Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 28 October with a delegation headed by Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed who is on a visit to our country.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova congratulated the guest on his election to the post of OIC Secretary General and wished him success in his future work. She remarked that Azerbaijan being one of the first countries which the guest is visiting in his new post testifies to the strong ties between our country and the OIC. The Speaker of the Milli Majlis expressed confidence in the forthcoming contribution of this visit to the strengthening of mutual co-operation.  

The Speaker emphasised the significance of the discussions held at the guest's meeting with President Ilham Aliyev as well as of the guest's participation in the VII World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue and in the third high-level meeting of the heads of anti-corruption bodies of the OIC member states, both held in Baku.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova described promotion of dialogue, mutual trust and understanding, bridging cultures and religions and respect for others’ values as the main idea behind the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. She mentioned the Forum having become one of the principal global intercultural and interreligious dialogue platforms since its establishment at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev.

Azerbaijan’s substantial role in the OIC operations was pointed up during the conversation. At the same time, it was stressed that the backing and solidarity had been reflected in the OIC’ unwavering support for our country and the numerous resolutions and decisions this organisation has passed both during the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories and in the post-conflict period.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis informed the guest of the history of the Parliament, its modern structure and endeavours in the international arena. She mentioned the active engagement of the Milli Majlis with the work of many international parliamentary organisations as well as it chairing 3 organisations currently.

The Speaker also talked at the meeting about the significance of the 20^th session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) – of which she is President – held in Baku in June this year and of the issues discussed there. The Speaker of the Milli Majlis shared her thoughts on the prospects for co-operation between the PUIC and the OIC.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for the support given to the work of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and for the successful organisation of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku. The Secretary General shared his impressions of the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, the President's speech at the Forum and the progress witnessed by him in our country. He observed that Azerbaijan is giving the world at large a peace and stability preservation example. The Secretary General stressed the importance of the matters connected with holding the 16^th session of the Islamic Summit Conference in Azerbaijan in 2027 and related also to Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the OIC. He expressed confidence that the activity of this organisation will be further strengthened under Azerbaijan's chairmanship.

The guest remarked as he was speaking of the significance of parliamentary diplomacy that the OIC supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan invariably. He offered his congratulations on the forthcoming Victory Day and lauded the work carried out in the de-occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

The meeting also saw an exchange of opinions as to the matters of strengthening the Islamic solidarity, promoting intercultural dialogue, broadening the co-operation between our country and the OIC and other topics.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis