Aftermath of 2013 OIC Summit in Cairo, Egypt

By Alfredo B. Ancheta

Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu

In an opinion ayman30 titled as “OIC Summit in Cairo exposes deep and widening divisions in the Muslim countries” was in effect a contravention of the summit’s theme, “The Islamic world: Fresh Challenges and Growing Opportunities.”

As the name of the organization denotes cooperation and unity in the Islamic World, the just concluded summit in Cairo, Egypt of leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation failed to mend differences and concerns that make them far apart from each other. In the contrary, it was observed they deepened their disunity and narrowed their cooperation. Unyielding voices prevailed in the summit.

The summit was represented by over 20 state leaders and government which included Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former Saudi Minister of information and Culture Iyyad Madadi was chosen to proxy Turkey’s Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu as secretary general.

Despite of the observed widening divisions in Islamic countries as represented in the summit as quoted from a reliable source (ANSAmed) “a final statement on Syria, Palestine and Mali was approved. On Syria, the leaders from the Muslim world called for ‘’serious dialogue’’ between the opposition and government representatives who ‘’are ready for political change and are not directly involved in any sort of repression, in order to pave the way for a transition.”

The summit was finally concluded Thursday with certain common understandings concerning prevailing crises affecting nations in the Islamic World. The summit’s success to arrive at specific consensus to work on for betterment of member states of the organization clearly debunked that “there was no exposition of deep and widening divisions among Islamic nations” as perceived.

Alfredo B. Ancheta is Anchor for Allvoices Philippines

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