Significance of Islamabad session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

Byline: Salman Bashir

The 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC member states is being held on 22-23 March 2022 in Islamabad. Comprising 57 states, the OIC represents the aspirations of over 1.9 billion Muslims of the world. Established in 1969, the OIC's founding principles encapsulate the aspirations of Islamic Ummah for a better world based on respect for UN Charter principles and international law and pooling of resources for advancing Islamic causes for justice and peace as well as economic, social and scientific progress.

The OIC is the largest multilateral grouping after the UN. Its membership extends from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific Ocean in the west. In geographical expanse and in terms of natural resources the OIC members are extremely well endowed. Throughout human history these countries and regions have played a pivotal role in shaping the international environment and contributed to enriching civilisational interactions for the good of mankind. Centuries of colonial or alien domination eclipsed the value and worth of these Islamic societies which nonetheless maintained their Islamic identity in adverse circumstances and eventually regained their independence and brought to an end the classic colonial phase.

The age of decolonisation was replaced by neo-colonialism, whereby the Islamic world was once again subjected to divisions and internal strife imposed or encouraged by exploitative forces. The realisation that Islamic solidarity and unity offered an opportunity to escape this vicious cycle of perpetual injustice led to the creation of a pan-Islamic forum.

It was King Faisal's response to pan-Arabism, as signified by the League of Arab States. Saudi Arabia has thus been the key patron of the OIC and its hosting of the Two Holy Harams and immense resources gave it the lead role, well accepted and deeply respected, in advancing the OIC cooperation. At the end of the Cold War, the OIC played an extremely important political role in defending the just cause of Bosnia Herzegovina, in trying to salvage Somalia after the collapse of the Siad Barre regime, in espousing the just cause of Palestine and Kashmir and in bringing a semblance of normalcy to Afghanistan. Its role especially at the UN during these years (1989 to 1995) was internationally appreciated.

However, with the dawning of an era of unipolarity, multilateralism as a way to administer a rule-based order in accordance with the vision and...