Turkish foreign minister chairs OIC foreign ministers’ annual coordination meeting in New York

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chaired the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers’ Annual Coordination Meeting in New York, Turkish diplomatic sources said Thursday.

Fidan chaired the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, as Türkiye currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

In his address, Fidan discussed Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, as well as its occupation and annexation activities across Palestine and its attacks on Syria and Lebanon, according to the sources.

He also assessed a range of issues concerning the Islamic world, particularly developments related to Iran, Yemen, Libya, Sudan and Somalia.

Fidan stressed the importance of the OIC’s role in protecting the rights of Muslim minorities and communities.

Held annually during UN General Assembly week, the OIC Foreign Ministers’ Annual Coordination Meeting provides an additional platform for foreign ministers of member states to exchange views alongside the organization’s annual Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.

The Council of Foreign Ministers, which normally convenes once a year, can also hold extraordinary sessions when necessary to address major issues concerning the Islamic world.

Türkiye assumed the rotating chairmanship after hosting the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul on June 21–22, 2025, under the theme “The OIC in a Transforming World.”

Türkiye previously hosted Council of Foreign Ministers meetings in 1976, 1991 and 2004.