Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has reaffirmed the full support and solidarity with the Republic of Mali in its efforts to expeditiously recover areas in the north of its territory under the control of armed groups in order to restore its national unity and territorial integrity. In this context, Ihsanoglu reiterated the support of the OIC for UNSC resolution 2085 of 20th December 2012 which authorized the deployment of an African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA). The Secretary General welcomed the troop contributions announced by some OIC Member States in West Africa and appealed to others in outside the region to extend all possible form of assistance to AFISMA for the fulfillment of its mandate in order to preserve the peace and stability of the wider region. To achieve a durable political solution on the conflict, Ihsanoglu called on the Malian parties to strive and put in place a credible framework of negotiations and reconciliation as soon as possible.
