- Stars (0)
3. His Excellency Blaise Campaoré, President of Faso, opened the Twenty-Sixth Session of
the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers by delivering an address in which he recalled
the major goals set by the Organization of the Islamic Conference since its establishment in
the City of Rabat in 1969, the most important of which has been the motto of the present
session, i.e. “Peace and Partnership for Development”. He highlighted the contribution of
Member States in the eradication of racial discrimination and in supporting peoples in their
struggle for independence and sovereignty, as well as in the resolution of conflicts, in
addition to boosting peace and solidarity opportunities. His Excellency also commended the
efforts made at the economic level, aimed at setting up appropriate structures and creating
favourable conditions to meet the needs of Islamic communities as regards social and
cultural development. His Excellency stressed the importance of the Organization as an
international force of moderation and tolerance, pointing out that peace, stability and
security, as well as prosperity and integration, were still a long way off. Further efforts and
courageous initiatives were required in order to achieve common aspirations. His Excellency
then tackled the major international and Islamic issues, such as the issue of Somalia and
the situation in Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau, the cause of Palestine, the situation in the
Gulf, the Afghan crisis, the tragedy of Kosovo Muslims, the question of refugees and its
negative consequences. In this respect, he called for action in order to contain such recurrent
situation and also for mobilising efforts to face the economic sanctions imposed unilaterally
on a number of Member States. He emphasized the tolerant principles of Islam that were
eminently suitable to settle any dispute that arose, whether internal or between brothers.
He called for the establishment of a central authority for the resolution of political conflicts,
answerable to the Chairman of the Islamic Summit Conference and entrusted with the task
of averting anything likely to disturb the atmosphere of peace and security between Member
States.
4. The Conference decided to adopt the inaugural address of His Excellency Blaise Campaoré
as an official document.
5.Addresses were then given by Their Excellencies Adom Karkom, Minister Delegate in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon in charge of the Islamic World, Mr. Mohamed Ben
Aissa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco and Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Foreign Minister of the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on behalf of the African, Arab and Asian Groups respectively.
They expressed their gratitude to His Excellency Blaise Campaoré, President of Faso, for his
kind invitation to hold this Conference in his country and conveyed their profound thanks to
the Government and People of Burkina Faso for their warm welcome and generous
hospitality, and the excellent conditions provided to ensure the success of the proceedings
of the Conference.
