Muslims are facing not only economic challenges as a result of the pandemic, but also the impact of the conflict in Ukraine.
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has urged the members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to work together to overcome global challenges.
Addressing the annual OIC meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Marsudi reminded OIC foreign ministers of the complex challenges facing the Islamic world.
“Muslims are facing not only economic challenges as a result of the pandemic, but also the impact of the conflict in Ukraine,” she said, according to a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry on Friday.
She said OIC member countries which get involved in a geopolitical conflict will only harm the interests of Muslims as a whole.
To take part in the settlement of global challenges, she proposed that the OIC prioritize the spirit of peace, the acceleration of economic recovery, and the empowerment of women in the Islamic world.
The spirit of peace is important now that many conflicts in the Islamic world are arising out of geopolitical rivalry. In this context, she underscored the need for the OIC to pay special attention to the settlement of the Palestine conflict.
At the meeting, Marsudi also highlighted the difficulties faced by OIC members in achieving the 2030 Development Agenda and recovering their economy from the impact of the pandemic.
She further called upon OIC member countries to raise voice for justice in the global economic order.
In addition, she highlighted the big role played by women in the history of Islamic civilization and affirmed Indonesia’s confidence that women’s empowerment aligns with Islamic teachings.
The annual meeting of OIC foreign ministers was led by the Pakistani foreign minister as the chairman of OIC foreign ministers for the 2022-2023 term.
The meeting was also attended by the OIC secretary general and foreign ministers of OIC member states, including Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Algeria, Iraq, Senegal, Malaysia, Qatar, Yemen, and Turkey.