Small Gambia has big plans as it assumes the chair of the world’s second largest global institution.
Socio-economic challenges affecting the worldwide Muslim community will be the main priorities for President Adam Barrow and his government as his country assumes the chairmanship of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for the next three years.
The Gambia, mainland Africa’s smallest nation, is set to host the 15th OIC summit of heads of state and government on 4th and 5th May against the backdrop of myriad challenges affecting the Muslim world.
Its stance on global issues will be tailored to reflect the theme of the summit namely: ”Enhancing unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable developmet”.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Sir Dawda Jawara International Conference Centre on Thursday, the CEO of the OIC Gambia Secretariat, Yankuba Dibba said President Barrow’s stint as chair of the inter-governmental institution will be marked by an undiluted focus on apolitical issues affecting millions of people in Muslim-majority countries.
Mr Dibba said some of the major political crises blighting millions of people in the Musim ummah have more to do with social and economic factors which would be given serious attention by The Gambia which will assume the chairmanship of the OIC from Saudi Arabia when its 15th summit takes place on Saturday and Sunday.
Crises in Palestine, Sudan and the plight of the Rohingya Muslims in Mynmar would hang heavily through the course of Gambia’s chairmanship of the 57-member OIC and so will be challenges posed by poverty, insecurity and climate change.
People in member countries of the OIC are some of the poorest in the world.
The Gambia will also be seized of the challenges faced by Muslim minorities in countries that are not members of the OIC.
According to Nfally Federa, head of brand and communication at the OIC Gambia Secretariat his country’s chairmanship of the organisation presents an unprecedented opportunity for socio-economic transformation which should not be wasted.
He said ideas for the realisation of the optimum benefits for the country during this period will be put to a national conference in which every sector of Gambian society would participate.
The OIC summit ends on Sunday with a so-called Banjul Declaration on the conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, poverty alleviation, women’s rights among others issues which would headline the event.
Gambia is the second country in sub-Saharan Africa after Senegal to host the summit, the largest gathering of world leaders behind the UN General Assembly.
WN/as/APA