Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
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The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC; ; ), formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, is an
intergovernmental organisation An international organization, also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is an organization that is established by a treaty or other type of instrument governed by international law and possesses its own leg ...
founded in 1969. It consists of 57 member states, 48 of which are Muslim-majority. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. December 2012.
The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Major Religious Groups as of 2010
." DC: Pew Research Center
Article
.
The organisation claims to be "the collective voice of the
Muslim world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony". OIC has permanent delegations to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
and the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. Its official languages are
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, English, and French. It operates affiliated, specialized, and subsidiary organs within the framework of OIC Charter. Member states had a collective population of over 1.8 billion as of 2015, accounting for just under a quarter of the world's population. The collective area is 31.66 m km2.


History

On 21 August 1969, a
fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
was started in the
Al-Aqsa Mosque The Aqsa Mosque, also known as the Qibli Mosque or Qibli Chapel is the main congregational mosque or Musalla, prayer hall in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City (Jerusalem), Old City of Jerusalem. In some sources the building is also n ...
in Jerusalem. Amin al-Husseini, the former Mufti of Jerusalem, called the arson a "Jewish crime" and called for all Muslim heads of state to convene a summit. The fire, which "destroyed part of the old wooden roof and an 800-year-old pulpit" was blamed on the
mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...
of perpetrator Australian Christian fundamentalist Denis Michael Rohanby Israel, and on Zionists and Zionism by the Islamic conference. On 25 September 1969, an Islamic Conference, a summit of representatives of 24 Muslim majority countries (most representatives were heads of state), was held in
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...
, Morocco.About OIC
Oic-oci.org. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
A resolution was passed stating:
Muslim governments would consult with a view to promoting among themselves close cooperation and mutual assistance in the economic, scientific, cultural and spiritual fields, inspired by the immortal teachings of Islam.
In March 1970, the First Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers was held in
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, Saudi Arabia. In 1972, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference was founded.Esposito, 1998, p. 164. While the al-Aqsa fire is regarded as one of the catalysts, many
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
aspired to a pan-Islamic institution that would serve the common political, economic, and social interests of the ''
ummah ' (; ) is an Arabic word meaning Muslim identity, nation, religious community, or the concept of a Commonwealth of the Muslim Believers ( '). It is a synonym for ' (, lit. 'the Islamic nation'); it is commonly used to mean the collective com ...
'' (Muslim community) beginning in the 19th century. In particular, the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
and the
Caliphate A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
after
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
left a vacuum. According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic social and economic values; promote solidarity amongst member states; increase cooperation in social, economic, cultural, scientific, and political areas; uphold international peace and security; and advance education, particularly in science and technology. The OIC emblem contains three main elements that reflect its vision and mission as incorporated in its Charter: the
Kaaba The Kaaba (), also spelled Kaba, Kabah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaba al-Musharrafa (), is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and Holiest sites in Islam, holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Sa ...
, the Globe, and the Crescent. On 5 August 1990, 45 foreign ministers of the OIC adopted the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam to provide guidance in matters of human rights in as much as they are compatible with
Sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...
(Quranic Law). The Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUOICM) was established in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
in 1999, and its head office is situated in
Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
. Only OIC members are entitled to membership in the union. In March 2008, the OIC revised its charter to promote human rights, fundamental freedoms, and good governance in member states. The revisions removed any mention of the Cairo Declaration. Within the revised charter, the OIC supported the
Charter of the United Nations The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the United Nations (UN). It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the UN system, including its six principal organs: the Secretariat, the G ...
and
international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...
, without mentioning the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the Human rights, rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN Drafting of the Universal D ...
. On 28 June 2011, during the 38th Council of Foreign Ministers meeting (CFM) in Astana, Kazakhstan, the organisation changed its name from Organisation of the Islamic Conference (; ) to its current name. The OIC also changed its logo at this time. According to the
UNHCR The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and Humanitarian protection, protect refugees, Internally displaced person, forcibly displaced communities, and Statelessness, s ...
, OIC countries hosted 18 million refugees by the end of 2010. OIC members continued to absorb refugees from other conflicts, including 2011 uprising in Syria. In May 2012, the OIC addressed these concerns at the "Refugees in the Muslim World" conference in
Ashgabat Ashgabat (Turkmen language, Turkmen: ''Aşgabat'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag, Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km (30  ...
, Turkmenistan. On 27 June 2007, then-United States President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
announced that the United States would delegate an envoy to the OIC. Bush said of the envoy, "Our special envoy will listen to and learn from representatives from Muslim states, and will share with them America's views and values." , Arsalan Suleman is acting special envoy. He was appointed on 13 February 2015. In an investigation of the accuracy of a series of chain emails,
Snopes.com ''Snopes'' (), formerly known as the ''Urban Legends Reference Pages'', is a fact-checking website. It has been described as a "well-regarded reference for sorting out myths and rumors" on the Internet. The site has also been seen as a source ...
reported that during the October 2003April 2004 session of the General Assembly, 17 individual members of the OIC voted against the United States 88% of the time.


