Jeddah: The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened a meeting on Tuesday, October 01, 2024, of the Intergovernmental Expert Group (IEG) to develop a draft new program of action (POA) for 2026-2035.

In his speech, H.E. Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, the OIC Secretary-General, highlighted the forward-looking nature of the new POA draft, emphasizing its focus on enhancing joint Islamic action in crucial areas such as cooperation, development, and synergy. He mentioned that the General Secretariat has received inputs and recommendations from 19 Member States, covering a wide range of priority areas. The speech was delivered on his behalf by Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo, the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs. 

In the initial meeting, the IEG will commence discussions on the first version of the new POA. Subsequently, the OIC will prepare its POA 2026-2035 for submission to the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) for approval.

It is worth noting that the 15th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, on May 04-05, 2024, and the 50th CFM Session in Yaoundé, Republic of Cameroon, on August 29-30, 2024, tasked the General Secretariat with submitting a final report on the current OIC’s POA-2025, and to prepare a new POA for 2026-2035.