BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 24. Chairmanship of the
Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(PUIC) showcases Azerbaijan's commitment to strengthening
solidarity and close ties in the Islamic world, Speaker of the
Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova said, Trend's correspondent
reports from the event.
She made the remark at the 20th Session of the Conference of the
Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) Member States held in Baku.
The speaker noted that the development of relations with Muslim
countries, both bilaterally and within the framework of joint
organizations, is one of the priorities of Azerbaijan's foreign
policy.
"OIC and its member states have always demonstrated solidarity
with Azerbaijan during the occupation of our territories, as well
as in the post-conflict period. Over the past 30 years, more than
100 decisions and resolutions have been adopted within the
framework of the OIC and the OIC condemning Armenia's aggression
and supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan," she explained.
Gafarova emphasized that Azerbaijan, attaching great importance
to the principles of Islamic solidarity, is actively participating
in promoting and further strengthening this solidarity.
"Azerbaijan has launched various initiatives such as the OIC
Youth Forum and the OIC Labor Center. Our country has also
organized numerous events and put forward initiatives to promote
Islamic culture and demonstrate that Islam is a religion of peace
and mercy," she reminded.
According to her, Azerbaijan firmly supports the settlement of
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of a two-state
solution, which envisages the establishment of a Palestinian state
with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with
international law and relevant UN resolutions.
"This position is also reflected in Azerbaijan's activities in
international organizations, including the United Nations, OIC, and
the Non-Aligned Movement. The same position is being continued
during the chairmanship of our parliament in the Asian
Parliamentary Assembly in 2024-2026 and the current chairmanship of
the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Palestinian issue has always been on the agenda and has been
reflected in final declarations and decisions. In recent years, our
country has repeatedly provided humanitarian and financial
assistance to meet the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people
and will continue this support in the future," she pointed out.
The speaker added that despite its rich historical and cultural
heritage, vast natural and human resources, the Islamic world still
faces serious challenges that need to be addressed. Poverty, social
and economic inequalities, armed conflicts, humanitarian crises,
terrorism, and extremism pose serious obstacles to efforts towards
sustainable development.
"To overcome these challenges and fully realize its existing
potential, the Islamic world needs unity and solidarity based on
the eternal Islamic values of peace, tolerance, harmony, and
justice.
In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, it has
never been more important for Muslim countries to act together,
support each other, and work towards common goals.
Parliaments play a crucial role in addressing all these issues.
As representatives of friendly and brotherly peoples sharing the
same faith, we must promote solidarity, dialogue, and unity, not
contradictions and divisions," she stressed.
According to her, PUIC has become an important and effective
platform for strengthening the solidarity, and plays the role of an
important framework for the development of the cooperation, joint
activities, and decisive steps for common goals.
According to Gafarova, sustainable and inclusive economic
development is the common goal of our countries. Achieving this
goal requires coordinated efforts and commitment to cooperation at
all levels, including through inter-parliamentary cooperation.
"Our parliaments can work together to eliminate barriers to
trade and investment, expand customs cooperation, and promote the
effective implementation of existing OIC trade and economic
integration mechanisms.
At the same time, by supporting the development of safe,
sustainable, and interconnected transit and logistics corridors, we
can strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate trade, and
contribute to sustainable economic integration between OIC member
states.
In addition, promoting cooperation in the fields of energy
security, renewable energy, and energy efficiency will also help
achieve our common goals," she concluded.
