Foreign Minister Attends 49th Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting of OIC

On Friday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, Abdulla Shahid delivered his remarks at the 49^th Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (IOC). The meeting took place at Nouakchott, Mauritania on the 17^th of this month.

During his remarks, Minister Shahid offered condolences to the people of Türkiye and Syria on behalf of the Maldivian people in light of the devasting earthquake experienced by both countries. In this regard, the Minister urged the global community to expedite the provision of relief efforts and assistance to the affected people of the two countries.

Speaking on hate crimes, Minister Shahid stated that hateful acts such as the burning and desecration of the Noble Quran will only strengthen the Islamic Ummah’s resolve against such hate and extremism. On this note, the Minister also called on the OIC to recognize climate change as a threat that needs immediate action as well.

Expressing solidarity with Muslims around the world, Minister Shahid reaffirmed Maldives’ strong commitment to the Palestinian people and their right to statehood. In this manner, he iterated the Maldives’ stand for the establishment of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its undisputed capital. Likewise, the Minister also expressed solidarity with the Muslims of Rohingya in their struggle to live a life with dignity, free of fear.