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The 51st Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers will convene in Istanbul on June 21-22, hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The meeting, themed "Organization of Islamic Cooperation in a Transforming World," comes at a critical time as the Iran-Israel conflict continues to escalate.
Over 40 foreign ministers are expected to arrive in Istanbul for the gathering, representing record-level senior participation compared to previous meetings.
The event is anticipated to host approximately 1,000 participants from 57 OIC member countries, affiliated organizations, observer nations, and other international bodies.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to participate in the meeting and deliver remarks to the assembled delegates.
Foreign Minister Fidan will take over the presidency of the council from outgoing chairman Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Cameroon's Foreign Minister, and deliver the opening address.
A special session will be dedicated to addressing Israel's airstrikes on Iran, reflecting the urgency of the current Middle East crisis.
The meeting will focus on the ongoing situation in Gaza following Israel's continued attacks, efforts to rebuild humanitarian and physical infrastructure, steps toward implementing a two-state solution, and the global and regional security impacts of Israeli strikes on Iran.
The session will also address enhancing cooperation on challenges affecting Muslim communities worldwide.
Türkiye, assuming the one-year rotating presidency, is expected to prioritize the Palestinian issue and other challenges facing the Islamic world during its tenure.
On the margins of the main meeting, OIC Contact Group sessions will be held addressing Jammu and Kashmir and Rohingya Muslims. Arab League member countries are also pursuing initiatives for an extraordinary Arab League meeting to address recent developments.
The gathering is expected to conclude with the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration and approval of draft resolutions on the OIC agenda, particularly focusing on Gaza and Palestine.
Fidan is expected to emphasize in his address that Türkiye will continue to prioritize the Palestinian issue and other challenges facing the Islamic world during its presidency term.
He is anticipated to highlight efforts to develop the capacity and capabilities of OIC members and the organization itself.
Fidan is expected to note that Israel's destructive attacks in the region are spreading, having struck Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and now Iran.
He will likely stress that Türkiye will continue supporting all steps to prevent further escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel.
The Turkish foreign minister is expected to reiterate Türkiye's belief that a two-state solution remains the only path for a just and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He will likely underscore that the Palestinian cause and ownership of Jerusalem constitute the raison d'être of the OIC, ensuring the Palestinian issue remains the organization's top agenda item.
Fidan is expected to highlight that Turkish Cyprus's observer member status in the OIC confirms the existence of two peoples and two states on the island of Cyprus.
He will likely call on all Muslim countries to support the natural rights of Turkish Cypriots and establish direct contact with them.
The meeting will also address violations of fundamental rights and freedoms of the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace and the Turkish population in Greece's Dodecanese Islands.
The OIC, formerly known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference, was established on Sept. 25, 1969, in Rabat in response to the arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
Türkiye was among the 25 founding members.
The organization now comprises 57 members, making it the second-largest intergovernmental political organization after the United Nations and the only official body representing all Muslims worldwide.
Observer countries include Turkish Cyprus, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Thailand, and the Central African Republic.
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