The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold the Forty-Sixth Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of Member States, hosted by the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, on 1-2 March 2019 under the motto “50 Years of Islamic Cooperation: Roadmap for Prosperity and Development”.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, will inaugurate the Conference in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, the OIC Secretary General, the Foreign Ministers of Member States and representatives of countries that have observer status with the OIC.
The Secretary General expressed his thanks to the United Arab Emirates for hosting the Forty-Sixth CFM Session and for the early and outstanding preparation of the Conference.
He also thanked the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the headquarters country, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for their generous and continuous support to facilitate the OIC functioning. He asserted that such support would help the OIC achieve the optimal goals of Islamic solidarity and promote joint Islamic action.
Al-Othaimeen confirmed that the CFM would coincide with the celebration of the OIC 50th anniversary this autumn. He pointed out that the Conference would chart a roadmap for prosperity and development in the Muslim world.
The Conference agenda has the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict as a top priority. The Foreign Ministers will discuss the developments in Palestine and the City of Al-Quds Ash-Sharif and the status of the peace process in the Middle East.
The Conference will also address the issues of combating terrorism, Islamophobia, and defamation of religions, status of Muslim groups and communities in non-OIC countries, OIC-2025, activities of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), humanitarian, information, social and cultural activities, and inter-civilization, intercultural, and inter-faith dialogue.
In the economic sphere, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs will deal with the issues of agriculture, labor and employment, intra-OIC trade, tourism and transport, poverty alleviation and special programs.
In the field of science and technology, the Conference will highlight the issues of promoting science and technology, and the matters related to higher education, health, water, climate change and the environment, and the OIC universities.
On a different note, the Assistant Secretaries General elected at the Forty-Fifth Session shall take the oath for assuming their respective offices.
On the sidelines of the Forty-Sixth Session, the Foreign Ministers will hold a brainstorming session on the OIC role in promoting development among its Member States with a focus on the strengths and opportunities of the OIC Member States, their economic forecasts, and OIC measures to promote development among its Member States and future prospects.