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Foreign Minister Shahid participated in the preparatory Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting for the 14th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference

Foreign Minister Shahid participated in the preparatory ... Image 1

 

30 May 2019

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Abdulla Shahid, participates in the preparatory Foreign Ministers Meeting for the 14th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference. The meeting held in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was attended by Foreign Ministers of Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

During the meeting, the Foreign Ministers agreed to adopt the agenda and work programme of the 14th Islamic Summit Conference. In addition, the Ministers agreed to deliberated on the final communiqué of the summit, the Makkah Declaration, and the Draft Resolution on the Cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Ash Sharif building on from the Senior Officials Meeting in order to be finalised and adopted at the Summit. The Maldives extended its full support to the Makkah Declaration and the resolution on Palestine and called for the adoption by consensus of these two important documents.

In his statement at the Preparatory Meeting for the 14th OIC Summit, Minister Shahid called for significant cooperation and sharing of experiences to find common solutions to challenges and threats faced by the Islamic Ummah. Minister Shahid also said that historic and friendly relations along with the mutual belief in the concept of shura, or consultation, is what unites the Islamic world. With the Palestinian cause being a central issue to the Muslim world, Minister Shahid reaffirmed Maldives’ unwavering support to the people of Palestine, their right to self-determination and their right to live with peace, prosperity and dignity. He also called for solidarity with Muslims facing persecution and suffering in different parts of the world. In doing so, Minister Shahid committed Maldives’ support to counter the prevalent atmosphere of Islamophobia around the world. Minister Shahid also called on world leaders to recognise the urgency of addressing climate change, a grave threat that could endanger Maldives’ very existence.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Shahid held separate meetings with a number of bilateral partners. These included the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Jordan, Indonesia, Brunei and Egypt with whom Minister Shahid reviewed relations with their respective countries and discussed matters of mutual interest, including ways of further enhancing bilateral cooperation. Minister Shahid also met with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and discussed increased development assistance and further strengthening ties.

The 14th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference is due to be held in Makkah on 31 May 2019, the date corresponding to 26 Ramadan 1440.

Minister Shahid was accompanied by His Excellency Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, Foreign Secretary and Mr. Ahmed Salman Zaki, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ms. Shafagath Shaheed, Third Secretary at the Embassy of Maldives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.