Istanbul hosting 51st Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers

The 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has opened in Istanbul.

Held under the theme “The OIC in a Transforming World,” the two-day meeting is chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Azerbaijan is represented at the event by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

The session brings together a record number of high-ranking officials, including foreign ministers from more than 40 countries, making it one of the most widely attended meetings in OIC history.

In addition to representatives from the 57 OIC member states, the event hosts around 1,000 delegates from observer countries and international organizations.

The agenda includes discussions on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, efforts to achieve a two-state solution, Israel-Iran tensions, and enhancing cooperation to address the challenges facing Muslim societies.

During the official opening ceremony, speakers highlighted the instabilities faced by Muslim-majority countries and emphasized that these challenges are a shared concern for all adherents of the same faith. It was stated that the region’s principal goal should be to resolve ongoing conflicts, ensure lasting stability, and guarantee the urgent and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the event.

At the conclusion of the session, the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration and several draft decisions on the OIC agenda are expected.

On the sidelines of the session, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is scheduled to attend roundtable discussions and meetings of OIC contact groups, as well as hold high-level bilateral meetings.

Türkiye previously hosted the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers sessions in 1976, 1991, and 2004. With this session, Türkiye assumes the one-year rotating chairmanship of the Council.