Foreign ministers from members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) gathered in Jeddah on Thursday for an extraordinary meeting focused on major issues confronting the Muslim world, including the Palestinian cause and the status of Jerusalem.
The 23rd Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers was held at the organization’s headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The meeting brought together senior representatives from OIC member states as the bloc sought to strengthen coordination on pressing regional and international challenges.
The Palestinian issue and developments concerning Al-Quds Al-Sharif were among the central items on the agenda. The meeting came amid continuing international concern over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and broader instability across the region.
A major outcome of the gathering was the election of Mauritanian diplomat Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed as the new OIC secretary-general. He will succeed Hussein Ibrahim Taha, whose term ends in November. Ould Cheikh Ahmed previously served as Mauritania’s foreign minister and as a United Nations special envoy for Yemen.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also addressed the meeting, emphasizing the importance of Islamic solidarity amid recurring political, economic, social and humanitarian crises affecting OIC member states.
The summit underscores efforts by the 57-member organization to present a coordinated position on issues affecting the wider Muslim world. Officials are also expected to focus on strengthening joint Islamic action and enhancing the OIC’s international role.
The Jeddah meeting comes at a time of heightened regional tensions, making the gathering a closely watched diplomatic event as member states seek common ground on Palestine, Jerusalem and other pressing challenges.