Members

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has 57 members, 56 of which are also
member states of the United Nations The United Nations comprise sovereign states and the world's largest intergovernmental organization. All members have equal representation in the UN General Assembly. The Charter of the United Nations defines the rules for admission of ...
. The exception is
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
. Some member countries-
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
,
Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...
,
Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...
,
Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
,
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
,
Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...
,
Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...
and
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
are not Muslim-majority.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
, the
Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...
,
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
,
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, and
Northern Cyprus Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a ''de facto'' state that comprises the northeastern portion of the Geography of Cyprus, island of Cyprus. It is List of states with limited recognition, recognis ...
(under the name "Turkish Cypriot State") are observer states, and other organisations and groups participate as observers. Syria’s OIC membership was suspended on 14–15 August 2012, because of the government’s use of heavy weapons against civilians and its refusal to engage in peaceful dialogue. On March 7, 2025, Syria officially restored a full membership after the
fall of the Assad regime On 8 December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed during a 2024 Syrian opposition offensives, major offensive by Syrian opposition, opposition forces. The offensive was spearheaded by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and supported mainly by the Turk ...
.


Africa


Asia


Europe


Americas


Positions


''Fitna''

The OIC, on 28 March 2008, joined the criticism of the film '' Fitna'' by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, which features disturbing images of violent acts juxtaposed with alleged verses from the ''
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
''.


Houthis

In March 2015, the OIC announced its support for the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the Shia Houthis.


Israeli–Palestinian conflict

The OIC supports a
two-state solution The two-state solution is a proposed approach to resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, by creating two states on the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine. It is often contrasted with the one-state solution, which is the esta ...
to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The OIC calls for a
boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent resistance, nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organisation, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for Morality, moral, society, social, politics, political, or Environmenta ...
of Israeli products in an effort to pressure Israel into ending the occupation of the
Palestinian territories The occupied Palestinian territories, also referred to as the Palestinian territories, consist of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip—two regions of the former Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate for Palestine ...
. At a 2013 meeting in
Conakry Conakry ( , ; ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guinea. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea. Its population as of the 2014 Guinea census was 1,660,973. The current population of C ...
, Guinea, Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that foreign ministers would discuss the possibility of cutting ties with any state that recognised
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
as the capital of Israel or that moves its embassy to its environs. At a December 2017 extraordinary meeting held in response US President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
's decision to recognize Jerusalem, the "Istanbul Declaration on Freedom for Al Quds". was adopted. In September 2019, the OIC condemned Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...
's plans to annex the eastern portion of the occupied
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
known as the Jordan Valley. In January 2024, the OIC expressed support for South Africa's ICJ genocide case against Israel.


India

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
is the second-largest
religion in India Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture and the Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the Major ...
after
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. Over 200 million
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
constitute approximately 15% of the country's population.
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
has the largest Muslim population other than Muslim-majority or Islamic states. However, India's relationship with Pakistan (an
Islamic state The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
), has featured hostilities and armed conflict since the 1947 Partition of India. The poor relationship between them impacted India–OIC relations due to
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
's status as a founding member. India pushed for the OIC to accept it as a member state, arguing that
Indian Muslims Islam is India's second-largest religion, with 14.2% of the country's population, or approximately 172.2 million people, identifying as adherents of Islam in a 2011 census. India also has the third-largest number of Muslims in the world. ...
comprise 11% of the world's Muslim population; Pakistan has staunchly opposed this. Pakistan cites its conflict with India over the Kashmir region as its rationale. It frequently accuses India of perpetrating human rights abuses against Kashmiris in the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The region has experienced an ongoing militant uprising since the 1980s. The OIC has been urged to press India on the Kashmir dispute, and has faced pushback from Indian officials for occasional references to Jammu and Kashmir. Historically, the Muslim world has largely lent its support to Pakistan on the issue. The first OIC summit held in 1969 in
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...
did not address the dispute, while granting India membership was discussed. The head of the Indian delegation addressed the summit. The erstwhile
President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan () is the head of state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The president is the nominal head of the executive and the supreme commander of the Pakistan Armed Forces.
, Yahya Khan, reportedly expressed mixed views. The Indian delegation, led by then Indian President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad, was scheduled to attend the summit but ultimately was not allowed in due to Pakistan's controversial boycott threat. Differences between the two states led Pakistan to keep India out for the final session of the 1969 conference and all OIC subsequent summits.


