To Address Regional Issues, Kuwait Joins The OIC Summit

The 15th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation kicked off its 15 session at the top level in the Gambian capital Banjul on Saturday, with participation of the Representative of His Highness the Amir (of the State of Kuwait) Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya. The OIC Summit, held under the motto, “boosting unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable development,” coincides with critical conditions prevailing across the Arab and Muslim nations, namely the Palestinian arena.

Gambian President Adama Barrow welcomes Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya, serving as the Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s 15th session.

The two-day summit tackles issues and challenges facing the member states at economic, humanitarian, social and cultural levels, including issues concerning the youth and families, sciences, technologies, media, society and Muslim minorities in addition to diverse legal, financial and administrative topics. Moreover, the agenda tackles the hatred rhetoric, Islamophobia, boosting intranations dialogue and various other matters. OIC Secretary General Hissein Taha is scheduled to present during the meeting reports shedding light on the OIC activities and ventures that had been executed since the previous session.

The summit is expected to conclude with a statement expressing stands on the issues in the agenda namely the Palestinian cause and the Jerusalem issue. On Thursday, the OIC members’ foreign ministers held a meeting discussing the session papers and the prospected final communique of the summit. Meanwhile, Gambian President Adama Barrow on Saturday received the Representative of the State of Kuwait Amir His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya, on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s 15th session, currently held in the Gambian capital Banjul.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the minister conveyed greetings from His Highness the Amir, the Kuwaiti Government and people, and His Highness the Amir’s success wishes for the OIC summit, due May 4-5, for sake of bolstering cooperation and solidarity among Muslim nations, as well as his good wishes for Gambia and its friendly people so they may witness lasting prosperity and progress. For his part, the Gambian President expressed gratitude and appreciation for the State of Kuwait, its leadership, government and people, for the abundant contributions and goodwill initiatives, its response to international events, its pioneering role in boosting stability, continuous support for diplomatic efforts for settling strifes in the region with peaceful means and attaining security and stability throughout the globe. The ministry statement added that the two sides, during the meeting, reviewed the close bilateral relations, means of boosting these bonds in various spheres and discussed issues of common concern that serve mutual interests.

The talks touched on current developments on the regional and international arenas, namely the tragic events in Gaza Strip, proposed solutions to resolve the humanitatrian crises in addition to topics in the OIC Summit agenda. Gambian President Adama Barrow received Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hussein Brahim Taha on Friday on the eve of the 15th Islamic Summit Conference. They reviewed the final preparations for the OIC Leaders’ Summit, due in Banjul, capital of Gambia, on May 4-5, according to a statement from the secretariat of the Organization. The Summit, themed “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development” will also address key regional and international issues of importance to the OIC Member States.

The OIC Secretary-General congratulated Gambia on the excellent preparations and facilities put in place for the Summit, commending the active role of Gambia within the Organization as it assumes presidency of the 15th Islamic Summit. On his part, President Barrow reaffirmed commitment to advancing the Organization’s agenda and fostering greater unity and solidarity among its member states during and after his tenure. The meeting also reviewed ways for strengthening cooperation between Gambia and the OIC, the statement added. Elsewhere, a delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported “noticeable progress” in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war. Pressure has been mounting to reach a deal – Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is dramatically escalating while Israel insists it will launch an offensive into Rafah, the territory’s southernmost city. The stakes are high to find a halt to the nearly seven-months-long war.

More than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering in the city of Rafah, along the border with Egypt, many having fled northern Gaza where a top U.N. official says there is now a fullblown famine. Egyptian and American mediators have reported signs of compromise in recent days but chances for a cease-fire deal remain entangled with the key question of whether Israel will accept an end to the war without reaching its stated goal of destroying Hamas. Egyptian state Al-Qahera news said Saturday that a consensus has been reached over many of the disputed points but did not elaborate. Hamas has called for a complete end to the war and withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. The war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s local health officials, caused widespread destruction and plunged the territory into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

The conflict erupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, abducting about 250 people and killing around 1,200, mostly civilians. Israel says militants still hold around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations, played down the prospects for a full end to the war. The official said Israel was committed to the Rafah invasion and told The Associated Press that it will not agree in any circumstance to end the war as part of a deal to release hostages. Israeli strikes early Saturday on Gaza killed at least six people. Three bodies were recovered from the rubble of a building in Rafah and taken to Yousef Al Najjar hospital. A strike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza also killed three people, according to hospital officials.

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