The Inauguration of the Proceedings of the 43rd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Tashkent

The proceedings of the 43rd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) were inaugurated this morning in Tashkent, the Capital of Uzbekistan, and will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, 19th October 2016. The Session was inaugurated by the First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, and the Chairman of the 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-HamadAl-Sabah.

The Interim President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, delivered a statement in the inauguralceremony, expressing the profound significance of the theme of the present Session (Education and Enlightenment: Path to Peace and Creativity), which was proposed by the first President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the late H.E. Islam Karimov, stressing upon the need to consider the spiritual aspects in education, and strengthen cooperation among the youth. He considered that choosing Uzbekistan to chair the OIC CFM represents recognition by the Islamic world of what his country provided to enrich human history, through its scholars; such as: El-Bukhari, El-Termothy, El-Zamakhshary, El-Khawarzmy, El-Bairouny, and Ibn Sina.

H.E. Mirziyoyev identified six priorities to be achieved by Uzbekistan, during its CFM chairmanship, epitomized in the considerable role of education in strengthening the capacity of member states; enhancing creativity by promoting sciences and technology in order to achieve developmental, economic and social progress; ensure unity;capitalize on the core elements of the Islamic world through cooperation between the member states and other states; the provision of initiatives; and the prohibition ofdisseminating nuclear weapons.

The Interim President of Uzbekistan announced the introduction of an initiative to establish “Imam El-BukharyInternational Research Center”, with its headquarters at the Imam Bukari Academy, in the City of Samarkand, and affiliated to the OIC. He called on the OIC Secretary General to support this initiative. He also announced another initiative for the formation of a chair for Islamic sciences in the Islamic University in Tashkent.

The OIC Secretary General, H.E. Iyad Ameen Madani, delivered a statement, in which he started by recalling the wise stances taken by the late founder of Uzbekistan, who gave special attention to the OIC, and his sustained affirmation of his country’s commitment to the issues of the Islamic world, and his eagerness to convene this present Session.

The Secretary General reviewed the conditions in the Arab world, where the Palestinian Cause is central to the OIC, emphasizing the sufferance endured by the Palestinian people, as well as the hostile Israeli policy and its persistent and obvious trend toward oppressing and besieging the Palestinians. He called for serious steps capable of puttingan end to such Israeli obstinate attitude, and the indifference of the international community and the international active forces.

H.E. Madani mentioned the continuous plight in Syria, expressing his deep concern and condemnation of the continuous shelling of Syrian cities, and the adoption of the Syrian regime of a policy of terrorizing and displacing civilians, and stalling political solutions. In this context, he pointed out the extraordinary meeting of the executive committee convened at the level of delegates on 9th October 2016, to examine the deteriorating conditions in Syria, particularly in the city of Aleppo, where the final communiqué stressed upon the need to hold the Syrian regime to account for the crimes committed against its people.

The Secretary General also spoke of the situation in Iraq, Yemen, Mali, Afghanistan, Central Africa, Jammu and Kashmir, the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, the tragedy of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and the situation of Muslims in the Philippines and Thailand.

Following that, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait and the Chair of the 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, H.E Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, gave the statement of Kuwait. In his statement, H.E emphasized the fact that the previous Session aimed at enhancing joint Islamic action and entrenching the principles of solidarity between the Member States.

H.E indicated that although 47 years have passed on the crime of Al-Aqsa Mosque fire, the suffering and deterioration of the standard of living of the Palestinian people is still ongoing. H.E called for multiplying efforts, solidarity and mobility on all levels, and stated that Kuwait will soon be holding an international conference on the sufferings of Palestinian children.

H.H. Sheikh Sabah reviewed the conditions in Syria and Yemen, and congratulated the launch of the militaryoperations to liberate Mussel from Da’esh.

Upon receipt of the chairmanship of the 43rd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, H.E. Abdel-Aziz Kamilov, delivered a brief statement in which he emphasized the significant role of the OIC, as the platform of the Islamic world, in promoting solidarity.

He stated that choosing Uzbekistan to chair the CFM is recognition of its role in and contribution to the Islamic history, affirming the continuous work with its partners to provide inputs, explore ways and means of development in the world, in order to realize the principles and goals of the OIC Charter.

In the inaugural ceremony, the theme of the present Session was also introduced by the Minister of Education in Uzbekistan, H.E. Rostom Kassimov.