the worldOrganization of Islamic Cooperation

Istanbul Declaration issued by the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

ISTANBUL (UNA) – We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegations of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participating in the 21st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States, held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey, on 22-2025 June XNUMX;

We reaffirm our strong commitment to the objectives, purposes and principles of our Organization, as well as to all resolutions issued by the various sessions of the Islamic Summit Conference and the Council of Foreign Ministers;
Expressing our determination to work to further strengthen the bonds of unity and solidarity among the sons of the Islamic nation:
1- We express the aspiration of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the second largest international organization after the United Nations, to play a growing role in an international climate characterized by fragmentation, weak international institutions, and a changing world, and the need to accelerate the pace of reform in order to elevate the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as a major international player in achieving regional and global stability, geostrategic balance, multilateralism, and a rule-based international order.
2- We reaffirm the centrality of the Palestinian issue to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was established in 1969 in the wake of the crime of burning Al-Aqsa Mosque, and our unwavering support for the establishment of a sovereign, independent and contiguous Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and that the two-state solution is the only viable solution to achieve peace and stability in the region for all.
3- We emphasize the importance of convening the high-level United Nations conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two-state solution and United Nations resolutions, as soon as possible, under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of France, and resuming the work of the working groups emanating from the conference, and redoubling efforts to ensure its success. We call on all member states of the United Nations to participate actively in it when the new date for its convening is announced.
4- We condemn the ongoing Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip for more than 19 months and the systematic campaigns of destruction and killing in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which seek to liquidate the Palestinian cause, including the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. We stress the importance of reaching a permanent and sustainable ceasefire and implementing Security Council Resolution No. 2735, which contributes to stopping the aggression and implementing the Arab-Islamic plan for recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and ensuring the provision of political and financial support to the Palestinian government to enable it to assume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
5- We support the tireless diplomatic efforts of the Ministerial Committee emanating from the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit on Gaza, to urge an immediate ceasefire, allow humanitarian aid to enter all areas of the Gaza Strip, and begin taking practical steps to implement the two-state solution.
6- We condemn the actions of Israel, the illegal occupying power, in using starvation as a tool of genocide by preventing the entry of aid and preventing international humanitarian organizations from carrying out their duties with the aim of forced displacement. In this regard, we call for the rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, the necessity of opening the crossings and borders, the entry and delivery of aid in a sufficient and unrestricted manner, and the provision of protection to the Palestinian people.
7- We express our unwavering support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which plays an indispensable role in providing services to Palestinian refugees, and we call on the international community to continue its political and financial support to it in the face of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.
8- We categorically reject any scenarios that target the displacement of Palestinians from their lands, as this measure entails the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and constitutes a gross violation of the provisions of international law, and Israel systematically targets the basic necessities of life in Gaza with the intention of placing them in impossible conditions to force the Palestinians to leave their land.
9- We affirm our support for the Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which proves the possibility of rebuilding the Strip without the need to displace Palestinians, and we commend the Egyptian humanitarian efforts to ensure the flow of humanitarian and relief aid to the Strip.
10- We express our deep concern about Israeli efforts aimed at altering the cultural features of the Holy City of Jerusalem and its Arab and Islamic character, and undermining its legal status, particularly efforts to change the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque. We emphasize the need to preserve the identity of the Holy City as a symbol of tolerance and coexistence among the three monotheistic religions, as well as to support the steadfastness of its inhabitants, commending the efforts made in this regard by the Al-Quds Committee and its executive arm, the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency.
11- We condemn Israel's destabilizing policies in the region and its recent attacks on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and security of these countries and of international law. We call on the international community to take deterrent measures to put an end to this aggression and hold Israel accountable for its crimes. We decide to form an open-ended ministerial contact committee tasked with conducting regular contacts with relevant regional and international parties, with the aim of supporting efforts to de-escalate, end the aggression against Iran, and reach a peaceful settlement.
12- We also strongly condemn Israel's aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, stress the urgent need to halt Israeli attacks, and express our grave concern over this dangerous escalation that threatens the humanitarian, economic, and environmental conditions in the region.
13- We affirm our solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan, and express our deep concern over the recent military escalation in the South Asia region, including the unjustified strikes carried out on multiple locations in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and we stress the need to exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions that would destabilize the region.
14- We affirm that the ceasefire, announced on May 10, 2025, must be fully adhered to in order to consolidate peace and stability in the region, and we commend the efforts made by many Member States to de-escalate tensions.
15- We call for strict adherence to bilateral agreements, including the Indus Waters Treaty, and emphasize the importance of conducting a broad-based dialogue to resolve all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India through peaceful means.
16- We refer to the reports of the Security Council Panel of Experts on Sudan No. S/2024/65 issued on January 15, 2024, and No. S/2025/239 issued on January 14, 1.