2019 Pulwama attack and India–Pakistan standoff

On 14 February 2019, a suicide-bombing attack by a Muslim militant in Jammu and Kashmir killed over 40 Indian soldiers, for which responsibility was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terrorist group. In March 2019, India conducted airstrikes in Pakistani territory, which subsequently led to the 2019 India–Pakistan military standoff. After these events, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj was invited to participate in an OIC summit. However, Pakistan protested this development and demanded that India be blocked from the event, accusing the latter of an unprovoked violation of Pakistani airspace while Indian officials claimed that the strike was carried out on terrorist-training camps. Following requests by Pakistan shortly after the 14 February attack, the OIC held an emergency meeting on 26 February. The organization subsequently condemned India's military response to the attack and advised both sides to exercise restraint. For the first time in five decades, the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
invited India as a "guest of honour" to attend the inaugural plenary 46th meeting of OIC foreign ministers in
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...
on 1 and 2 March 2019, overriding protests by Pakistan. In response Pakistan boycotted the meeting. Indian Foreign Minister Swaraj headed the Indian delegation at the summit. On 18 April 2020, OIC issued a statement, urging the Modi administration of India to take urgent steps to "stop the growing tide of
Islamophobia Islamophobia is the irrational fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general. Islamophobia is primarily a form of religious or cultural bigotry; and people who harbour such sentiments often stereot ...
", citing attacks by Hindu nationalists against Indian Muslims and the allegation against Muslims of spreading
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
in the country.


Cartoons of Muhammad

Cartoons of Muhammad, published in a Danish newspaper in September 2005, offended a number of Muslims. The Third Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference in December 2005 condemned publication of the cartoons, resulting in broader coverage of the issue by news media in Muslim countries. Subsequently, violent demonstrations throughout the Islamic world resulted in multiple deaths.


Human rights

OIC created the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam. Proponents claim it is not an alternative to the UDHR, but rather complementary to it. Article 24 states that "all the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration are subject to the Islamic Shari'ah" and Article 25 follows with "the Islamic Shari'ah is the only source of reference for the explanation or clarification of any of the articles of this Declaration." Attempts to have it adopted by the
United Nations Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a United Nations Regional Gro ...
met criticism, because of its contradiction of the UDHR, including from liberal Muslim groups. Critics of the CDHR state bluntly that it is "manipulation and hypocrisy," "designed to dilute, if not altogether eliminate, civil and political rights protected by international law" and attempts to "circumvent these principles f freedom and equality"
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
says that OIC "fought doggedly" and successfully within the United Nations Human Rights Council to shield states from criticism, except criticism of Israel. For example, when independent experts reported violations of human rights in the
2006 Lebanon War The 2006 Lebanon War was a 34-day armed conflict in Lebanon, fought between Hezbollah and Israel. The war started on 12 July 2006, and continued until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect in the morning on 14 August 2006, thoug ...
, "state after state from the OIC took the floor to denounce the experts for daring to look beyond Israeli violations to discuss
Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...
's as well. OIC demands that the council "should work cooperatively with abusive governments rather than condemn them." HRW responded that this works with those who are willing to cooperate; others exploit the passivity. OIC has been criticised for failing to discuss the treatment of ethnic minorities within member countries, such as the oppression of the
Kurds in Syria The Kurdish population of Syria is the country's largest ethnic minority, usually estimated at around 10% of the Syrian population Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria, constituting around 10 per cent of the population – around 2 ...
and
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, the Ahwaz in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, the
Hazaras The Hazaras (; ) are an ethnic group and a principal component of Afghanistan’s population. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan, primarily residing in the Hazaristan (Hazarajat) region in central Afghanistan. Hazaras al ...
in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, the ' Al-Akhdam' in
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
, or the Berbers in Algeria. Along with OIC's 2008 charter revisions, the member states created the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC). The IPHRC is an advisory body, independent from OIC, composed of eighteen individuals from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. IPHRC has the power to monitor human rights within the member states and facilitates the integration of human rights into all OIC mandates. IPHRC also aids in the promotion of political, civil, and economic rights in all member states. In September 2017, the Independent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC strongly condemned the Rohingya persecution in Myanmar (2016–present), human rights violations against the Rohingya people, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. In December 2018, the OIC tentatively raised the issue of People's Republic of China, China's Xinjiang internment camps and Persecution of Uyghurs in China, human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. The OIC reversed its position after a visit to Xinjiang, and in March 2019, the OIC issued a report on human rights for Muslim minorities that praised China for "providing care to its Muslim citizens" and looked forward to greater cooperation with the PRC. In December 2020 a coalition of American Muslim groups criticized OIC for failing to speak up to prevent the Persecution of Uyghurs in China, abuse of the Uyghurs and accused member states of being influenced by Chinese power. The groups included the Council on American-Islamic Relations.


