Ismail Ould Cheikh New Secretary-General of OIC

RRI.CO.ID. Jakarta - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has chosen a new leader. During the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, member states elected His Excellency Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed as Secretary-General on Thursday, August 27, 2026. The vote took place at the OIC General Secretariat headquarters, marking a key transition for the 57-member bloc.

Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed formally took the oath of office during the session. He succeeds His Excellency Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, the outgoing Secretary-General. The ceremony was attended by the Foreign Ministers of all OIC member states, underscoring the importance of the leadership change for the Muslim world.

In his first address, the new Secretary-General spoke in Arabic, English, and French, reflecting the OIC’s three official languages. He described his election as “the greatest honor of my career and the highest distinction I have received after more than three decades of international, regional, and national service.” He expressed deep pride in the trust placed in him.

Mr. Ahmed pledged to match the member states’ expectations with concrete action. “My sincere determination to live up to the expectations of the Organization’s member states,” he said, “will be proven through actions, not just words, that my selection as Secretary-General was justified.” He emphasized service, unity, and results as priorities for his term.

The session also addressed urgent regional issues. Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting the meeting and for its continued support of the Palestinian cause. She highlighted ongoing regional tensions linked to the current situation.

Dr. Shahin pointed to actions by Israel, the occupying power, against countries in the region. She argued that decades of impunity have emboldened such actions and destabilized the area. Her remarks drew attention to the need for a stronger collective response from OIC members.

Concluding her statement, the Palestinian Foreign Minister called for practical, political, and legal steps to hold accountable those responsible for settler crimes and their financiers. She warned that incursions and attempts to alter the historical and legal status of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque pose a direct threat to peace and stability in the region, urging unity in Défense of these sites.

Source : OIC Press