By Makutu Manneh
Out of the Fifty-seven (57) member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, (OIC) only six Presidents are present in The Gambia to attend the 15th OIC Summit.
These Presidents are; Republic of Djibouti, H.E. Ismael Omar Guelle;
Republic of Senegal, H.E Bassirou Diomaye Faye;
Republic Of Sudan, H.E. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Abdelrahman al-Burha;
Republic Of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio,
Republic of Guinea Bissau, H.E. Mr. Umaro Sissoco Embalo,
Islamic Republic of Mauritania, H. E. Mohamed Ould Cheik Ghezouani.
Other countries are represented either by their Foreign Ministers, Vice Presidents, Ministers of State, Deputy Prime Ministers, Permanent Representatives to the OIC, Special Envoys of Presidents, among others.
The absentees are Republic Of Afghanistan, Republic Of Albania, Republic of Suriname, Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Syrian Arab Republic, who is serving suspension.
This is the 15th edition of the Islamic Summit of Heads of States and Governments of the Organisation. The theme is ‘Enhancing Unity and Solidarity Through Dialogue for Sustainable Development.’
The main objective of OIC is to strengthen cooperation and solidarity among the member states, to protect the rights and interest of the Islamic world.
The OIC was formed on September 25, 1969 in Rabat (Morocco by the decision of the conferees at the first summit of the organization.
