooperated with other Muslim leaders to form the Organization of Islamic Conference. The formation of the OIC happened in the backdrop of the loss of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. The final cause sufficiently compelled leaders of Muslim nations were to meet in Rabat to establish the OIC in May 1971.[1]
According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic social and economic values; promote solidarity amongst member states; increase cooperation in social, economic, cultural, scientific, and political areas; uphold international peace and security; and advance education, particularly in the fields of science and technology.[1]
The flag of the OIC (shown above) has an overall green background (symbolic of Islam). In the center, there is an upward-facing red crescent enveloped in a white disc. On the disc the words "Allahu Akbar" are written in modern Arabic calligraphy.
On August 5, 1990, 45 foreign ministers of the OIC adopted the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam to serve as a guidance for the member states in the matters of human rights.
Recent issues
The Parliamentary Union of the OIC member states (PUOICM) was established in Iran in 1999 and its head office is situated in Tehran. Only OIC members are entitled to membership in the union.[1]
President George W. Bush announced on June 27 2007 that the United States will establish an envoy to the OIC. Bush said of the envoy "Our special envoy will listen to and learn from representatives from Muslim states, and will share with them America's views and values."[2] Sada Cumber became the US representative on March 3, 2008.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference on March 28, 2008 added its voice to the growing criticism of the film 'Fitna' by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, which features disturbing images of terrorist acts alleged to be superimposed over verses from the Quran.[3]
Ninth meeting of PUOICM
The ninth meeting of the Council of PUOICM was held on 15 and 16 Feb 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[4]. Speaker of Malaysia's House of Representatives, Ramli bin Ngah Talib, delivered a speech at the beginning of the inaugural ceremony. OIC secretary-general Prof Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said prior to the meeting that one main agenda item is stopping Israel from continuing its excavation at the Western Wall near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine.[5] OIC is also discussing how it might send peacekeeping troops to Muslim nations,[6] and the possibility of a change in the name of the body as well as its charter.[7] Additionally, return of the sovereignty right to the Iraqi people along with withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq is another one of the main issues on the agenda.[8]
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri told reporters on 14 February 2007 that the Secretary General of OIC and foreign ministers of seven "like-minded Muslim countries" will meet in Islamabad on 25 February 2007 following meetings of President Musharraf with heads of key Muslim countries to discuss "a new initiative" for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Kasuri said this will be a meeting of foreign ministers of key Muslim countries to discuss and prepare for a summit in Mecca to seek the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.[9]
Structure and organization
The OIC system consists of:
The Islamic Summit
The largest organ, attended by the Kings and the Heads of State and Government of the member states, convened every three years.
The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers
It meets once a year to examine a progress report on the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by the Islamic Summit.
The Permanent Secretariat
It is the executive organ of the Organization, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies, and is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Current secretary general of this international organization is Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, from Turkey, since January 1, 2005.
Standing Committees
- Standing Committee on Information and Cultural Affairs (COMIAC).
- Standing Committee on Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC).
- Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).
- Islamic Committee for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs.
- Permanent Finance Committee.
- Financial Control Organ.
Subsidiary organs
- The Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), located in Ankara, Turkey.
- The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), located in Istanbul, Turkey.
- The Islamic University of Technology, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- The Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade, located in Casablanca, Morocco.
- The Islamic Fiqh Academy, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- The Executive Bureau of the Islamic Solidarity Fund and its Waqf, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- The Islamic University In Niger, located in Say, Niger.
- The Islamic University In Uganda, located in Mbale, Uganda.
Specialised institutions
- The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), located in Rabat, Morocco.
- The Islamic States Broadcasting Organisation (ISBO) and the International Islamic News Agency (IINA), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Affiliated institutions
- Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), located in Karachi, Pakistan.
- World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Organisation of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Sports Federation of Islamic Solidarity Games, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Islamic Committee of the International Crescent (ICIC), located in Benghazi, Libya.
- Islamic Shipowners Association (ISA), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- World Federation of International Arab-Islamic Schools, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- International Association of Islamic Banks (IAIB), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation,(ICYF-DC)located in Istanbul, Turkey.