LGBT rights

In March 2012, the
United Nations Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a United Nations Regional Gro ...
held its first discussion of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, following the 2011 passage of a resolution supporting LGBT rights proposed by the Republic of South Africa. Pakistan's representative addressed the session on behalf of the OIC, denouncing the discussion and questioning the concept of sexual orientation, which he said promoted "licentious behaviour ... against the fundamental teachings of various religions, including Islam". He stated that the council should not discuss the topic again. Most Arab countries and some African countries walked out of the session. Nonetheless, OIC members Albania,
Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...
, Guinea-Bissau,
Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...
and Sierra Leone signed LGBT rights at the United Nations, a 2011 UN declaration supporting LGBT rights in the General Assembly. Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey legalized homosexuality. In May 2016, 57 countries including Egypt,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
, Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation requested the removal of List of LGBT rights organizations, LGBT associations from 2016 High Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, sparking protests by the United States, Canada, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
and LGBT community, LGBT communities.


Science and technology


Astana Declaration

The Astana Declaration is a policy guidance adopted by OIC members at the Astana Summit. The Astana Declaration commits members to increase investment in science and technology, education, eradicate extreme poverty, and implement UN Sustainable Development Goals.


Non-state terrorism

In 1999, OIC adopted the OIC Convention on Combatting International Terrorism. Human Rights Watch reported that the definition of terrorism in article 1 describes "any act or threat of violence carried out with the aim of, among other things, imperiling people’s honour, occupying or seizing public or private property, or threatening the stability, territorial integrity, political unity or sovereignty of a state." HRW described this as vague, ill-defined, and including much that is outside the generally accepted concept of terrorism. In HRW's view, it labels, or could easily be used to label, as terrorist actions, acts of peaceful expression, association, and assembly.Organisation of the Islamic Conference: Improve and Strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism
Human Rights Watch 11 March 2008.
Legal scholar Ben Saul argued that the definition is subjective and ambiguous and concluded that it left a "serious danger of the abusive use of terrorist prosecutions against political opponents" and others. HRW is concerned by OIC's apparent unwillingness to recognise as terrorism acts that serve causes endorsed by their member states. Article 2 reads: "Peoples' struggle including armed struggle against foreign occupation, aggression, colonialism, and hegemony, aimed at liberation and self-determination." HRW suggested that OIC embrace "longstanding and universally recognised international human rights standards", a request that has not led to any results. During a meeting in Malaysia in April 2002, delegates discussed terrorism but failed to reach a definition of it. They rejected, however, any description of the Arab–Israeli conflict, Palestinian fight with Israel as terrorism. Their declaration was explicit: "We reject any attempt to link terrorism to the struggle of the Palestinian people in the exercise of their inalienable right to establish their independent state with Al-Quds Al-Shrif (
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
) as its capital." In fact, at the outset of the meeting, the OIC countries signed a statement praising the Palestinians and their "blessed Wikt:intifada, intifada." The word terrorism was restricted to describe Israel, whom they condemned for "state terrorism" in their war with the Palestinian people. At the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM), an OIC section, in May 2007, the foreign ministers termed
Islamophobia Islamophobia is the irrational fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general. Islamophobia is primarily a form of religious or cultural bigotry; and people who harbour such sentiments often stereot ...
"the worst form of terrorism".


