CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DR. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Qatar

Qatar urges OIC members to respect conventions

Published: 06 May 2018 - 09:47 am | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 04:43 pm
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, heads the State of Qatar’s delegation to the meeting.

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, heads the State of Qatar’s delegation to the meeting.

QNA

Dhaka: The State of Qatar is taking part in the 45th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States, which began yesterday in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka under the theme “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development”. 

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, heads the State of Qatar’s delegation to the meeting.

The Prime Minister of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Shaikh Hasina Wazed, opened the conference with a speech focusing on the status of the Rohingya minority. She called on the OIC to take a united solidarity position for the minority in their search for security and dignity.

The Secretary-General expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the brotherly Republic of Bangladesh for hosting this important meeting, as well as for the hospitality and good organisation. He also thanked the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire for its achievements and initiatives in support of joint Islamic action during its presidency of the previous ministerial meeting.

He stressed the State of Qatar keenness on being an active and constructive member of the OIC.

Dr Al Hammadi added that the foundation of the organisation was for the independence of Palestine, the establishment of its national state and the unity of the Palestinian territories. “Today, it remains our central cause,” he said, adding that the need is now more crucial than ever to resume the peace process negotiations with a view to reaching a just solution to this issue on the basis of the two-state solution agreed by the international community and in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, particularly resolutions 242 and 338, the Arab Peace Initiative.

He pointed out that the State of Qatar, in cooperation with various stakeholders from the United Nations, Member States and civil society organisations, plays an active role at the national, regional and international levels in the fight against terrorism and its financing and in addressing violent extremism, which leads to terrorism.

The Secretary-General stressed that the crisis of the Rohingya Muslims broke out after they faced deliberate persecution and discrimination which forced them to flee their homes and leave their lands and properties. 

“The practices in the western province of Rakhine oblige the international community to take legal and humanitarian measures to protect the Rohingya Muslims, to intensify political and humanitarian efforts, to find an urgent political solution that ensures the safe return of refugees to their country, and ensures their security and human rights and to facilitate their livelihoods.”

He said: “You are all aware that the State of Qatar is making efforts in the fight against terrorism and as well as initiatives to eradicate this phenomenon which has been exacerbated by the successive crises witnessed by Islamic societies during the last decade.”

The Secretary-General went on saying: “My country is fully engaged in the implementation of the United Nations counter-terrorism strategy and is playing an effective role at the national, regional and international levels in combating terrorism.”

He stressed that the principles upon which the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was established require Member States to respect the its charter and conventions. “But it was regrettable that those principles were not being adhered to as required,” he said, stressing the necessity of reforming the Organisation, activating its role, and that its statute must be effective and fair.