{"id":3359,"date":"2019-06-05T20:24:55","date_gmt":"2019-06-05T14:54:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/?p=3359"},"modified":"2019-06-05T20:29:40","modified_gmt":"2019-06-05T14:59:40","slug":"all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic\/","title":{"rendered":"All you need to know about the OIC"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Relevant for prelims and GS paper 2:-<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"body-200771816342556199\" class=\"article-p-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"speakable\">Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud will host the 14th summit of the\u00a0Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)\u00a0on Friday in Mecca,\u00a0Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">The meeting is expected to address &#8220;current issues in the Muslim world&#8221; and &#8220;recent developments in a number of OIC member states&#8221;, according to the official agenda.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">Topping the summit discussions will be\u00a0regional security issues amid soaring tension between\u00a0Iran\u00a0and the\u00a0United States\u00a0and its\u00a0Gulf\u00a0allies.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >What's Inside this Blog!<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic\/#What_is_the_OIC\" title=\"What is the OIC?\">What is the OIC?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic\/#Why_was_the_OIC_established\" title=\"Why was the OIC established?\">Why was the OIC established?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic\/#Objectives_and_role\" title=\"Objectives and role\">Objectives and role<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic\/#Is_the_OIC_relevant_and_effective\" title=\"Is the OIC relevant and effective?\">Is the OIC relevant and effective?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-oic\/#How_does_the_OIC_operate\" title=\"How does the OIC operate?\">How does the OIC operate?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_OIC\"><\/span>What is the OIC?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The OIC&#8217;s mission statement bills it as &#8220;the collective voice of the Muslim world&#8221; that works to &#8220;protect the interests of the Muslim world&#8221;. It\u00a0was established\u00a0by 24 member states in 1969.<\/p>\n<p>Today, with 57 member states from four continents, the OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organisation in the world after the\u00a0United Nations,\u00a0with a collective population reaching over 1.8 billion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-also-read article-embed-tb-block article-embedded-card \">\n<div class=\"topic-label\">READ MORE<\/div>\n<h4>Saudi Arabia hosts OIC, GCC meets amid rising US-Iran tensions<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p>The majority of its member states are Muslim-majority countries, while others have significant Muslim populations, including several African and South American countries.<\/p>\n<p>While the 22 members of the\u00a0Arab League\u00a0are also part of the OIC, the organisation has several significant non-Arab member states, including\u00a0Turkey, Iran and\u00a0Pakistan.<\/p>\n<p>It also has five observer members, including\u00a0Russia\u00a0and\u00a0Thailand.<\/p>\n<p>The organisation has permanent delegations to the UN and the\u00a0European Union\u00a0and its official languages are Arabic, English and French.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_was_the_OIC_established\"><\/span>Why was the OIC established?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The OIC first met in Morocco in September 1969, a month after an arson attack inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque that destroyed part of the roof and the 800-year-old pulpit of\u00a0Salahuddin, best known for recapturing Jerusalem from the Crusaders in\u00a0the 12th century.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-also-read article-embed-tb-block article-embedded-card \">\n<div class=\"topic-label\">READ MORE<\/div>\n<h4>Pakistan to attend OIC meeting in Mecca<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p>Reacting to the incident, representatives from 24 Muslim countries met in the capital Rabat to establish a body that would promote cooperation across the Muslim world.<\/p>\n<p>In March 1970, the first Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and plans for setting up a permanent secretariat for the OIC were established.<\/p>\n<p>Issues relating to\u00a0Palestine\u00a0have been central to the OIC&#8217;s agenda and summit discussions. The organisation has continuously condemned what member states consider\u00a0Israeli\u00a0aggressions against the Palestinians.<\/p>\n<p>Other issues that have also taken centre stage in OIC summits include the wars in\u00a0Bosnia\u00a0and\u00a0Iraq,\u00a0a rise in the number of refugees from Muslim-majority countries such as\u00a0Syria, as well as\u00a0Islamophobia\u00a0in the West.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Objectives_and_role\"><\/span>Objectives and role<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic values, safeguard and defend the national sovereignty and independence of member states and to contribute to international peace and security.<\/p>\n<p>While the organisation has been known for its cultural and social projects, its political influence has been relatively limited.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Typically, in the past, the OIC has been effective in promoting cultural and educational projects across the Muslim world,&#8221; Sami Hamdi, a Middle East expert, told Al Jazeera. &#8220;However, its political capabilities remain severely limited.