Dispute with Thailand

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
responded to OIC criticism of human rights abuses in the Islam in Thailand, Muslim majority provinces of Pattani Province, Pattani, Yala Province, Yala, and Narathiwat Province, Narathiwat in the south of the country. In a statement issued on 18 October 2005, secretary-general Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Ihsanoglu vocalised concern over the continuing conflict in the south that "claimed the lives of innocent people and forced the migration of local people out of their places". He stressed that the Thai government's security approach to the crisis would aggravate the situation and lead to continued violence. On 18–19 April 2009, exiled Patani leader Abu Yasir Fikri was invited to the OIC to speak about the conflict and present a proposal to end the violence between the Thai government and the ethnically Malay Muslims living in the neglected south. The group has been struggling against Thai assimilation policy and for self governance since the area was annexed by Thailand in 1902. Fikri presented a six-point solution at the conference that included obtaining the same basic rights as other groups when it came to rights of language, religion, and culture. He suggested that Thailand give up its discriminatory policies against the Patani people and allow Patani to at least be allowed the same self-governing rights as other regions in Thailand, citing that this does not go against the Thai constitution since it had been done in other parts of Thailand. He criticised the Thai government's escalation of violence by arming and creating Buddhist militia groups and questioned their intentions. He added that Thai policies of not investigating corruption, murder, and human rights violations perpetrated by Bangkok-led administration and military personnel was an obstacle for achieving peace and healing the deep wounds of "third-class" citizens. Thai foreign minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said in response: "We have made it clear to the OIC several times that the violence in the deep South is not caused by religious conflict and the government grants protection to all of our citizens no matter what religion they embrace." The Foreign Ministry issued a statement dismissing the OIC's criticism and accusing it of disseminating misperceptions and misinformation about the situation in the southern provinces. "If the OIC secretariat really wants to promote the cause of peace and harmony in the three southern provinces of Thailand, the responsibility falls on the OIC secretariat to strongly condemn the militants, who are perpetrating these acts of violence against both Thai Muslims and Thai Buddhists." HRW and Amnesty International offsered the same concerns as OIC, rebuffing Thailand's attempts to dismiss the issue.


Notable meetings

Various OIC meetings have attracted global attention.


Ninth meeting of PUOICM

The ninth meeting of Parliamentary Union of the OIC member states (PUOICM) was held on 15 and 16 February 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The speaker of Malaysia's Dewan Rakyat, House of Representatives, Ramli bin Ngah Talib, spoke at the inaugural ceremony. One main agenda item was stopping Israel from continuing its excavation at the Western Wall#Plaza, Western Wall of the Temple Mount, Temple Mount / Masjid Al-Aqsa, Islam's third holiest site. OIC also discussed how it might send peacekeeping troops to Muslim states, as well as the possibility of a name change and charter changes. Return of the sovereignty right to the Iraqi people along with withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq was another one of the main agenda items. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri stated on 14 February that the secretary general of OIC and foreign ministers of seven "like-minded Muslim countries" would meet in Islamabad on 25 February following meetings of Pervez Musharraf, President Musharraf with the heads of Muslim countries to discuss "a new initiative" for the resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.


IPHRC trip to Washington, DC

In December 2012, IPHRC met in Washington, D.C. for the first time. The IPHRC held meetings at the National Press Club (United States), National Press Club, Capitol Hill, and Freedom House discussing the issues of human rights in the OIC member states. During their roundtable discussion with Freedom House, the IPHRC emphasised the adoption of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the Human rights, rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN Drafting of the Universal D ...
and the rejection of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, Cairo Declaration by the OIC.


Observer status dispute

The September 2014's high-level Summit of the OIC, in New York City, New York, ended without adopting any resolutions or conclusions, for the first time in several years, due to a dispute regarding the status of one of its Observer states. Egypt,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
and the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
demanded that the OIC remove the term 'Turkish Cypriot State' in reference to the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which had observer status within the organization. Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi insisted that any reference to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus or Turkish Cypriot State" was unacceptable and was ultimately the reason for the OIC not adopting any resolutions or conclusions in the 2014 summit.


