Another ‘CHOGM’ comes to Uganda
Jun 13, 2008
Barely six months after hosting the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Uganda will, next week, host another international and intercontinental conference. The Organisation of Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (OICFM) to be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo from June 18 to 20 is attr
By Lydia Namubiru
Barely six months after hosting the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Uganda will, next week, host another international and intercontinental conference. The Organisation of Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (OICFM) to be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo from June 18 to 20 is attracting participants from even more countries than CHOGM did. Preceding this will be a business forum where business people, both local and foreign, will be matched for possible partnerships.
The OIC
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations. It has 57 member states spread over four continents. Although established as a collective Muslim voice in reaction to the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in 1969, the organisation has since evolved into a standard inter-governmental body that fosters social, economic and political cooperation between its member states.
Structurally, the OIC has three arms; The Conference of Heads of States, The Conference of Foreign Ministers and the General Secretariat which implements the decision of the two preceding arms. The General Secretariat is in Jeddah.
In addition the OIC has many subsidiary and affiliated organisations such as the Islamic Development Bank. The organisation that aims at becoming the most important inter-governmental in the world, enjoys good consultative and cooperative relations with the UN.
The OIC and Uganda
How Uganda an 80% Christian nation joined the OIC is purely historical, having joined in 1974 when Idi Amin was the president. However, 34 years later, we are still members and currently hold the chairmanship, a position we assumed in April this year.
“Idi Amin took Uganda to the OIC and many Christians have been challenging Uganda’s membership to this body. The NRM maintained the OIC membership because 12% of our people are Muslims,†President Yoweri Museveni said in a speech at the official opening of the National Mosque at Old Kampala. That said, our association with the OIC has also been motivationally fruitful.
The OIC founded the Islamic University in Uganda in 1988 to serve the English speaking Muslims of Eastern and Southern Africa. The university has so far graduated 3,000 students, 70% of whom were Ugandans. The Islamic Development Bank(IDB), an affiliate of the OIC subsequently donated $20m for the current expansion of the university.
The IDB has also over the years contributed to various sectors of the Uganda economy. “IDB has extended $10m to the energy sector, $3.2m to microfinance and $2.2m for vocational training,†Phillip Odida, the spokesperson of the National OIC organising committee, highlights some of the fruits. The fruits promise to continue being bountiful. During the OIC summit in Dakar this year, a $10b Islamic solidarity fund was established. Uganda, as a member, is set to be a direct beneficiary. “Uganda’s association with fellow OIC member states has led to direct investments through companies like WARID, Hits Telecom and a number of Libyan banks,†Frank Olok, the CEO of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, points out.
The Foreign Ministers’ meet
From June 18 to 20, Uganda will be hosting the OIC’s 35th Conference of foreign ministers at Speke Resort Munyonyo. “For Uganda, the meeting presents not only an opportunity to market the country to the Islamic world, but also to play a proactive role in emerging global affairs,†says a statement from the Ministry of Foreign affairs.
The OICFM, one of the two decision making arms of the OIC, meets annually to examine the progress report for the implementation of its decisions taken the previous year. It was this same body that in 1970 established the organisation’s General Secretariat. “The OICFM can be said to be even more instrumental than the summit of the heads of states and kings. While the summit which meets every three years lays down the blue print for action, it is the OICFM that does the day to day planning,†Odida explains the significance of the upcoming meeting.
While our partisan interests may not make the agenda of the meeting whose theme is ‘Prosperity and Development’, hosting it still presents a number of benefits to Uganda.
For example, while there is a global oil crisis with a barrel going for an unprecedented $100, we are trying to exploit our own newly discovered oil resources. Associating with the oil rich countries of the Gulf all of which happen to be members of OIC is strategic as Odida says. “We are bringing all our players on board and I am sure the relevant minister will have a chance to meet the decision makers from these oil rich countries,†he adds.
In addition, like in the case of CHOGM, we can showcase Uganda to a significant portion of the world and as a result; we shall;
- Promote Uganda’s tourism industry through a positive message of our hospitality and inclusiveness.
- Promote Uganda as a potential supplier of food and agricultural products like fish, meat, fruits and vegetables. OIC has a preferential trade system for its member states.
- Strengthen our bilateral ties with OIC member states. We already enjoy friendly ties with Libya and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which among others donated the King Fahad Plaza on Kampala Road.
