OIC Foreign Ministers Stress Importance of Strengthening Bonds of Solidarity Among Islamic Nations

Jeddah, June ( وكالة الأنباء السعودية ۔ ‎‎‎ 24 يونيو 2025ء) As the second largest international organization after the UN, the OIC's aspirations have been to further strengthen the bonds of unity and solidarity among the Islamic Ummah. The Council of Foreign Ministers have determined to be more proactive in an environment of international fragmentation, weakened international institutions, and global transformations. They stressed the importance of accelerating reforms to scale up OIC as a significant international actor in terms of regional and global stability, shifting geostrategic balances, multilateralism, and a rule-based international system.

According to a press release issued by the OIC, they reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause for the OIC, which was established in 1969 following the arson attack on Masjid Al Aqsa, with firm support for the establishment of a sovereign, contiguous Palestinian state on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, and that a two-state solution is the only viable solution to reach peace and stability in the region for all. The council reaffirmed the importance of convening, as soon as possible, the United Nations High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, and other relevant United Nations resolutions, under the co-chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic; resuming the work of the groups established under the conference, and redoubling efforts to ensure its success; and calling on the UN Member States to participate actively in the conference once its new date is announced.

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Participants condemned the 19-month ongoing Israeli campaign of genocide against the Gaza Strip, as well as the systematic destruction and killing in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause, namely the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. The council reaffirmed the importance of achieving a permanent and sustainable ceasefire, implementing Security Council Resolution 2735, ending the aggression, advancing the Arab-Islamic recovery and reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, and ensuring the provision of political and financial support to the Palestinian government to enable it to assume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, as it does in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

They also maintained support for the intensive diplomatic efforts of the Ministerial Committee established by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on to press for an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip, and the initiation of practical steps toward the implementation of the two-state solution.

The Council of Foreign Ministers condemned the actions of Israel, the occupying power, in using starvation as a method of genocide by obstructing the entry of humanitarian assistance and preventing United Nations humanitarian agencies from carrying out their mandates, and in the forced displacement of the Palestinian population.

In this regard, they have called for the rejection of all forms of forced displacement of the Palestinian people, the urgent opening of crossings and borders, the unimpeded and adequate delivery of humanitarian aid, and the provision of protection for the Palestinian civilian population.

They expressed support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which plays an irreplaceable, invaluable role in providing services to Palestine refugees, and call on the international community to continue their support for UNRWA both politically and financially in the face of the worsening humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian lands, Jerusalem included.

The council expressed their unequivocal rejection of any schemes aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from their land, as such action constitutes a liquidation of the Palestinian cause and a grave violation of international law, and also reject Israel's systematic targeting of essential life necessities in Gaza with the deliberate intention of creating impossible living conditions, thus forcing Palestinians to leave their land.

The release added that they affirmed support for the Arab-Islamic Plan for Early Recovery and Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which demonstrates the possibility of reconstructing Gaza without displacing it's people, and commended Egypt's humanitarian efforts to ensure the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza.

Participants expressed their deep concern over the Israeli attempts to alter the civilizational features of the city of Jerusalem, distort its Arab and Islamic character, and undermine its legal status—particularly efforts aimed at changing the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque—and stress the need to preserve the identity of the holy city as a symbol of tolerance and coexistence among the three monotheistic religions and support its steadfast inhabitants. In this regard, they commended the efforts of the Al-Quds Committee and its executive arm, the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency.

Participants condemned Israel's destabilization policies in the region and its recent attacks on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, constituting a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty and security of these countries. The council called on the international community to take deterrent measures to stop this aggression and hold Israel accountable for crimes committed. As such, the council decided to establish an open-ended ministerial contact group, which will be tasked with establishing regular contacts with the relevant regional and international parties, to support de-escalation efforts, stop the aggression against Iran, and achieve a peaceful settlement.

The Council of Foreign Ministers firmly condemned the Israel's aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. They stressed the urgent need to stop Israeli attacks and their great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, threatening human, economic, and environmental situations in the region.

They also expressed solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan, and deep concern over the recent military escalation in the South Asian region, including the unjustified strikes carried out on multiple locations in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The council stressed the need to exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions which would destabilize the region, emphasizing that the ceasefire, announced on May 10, 2025, must be faithfully adhered to in the interest of regional peace and stability. They acknowledged, with appreciation, the efforts made by various member states to de-escalate tensions, called for strict adherence to bilateral agreements, including the Indus Waters Treaty, and stressed the importance of a broad-based dialogue for the peaceful settlement of all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India.

