Rohingya crisis and tackling terrorism in Africa will get much focus at Foreign Ministers-level meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that begins on Friday in Niamey, the capital of Niger, officials said.   The OIC Secretariat will hold the 47th Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) under the theme of “United against Terrorism for Peace and Development".   The meeting will discuss ways to raise funds for supporting the Rohingya case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).   Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen was supposed to lead the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting but his visit was cancelled as he had tested positive for COVID-19 hours before his departure.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will also miss the event as he also tested positive for coronavirus.
 
A Bangladesh delegation comprising of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh and Bangladesh Permanent Mission in OIC will represent Bangladesh at the OIC meeting, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
The OIC Secretariat in a media statement said the Council will discuss the situation of Muslim minorities and communities in non-member states, how to raise funds for the Rohingya case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as civilisational, cultural and religious dialogue promotion, and other matters that may come before the council.
 
Placed on the agenda of this year’s CFM session, Secretary General Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen explains, is a list of topics and issues of concern to the Muslim world.

 
In addition to the Palestinian cause, the fight against violence, extremism and terrorism, Islamophobia and religious defamation will also be discussed.
 
The OIC foreign ministers will also discuss, over two days, political, humanitarian, economic, socio-cultural and other issues related to science and technology, the media and the implementation progress on the OIC plan of action 2025.
 
The other item on the agenda is a brainstorming session on “Security and Humanitarian Challenges Confronting African Sahel States Members of the OIC”.

Also read: FM, FS test positive for Covid-19; planned visit to Niger cancelled

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district.
 
The Gambia filed a more than 500-page Memorial, which also includes more than 5,000 pages of supporting material, in its lawsuit against Myanmar at the ICJ in The Hague, making its case for how the Government of Myanmar is responsible for genocide against Rohingya.
 
In November 2019, The Gambia opened a case at the ICJ, also known as the World Court, against Myanmar for failing to prevent or punish genocide against Rohingya Muslims.
 
On January 23, 2020, the ICJ unanimously indicated legally binding provisional measures, requiring the Government of Myanmar to take all steps within its power to prevent the commission of all acts of genocide, such as killing, causing serious mental or bodily harm, and other acts listed in the Genocide Convention.
 
Also read: OIC to raise funds to support Rohingya case in ICJ