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ISLAMABAD: Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will actively campaign worldwide in support of Bangladesh&rsquo;s candidature for the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman said on Saturday. Speaking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his return from Saudi Arabia, Dr Rahman said Bangladesh has received &ldquo;full and unequivocal backing&rdquo; from OIC member states for its bid, state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency reported. &ldquo;The candidate has been changed following the change in government. One of our key challenges is that Cyprus has been campaigning throughout the year, whereas we have barely three months, or even less, in hand,&rdquo; he said. Dr Rahman said extensive discussions were held with OIC partners to assess the overall situation and devise strategies to secure Bangladesh&rsquo;s victory in the election. &ldquo;We have received their full and unequivocal support,&rdquo; he said, adding that OIC countries assured not only their votes but also active campaigning in favour of Dhaka&rsquo;s candidature across the world. He noted that Palestine had withdrawn its candidature a few days ago as anticipated, clearing the way for Bangladesh to contest the 2026&ndash;2027 term against Cyprus. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir described the response from OIC countries as highly encouraging. &ldquo;We have received very positive feedback. We will conduct a detailed assessment at an appropriate stage, but the support so far has been strong. The visit was both fruitful and productive,&rdquo; he said. Earlier, the interim government had nominated former Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain as Bangladesh&rsquo;s candidate. Following the change in government, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman nominated Dr Rahman for the position. The election for the president of the 81st session of the UNGA is scheduled to be held on June 2 at the UN Headquarters in New York in accordance with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure. Under the established regional rotation system, the president for the 81st session will be elected from the Asia-Pacific Group. The 81st session of the UNGA will open on Sept. 8, 2026, while the high-level General Debate will begin on Sept. 22. Bangladesh last held the position in 1986&ndash;87, when then foreign minister Humayun Rashid Chowdhury was elected President of the 41st General Assembly. On regional issues, the foreign minister expressed concern over escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying war would bring no benefit to anyone. Describing the situation between the two SAARC member states as &ldquo;very sad,&rdquo; he said Bangladesh is approaching the matter cautiously and refraining from making any public statement for now. &ldquo;We are trying, in our own way, to help our friends understand that such conflicts do not serve anyone&rsquo;s interests,&rdquo; he said. Dr Rahman also reiterated Bangladesh&rsquo;s firm and unchanged position on Palestine, stating that the country&rsquo;s stance on the Palestinian issue remains unequivocal. Leaders attending the recent OIC executive meeting expressed confidence that Bangladesh would achieve political stability and accelerated development under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, while reiterating their full support for Dhaka&rsquo;s UNGA candidature.

Bangladesh FM Dr Khalil ur Rahman (Photo: BSS)

Bangladesh

Speaking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early Saturday upon his return from Saudi Arabia, Dr Rahman said Bangladesh has received 'full and unequivocal backing' from OIC member states for its bid.

OIC to campaign for Bangladesh's UNGA bid: FM Rahman 

ISLAMABAD: Eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, have reiterated their appeal for the international community to meet its legal and moral duties and take concrete actions to pressure Israel to stop its escalation in the occupied West Bank, according to a joint statement issued on Monday.&nbsp;The statement strongly reaffirmed the nullity of Israel&rsquo;s annexation of occupied Palestinian lands, stressing that such actions violate international law and United Nations resolutions.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 967px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2020804005861933167&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=04b6d3130276d462dfa281da43a6e63baef4841c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>It also condemned what it described as inciting statements by Israeli officials, warning that such rhetoric further fuels instability and tensions in the occupied territories.&nbsp;The participants urged the global community to move beyond statements of concern and take effective measures to ensure accountability and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/netanyahu-tells-us-envoy-palestinian-authority-wont-be-part-of-postwar-gaza-governance" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">protection for the Palestinian people</a>.&nbsp;They emphasized that continued escalation in the occupied West Bank poses a serious threat to regional peace and undermines prospects for a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.&nbsp;The statement reiterated support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and called for respect for international law, including the protection of civilians under occupation.

Middle East

The countries strongly reaffirm the nullity of Israel’s annexation of occupied Palestinian lands, stressing that such actions violate international law and United Nations resolutions.


