The Organization of The Islamic Conference (OIC)

The Organization of The Islamic Conference (OIC)


The Republic of Turkey is a member of the Organization embracing 57 states since its establishment.

 

The Organization of the Islamic Conference was established in Rabat on 25 September 1969 when the first meeting of the leaders of the Islamic world was convened as a result of the arson perpetrated on 21 August 1969 against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Six months after this meeting the first Islamic Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Jeddah established a permanent General Secretariat entrusted to establish liaison among member states and to coordinate their action. The Conference appointed its Secretary General and chose Jeddah as the Headquarters of the Organization.

Islam
The Third Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM), held in Jeddah on 29 February-4 March 1972, adopted the Charter of the Organization whose purpose is to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among Islamic States in the political, economic, cultural, scientific and social fields.

 

The Islamic Conference is composed of the following main bodies:

 

The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government, also known as the Islamic Summit Conference, is the supreme authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the Organization’s policy and elects Chairman of the Organization who holds office until next session. Malaysia has assumed the Chairman of the Islamic Summit Conference since 2003 till the next meeting envisaged to be held in Dakar, Senegal in March 2008.

 

The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM), which meets once a year to examine progress on the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by the Islamic Summit. Pakistan took over the Chairmanship of the ICFM from Azerbaijan with the 34. ICFM held in Islamabad on 15-17 May 2007. The next meeting is decided to be held in Uganda in 2008.

 

The General Secretariat, which is the executive organ of the Organization, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies. As of 1 October 2005, Secretary General of the Organization is Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu.

 

The participation of the Republic of Turkey in meetings of OIC till the 6th meeting of Foreign Ministers was at the level of Foreign Minister (at the Summit Meeting) and the Secretary General of the Ministry (ICFM). Turkey attended 6. ICFM held in Jeddah in 1975 with her Foreign Minister for the first time. At this meeting, Turkey proposed to hold the next meeting in Turkey.

 

7. ICFM was held in Istanbul in 1976. Turkey also hosted the 20. ICFM in Istanbul on 3-8 August 1991. The year 1976 was a turning point for Turkish participation in the activities of the Organization. At this Conference, upon the proposal of Turkey, the resolution on the establishment of two centers namely “The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture” and “The Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Centre” in Istanbul and Ankara respectively was adopted. Turkey still hosts these two Centers.

 

At the 31. ICFM (Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers) which was held in Istanbul on 14-16 June, endorsing the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the work, activities and meetings of all OIC organs under the name as envisaged in the UN Secretary- General’s comprehensive settlement plan, namely Cyprus Turkish State, was adopted. Also, in Istanbul Summit, Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the candidate of Turkey, was elected as the Secretary General of the Organization for the four-year period.

 

Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC)

 

In order to coordinate and unify its viewpoints in various fields of cooperation on economic, cultural and social issues among member states, the Organization established three Standing Committees chaired by Heads of States at the Islamic Summit meeting held in Taif, Saudi Arabia on 25-28 January 1981 (Standing Committees for Economic and Commercial Cooperation-Information and Cultural Affairs-Scientific and Technical Cooperation).

 

The chairman of Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation is the President of the Republic of Turkey.

 

This Committee in entrusted with following up the implementation of resolutions adopted by the Islamic Conference in the economic and commercial fields, examining all possible means of strengthening cooperation among member states and putting forward programmes and proposals likely to improve the capabilities of member states in those sectors. The annual meeting of this Committee is held in Istanbul every year.

 

• Web Site of 34. ICFM www.oic-oci.org/34icfm/english/main.htm

• Resolution No: 6/34-P on the Situation in Cyprus (adopted in the 34. ICFM held on 15-17 May 2007 in Islamabad) (http://www.oic-oci.org/34icfm/english/resolution/34ICFM-POL-07-RES-FINAL-ENG.pdf )

• Resolution No: 3-34-MM on the Situation of Turkish Muslim Minority of Western Thrace, Greece (adopted in the 34.ICFM held on 15-17 May 2007 in Islamabad) ( http://www.oic-oci.org/34icfm/english/resolution/34ICFM-MM-RES-FINAL-ENG.pdf )

 

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