الرَّحِيْمِ الرَّحْمٰنِ اللهِ بِسْمِ
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye and the Chair of the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, His Excellency Hakan Fidan
Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
وَبَرَكَاتُهُ اللهِ وَرَحْمَةُ عَلَيْكُمْ سَّلاَمُ
Let me begin by expressing my sincere congratulations to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, on assuming the Chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers. We have utmost confidence in your leadership, and the Maldives stands ready to support Türkiye’s efforts and initiatives.
I also extend my deepest appreciation to the Government and the people of Türkiye for the warm hospitality and for hosting this important Session in the historic city of Istanbul.
I wish to also commend the work of Cameroon, the outgoing Chair.
I also extend my sincere gratitude to Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha, who I had the pleasure to recently welcome to the Maldives. Your steadfast commitment to fostering unity among our Member States and within the Islamic Ummah will leave a lasting impact.
Excellencies,
The world around us is transforming rapidly – but not for the better.
Injustice persists. Suffering continues.
Our Ummah is embroiled in fear and turmoil.
Our hearts bleed for Palestine.
Almost two years on, the brutal aggression of Israel against Gaza continues unchecked and intensifies.
Over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed. More than 100,000 wounded - among them, 17,000 children.
Homes, schools, hospitals, businesses – all lie in ruin
We continue to witness, before our very eyes, the deliberate targeting of civilians, humanitarian workers, and journalists. And the continued attempts to dismantle UNRWA.
The recent reckless attacks by Israel on Iranian territory is yet another attack on regional stability and peace. The Maldives strongly condemns Israel’s aggression and demand an immediate end to the attacks.
The theme “OIC in a transforming world” is not just timely, it is a call to action.
If we fail to act now, history will judge us.
The Ummah looks to us. The oppressed depend on us.
To be the voice for the voiceless.
To end the injustice unfolding before our eyes.
The Maldives remains resolute and firm in our solidarity with the Palestinian people.
This is why in April this year the President Dr Mohamed Muizzu signed into law the decision to prohibit the entry into Maldives with Israeli passports.
And this is why at the International Court of Justice, the Maldives filed its declaration to intervene in the case concerning the obligations of Israel in relation to the presence and activities of UN agencies in the occupied Palestinian territory.
We call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
We demand unimpeded humanitarian aid into the Gaza – without delay, without condition.
Peace cannot prevail without an independent and sovereign state of Palestine.
Let us be clear: the State of Palestine does exist.
The vast majority of the world recognizes it – and we urge those who have not yet done so to do so without hesitation.
Palestine, like any other state deserves a seat at the table.
To be recognized – based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
To have the right to raise its flags – unopposed and unquestioned.
The right to speak and be heard as a sovereign equal among nations.
The Maldives, like many others, looked forward to attending the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine in New York this month. We hope that the conference will resume soon.
The Maldives will continue to support the initiatives such as Global Alliance for the implementation of the Two-State solution led by Saudi Arabi and core group.
The Maldives also stands ready to contribute to the ‘Gaza Reconstruction Plan’ to restore hope, dignity and long-denied rights buried under rubble and silence.
The plight of the Rohinya Muslims must also not be ignored. The Maldives hopes that case at the International Court of Justice – to which the Maldives also intervened – will soon come to a successful conclusion.
We commend the leadership of OIC Member States for keeping the priorities central to our Ummah high on the international agenda. One such event was the recently concluded International Forum on “Strengthening Integrity and Combating Corruption in the Tourism Sector” held in the Maldives. We thank the National Anti-Corruption Commission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nazaha, and the OIC for their close collaboration with the Maldivian authorities in organizing this successful Forum. We also appreciate the active engagement of the OIC Members in the Forum.
Excellencies,
True to the theme of today’s session, the OIC is navigating a transforming world.
As the voice of the Muslim Ummah, it must evolve to meet our collective needs.
We face common threats; ones that demand unified action.
Divisions among us only invite outside intervention and manipulation.
Let us commit to making OIC a platform that delivers – with purpose, with unity and with resolve.
We are one Ummah, bound by our faith and shared values.
Let us stand united, rise to every challenge, and shape a future rooted in peace, justice and stability for our entire Ummah.
I thank you.