The 15th OIC summit is now behind us. President Barrow has assumed the chairpersonship of the 57 member states of the organization. There were two conceptions regarding the holding of the summit. Initially, the first conception held sway. The summit was considered to be a mere means of attracting funds to build prestigious projects in The Gambia. The second conception which now holds sway, after the speeches were delivered at the conference, focuses on solidarity and cooperation among member states to promote conflict resolution and religious tolerance, poverty alleviation, educational, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation, good governance and sustainable development.
In short, holding the OIC summit in The Gambia is not just for local concern. It is putting in the hands of the head of state of The Gambia, the aim of promoting the principles of promoting the charter of the organization, its resolution and its Programme of Action 2025.
The president of The Gambia has the responsibility to work with the general secretariat, the council of ministers, the institutions of the organization in order to put them into action, as well as to steer the development of a new ten year programme of action for the organization for the period 2026 – 2035. The president of The Gambia is therefore provided with an opportunity but is also confronted with a challenge to create a national and multi lateral team capable of teasing out the priorities of the member states and providing guidance for collective action for the implementation of their collective vision.
Foroyaa will entertain expert review of the tasks ahead that the institution of the OIC must address such as collaboration with the United Nations and other stakeholders to address the Palestinian and Israeli conflict which has now taken a genocidal overtone in order for President Barrow’s tenure to be considered a success.
President Barrow has a responsibility to oversee the birth of the Constitution of the Third Republic, being the first President to introduce a term limit and further steer the OIC to solve some of the longest and most complicated conflicts known to humanity.