As hosts of this meeting, we shall be in position to lobby the OIC member states to support a favourable global disposition for developing Africa.
Barely six months after hosting the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Uganda will, next week, host another international and intercontinental conference. The Organisation of Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (OICFM) to be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo from June 18 to 20 is attracting participants from even more countries than CHOGM did. Preceding this will be a business forum where business people, both local and foreign, will be matched for possible partnerships.
The OIC
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations. It has 57 member states spread over four continents. Although established as a collective Muslim voice in reaction to the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in 1969, the organisation has since evolved into a standard inter-governmental body that fosters social, economic and political cooperation between its member states.
Structurally, the OIC has three arms; The Conference of Heads of States, The Conference of Foreign Ministers and the General Secretariat which implements the decision of the two preceding arms. The General Secretariat is in Jeddah.
In addition the OIC has many subsidiary and affiliated organisations such as the Islamic Development Bank. The organisation that aims at becoming the most important inter-governmental in the world, enjoys good consultative and cooperative relations with the UN.
The OIC and Uganda
How Uganda an 80% Christian nation joined the OIC is purely historical, having joined in 1974 when Idi Amin was the president. However, 34 years later, we are still members and currently hold the chairmanship, a position we assumed in April this year.
“Idi Amin took Uganda to the OIC and many Christians have been challenging Uganda’s membership to this body. The NRM maintained the OIC membership because 12% of our people are Muslims,†President Yoweri Museveni said in a speech at the official opening of the National Mosque at Old Kampala. That said, our association with the OIC has also been motivationally fruitful.
The OIC founded the Islamic University in Uganda in 1988 to serve the English speaking Muslims of Eastern and Southern Africa. The university has so far graduated 3,000 students, 70% of whom were Ugandans. The Islamic Development Bank(IDB), an affiliate of the OIC subsequently donated $20m for the current expansion of the university.
The IDB has also over the years contributed to various sectors of the Uganda economy. “IDB has extended $10m to the energy sector, $3.2m to microfinance and $2.2m for vocational training,†Phillip Odida, the spokesperson of the National OIC organising committee, highlights some of the fruits. The fruits promise to continue being bountiful. During the OIC summit in Dakar this year, a $10b Islamic solidarity fund was established. Uganda, as a member, is set to be a direct beneficiary. “Uganda’s association with fellow OIC member states has led to direct investments through companies like WARID, Hits Telecom and a number of Libyan banks,†Frank Olok, the CEO of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, points out.
The Foreign Ministers’ meet
From June 18 to 20, Uganda will be hosting the OIC’s 35th Conference of foreign ministers at Speke Resort Munyonyo. “For Uganda, the meeting presents not only an opportunity to market the country to the Islamic world, but also to play a proactive role in emerging global affairs,†says a statement from the Ministry of Foreign affairs.
The OICFM, one of the two decision making arms of the OIC, meets annually to examine the progress report for the implementation of its decisions taken the previous year. It was this same body that in 1970 established the organisation’s General Secretariat. “The OICFM can be said to be even more instrumental than the summit of the heads of states and kings. While the summit which meets every three years lays down the blue print for action, it is the OICFM that does the day to day planning,†Odida explains the significance of the upcoming meeting.
While our partisan interests may not make the agenda of the meeting whose theme is ‘Prosperity and Development’, hosting it still presents a number of benefits to Uganda.
For example, while there is a global oil crisis with a barrel going for an unprecedented $100, we are trying to exploit our own newly discovered oil resources. Associating with the oil rich countries of the Gulf all of which happen to be members of OIC is strategic as Odida says. “We are bringing all our players on board and I am sure the relevant minister will have a chance to meet the decision makers from these oil rich countries,†he adds.
In addition, like in the case of CHOGM, we can showcase Uganda to a significant portion of the world and as a result; we shall;
- Promote Uganda’s tourism industry through a positive message of our hospitality and inclusiveness.
- Promote Uganda as a potential supplier of food and agricultural products like fish, meat, fruits and vegetables. OIC has a preferential trade system for its member states.
- Strengthen our bilateral ties with OIC member states. We already enjoy friendly ties with Libya and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which among others donated the King Fahad Plaza on Kampala Road.
As hosts of this meeting, we shall be in position to lobby the OIC member states to support a favourable global disposition for developing Africa.