Terror leads to Islamophobia, says OIC head

ISTANBUL

Terrorism causes hatred among Muslims and leads to Islamophobia against Muslims in the world, Iyad bin Amin Madani, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation or OIC, said on Tuesday.

“Extremism fractures social cohesion. It holds back important matters such as justice, development, and welfare,” Madani said in Istanbul in his opening speech to the OIC foreign ministers’ meeting.

Saying that Muslim countries should fight terror, Madani stressed that terror also prevent progress and reforms.

The Saudi diplomat also cautioned against sectarianism, adding, “These divisions worsen our circumstances.”

The foreign ministers from OIC member countries are meeting in Istanbul to prepare for a wider summit that will take place on Thursday and Friday.

The international meeting, with the theme “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace,” is expected to discuss the situation in numerous Muslim countries, including Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, and Azerbaijan, as well as the fight against terrorism.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host the OIC summit, which presidents and prime ministers from over 30 countries are set to attend.