OIC: Challenges and Actions.

Byline: Tehmina Janjua

The forthcoming OIC Conference of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad provides an occasion for reflecting on the role of the OIC in present times, and on what may be done to strengthen the Organization.

To meet the challenges that confront the Muslim world today, a revitalized, strengthened OIC is a necessity. We have entered into an era of intense global polarization. Europe is in a state of war.

The two largest world powers are embroiled in an intensely antagonistic relationship. The specter of the world splitting off into conflictual blocs is not an imaginary fear - it is a very real possibility.

In such a global environment, smaller countries, which essentially constitute the OIC membership, are threatened by serious restrictions on their ability to chart out an independent course of action, and to exercise political and economic choices that are in their own interest. Viable multilateral organizations and groupings are essential if smaller countries are to preserve some space for autonomous actions.

The challenges arising from a polarized, and increasingly conflictual, world are compounded by a host of health, environmental and technological challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the inability of OIC member states to protect their people.

All OIC countries, rich or poor, had to stand in line for accessing vaccines and necessary medicines. The more well-off did manage to purchase the required products. But, even they were subject to the priorities of others. It is inevitable that there will be future pandemics. And, again, OIC countries will be dependent on the largesse of those with the know-how and manufacturing capacities.

The ravages of climate change are now seriously afflicting our countries. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, the slow disappearance of small island states - these are not a distant prospect; these are happening now. And, the OIC countries' capacity to deal with environmental crises is woefully inadequate.

Another formidable challenge is posed by the breathtaking development of new technologies. These are fundamentally reshaping the contours of the global economy, and impacting on countries' ability to be economically competitive.

Those unable to harness the new technologies will be condemned to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for generations to come.

Added to these challenges is a challenge that is peculiar to the Muslim world. This is the challenge posed by the intensification of a...