FORMER SAUDI FM IYAD MADANI NEW OIC SECRETARY GENERAL
Jeddah, 28 Shafar 1435/31 December 2013 (MINA) – Former Saudi Foreign Minister, Iyad Madani on Monday succeeded Eklemeddin Ihsanoglu as the new Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the 57-member grouping of the Muslim countries in Jeddah.
Eklemeddin Ihsaonoglu, who served as secretary general of OIC since 2005, said that he “dedicated himself to Islam and would continue to work for the Muslim world with all his power.”
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru, Turkish Consul General Fikret Ozer and senior Saudi diplomats also attended the handover ceremony.
“OIC has succeeded well in Ihsanoglu’s term and he introduced the organization to the world,” said Iyad Madani, Anadolu media Agency reported quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents.
The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and ensuring to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969).
On 28 June 2011 during the 38th Council of Foreign Ministers meeting (CFM) in Astana, Kazakhstan the organisation changed its name from Organisation of the Islamic Conference to its current name. The OIC also changed its logo at this time.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has 57 members, 56 of which are also member states of the United Nations. Some, especially in West Africa, are – though with large Muslim populations – not necessarily Muslim majority countries. A few countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Russia and Thailand, sit as Observer States, while others, such as India and Ethiopia, are not members.
The collective population of OIC member states is over 1.4 billion as of 2008.
It is the executive organ of the Organisation, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies, and is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Madani was born in Mecca in April 1946. He holds a bachelor’s degree in production administration, which he obtained from Arizona State Universityin 1969.
Madani began his career as general director in a Saudi Airlines’ administrative office in 1970. Then he joined media and he was editor-in-chief of Saudi Gazette until 1999, being the first editor of the daily. At the same time he served as general director of the Okaz Organization for Press and Publication until his resignation in April l993.
He was appointed to the shoura council as a member. He served there until 1999 when he was appointed hajj minister. He was in office as Hajj minister from 1999 to February 2005. Next, he was appointed minister of culture and information in February 2005, replacing Fouad bin Abdulsalam Al Farsi, who in turn became Hajj minister.
On 1 August 2005, Madani as information minister announced the death of King Fahd on state television. Madani was elected as the head of the Islamic International News Agency (IINA) and the Organization of Islamic Broadcasting in 2007. He was in office until 2009 and was replaced by Abdulaziz Al Khoja in the post.
During his tenure, Madani drew criticisms from Saudi clerics due to his tolerance towards the publications that were questioning the strong effects of the religious establishment in Saudi Arabia.(T/P04/E1)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