- General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions,(CIBAFI)located in Manama, Bahrain.
The Secretary General of the OIC
- Tunku Abdul Rahman (Malaysia): (1971-1973)
- Hassan Al-Touhami (Egypt): (1974-1975)
- Dr. Amadou Karim Gaye (Senegal): (1975-1979)
- Habib Chatty (Tunisia): (1979-1984)
- Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada (Pakistan): (1985-1988)
- Dr. Hamid Algabid (Niger): (1989-1996)
- Dr. Azeddine Laraki (Morocco): (1997-2000)
- Dr. Abdelouahed Belkeziz (Morocco): (2001-2004)
- Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu (Turkey): (2005 to present)
Members
Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the "><" icon.
| Country | Joined | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of | 1969 | Suspended 1980 - March 1989 |
| Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of | 1969 | |
| Chad, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Egypt, Arab Republic of | 1969 | Suspended May 1979 - March 1984 |
| Guinea, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Indonesia, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 1969 | |
| Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of | 1969 | |
| Kuwait, State of | 1969 | |
| Lebanon, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Libya, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | 1969 | |
| Malaysia | 1969 | |
| Mali, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Mauritania, Islamic Republic of | 1969 | |
| Morocco, Kingdom of | 1969 | |
| Niger, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Pakistan, Islamic Republic of | 1969 | |
| Palestine, represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization | 1969 | |
| Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of | 1969 | |
| Senegal, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Sudan, Republic of the | 1969 | |
| Somalia | 1969 | |
| Tunisia, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Turkey, Republic of | 1969 | |
| Yemen Arab Republic | 1969 | From 1990 as Republic of Yemen united with People's Democratic Republic of Yemen |
| Bahrain, State of | 1970 | |
| Oman, Sultanate of | 1970 | |
| Qatar, State of | 1970 | |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 1970 | |
| United Arab Emirates, State of | 1970 | |
| Sierra Leone, Republic of | 1972 | |
| Bangladesh, People's Republic of | 1974 | |
| Gabon, Republic of | 1974 | |
| Gambia, Republic of the | 1974 | |
| Guinea-Bissau, Republic of | 1974 | |
| Uganda, Republic of | 1974 | |
| Burkina Faso | 1975 | |
| Cameroon, Republic of | 1975 | |
| Comoros, Federal Islamic Republic of the | 1976 | |
| Iraq, Republic of | 1976 | |
| Maldives, Republic of | 1976 | |
| Djibouti, Republic of | 1978 | |
| Benin, Republic of | 1982 | |
| Brunei Darussalam, Sultanate of | 1984 | |
| Nigeria, Federal Republic of | 1986 | |
| Azerbaijan, Republic of | 1991 | |
| Albania, Republic of | 1992 | |
| Kyrgyzstan, Republic of | 1992 | |
| Tajikistan, Republic of | 1992 | |
| Turkmenistan, Republic of | 1992 | |
| Zanzibar | January 1993 | Withdrew August 1993 |
| Mozambique, Republic of | 1994 | |
| Kazakhstan, Republic of | 1995 | |
| Uzbekistan, Republic of | 1995 | |
| Suriname, Republic of | 1996 | |
| Togo, Republic of | 1997 | |
| Guyana, Republic of | 1998 | |
| Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of | 2001 | |
| Suspended or Withdrawn | ||
| Zanzibar | Jan 1993 | Withdrew August 1993 |
| Observer States | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1994 | |
| Central African Republic | 1997 | |
| Northern Cyprus (Turkish Cypriot State) | 1979 | Official 2004 |
| Thailand, Kingdom of | 1998 | |
| Russian Federation | 2005 | |
| Observer Muslim Organizations and Communities | ||
| Moro National Liberation Front | 1977 | |
| Observer Islamic institutions | ||
| Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States | 2000 | |
| Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation | 2005 | |
| Observer International Organizations | ||
| League of Arab States | 1975 | |
| United Nations | 1976 | |
| Non-Aligned Movement | 1977 | |
| Organization of African Unity | 1977 | |
| Economic Cooperation Organization | 1995 | |
Membership attempts