Emergency meetings on Hamas-Israeli war

On November 11, 2023 the group and the Arab League met in Riyadh for a special summit on the 2023 Gaza humanitarian crisis, Gaza humanitarian situation created by the Gaza war. On 5 August 2024 Iran called for an emergency meeting of the OIC on 7 August because it wanted to drum up support for its war against Israel in the wake of the Tehran assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, Saudi Arabia hosted the meeting, and Iran's foreign minister Ali Bagheri said Ayatollah Khomeini has no other choice but to use his right to self-defense. Other participants raised concerns about a wider regional conflict and Bagheri's motion failed to carry.


Structure and organisation

The OIC is headquartered in
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, Saudi Arabia with regional offices in New York, Geneva, Brussels, Iraq, Kabul, and Indonesia. The OIC system consists of:


Islamic Summit

The largest meeting, attended by the Head of state, heads of state and Head of government, government of the member states, convenes every three years. The Islamic Summit takes policy decisions and provide guidance on all issues pertaining to the realisation of the objectives as provided in the Charter and consider other issues of concern to the Member States and the Ummah.


Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers

Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers meets once a year to examine a progress report on the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by the Islamic Summit.


Universities

The OIC sponsors four universities: the Islamic University of Technology, a subsidiary organ; and three affiliated institutions; the Islamic University in Uganda; the Islamic University of Niger; and the International Islamic University Malaysia.


Secretary General

The Secretary General is elected by the Council of Foreign Ministers for a term of five years, with a maximum of two terms. The Secretary-General is elected from among nationals of the Member States in accordance with the principles of equitable geographical distribution, rotation and equal opportunity for all Member States with due consideration to competence, integrity and experience.


Permanent Secretariat

The Permanent Secretariat is the executive organ of the Organisation, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies, and is located in
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, Saudi Arabia.


Subsidiary organisations

* The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries, in Ankara, Turkey * The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), located in Istanbul, Turkey * The Islamic University of Technology, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh * The Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade, located in Casablanca, Morocco * The International Islamic Fiqh Academy, Jeddah, Islamic Fiqh Academy, located in
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, Saudi Arabia * The Islamsate Islamic Network, located at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia * The Executive Bureau of the Islamic Solidarity Fund and its Waqf, located in
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
, Saudi Arabia * The Islamic University in Niger, located in Say, Niger. * The Islamic University in Uganda, located in Mbale, Uganda. * The Tabriz Islamic Arts University, located in Tabriz, Iran.


Specialised institutions

* The ICESCO, Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO), located in
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...
, Morocco. * The Islamic States Broadcasting Organisation (ISBO) and the International Islamic News Agency (IINA), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia


Affiliated institutions

* Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), located in Karachi, Pakistan. * World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. * Organisation of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. * Islamic Solidarity Sports Association, Sports Federation of Islamic Solidarity Games, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. * Islamic Committee of the International Crescent (ICIC), located in Benghazi, Libya. * Islamic Shipowners Association (ISA), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. * World Federation of International Arab-Islamic Schools, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. * International Association of Islamic Banks (IAIB), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. * Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC), located in Istanbul, Turkey. * General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI), located in Manama, Bahrain. * Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), located in Istanbul, Turkey.


Criticism

OIC has been criticised by many Muslims for its lack of engagement and solutions for Muslim countries in crisis. It is said to have made progress in social and academic terms but not politically. In 2020, Pakistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, SM Qureshi criticized OIC for its stand with regard to Kashmir dispute, Kashmir issue. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has been criticized for advocating for limitations to the freedom of speech and freedom of religion by interpreting apostasy and heresy as persecution of Muslims, anti-Islamic speech and
Islamophobia Islamophobia is the irrational fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general. Islamophobia is primarily a form of religious or cultural bigotry; and people who harbour such sentiments often stereot ...
.


List of summits


See also

* Azerbaijan–OIC relations * Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam * D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation * Flag of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation * Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition * Islamic Reporting Initiative * Islamic University of Technology * List of largest cities in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member countries * Demographics of the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation * Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation


References


Further reading

* Al-Huda, Qamar. "Organisation of the Islamic Conference". ''Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World''. Edited by Martin, Richard C. Macmillan Reference, 2004. Vol. 1. p. 394, 20 April 2008. * Ankerl, Guy. ''Coexisting Contemporary Civilisations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western''. Geneva, INUPress, 2000, .


External links

* {{Authority control Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Organizations established in 1969 1960s in Islam Anti-Israeli sentiment International political organizations International diplomatic organizations Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty Islamic conferences Islamic organisations based in Saudi Arabia Political organisations based in Saudi Arabia United Nations General Assembly observers