Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), formerly known as the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states, with a collective population of over 1.8 billion as of 2015.

The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union. Some members, especially in West Africa and South America, though with large Muslim populations, are not necessarily Muslim majority countries. A few countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Russia and Thailand, sit as Observer States. Some of the member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameron, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and many more. The 57th member state is the partially recognised state of Palestine, which was added in 1969.

Objectives

The OIC aims to preserve Islamic values, safeguard and defend the national sovereignty and independence of member states and to contribute to international peace and security. The organization works to protect the interests of Muslims, support international law, promote human rights, and advance education, science, and technology in member states.

The Charter of the OIC, adopted in 2008, lays out the objectives of the organization, which include:

• To enhance and consolidate the bonds of fraternity and solidarity among the Member States;
• To safeguard and protect the common interests and support the legitimate causes of the Member States;
• To promote inter-state relations based on justice, mutual respect and good neighbourliness;
• To promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, rule of law, democracy and accountability in Member States;
• To promote and defend unified position on issues of common interest in the international fora;
• To foster noble Islamic values concerning moderation, tolerance, respect for diversity, preservation of Islamic symbols and common heritage;
• To advance knowledge and technology and encourage research and cooperation among Member States in the fields of science and technology.

Structure

The OIC is composed of several organs, including:

• Islamic Summit, composed of Kings and Heads of State and Government of Member States, is the supreme authority of the Organization.
• Council of Foreign Ministers, which meets once a year to decide on the means to implement the general policy of the Organization.
• General Secretariat, which is the executive organ of the Organization, entrusted with implementing decisions of the two preceding bodies.
• Subsidiary Organs.

The OIC also has several specialized and affiliated institutions working in different domains, such as economy, banking, technology, education, health, and relief work.

Criticism

The OIC has faced criticism, including allegations of antisemitism and failure to defend human rights in member states. In 2020, the OIC was criticised for failing to speak up to prevent the persecution of Uyghurs in China and the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar, as well as not condemning human rights violations against Muslim minorities in several countries. The organization has also been accused of prioritizing the rights of Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries over those of minorities in Muslim-majority lands.