OIC
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| OIC | |
|---|---|
 Abyssmanx · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Organisation of Islamic Cooperation |
| Abbreviation | OIC |
| Formation | 1969 |
| Type | Intergovernmental organization |
| Headquarters | Jeddah |
| Region served | International |
| Membership | 57 member states |
| Official languages | Arabic, English, French |
OIC The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is an international organization founded in 1969 to promote solidarity among member states and represent collective interests of Muslim-majority countries. It engages with global institutions, regional blocs, and states on matters ranging from diplomacy and development to cultural affairs. The organization convenes heads of state, foreign ministers, and specialized committees to coordinate policies among members from Asia, Africa, and elsewhere.
Overview
The organization brings together member states including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Jordan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Brunei, Maldives, Mauritania, Somalia, Djibouti, Comoros, Tanzania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Mozambique, Togo (note: duplication for internal lists avoided), and observer partners such as United Nations, European Union, African Union, Arab League, Commonwealth of Nations, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Non-Aligned Movement, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Economic Cooperation Organization, Gulf Cooperation Council, League of Arab States, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Organisation of American States, Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (note: self-reference avoided in body). It maintains liaison with international institutions such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Labour Organization, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme.
History
The founding followed the 1969 Al-Aqsa Mosque fire which triggered the 1969 summit in Rabat where leaders from Kingdom of Morocco, Libya, Iraq and other states convened. The charter created a platform akin to earlier multilateral arrangements such as the Arab League and reflected Cold War alignments involving actors like Soviet Union, United States, China, United Kingdom, France, Germany. Early chairmanships included leaders from Gamal Abdel Nasser, Muammar Gaddafi, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Suharto, General Zia-ul-Haq, while institutional leaders involved diplomats from Jeddah and ministers related to foreign affairs such as those from Anwar Sadat and Hafez al-Assad. Over decades, the organization adapted through interactions with events including the Iran–Iraq War, Soviet–Afghan War, 1990–1991 Gulf War, Bosnian War, Kosovo War, Syrian Civil War, and conflicts in Palestine culminating in repeated resolutions about Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Membership and Structure
Membership comprises sovereign states that meet criteria related to Muslim-majority populations; prominent members include Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The organizational structure features the biennial Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, a Council of Foreign Ministers that meets annually, a Secretary-General office, the Islamic Development Bank, and subsidiary bodies such as the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, Islamic Fiqh Academy, Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries, and the OIC Cares-style humanitarian units. Administrative headquarters are based in Jeddah, with liaison offices and regional representations in capitals like Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur, Ankara, and Tehran. The financial and programmatic operations interact with entities such as Islamic Development Bank, Arab Monetary Fund, Islamic Solidarity Fund, United Nations Development Programme, and multilateral investment partners including Asian Development Bank and African Development Bank.
Objectives and Activities
Primary objectives stated include safeguarding interests of member states, promoting cooperation in political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, and legal fields among members such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, Nigeria, and fostering collective positions in international fora like United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council, World Health Assembly, and UN Security Council deliberations. Activities encompass coordinating humanitarian relief during crises in Gaza, Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, Somalia, and post-conflict reconstruction in places like Bosnia and Herzegovina, engagement in interfaith dialogue with actors including Vatican City and World Council of Churches, supporting educational initiatives linked to universities in Cairo, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, and running cultural preservation programs for sites listed with UNESCO such as in Makkah and Medina.
Political and Diplomatic Roles
The organization issues communiqués and resolutions addressing conflicts involving Palestine Liberation Organization, Hamas, Fatah, Syria's opposition, and endorses stances regarding recognition of states such as State of Palestine and responses to interventions by NATO, United States, Russia, Iran, Saudi-led coalition, Turkish Armed Forces. It has mediated or supported mediation in disputes like Abyei conflict, Comoros island disputes, and provided election observation in member states alongside bodies like African Union and European Union Election Observation Mission. Diplomatic engagement extends to sanctions recommendations, humanitarian corridors in coordination with International Committee of the Red Cross, and cooperation with legal institutions such as the International Criminal Court and regional courts.
Criticism and Controversies
The organization has faced criticism over perceived ineffectiveness on crises in Syria, Yemen, Myanmar, and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with analysts from institutions like Chatham House, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, and International Crisis Group noting issues of politicization, consensus paralysis, and resource constraints. Debates involve human rights positions evaluated by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and regional NGOs, controversies over membership suspensions such as actions affecting Sudan and Syria, and disputes about representation of governments versus opposition movements including Libyan Civil War factions and recognition disputes after coups in states such as Mali and Guinea. Financial transparency and governance reforms have been urged by think tanks like Transparency International and donors including European Commission and bilateral partners.
Notable Summits and Declarations
Major summits include the inaugural 1969 summit in Rabat, the 3rd Islamic Summit in 1974 where resolutions referenced Yom Kippur War ramifications and support for Palestine Liberation Organization, the 2005 summit which addressed Darfur conflict and relations with Sudan, the 2019 summit in Makkah addressing Islamophobia and global security, and emergency sessions convened after the 2010s crises such as the Syrian Civil War escalation and the 2023 conflicts in Gaza Strip. Declarations have covered approval of frameworks like the OIC Ten-Year Programme for development, adoption of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, and statements endorsing peace plans involving Arab Peace Initiative and various ceasefire accords brokered with partners like Egypt and Qatar.