(MENAFN- AzerNews) Nazrin Abdul, Azernews
During his working visit to Gambia, Azerbaijani Foreign MinisterJeyhun Bayramov participated in and delivered a speech at the 15thIslamic Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) inBanjul.
Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia forits successful chairmanship aimed at promoting unity andcooperation within the OIC, Azernews reportsciting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He congratulated Gambia on assuming the chairmanship of the OICand wished the country success in further strengthening andpromoting Islamic solidarity.
He noted that Azerbaijan supports the consolidation of effortsto address existing challenges based on the common interests of theIslamic world and in accordance with the charters of the UnitedNations and the OIC. The Minister emphasized the importance ofprotecting Islamic religion and culture in combating the mostdangerous challenges, such as unfounded manifestations ofIslamophobia and acts of Quran burning. Jeyhun Bayramov stated thatAzerbaijan, based on its multicultural traditions and experience,supports a more tolerant and sustainable world order amongdifferent religions and cultures.
Reminding that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation took afirm and unequivocal position on the issue of sovereignty andterritorial integrity of the Azerbaijani state during theoccupation of Azerbaijani lands, the Minister of Foreign Affairsstated that Azerbaijan, as one of the active members of the OIC,constantly supports efforts within the organization for peacefulconflict resolution.
He noted that on the Palestinian issue, which currently causesdeep concern in the entire Islamic world, Azerbaijan supports theresolution of the conflict based on the "two-state" principle andalso provides constant assistance to eliminate severe humanitarianconsequences for the Palestinian people.
Expressing satisfaction with cooperation within the OIC invarious fields, including economic development, education,healthcare, and culture, the Minister highlighted the largepotential for joint activities in other areas. Jeyhun Bayramovparticularly emphasized that Azerbaijan is transitioning fromtraditional sources of energy to alternative sources such as solarand water. The Minister noted that the country is interested indeveloping cooperation with OIC member states in this sphere.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs provided detailed informationabout the current regional situation, opportunities, and challengesin the post-conflict period, efforts towards reconstruction andrestoration in liberated territories, the hindrance posed by themine threat to these efforts, and recent developments in thenormalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Speaking about Azerbaijan's chairmanship at the 29th session ofthe Conference of the Parties to the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (COP29), Minister Jeyhun Bayramovemphasized the importance of the OIC, covering one of the regionsmost affected by global climate change, taking a unified positionand mobilizing efforts to combat this threat.
The Final Communiqué adopted at the Banjul Summit welcomesAzerbaijan's restoration of sovereignty over its entire territory,expresses unwavering support for Azerbaijan's territorialintegrity, and supports the process of normalization ofAzerbaijani-Armenian relations based on mutual recognition of eachother's territorial integrity and sovereignty. It includes a callon Armenia to fulfill its commitments.
The Communiqué also notes that the OIC Contact Group on theaggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic ofAzerbaijan has been renamed the Contact Group for the Eliminationof the Consequences of the Aggression of the Republic of Armeniaagainst the Republic of Azerbaijan. It once again condemneddestruction of Islamic heritage sites by Armenia.
Simultaneously, it expressed concerns regarding the fate ofAzerbaijanis expelled from present-day Armenia, and showed supportfor their dignified return.
Confirming the holding of the 16th Islamic Summit of theOrganization of Islamic Cooperation in Azerbaijan in 2026, theCommuniqué calls for cooperation in holding the upcoming summit inBaku.
The Communiqué also welcomes the holding of the 6th World Forumon Intercultural Dialogue organized within the framework of the"Baku Process".
It's important to highlight that the Organisation of IslamicCooperation (OIC) serves as a significant international body,uniting 57 member states and acting as the collective voice for theMuslim world.
Following Azerbaijan's reestablishment of independence, itpromptly pursued OIC membership, successfully joining in 1991.
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