- India - has the third largest (Behind Indonesia and Pakistan, respectively) Muslim population in the world and had shown its interest in joining the OIC, as an observer nation. While India's candidacy is supported by several OIC members including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Iran and Egypt,[2] some influential OIC members like Pakistan have blocked India's inclusion into the OIC. They argue that though India is home to more than 135 million Muslims, they form just over 13% of India's total population. Another major factor affecting India's induction into the OIC is the Kashmir dispute. Some prominent members of the OIC support the Pakistani claim over the entire region of Kashmir.[3] Also, India established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 and reduced its support for the Palestinian cause. Relations between India and OIC severed in 2001 when the latter criticised India for not doing enough to stop the alleged human rights violations against Muslims in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. India rejected the charge saying the OIC did not have "locus standi" on matters relating to India's internal affairs.[4]
- Philippines - The Philippine government has made attempts to join the OIC, but was opposed by its Muslim minority of the state. Muslims make up only 5% (4.5 million) of the 90 million population in this predominately Christian country (this estimate is disputed by the BangsaMoro people that put the Muslim population at 15 million) [5]
Past Islamic Summit Conferences
| Number | Date | Country | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | September 22 - September 25, 1969 | Morocco | Rabat |
| 2nd | February 22 - February 24, 1974 | Pakistan | Lahore |
| 3rd | January 25 - January 29, 1981 | Saudi Arabia | Mecca and Taif |
| 4th | January 16 - January 19, 1984 | Morocco | Casablanca |
| 5th | January 26 - January 29, 1987 | Kuwait | Kuwait City |
| 6th | December 9 - December 11, 1991 | Senegal | Dakar |
| 7th | December 13 - December 15, 1994 | Morocco | Casablanca |
| 1st Extraordinary | March 23, 1997 | Pakistan | Islamabad |
| 8th | December 9 - December 11, 1997 | Iran | Tehran |
| 9th | November 12 - November 13, 2000 | Qatar | Doha |
| 2nd Extraordinary | March 5, 2003 | Qatar | Doha |
| 10th | October 16 - October 17, 2003 | Malaysia | Putrajaya |
| 3rd Extraordinary | December 7 - December 8, 2005 | Saudi Arabia | Mecca |
| 11th | March 13 - March 14, 2008 | Senegal | Dakar |
Economy
The OIC members have a combined GDP (at PPP) of $7,840 billion. The richest country on the basis of GDP per capita is Qatar at $62,181 per capita. The Gulf Cooperation Council has a combined GDP of over $750 billion and is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2010.
Notes
- ^ a b "ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE", Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World
- ^ An Indo-Arab blunder?
- ^ OIC supports Pakistan on Kashmir, The Hindu, Saturday, 18 October 2003. (accessed on 10 December 2006)
- ^ India Rejects OIC Resolution on Kashmir
- ^ Metro Broadcast Corp, Filipino Muslims oppose Manila's bid to join OIC, 24 May 2006
References
- Al-Huda, Qamar. "Organisation of the Islamic Conference." Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World. Edited by Martin, Richard C. Macmillan Reference, 2004. vol. 1 p. 394. 20 April 2008
See also
- Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam
- Islamic University of Technology
- International Islamic Relief Organization
- List of Organisation of the Islamic Conference member states by population
- Abdullah O. Nasseef
External links
- Official The Organisation of the Islamic Conference
- Official Islamic Conference with documents and information from the latest Summit (Arabic, English, French)
- Official Permanent Delegation of the OIC to the United Nations
- April 14, 2006: Intifada Conference In Tehran Has Multiple Objectives Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty
- December 12, 2005: Guardian Unlimited - An extraordinary meeting Brian Whitaker
- April 15, 2005: Dinar Standard - Is Intra-OIC Trade finally taking off?
- October 18, 2003: speech from Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad speech at the 10th OIC Summit
- September 5, 2003: Fredrick Töben Speaks at Iran's Intifada Conference National Vanguard
- September 14, 2001: statements from the Organization of Islamic Conference
- May 26, 2001: OIC Calls for Suspension of Ties with Israel CNN Archives
- The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC)
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