UNSC Meeting on Strengthening Partnership with OIC
The United Nations Security Council held a meeting titled ‘Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations in maintaining international peace and security: Strengthening the partnership synergy between the UN and Organization of Islamic Cooperation’ on 28 October 2013, the first meeting of its kind focusing on OIC.
In his statement to the Meeting, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu considered the fact that the Security Council has convened the debate on the cooperation between OIC and UN shows the importance it rightly attaches to it. He expressed his appreciation for the concept paper prepared by Azerbaijan, the current President of the Security Council, that further develops this issue, and expressed his gratitude to Mr. Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General for the efforts to bring increasing significance to the existing relations and cooperation between the UN and the OIC. He stressed on OIC’s strong commitment to an active partnership with the United Nations in promoting peace, security and development. He also emphasized the need to reform the UN Security Council.
Ihsanoglu pointed to the preamble of the OIC Charter, which reaffirms the commitment of its Member States to the Charter of the UN, and to the Ten-Year Program of Action, which calls for strengthening OIC activities in conflict prevention, confidence-building, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and post-conflict rehabilitation in cooperation with international and regional organizations. Consequently, it established a peace, security and mediation unit; a center for the development of women; an independent human rights commission and an international cooperation and humanitarian affairs department. These steps, he said, indicate our understanding of the importance of socio-economic development, human rights and humanitarian assistance in promoting peace and security and it has made valuable contributions to the work of the UN in these fields.
The Secretary General emphasized the need of expediting the reform of the UN Security Council, by promoting its transparency, accountability, adequate representation, and full democratization. “Our principled position is that any reform of the Security Council must ensure adequate representation of OIC Member States in any category of membership, given that our organization represents 57 Member States and 1.6 billion people of the world population.”
On other hand, Ihsanoglu reaffirmed that the international community and the Security Council in particular, has a special responsibility to solve the Palestinian question, and that is by establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. At the same time, he reassured OIC’s commitment to assisting the Palestinian people improve their socio-economic life.
The Secretary General also expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflict in Syria. He welcomed all efforts aimed at the convening of Geneva 2 conference, however, he said that the Security Council has to assume its responsibility to do its utmost to protect the Syrian people and bring a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict through a political dialogue.
He also called on the Security Council to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as the restoration of peace to Somalia and Mali.
Other issues he addressed include the eradication of polio, combating radicalization and the development and empowerment of women, children, youth and civil societies.
Source: OIC
Ihsanoglu pointed to the preamble of the OIC Charter, which reaffirms the commitment of its Member States to the Charter of the UN, and to the Ten-Year Program of Action, which calls for strengthening OIC activities in conflict prevention, confidence-building, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and post-conflict rehabilitation in cooperation with international and regional organizations. Consequently, it established a peace, security and mediation unit; a center for the development of women; an independent human rights commission and an international cooperation and humanitarian affairs department. These steps, he said, indicate our understanding of the importance of socio-economic development, human rights and humanitarian assistance in promoting peace and security and it has made valuable contributions to the work of the UN in these fields.
The Secretary General emphasized the need of expediting the reform of the UN Security Council, by promoting its transparency, accountability, adequate representation, and full democratization. “Our principled position is that any reform of the Security Council must ensure adequate representation of OIC Member States in any category of membership, given that our organization represents 57 Member States and 1.6 billion people of the world population.”
On other hand, Ihsanoglu reaffirmed that the international community and the Security Council in particular, has a special responsibility to solve the Palestinian question, and that is by establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. At the same time, he reassured OIC’s commitment to assisting the Palestinian people improve their socio-economic life.
The Secretary General also expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflict in Syria. He welcomed all efforts aimed at the convening of Geneva 2 conference, however, he said that the Security Council has to assume its responsibility to do its utmost to protect the Syrian people and bring a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict through a political dialogue.
He also called on the Security Council to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as the restoration of peace to Somalia and Mali.
Other issues he addressed include the eradication of polio, combating radicalization and the development and empowerment of women, children, youth and civil societies.
Source: OIC
