OIC: ICECS Meeting Amid Rising Global Conflicts & Economic Downturns

H.E. the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, highlighted that the 46th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs (ICECS), takes place amid rising global conflicts and economic downturns.

He added that the OIC is working closely with its Member States and institutions to organize joint cultural events and encourage the holding of multidisciplinary festivals to foster the values of mutual cooperation and shed light on cultural diversity in the Muslim world.

The Secretary-General delivered these statements at the opening Session of the ICECS meeting in Jeddah, on 28th July 2024.

Mr. Hissein Taha expressed his welcome to the participants in preparation for the 50th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) scheduled for Yaoundé, Republic of Cameroon, on 29 - 30 August 2024.

On the economic level, the Secretary-General stressed that the inauguration of the OIC Labour Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan, would consolidate OIC-wide solutions to the development challenges through workforce. Additionally, he highlighted the inaugural session of the General Assembly of the Islamic Forum for Halal Accreditation Bodies (IFHAB), a new affiliated organ of the OIC, held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah on November 2023.

The OIC’s Secretary-General confirmed that it is imperative to address the pressing issues facing the OIC Member States, particularly in the realms of science, technology and innovation; higher education; health; and the environment. He said that the challenges OIC faces, exacerbated by climate change, energy scarcity, and the ongoing threat of diseases and pandemics, necessitate a concerted effort towards collaboration and innovation within the OIC.

In this context, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha welcomed the offer by the Republic of Azerbaijan to host the 3rd OIC Summit on Science and Technology, noting that such a summit would provide a platform to review OIC’s collective progress in Science and Technology.

In the field of social development, women’s empowerment and gender justice, the Secretary-General commended the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in hosting the International Conference on Women in Islam: Status and Empowerment, which focused on the rights and responsibilities of women in Islam.

In conclusion, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha also commended the relevant OIC institutions working in the fields of social, economic, cultural, science and technology, education, health and environment for their continued collaboration with the OIC General Secretariat through the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (ACMOI) and its relevant thematic committees.