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A Brief Critical Evaluation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC

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Dr Bilawal Kamran

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states, with 48 being Muslim-majority countries. The OIC states it is “the collective voice of the Muslim world” and works to “safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony “. The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English, and French.

The OIC was established due to the arson of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in 1969, which provoked a strong reaction from the Muslim world. The first Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 1970, where the decision to establish a permanent secretariat and a charter was made.

The charter of the OIC consists of 39 articles grouped into 18 chapters. Each chapter determines different roles and purposes of the whole OIC and its mission in the Muslim world, while articles address respective chapters within the framework of the OIC. According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic social and economic values; promote solidarity amongst member states; increase cooperation in social, economic, cultural, scientific, and political areas; uphold international peace and security; and advance education, particularly in the fields of science and technology. 

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However, the performance of OIC has been a matter of debate. Critics believe that OIC still needs to meet its constitution’s expectations. Then, a few say that OIC has performed reasonably well amid multiple challenges.

The OIC has been actively involved in supporting the Palestinian cause and condemning the Israeli occupation and aggression. The OIC has established a permanent committee on Palestine, a special envoy for Palestine, and an Al-Quds fund to assist the Palestinian people. The OIC has also called on the international community to take practical and urgent measures to prevent Israel’s colonial annexation of more Palestinian land.

The OIC has also expressed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and urged India to respect their human rights and aspirations. The OIC has established a contact group on Jammu and Kashmir, appointed a special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, and adopted several resolutions on the issue. The OIC has also called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Furthermore, the OIC has also played a role in addressing other conflicts and crises affecting the Muslim world, such as Nagorno-Karabakh, Rohingya, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, and others. The OIC has provided these countries with humanitarian assistance, mediation efforts, peacekeeping missions, and political support. The OIC has also established various committees, envoys, funds, and initiatives to deal with these issues. On the economic front, the OIC has aimed to enhance cooperation and integration among its member states in various sectors, such as trade, investment, finance, tourism, agriculture, energy, transport, communication, and others. The OIC has established several institutions and mechanisms to facilitate economic cooperation, such as the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA), the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), and others. The OIC has also adopted several strategies and plans to promote economic development, such as the Ten-Year Programme of Action (TYPOA), the OIC 2025, Programme of Action for Cooperation and Development (OIC-2025), the Framework for Development and Cooperation among OIC Member States (FDC), and others.

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However, the OIC has faced many challenges in meeting these objectives and fulfilling its role as a representative of the Islamic world. Some of these challenges are:

Political and sectarian divisions: The Muslim world is suffering from internal conflicts and rivalries among different sects, ideologies, and interests. For example, Iran and Saudi Arabia have been competing for regional influence and leadership in the Middle East, often supporting opposing sides in various conflicts such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and Bahrain. These divisions have hampered the unity and solidarity of the OIC and its ability to address the common issues and interests of the Muslim world.

Economic and social backwardness: The Muslim world is lagging in terms of economic development, scientific innovation, education, health, human rights, democracy, and good governance. Many Muslim countries are facing poverty, unemployment, inequality, corruption, illiteracy, malnutrition, disease, environmental degradation, and social injustice. These problems have undermined the potential and prosperity of the Muslim world and its contribution to global civilization.

External aggression and Islamophobia: The Muslim world is facing external threats and challenges from the Western powers, Israel, India, and other hostile forces. These include military interventions, political interference, economic sanctions, cultural domination, media propaganda, and human rights violations. The Muslim world is also facing a rise of Islamophobia and anti-Islamic sentiments in many parts of the world, which manifest in discrimination, violence, hate speech, defamation, and marginalization of Muslims. These challenges have endangered the security and dignity of the Muslim world and its relations with other nations.

The OIC has tried to address some of these challenges through various initiatives and mechanisms such as the Ten-Year Plan of Action (2005-2015), the OIC Vision 2025: The OIC Plan of Action for Cooperation with Central Asia (2016-2025), the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir (1994-present), the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (2011-present), the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women’s Role in Development (2006-present), the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (1981-present), among others. However, these efforts have not been very effective or successful due to various factors such as lack of political will, financial resources, institutional capacity, coordination, implementation, follow-up, evaluation, accountability, transparency, participation, representation, inclusiveness, and legitimacy.

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Therefore, it can be argued that the OIC has yet to overcome the Islamic world’s challenges critically. It has not been able to fulfil its objectives or realize its potential as a unified platform and collective voice of Muslims across the globe. It has been unable to address the root causes or resolve the major problems affecting the Muslim world. It has not been able to protect or promote the interests or values of the Muslim world. It has not been able to enhance or strengthen the unity or solidarity of the Muslim world. It has not been able to contribute or cooperate with other nations or civilizations for global peace or development. Lastly, the biggest challenge to OIC is the divide between Iran and Saudi Arabia; however, with the recent collaboration between the two countries, the role of OIC can be strengthened. Despite all the challenges, a robust OIC is in the great interest of the Islamic world as the recent Palestine-Israel conflict proves its significance.  

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