Egypt's FM to attend OIC Conference in Abidjan

CAIRO – 9 July 2017: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will leave Monday to Abidjan, capital of Cote d’Ivoire, to attend the 44th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on July 10 and 11.

In a press statement, Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Shoukry’s participation in the OIC’s conference acquires a special importance due to the current critical phase the Islamic world is facing.

The foreign ministers will discuss several issues, primarily regional crises, the OIC’s role in combating terrorism and extremism, and means of not only facing terrorist attacks but also the parties supporting them, Abu Zeid added.

The spokesman highlighted the importance of the Islamic axis in Egypt's foreign policy. He also hailed the role of the Islamic Bank for Development (IDB) in Africa and central Asia, underlining the need to activate the role of the OIC through based on a clear vision to support its general secretariat.

In Abidjan, The Egyptian minister is scheduled to hold talks with a number of foreign ministers of Islamic countries on means of combating terrorism and confronting countries supporting it.