Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary-General of the OIC, had a meeting, Tuesday 28 February 2023, on the sidelines of the 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, with Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), at the latter’s headquarters in Geneva.
Both sides exchanged views on ways and means to address humanitarian crises currently unfolding in OIC Member States. They particularly examined the latest developments in Palestine and the situation in Afghanistan and the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
They stressed the need to scale up bilateral cooperation to promote international humanitarian law and principles. A delegation from OIC General Secretariat headed by Mr EL Habib Bourane, Director of Muslim Minorities and Communities, visited the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities in The Hague on 27th February 2023, to explore areas for possible cooperation in line with their respective mandates.
During the meeting, both sides provided an overview of their respective mandates and the main areas of work. Mr. Bourane made a thorough presentation of the areas of priority for the OIC in the domain of Muslim Communities and Minorities.
Officials from the Office of High Commissioner briefed the visiting delegation about the nature of cooperation between the Office of High Commissioner and other international organizations, the capacity-building efforts carried out by the Office to assist the OSCE’s member states in the area of national minorities and the lines of communication that it maintains with the representatives of national minorities.
The visiting delegation was also briefed about the documents and thematic recommendations that guide the work of the Office of High Commissioner in providing effective policy guidance to OSCE member states to reinforce social cohesion and effective integration of societies.—PR