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-also-read article-embed-tb-block article-embedded-card \">\n<div class=\"topic-label\">READ MORE<\/div>\n<h4>Turkey calls OIC meeting on Islamophobia after NZ attacks<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to Mamoon Alabbasi, a political analyst focusing on the Middle East and North Africa region, while the OIC has relative political weight, its rhetoric does not always translate into action on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;With 57 member states\u2026 the OIC carries a [relatively] heavy political weight\u2026 [and] impact. But how much change that makes on the ground is not always clear,&#8221; said Alabbasi.<\/p>\n<p>Adding to its political limitations is its inability to unify its stance on issues, say experts.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Like other international organisations, such as the UN General Assembly, the OIC is supposed to have a unified voice but it does not because policies of the individual countries greatly differ,&#8221; said Alabbasi.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Most importantly, the OIC doesn&#8217;t have a unified voice because most of its member countries are not democracies. So, while their populations may be in agreement [over an issue] they do not always represent the views of their populations.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Hamdi agrees: &#8220;The OIC has a broad spectrum of different cultures. This means that on the political front, even if there is a united stance, it means very little, practically.&#8221;<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_the_OIC_relevant_and_effective\"><\/span>Is the OIC relevant and effective?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Like other intergovernmental organisations, although resolutions issued by the OIC are not usually followed by action, statements usually point towards member states&#8217; &#8220;red lines&#8221; that they cannot cross, say experts.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If you want to know what position member states can take in the eyes of their own public, statements by the OIC are reflective of that. They [statements] show their [member states&#8217;] limits,&#8221; explained Alabbasi.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-also-read article-embed-tb-block article-embedded-card \">\n<div class=\"topic-label\">READ MORE<\/div>\n<h4>OIC Palestine pledge calls for international protection<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p>Because the OIC includes a significant number of Arab states among its membership, it has often been compared with the Arab League.<\/p>\n<p>While the two organisations share many similarities, the main difference lies in the OIC&#8217;s limited politicisation compared with the Arab League, say analysts.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Arab League is more of a political entity than the OIC given the close proximity of its members and the, often joint, threat that the countries have had to face in the past,&#8221; according to Hamdi.<\/p>\n<p>According to Alabbasi, because of its wider scope of membership, a lack of consensus within the OIC sets it farther apart from the Arab League.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The OIC is very different in the sense that member states cannot get a consensus across,&#8221; said Alabbasi<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But in other organisations such as the GCC, and to a lesser extent the Arab League, there tends to be an agreement on issues in broad terms, as opinions are similar, even if there is some disagreement,&#8221; added Alabbasi.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_the_OIC_operate\"><\/span>How does the OIC operate?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The OIC holds an Islamic Summit once every three years. At the summit, heads of state discuss ways to achieve the charter&#8217;s objectives and make policy decisions that concern its member states.<\/p>\n<p>Talha Abdulrazaq, a Middle East expert at the University of Exeter&#8217;s Strategy and Security Institute, explained how OIC decisions and resolutions are much like they are at UN General Assembly.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Member states each get a vote. Each member state can table a resolution and then others can vote on it or suggest tweaks.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But much like the GA, OIC resolutions aren&#8217;t binding. They are just a declaration of the general feeling of the leaders of the Islamic world,&#8221; said Abdulrazaq.<\/p>\n<p>Meeting on a more regular basis, the council of foreign ministers convenes annually to evaluate the implementation of the organisation&#8217;s policies and objectives.<\/p>\n<p>The general secretariat, the OIC&#8217;s executive body, is responsible for implementing those decisions.<\/p>\n<div data-embed-type=\"Brightcove\" data-embed-id=\"6042643916001\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Relevant for prelims and GS paper 2:- Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud will host the 14th summit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[136,291,817,413,392],"class_list":["post-3359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous","tag-current-affairs","tag-daily-current-affairs","tag-gs","tag-ias","tag-union-public-service-commission-upsc"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3359"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3360,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3359\/revisions\/3360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}