Pakistan, Muslim countries renew call to stop Israeli escalation in occupied West Bank

ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and 21 nations, including Pakistan, strongly rejected Israel&rsquo;s recognition of Somalia&rsquo;s northern &#39;Somaliland&#39; region as a sovereign state, citing violations of sovereignty, international law, and regional stability. Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its social media account on X Sunday shared a joint statement by the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, Yemen, and the OIC. According to the statement, the foreign ministers and the OIC underscored the following: 1- Their unequivocal rejection of Israel&rsquo;s recognition of the &ldquo;Somaliland&rdquo; region of the Federal Republic of Somalia on 26 December 2025, given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole, which also reflects Israel&rsquo;s full and blatant disregard to international law. 2- Their condemnation in the strongest terms of such recognition, which constitutes a grave violation of the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which explicitly stipulates the imperative of protecting the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity, and reflects Israel&rsquo;s expansionist aims. 3- &nbsp;Full support of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the unequivocal rejection of any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity, or its sovereignty over its entire territory. 4- The recognition of parts of states constitutes a serious precedent and threatens international peace and security, and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. 5- The full rejection of any potential link between such a measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people from their land, which is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 971px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2005144577460797853&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=f0c00d3cc015e0e089bc3a969b1a91b18167742b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> OIC statement&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation shared the following statement on X on Saturday:&nbsp; &ldquo;The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its strong condemnation and categorical rejection of Israel&rsquo;s recognition, as the occupying power, of the &#39;Somaliland&#39; region as an independent state, considering it a violation of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, its national unity, and its territorial integrity.&rdquo; It further said: &ldquo;The General Secretariat reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Federal Republic of Somalia and its unwavering support for its sovereignty and territorial unity, as well as its unequivocal support for its legitimate institutions.&rdquo; &ldquo;It also underscored the necessity of adhering to the principles of the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Charter of the United Nations, and international law, all of which stipulate respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States,&rdquo; it added. The statement said: &ldquo;The Organization emphasized the need to preserve security, peace, and stability in the Horn of Africa region, and rejected any actions that could undermine regional stability.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2004921379599339775&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=f0c00d3cc015e0e089bc3a969b1a91b18167742b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>

Africa

Foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, Yemen, and the OIC issue a joint statement.

OIC, 21 nations condemn Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s 'Somaliland' region

ISLAMABAD: The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Monday reaffirmed their &ldquo;collective duty to respond&rdquo; to Israeli military actions, citing regional defense agreements and collective security under international law. The mechanism for a collective response is embodied in the Joint Defense Agreement of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, which is based on integrated, &ldquo;interdependent collective security&rdquo; and adherence to the United Nations Charter. Article 2 of the agreement states that any attack on one member is considered an attack on all, and commits members to providing assistance quickly, including with military force if necessary, to defend against aggression and restore security.&nbsp; The charter also outlines consultation mechanisms, joint exercises, the development of the &lsquo;Peninsula Shield Force&rsquo;, and steps to build a regional military industrial base. The pact draws on Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the &ldquo;inherent right of individual and collective self-defense&rdquo; until the Security Council acts to restore peace and security. Unified Military Command meeting soonAt the summit, member states discussed strengthening joint defense mechanisms and what they described as &ldquo;Gulf deterrent capabilities.&rdquo; A meeting of the bloc&rsquo;s Unified Military Command is scheduled to convene soon in Doha, according to Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari, spokesman for Qatar&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Leaders said they would continue consultations among military bodies and political organs to coordinate positions and responses under international law. They added that any measures taken would be reported to the UN Security Council in line with the Charter. Qatar condemns Israeli attacksEarlier, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani opened the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit by condemning the recent attacks. &ldquo;My country&rsquo;s capital was subjected to a treacherous attack targeting a residence housing the families of Hamas leaders and their negotiating delegation,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; The Emir said they would take &ldquo;concrete steps to address the state of madness of power, arrogance, and bloodthirstiness obsession that has befallen the government of Israel.&rdquo; Al Jazeera reported that Israel carried out strikes in Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar, and Yemen within a 72-hour period.&nbsp; Arab-Islamic blocsThe Arab League comprises 22 member nations from North Africa to the Gulf, representing a population of nearly 500 million. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation consists of 57 countries with significant Muslim populations across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, and was formed in 1969 after an arson attack on Jerusalem&rsquo;s Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), was formed on May 25, 1981, and is a regional political, economic, and security alliance comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. It is headquartered in Riyadh and was established through its Charter as a framework for cooperation and collective defense in the Gulf region.

The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation reaffirmed their “collective duty to respond” to Israeli military actions, citing Article 51 principles of joint defense and collective security under international law.

Articles tagged with "OIC"

OIC to campaign for Bangladesh's UNGA bid: FM Rahman

Pakistan, Muslim countries renew call to stop Israeli escalation in occupied West Bank

OIC, 21 nations condemn Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s 'Somaliland' region

Arab–Islamic bloc signal military coordination under defense pact

OIC to campaign for Bangladesh's UNGA bid: FM Rahman