By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit which has been postponed at least twice will finally take place in The Gambia from 4th to 5th May 2024. The summit was set to take place in Banjul in 2022 but instead, it was held in Pakistan and in 2023 it was moved to Mauritania. However, after a meeting between members of the OIC Gambia Secretariat yesterday 22nd February 2024, it was announced that plans are in an advanced stage to finally host the OIC Summit in The Gambia.
According to a presentation delivered by OIC Branding and Communications Officer Mr Nfally Fadera, D300 million was approved in the 2024 Budget, although D500 million was initially requested in the Budget. The OIC Summit is considered of national importance and “belongs to all Gambians irrespective of religion or any other ethnolinguistic difference”.
A document shared with media practitioners at the networking lunch highlights that this will be the 15th Summit where “Presidents, Kings, Sultans, Prime Ministers, Rulers, and other world leaders from the fifty-seven (57) member countries of the OIC and beyond are expected to be in attendance”. “The theme of the Summit: Enhancing Unity and Solidarity Through Dialogue for Sustainable Development” is considered timely “as the call for a united voice for the Muslim ummah is growing stronger considering the injustice and violence facing Muslims around the world today from Palestine, Myanmar, Sudan, and other parts of the world”.
- The activities will start with a Senior Officials Meeting from 30th April to 1st May,
- Followed by a Council of Foreign Ministers from the 2nd to the 3rd
- The main plenary meeting of the OIC Leaders will take place from 4th to 5th May 2024.
Goal and Objectives of the 15th OIC Summit
According to the brief, the “goal for the Summit as a country is to bring together the brightest and best of the ummah in an effort to finding solutions to the challenges confronting the world”. Four objectives have been listed which include;
- Strengthening unity in collectively addressing the pressing challenges facing the ummah,
- Expanding cooperation and solidarity among member countries in the pursuit of our shared goals as enshrined in the charter,
- Expand our domestic economy and revitalize small and medium enterprises,
- Taking the opportunity to share the wealth of Gambian and African culture with the world.
With regards to accommodation, OIC Branding and Communications Officer Mr Nfally Fadera revealed that the construction of a Five Star Hotel in Bijilo which should have provided accommodation for dignitaries will not be completed in time for the summit. Instead, the OIC Secretariat will be working with existing hotels in the country to improve their services to dignitaries.
OIC Logo to Inspire World Justice
The logo for the OIC Summit was also revealed during the networking lunch meeting which highlighted that “the logo is an acknowledgement of the country’s difficult past under the previous administration as well as our renewed hope and strive for justice and prosperity in the new Gambia under the leadership of President Adama Barrow”.
Referring to the July 22nd Arch which was erected by former President Yahya Jammeh who was indicted by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, the rebranded “Never Again Arch” will feature prominently in the logo.
The briefing note shared with the media adds that “there cannot be any better artefact to symbolize that picture than the Never Again monument in Banjul. President Adama Barrow renamed and repurposed the edifice in honour of the victims of years of repression and human rights violation of the former regime”. In addition to this it is hoped that “the logo will inspire the world to continue to stand up for justice for all people of the world from Palestine to Myanmar”.