Daily Times

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference on May 4-5 in the Gambian capital of Banjul to discuss variety of regional and global issues, including Palestine, Islamophobia, climate change and minorities.

The session will be held under the slogan “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” according to a press release issued by the OIC General Secretariat.

The Islamic Summit Conference will be preceded by a preparatory meeting of senior officials on April 30 and May 1, which will discuss the documents of the session and submit its report to the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) preparatory for the Summit.

The preparatory CFM meeting will be held on May 1-2 to consider the results of the senior officials meeting and in turn, submit its report to the Summit.

OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha will travel to Banjul, accompanied by a high-level delegation from the OIC General Secretariat to participate in the proceedings of the session.

The leaders of the member states will discuss the political issues of the Islamic world, most notably the Palestinian cause, and the economic, humanitarian, social and cultural issues, in addition to the issues of youth, women, family, science and technology, information, Muslim communities and minorities in non- OIC member states, and legal matters. The Summit will also discuss issues related to the rejection of hate speech and Islamophobia, the promotion of dialogue, and issues of climate change and food security.

During the Summit, the secretary-general will present a report reviewing the most prominent activities, programmes, and projects undertaken by the OIC since the previous session of the Islamic Summit Conference.

The 15th session will issue a final communique that includes the OIC positions on the issues submitted to the Summit, a resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and the Banjul Declaration.