By IRNA
Dakar : Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio pleaded in favor of the reinforcement of the Islamic Ummah’s credibility at the opening session of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ Conference.
The OIC must reinforce its credibility on a Muslim world and international scale, Cheikh Tidiane Gadio said.
Gadio said that the reinforcement of the Ummah’s credibility goes through the development of trade among Muslim countries and the establishment of a real economy different from one-sided assistance policies, according to Senegalese press agency.
For the Senegalese minister, the OIC countries must make the most of all their resources and endeavor to make up for their scientific and technological backwardness.
The Ummah, he said, is able to play a leading role on the international scene and in the dialogue between cultures.
“The countries of the Ummah must unite their efforts to support the just causes of the Ummah,” Gadio said, citing in this connection the Palestinian and Afghanistan issues, etc.
As far as Palestine is concerned, the senior minister said that the problem ‘continues to be a concern for our people’.
He added that it was an ‘intolerable situation’ calling for a mobilization behind the Palestinian people.
Cheikh Tidiane Gadio urged the OIC to pay particular attention to this issue to make Israel ‘recognize the inalienable rights’ of the Palestinian people and all the Security Council resolutions adopted on the issue.
Gadio also expressed hope to see the Dakar summit instill a new dynamism to the OIC.
On the same day, Malaysia handed over the OIC chair to Senegal for the next years at the opening of the Organization’s Conference of Foreign Ministers.
On that occasion, the Malaysian representative expressed his confidence that Senegal will continue the efforts already made to contribute to the reinforcement of the Ummah’s positions in the world.
“Senegal is able to ensure effective and dynamic leadership and meet the challenges facing the Ummah,” he said.
The Conference of Foreign Ministers deliberations went into recess and is expected to resume them in Meridien President hotel.