They recalled the two reports of the UN Security Council Panel of Experts, dated January 15, 2024 (No. S/2024/65) and January 14, 2025 (No. 2025/239).

They expressed deep concern over growing Islamophobia, and condemned all acts of violence based on religion or belief, hate speech, and extremism motivated by discrimination on religion, as well as efforts fueling intercultural divisions and tensions. The council called on the international community to take adequate measures to combat extremism, hate speech, defamation of religions, negative stereotyping and the stigmatization of people based on religion, belief or ethnicity at the national and global level, underlining that terrorism and extremism cannot be associated with any religion, race, ethnicity or nationality and should be unequivocally condemned regardless of its forms and manifestations which continue to threaten global peace and security.

Participants welcomed the progress in the normalization process between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, including the conclusion of negotiations on the bilateral Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations. They urged Armenia to address the remaining legal and political obstacles to its signing, and thus, cease undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Reaffirming their complete solidarity with the government and people of Azerbaijan in their efforts to rehabilitate and reconstruct the liberated territories, which were heavily impacted by Armenian aggression, the council called on OIC member states to actively support Azerbaijan's demining efforts, which are vital for ensuring safety, enabling reconstruction, and securing the dignified return of displaced persons.

The OIC foreign ministers welcomed the efforts of the Syrian interim government for the integration of Syria into the regional and international system. They emphasized the need for sustained political and financial support to Syria in order to ensure stability and security, and expressed support for the initiation of cooperation between the Republic of Türkiye and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, aimed at contributing to early recovery and reconstruction efforts in Syria, and encourage the exploration of joint efforts to address priority needs in sectors such as energy and infrastructure. The council affirmed their position calling for respecting the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of all the member states.

Regarding the aspirations of the Muslim Turkish Cypriots to secure their inherent rights, the council stressed the importance of finding a negotiated, mutually acceptable, just, and sustainable settlement of the Cyprus issue, and emphasized the importance of developing contacts with the Muslim Turkish Cypriots in order to overcome the unjust isolation imposed upon them. The foreign ministers reiterated their support for the Turkish Muslim minority of Western Thrace and the Turkish Muslim population of the Dodecanese in Greece to ensure the full enjoyment of their fundamental rights and freedoms and affirm that their religious and cultural rights should be duly respected.

Participants expressed their deep concern over the destiny of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis forcibly and systematically expelled from the territory of present-day Armenia and condemned the destruction and misappropriation of Islamic cultural heritage therein as a serious violation of international law, reaffirming the inalienable right of expelled Azerbaijanis to peaceful, safe and dignified return to their places of origin in the territory of present-day Armenia in accordance with international law.

They also renewed solidarity with the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, expressing full support for their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council and OIC resolutions, and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, and condemned the massive human rights violations in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Expressing concern over the grave human rights violations of Muslim groups in Myanmar, primarily against the Rohingya Muslim community, the council called for urgent actions to defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of this community, and confirmed firm commitment to bring to a successful conclusion of the case filed by the Republic of The Gambia against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and speedy repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar, their homeland.

The release added that the foreign ministers and heads of delegations of OIC member states expressed deep concern over the destructive policies pursued by the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity, which have placed undue pressure on the judicial system and institutions, thereby undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, posing a serious threat to the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutional and institutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The council urged all international partners to collaborate in ensuring adherence to the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The council commended the vital role of the COMCEC in addressing the common development challenges of the member states through its flagship programs and projects, sectoral working groups, and project support programs. The council also commended the efforts of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in protecting and safeguarding the holy sites in the city of Jerusalem, and stress the significant role of the historical Hashemite custodianship of these sanctities in protecting and preserving their Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity, and maintaining the current historical and legal status quo.

They also commended the UNESCO resolutions designating Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al Qudsi Al Sharif as synonymous Names and reaffirmed that Bab Al Magharbeh is an integral part of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Directorate of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem Affairs, an organization under the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites, has the right to restore Bab Al Magharbeh, undertake the maintenance and preservation of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and regulate entry into it, as the sole legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction in its entire area of 144 dunums as a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, protected by the international law and the historical and legal status quo.

The Council of Foreign Ministers ended by welcoming the upcoming Islamic Summit Conference to be convened in Azerbaijan in 2026 and look forward to its contribution to unity, solidarity, and cooperating within the Islamic world.