Algeria backs Morocco's candidacy to top pan-Islamic body post

Algeria will back the candidacy of Moroccan Abdelwahed Belkeziz to the post of Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Algerian news agency, APS, reported on Monday.

APS, which quoted sources close to the Algerian presidency, said the decision is taken in line with a previous commitment made by Algiers to back the Moroccan candidacy.

The outgoing OIC secretary-general is former Moroccan Premier Azeddine Laraki.

Belkeziz is former is former foreign affairs and information minister.

The OIC, which musters all Islamic nations in Africa, Asia and Europe, was set up in 1969 upon the initiative of late King Hassan II following the criminal arson of the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Quds, third holiest shrine in Islam).

The OIC will hold a summit this year in Qatar.