New OIC secretary general puts support to Palestine on top of priorities

New secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Conference, Abdelouahed Belkziz, said the Organization's top priority will be to support the Palestinian people until they recover their rights.

Belkziz, who was speaking at a function hosted in his honor by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), added he will make all efforts to assist Palestinian brothers at all levels until they recover their rights.

The new OIC secretary general, a Moroccan national who served as information minister, foreign minister and ambassador to Iraq, was unanimously elected last June 27-30 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the 27th session of the OIC foreign ministers.

During the ceremony that was attended by diplomats in Saudi Arabia, the IDB chairman, Ahmed Mohamed Ali, highlighted the heavy responsibility awaiting the OIC secretary general and the serious challenges facing the Islamic nation, topped by the daily violence against the Palestinian people. He also insisted all Muslim energies should be mobilized to extend material and moral assistance to the Palestinian people, putting a special emphasis on the need to increase economic and social cooperation among Muslim countries.

The new OIC secretary general met with Saudi King Fahd Ibn Abdelaziz, heir apparent, Prince Abdallah Ibn Abdulaziz, and foreign minister, Saoud Al Faysal.

The OIC was set up by a decision of heads of state of Islamic countries following the criminal arson of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Al-Quds. Its charter sets as a goal promotion of solidarity, political, economic, social, cultural and scientific cooperation between member countries and supporting the struggle of Islamic countries for freedom and independence.