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OIC emphasizes its determination to support Mogadishu in its next phase

The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, yesterday paid an unprecedented visit to Somalia, and discussed with President Hassan Shaikh Mahmoud ways to support Somalia at the political and development fronts.

President Mahmoud expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the role played by the OIC in the period preceding the current transitional phase, in addition to its efforts to support the current democratic process in the country, as well as humanitarian efforts initiated by the Organization since the worst famine in the history of Somalia from August 2011 and until now.

For his part, the OIC Secretary General emphasized the need to raise the effective participation of Somalia in the Organization’s activities, particularly under the new leadership of the country. In turn, the President expressed his support. The OIC Secretary General invited the Somali President to participate in the 12^th OIC Islamic Summit, which is expected to be held in the Republic of Egypt early next year.

Ihsanoglu also met with the Speaker of the Somali Parliament, Mohamed Shaikh Osman Jawari. The two sides discussed enhancing and expanding the democratic process in Somalia, including completion of the Constitution. Jawari called on the OIC to join in supporting democracy in his country, and in particular to contribute with its Islamic perspective.

The OIC Secretary General also held meeting with the Somali new Prime Minister, Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid and congratulated him on his assumption of Office, stressing the Organization’s wish to support Somalia to promote and restore stability and security necessary for the prosperity of the country.

In this context, the two leaders discussed ways through which the OIC could contribute to supporting Somalia. The Somali Prime Minister invited the OIC Secretary General to move from providing humanitarian assistance to the launching of a developmental process in the country. The two sides discussed the role of various OIC institutions in implementation of this proposal.

On the other hand, Ihsanoglu, leading a high level delegation, toured displacement camps in Mogadishu and met with residents of these camps, listened to them, and enquired about their conditions. He also visited utilities facilities created by the OIC humanitarian organizations coalition, most notably, the central unit for first aid, which is the only one of its kind in the Somali capital.

Worth mentioning that the Somali issue will figure high on the agenda of the OIC Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers which will be held in mid November in Djibouti. OIC officials affirmed that geographic proximity between Djibouti and Somalia will push strongly towards the adoption of positive decisions for the benefit of the country which has relatively managed to recover.

According to OIC the visit of Secretary General constitutes a clear support for the new Somali leadership, given the improvements in the political situation, and nearing of ease of the crisis since more than two decades. Ihsanoglu stressed at a press conference at the OIC humanitarian Office in Mogadishu support for the new Somali leadership, and support of the OIC to Somalia, emphasizing the intention of the OIC to reactivate the humanitarian fund adopted by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers during its last session in Astana.