Organization Of Islamic

ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMICCooperation
CONFERENCE (OIC)

Presented By:
Group Members:
Waleed Virk
Abu Bakar Ch.
Khizer Asif
M. Salman
Usman Abid
M. Usman
Mohammad Azeem
Umair Riaz Cheema BBA – III
Umair Zafar Siddiqi Section :G
Introduction

The formation of the OIC happened shortly after

the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Leaders of Muslim
nations met in Rabat to establish the OIC on
September 25, 1969. (12th Rajab 1389 Hijra )

OIC is an international organization with a

permanent delegation to the United Nations

The forty-year-old Organization of the Islamic

Conference (OIC) is the second largest
international body after the UN.
Members

 It comprises of fifty seven nations spread over

four continents. (Along With Observer States)
 Its headquarter is in “Jeddah, Saudi Arabia”
 Its Official Languages are Arabic, English and
French
Structure
The OIC system consists of

 The Islamic Summit

The largest organ, attended by the Kings and the Heads of State and Government of
the member states, convenes every three years.

 The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers

It 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.

 Secretary general

The current secretary general of this international organization is “Ekmeleddin

İhsanoğlu”, from Turkey, since January 1, 2005.
 Goals

 To safeguard people of the member states and

Muslims.

 Strengthen Islamic solidarity.

 Consolidate Cooperation among members states in

social, cultural and scientific fields

 Safeguard the Holy places.

 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people.

 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of

colonialism.

 To represent Muslim people and to strengthen

cooperation among Member States in political,
economic cultural and social fields.
Challenges

 Difficulties in  coordination.

 Geographically dispersed (Africa, Asia, Middle East,

Southeast Asia).

 Politically diverse. (Islamic Republics, Monarchies,

Democracy, Military Dictatorships)

 National Income differences (Richest like Saudi
Arabia and poorest Afghanistan)
 Greatest challenge is the Sep 11 attacks since 2001.OIC condemned
the attacks on US but Iran, Iraq and Syria have also condemned the
US.

 The richer and more influential members lack the political will to be
in the driver’s seat to guide the direction of the OIC.

 This lack of political strength is further reduced by serious disunity

among OIC countries, especially in West Asia.

 It is now an open secret that the world does not place much
importance to OIC in resolving conflicts affecting Muslim countries.
 Any suggestion that OIC countries converge towards an alliance
with military implication would be politically suicidal.

 Prevailing circumstances will not allow OIC to develop any form

of common security policy or arrangements.

 Moreover , the event of September 11, 2001 has made Islam,

and the Muslim world suspects.

 Therefore, any attempt on the part of OIC to promote a military

cooperation would be seen as threatening to the rest of the
world.
Human Rights

 OIC created the Cairo Declaration of Human

Rights in Islam. Which States that
"All the rights and freedoms stipulated in this
Declaration are subject to the Islamic
Shari'ah.“

 It has been adopted by “United Nations

Human Rights Council”
Antisemitism

 The OIC attracted attention at the opening session

of the meeting in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on 16
October 2003, where Prime Minister “Mahathir
Mohammad” of Malaysia in his speech argued that

“The Jews control the world. They invented

socialism, communism, human rights and
democracy, so that persecuting them would
appear to be wrong, so that they can enjoy equal
rights with others”
Terrorism

 In 1999 OIC adopted the OIC Convention on

Combating International Terrorism
 Contradictions between OIC's and other U.N.
member’s understanding of terrorism has stymied
efforts at the U.N. to produce a comprehensive
convention on international terrorism (Palestine
And Kashmir)
 At the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers
in May 2007, the foreign ministers termed
“Islamophobia” the worst form of terrorism
OIC’s Passive Existence:
Unfulfilled Dreams?
 The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has
come a long way and to nowhere.
 Muslims forms one third of the worlds’
population and UN member countries,
controlling vast natural resources and strategic
waterways.
 Thus, potential for the OIC to emerge as an
influential grouping is indeed tempting.
 The issue that propelled the Muslim countries to
campaign for greater co operation, the desecration
of the Al Aqsa Mosque ( Jerusalem ) , is now
overshadowed by other interests.
 After 38 years of existence, OIC remains on the
margin of world affairs, even when they concern
Muslims and Muslim states.
 What is then wrong with OIC? Why does such an
organization with large membership and
geographical diversity has little role in international
affairs?
Criticism

 The OIC has been criticized for diverting its

activities solely on Muslim minorities within
majority non-Muslim countries but putting a
taboo on the plight, the treatment of ethnic
minorities within Muslim-majority countries,
such as the oppression of the Kurds in Syria,
the Ahwaz in Iran, the Hazars in Afghanistan,
the Baluchis in Pakistan, the 'Al-Akhdam' in
Yemen, or the Berbers in Algeria.
Reasons for OIC’s failure

 One of the most visible failures of OIC is the non-

resolution of the Palestinian problem.

 It remains an issue of contention and

dissatisfaction for the Muslim world.

 The recent Israel-Lebanon conflict again

demonstrated this paralysis and the
marginalization of OIC in international affairs.
 The geopolitical diversity and political differences of its
members reduced its cohesion and ability to influence in
international affairs.

 A former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir

Mohammad remarked that the disparity of support between
the economically powerful and politically influential Muslim
countries and the less fortunate ones is somewhat glaring.

 Keen supporters of OIC, such as Pakistan, are poor ,

politically weak and lacking in economic resources.
 Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
states are oil and capital rich

 But their billions of dollars worth are carted away for

investment and safekeeping in Europe and the United
States .

 This high degree of economic and financial dependency

of these countries make them vulnerable to European
and American domestic and foreign policies
 OIC in many of its summits have produced
various “action plans” intending to increase
cooperation in economic, financial and
developmental matters.
 In practice , however, this was hampered by
many obstacles.
 Suggestions to create a common currency for
OIC countries trading purposes and for the
purpose of switching from the dollar has not
materialised .
 Technical and economic assistance provided in
the form of foreign aid to poor countries by
better off Muslim countries has failed to make
significant impact.
 This is due to the inability of recipient countries
to fruitfully utilize such cooperation.
 Such is the case of the Malaysian Technical
Cooperation Programme to several African
countries leaving the donor country with a sense
of frustration.
Conclusion

 With all those constraints and more, the OIC thus

remains very much an observer in international
relations.

 OIC has been unable to act as a political force and

to present a united front in the face of rising
challenges of globalization.

 Due to this, the gap between western and Islamic

civilizations is widening.
 The weakness of OIC is also surprising when we see that a
number of its members are militarily strong.

 Iran , Pakistan , Egypt , Turkey and Indonesia have large

armies , with Iran and Pakistan having nuclear ambition.

 A number of Muslim countries; Malaysia , Pakistan ,

Bangladesh and Turkey have participated in many of the
UN Peacekeeping missions, demonstrating their ability to
contribute towards international peace and security.
 Without this, OIC’s existence as an “ imagined
community”.

 Its role as a passive actor in international

relations will be ensured.

 Its relevance and ability to adequately

respond to the challenges of the 21st century
will be a question.
Recommendations
 Can the OIC be politically united and economically empowered
to make itself relevant?

 This is a responsibility and commitment that major countries

in OIC must be willing to undertake

 OIC must enhance and consolidate its collective political,

economic, strategic and cultural values.

 While at the same time strive towards greater dialogue,

interactions and understanding with other actors on the world
stage.
THANKYOU!