Fight against terrorism, representation of the Islamic world at the United Nations Security Council, intra-OIC cooperation in human rights, role of women, situation of youth, environment, and sustained development, would be the highlights of the discussion during the 32nd session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) that opens in Sanaa, Yemen, later today. "The three-day conference acquires particular importance in view of the current political circumstances, the situation in the Arab-Islamic region, and the various challenges of the new era," Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), said in a press statement published today. The secretary-general, who would be submitting a report on the OIC's reform program to energize the organization and make it more efficient so as to better promote joint Islamic action, and boost Islamic solidarity, explained that the ICFM was also significant as it would discuss a wide range of issues. He said the ICFM was a principal OIC organ, second only to the Islamic Summit, and convenes in an ordinary session on an annual basis to consider ways of implementing the organization's general policy, adopt resolutions on the mater in accordance with OIC's goals and objectives, and approve the annual budgets of the general secretariat and subsidiary organs. He said the agenda includes more than 80 items addressing important issues such as Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict, with particular focus on Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the current status of the peace process in the Middle East, Muslim representation in the Security Council and the increasing importance of the Islamic nations in the international arena. "Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Cyprus, in addition to Kashmir, the peace process between India and Pakistan, and the problem of the refugees in the Islamic world will also figure at the meeting."
