Kazakhstan participates in 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers

During the OIC CFM dedicated to the issues of tolerance enhancement and strengthening of counter-terrorism, the delegations of the OIC Member States exchanged views on a wide range of topical issues on the international agenda. They discussed issues of settlement of the situation in Yemen, Syria, Libya and Iraq, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the efforts to counter ISIS forces and other extremist organizations and groups that threaten the peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of a number of Muslim countries. Addressing the participants of the OIC CFM, Mr. A. Musinov presented Kazakhstan's vision regarding the actual problems of the Muslim Ummah and the development of the Organization in the near future. He also informed participants of the vigorous activity of Kazakhstan in the sphere of strengthening of inter-religious dialogue, including the arranging of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana. Mr. A. Musinov called on the OIC Member States to support Kazakhstan's bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period of 2017-2018, noting the readiness and desire of Kazakhstan to represent the interests of Muslim countries in this universal organization. A special session was devoted to the fight against terrorism, extremism and Islamophobia, which took place in the framework of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. In the course of the debate, the head of the Kazakhstan delegation conveyed the position of Kazakhstan on this issue to the participants of the meeting, highlighting the importance of combating the causes and factors leading to terrorism and religious extremism. Following the results of the 42nd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, more than 90 resolutions were adopted in the political, economic, scientific-technical, humanitarian and institutional spheres. Member States presented positions on major global and regional problems, as well as calls on for the consolidation of efforts to counter existing threats to peace and stability in the Muslim countries. They also expressed a strong condemnation of terrorism and extremism in all its forms and aspects. In the OIC CFM resolutions participants supported Kazakhstan's proposals relating to the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, restoration of the Aral Sea region, Agreement on the zone free of nuclear weapons in Central Asia, the universal declaration on nuclear-free world, support of the CICA and "EXPO-2017", and also such initiatives as the establishment of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) with headquarters in Astana. On the margins of the event, Mr. A.Musinov held bilateral meetings with the heads of delegations of a number of OIC Member States, during of which the parties discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and interaction in a multilateral format, including support of Kazakhstan's candidacy for non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the period of 2017-2018, arranging "EXPO-2017" in Astana, as well as the signing and ratification of the charter documents of IOFS. As part of participation in the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan also had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Iyad bin Amin Madani, Secretary General of the OIC. They discussed current issues of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, including increasing the number of IOFS Member States and arranging its founding General Assembly in Astana and the 7th Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the OIC. They also exchanged views on the Organization's state and prospects of development. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (until 2011 - Organization of the Islamic Conference) was established in 1969. The OIC General Secretariat is located in Jeddah (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Currently, the OIC has 56 member states with a total population of 1.5 billion people. 5 countries and 5 international organizations have observer status in the OIC. Kazakhstan became OIC member in December 1995.