Habari Post

The over 40 leaders from Muslim countries meeting in Dakar, Senegal wrapped a two-day summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) last Friday.

On the sidelines of the summit a peace agreement was signed by the presidents of Sudan and Chad. The agreement is meant to end cross-border rebel attacks in a region that includes Sudan's war-torn Darfur.

Important excerpts from the OIC's Dakar Declaration include:

"We believe that it is important to plan along such lines a preparatory phase by organizing a major international gathering on Islamic-Christian dialog that involves governments among other players."

"We reaffirm our respective countries' solidarity with the Palestinian people's heroic struggle and applaud their exemplary courage, which appears prominently on the most beautiful pages of the Ummah's history."

"We proclaim, once again, our common position on the overall settlement of the Palestinian question in accordance with OIC and UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Road Map of the Quartet within the spirit of the OIC's constant commitment to the Middle East peace process."

"We continue to strongly condemn all forms of extremism and dogmatism which are incompatible with Islam, a religion of moderation and peaceful coexistence."

"...terrorism is a global phenomenon that is not related to any religion, race, color or country and (terrorism) should be distinguished from "legitimate resistance against foreign occupation..."

"We have thus agreed to include among the priorities of the joint Islamic action bilateral and multilateral debt relief by donor member states in favor of low-income OIC African member countries... special attention should be given to Africa, the region most plagued by poverty, disease, illiteracy, famine and debt."

"It is in the same spirit of solidarity that we pledge that our Governments will do whatever it takes to make contributions amounting to US$ 10 billion, as soon as possible, to the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, established within the Islamic Development Bank (IDB)."

"...we urge OIC member states to strive for high-level training, good quality education designed to promote creativity, research, innovation and development..."

"...we call on member states and their scholars to seek to unify the Islamic calendar and thus boost Islam's image in the world."