President Vladimir Putin said that it was on his initiative that Russia gained observer status in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“Russia is an observer there. By the way, I was the one who proposed that Russia take that position,” Putin said during his annual Year in Review event. “I once approached my colleagues with this idea — that Russia should become an observer in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.”
He added that the decision was warmly welcomed by member states. “All our friends and colleagues from the Islamic countries supported it with great enthusiasm. I remember watching how it happened — it was a joyful moment, and personally very gratifying. It happened quite a while ago, but it was absolutely the right step on our part,” Putin noted.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an international intergovernmental body uniting Muslim-majority states. It was founded in 1969 and was known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference until June 2011. Its headquarters are located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The organization’s supreme authority is the Conference of Heads of State and Government, which meets every three years. Since November 2016, the OIC has been led by Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen of Saudi Arabia. The organization currently includes 57 member states, with Russia holding observer status.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS