The 11^th summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is being held at Dakar, Senegal amid tight security and the usual rhetoric that accompanies such meetings. The leaders of the Muslim nations which are member states of the organization are still struggling to offer solutions to the immediate problems that affect the Muslim world while the situation within the conference rooms does not augur well for the organization’s new charter.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Sheik Tidiane Gadio, urged the senior officials of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), gathered Saturday in Dakar, to draw up a consensual new OIC charter likely to be accepted by all the 57 member states of this organization.

His urgent call defines the underlining frustration that has clouded the organizing of this conference for the second time in Senegal in 17 years. On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of the OIC nations were still debating on the modalities to adopt the new charter but reports indicated that this will be delayed for yet another term.

It might be possible that the new charter will be debated in Egypt where the next OIC summit (the 12^th Summit) will probably be held according to information grasped in the corridors of the conference.

The failure to finalize the new charter indicates the deep trouble that characterizes organizations such as the OIC, which does not have the structures to behave like the United Nations (UN) and is not as united as the Arab League (AL). The OIC, after Senegal, will remain a hybrid organization that is trying to adapt to the changes in the world, particularly the globalization issues and the centralization of the world trade under the western dominated World Trade Organization (WTO).

Migration, which is a terrible headache among member countries of the OIC, will also be on the agenda of the 11^th summit thanks to efforts made by former Senegalese Minister Mme Ndioro Ndiaye who is the assistant Director General of the OIM Organization Internationale pour les Migrations.

Migration is a growing issue in the world today and the former Minister is pressing for the OIC to set an agenda that will allow for the member countries to ease migration. She said that migration among OIC member states should be treated as an important matter and must be made easier.

Countries like Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and even Egypt has tough migratory rules that do not allow the smooth transition of migrant workers on their soil. It is probably in the spirit of Muslim brotherhood that such migratory rules could be downgraded in order to allow for the integration of foreign migrants in OIC member states.

The OIC meeting is being held under tight security, necessary at times for head of states but useless for foreign and local journalists covering the event. This summit has seen an upgrading of the security process since its beginning on the 8^th of the month with various badges and passes required for journalists to access areas that are considered ‘secured’ for foreign dignitaries.

This defeats the purpose to have all heads of states under one roof and makes them unavailable to the local or international press on claims that their security is at stake. These leaders owe the people an explanation on why the OIC is still an organization that has not yet found its purpose and is still struggling to decide on a new charter.

From Pakistan to Senegal, the people of the OIC member states are asking why the organization has failed them in many ways and has reached its 11^th summit without even considering the security of the people.

If the summit is about the security of the head of states alone then who will decide on the security of the people in countries? Certainly in places where the enemies of Islam are having a free hand at killing innocents, raping women and controlling Muslim lands such as in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

On the other hand, Souleymane Gano Senegalese journalist attached to the Agence de Presse Senegalaise (APS) told WFOL that it was a great pleasure that an African country organizes the OIC meeting; this allows us to develop our infrastructures. Part of Dakar is now changed with news infrastructures, new roads and certainly new hotels.

This offers temporary employment to the local people but also it allows the country to develop its friendship and cooperation with muslim nations.

This cooperation can help the country to develop further.

'Yes there will be some benefits with temporary employments, contacts and new investments in the country. The international and muslim nations media are now zooming on Senegal and this helps and this portrays the good prospect for the country.' he said, adding that it also shows that Senegal is living and alive and is trying to develop and this is good for Africa. There are not only wars or famine in Africa but there is hope and with people who are willing to work for development and the youth can believe in this hope.

Senegal looks beset by too many problems that have forced it to postpone the OIC summit from 2006 to 2008. The 10^th summit was held in Malaysia in 2003 and the 11^th summit was to take place in 2006 but delays due to the current economic situation in Senegal hampered the progress in the infrastructural development of the country for the summit.

Now that the summit is on, the country still seem to be struggling in the organization of the event though on the bright side it is the hospitality of the Senegalese people that has comforted the guests and foreign journalists visiting the country.

Senegal news agency and OIC Today

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