The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is the international body of fifty-seven Muslim-majority states. Founded in Rabat in September 1969 in response to the al-Aqsa Mosque arson, the OIC is the second-largest international organisation after the United Nations and represents around a quarter of the world's population.
At a glance
- Founded: 1969 (First Islamic Summit in Rabat, 25 September 1969)
- Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Official languages: Arabic, English, French
- Website: www.oic-oci.org
Mission
The OIC Charter commits members to safeguarding the interests and ensuring the progress of the Muslim world; promoting cooperation in political, economic, social, and scientific fields; and supporting the rights of the Palestinian people. Specialised institutions cover education (ISESCO), economics (Islamic Development Bank), and human rights.
Structure
The Islamic Summit of heads of state and government meets every three years and is the supreme authority. The Council of Foreign Ministers meets annually. The General Secretariat in Jeddah, headed by the Secretary-General, is the executive organ. The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission was added in 2011 to address human rights from an Islamic perspective.
Member states
OIC has 57 member states. Membership current as of 2024-01.
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ivory Coast
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
Key facts
- OIC member states span four continents and cover around 1.9 billion people — roughly a quarter of humanity.
- The OIC was founded in direct response to the August 1969 arson attack on the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
- Russia, Thailand, India, and the Central African Republic hold observer status; the latter despite its small Muslim population.
- The Islamic Development Bank, founded under OIC auspices in 1975, is one of the largest multilateral development banks in the Muslim world.
- Syria's membership was suspended in 2012 over the civil war and remains suspended.
Historic milestones
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1969 | OIC founded at Rabat Summit |
| 1972 | OIC Charter adopted |
| 1975 | Islamic Development Bank established |
| 2008 | OIC Charter amended; renamed from "Conference" to "Cooperation" |
| 2011 | Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission launched |
