ع
Prince Faisal bin Farhan delivered the appeal at the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers held at the group’s headquarters in Jeddah. The minister described Islamic cooperation and solidarity as an urgent requirement given the repeated crises and the economic, social and humanitarian difficulties confronting member states and the wider Islamic world. He argued that the significant weight of the Islamic world in human, political, economic and cultural terms positions it to play an active role in forming global equilibria.
In his address, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said, “The Islamic world, with its significant human, political, economic, and cultural weight, possesses the capabilities to be an active participant in shaping international balances. From this perspective, Saudi Arabia believes that the next phase necessitates serious reform of the OIC, enhancing its capacity to implement its resolutions, improving the efficiency of its institutions, and equipping joint Islamic action with more effective tools.” The foreign minister added that the OIC derives its strength from member states’ solidarity, unity of positions and ability to turn shared principles into effective collective action.
Bin Farhan pledged that the Kingdom would keep supporting steps to reinforce the organization’s role, serve Islamic causes and fulfill the aspirations of its peoples for security, stability, prosperity and peace. The session focused in part on the Palestinian question, where the minister restated Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian people’s right to an independent state under the two-state solution that delivers just and lasting peace. Saudi Press Agency coverage of prior OIC gatherings has similarly highlighted repeated calls for unified action on Palestine.
The minister expressed the Kingdom’s strongest condemnation of Israeli occupation authorities’ new tender for settlement construction in the E1 project. He said, “The danger of this project lies not only in the addition of new settlement units, but also in its location, which would lead to the isolation of East Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, directly threatening the possibility of establishing a viable, independent Palestinian state.” Bin Farhan further reiterated Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli officials and settlers protected by Israeli forces.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan congratulated Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on his appointment as the new OIC secretary-general and wished him success in carrying out his responsibilities. He also thanked the outgoing secretary-general Hissein Brahim Taha for his work during his time in office. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed Al-Kheraiji attended the extraordinary session alongside the minister.
The gathering marks one in a series of OIC extraordinary meetings that have addressed Israeli policies and broader regional stability, according to records from the Saudi Press Agency. Such sessions have consistently reaffirmed support for the two-state solution and urged international action to halt settlement expansion and protect holy sites. The emphasis on institutional reform comes during a period when the organization continues to coordinate positions among its member states on key regional files.