17. We express our deep concern about the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia, which is considered a form of racism and discrimination. We condemn all acts of violence committed on the basis of religion or belief, as well as hate speech and extremism motivated by discrimination on the basis of religion, and also attempts to fuel tensions and division between cultures. We call on the international community to take effective measures to combat extremism, hate speech, defamation of religions, negative stereotyping and stigmatization on the basis of religion, belief or ethnicity at the national and global levels.
18- We affirm that terrorism and extremism cannot be linked to any religion, race, ethnicity or nationality, and that they must be unequivocally condemned, regardless of their forms or manifestations, which continue to pose a threat to peace and security in the world.
19- We affirm that the experience and capacity acquired by some Member States during the era of decolonization give the Organization of Islamic Cooperation an important capacity to mediate in resolving disputes between Member States and other Member States of the United Nations.
20. We welcome the progress made in the process of normalizing relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, including the conclusion of negotiations on the bilateral agreement on the establishment of peace and relations between the two states, and urge Armenia to address the remaining legal and political obstacles to its signing, and thus cease and desist from undermining Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We reaffirm our full solidarity with the Government and people of Azerbaijan, and thus cease and desist from undermining Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We reaffirm our full solidarity with the Government and people of Azerbaijan in their efforts to rehabilitate and reconstruct the liberated territories severely affected by Armenian aggression. We call on the OIC Member States to provide effective support to Azerbaijan's demining efforts, which are vital to ensuring safety, facilitating reconstruction, and ensuring the dignified return of displaced persons.
21- We support the tangible and appreciated efforts made by the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Federal Republic of Somalia, within the framework of their non-permanent membership in the Security Council and their support for Islamic causes.
22- We welcome the efforts of the Syrian Interim Government to reintegrate Syria into the regional and international system, and we stress the need to ensure sustainable political and financial support for Syria in order to ensure stability and security. We express our support for the cooperation initiative between the Republic of Turkey and the Islamic Development Bank Group to contribute to achieving rapid recovery and reconstruction efforts in Syria, and we urge the harnessing of joint efforts to meet priority needs in sectors such as energy and infrastructure.
23- We affirm our basic position, which calls for respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of all Member States and non-interference in their internal affairs.
24- We support the aspirations of the Turkish Cypriot Muslims to achieve their inherent rights, and we emphasize the importance of reaching a negotiated, mutually acceptable, just, lasting and sustainable settlement of the Cyprus issue, and we stress the importance of strengthening communication with the Turkish Cypriot Muslims in order to end the unjust isolation imposed on them.
25- We renew our support for the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace and the Turkish Muslim community in the Dodecanese, Greece, in order to ensure their full enjoyment of their fundamental rights and freedoms, and we affirm our full respect for their religious and cultural rights.
26. We express our deep concern about the fate of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who have been forcibly and systematically expelled from the territory of present-day Armenia, and condemn the destruction and theft of Islamic heritage in those territories as a grave violation of international law. We reaffirm the inalienable right of expelled Azerbaijanis to return in peace, security and dignity to their original homes in the territory of present-day Armenia, in accordance with international law. We regret Armenia’s refusal to engage in dialogue with the West Azerbaijani community and NGOs advocating for the restoration of the violated human rights of expelled Azerbaijanis from the territory of present-day Armenia.
27- We reiterate our solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and our full support for their inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and their aspirations, and we condemn the gross violations of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir under the illegal Indian occupation.
28. We express our concern about the serious human rights violations, primarily against the Rohingya Muslim community and Muslim groups in Myanmar, and call for urgent measures to defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of this community. We affirm our strong commitment to working to win the case filed by the Republic of Gambia against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice, and to expedite the process of repatriating the forcibly displaced Rohingya to their homeland, Myanmar.
29. We express our concern about the destructive policies pursued by the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity, which has exerted undue pressure on the judicial system and institutions, undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and seriously threatening the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutional order in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ministers reaffirm their unwavering support for the constitutional and institutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and call on all international partners to cooperate to ensure compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
30- We commend the vital role played by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) in addressing the common development challenges facing Member States through its flagship programmes and projects, sectoral working groups, and project support programmes.
31- We commend the efforts of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in protecting and caring for the Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city of Jerusalem, stressing the importance of the role of the Hashemite guardianship over its Arab, Islamic and Christian identity and the historical and legal status quo therein.
32- We also commend UNESCO’s decisions to establish the name Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif as synonymous with one meaning and to affirm that the Mughrabi Gate hill is an integral part of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and the right of the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Administration, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, to restore the Mughrabi Gate and maintain the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, preserve it and regulate entry to it, as it is the sole exclusive legal authority responsible for the compound, which has an area of ​​144 dunams, and as it is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, protected by international law and the existing legal and historical status therein.
33- We welcome the upcoming Islamic Summit Conference, scheduled to be held in Azerbaijan in 2026, and look forward to this conference contributing to strengthening unity, solidarity, and cooperation among the countries of the Islamic world.

(is over)

 

Related news

Go to top button