OIC Summit: We Now Grapple With Serious Security Problems – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has called the attention of the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to the security
challenges in Nigeria and other African countries.

He raised the concern while reading the collective statement of
African countries at the 14th Summit of the OIC in Makkah, Saudi
Arabia.

On issues of concurrent global significance, President Buhari
said the African members of the OIC were pleased with renewed
efforts by the organisation for the restoration of the national
rights of the Palestinians and other long-standing unresolved
conflicts.

“In addition to the core issue of the restoration of the
national rights of the Palestinians and other long-standing
unresolved conflicts, we now grapple with serious security
problems, represented by the destructive activities of terrorists,
violent extremists, and armed criminals in many of OIC member
states,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement on
Saturday by his media aide, Mr Garba Shehu.

President Buhari informed the gathering that some of these
problems have assumed grave dimensions in recent times and required
serious and coordinated approach for lasting solutions.

He said, “This situation has also been compounded by a series of
political crises, which continue to affect a number of our
countries.

“In this regard, we support the actions of the OIC in seeking an
early resolution to the lingering Palestinian question and the
rights of the Palestinian people to an independent homeland.”

“We equally subscribe to the various actions of the OIC in
resolving the crises in Syria, Yemen, and Libya.

“We commend OIC engagement with other international actors in
addressing the various political conflicts in the OIC region and
the plight of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar,” the
President added.

He, therefore, passed a vote of confidence on the intervention
programmes of the various institutions under the OIC for their
impacts on Nigeria and other African countries.

The Nigerian leader lauded the robust interventions of the
Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in key sectors such as agriculture,
trade, and investment.

According to him, the robust interventions of the OIC
institutions and principally the IDB Group have been effective in
such key sectors as rural development and food security, science,
technology and innovation, and poverty alleviation among
others.

“In particular, Nigeria acknowledges the support of OIC member
states in countering the menace of terrorism and armed criminality
in West Africa, the Lake Chad area, and the Sahel countries,”
President Buhari said.

He added, “We appreciate their contributions in the alleviation
of the humanitarian crisis arising from the insurgency but urge
them to do more.”

The President also commended OIC institutions for supporting
development projects aimed at achieving rapid socio-economic
development in the country.

He highlighted the Inter-Water Basic transfer aimed at
recharging the Lake Chad, the National Food Security Programme, the
Second Niger Bridge, various roads and school rehabilitation
projects as some projects in Nigeria that have attracted the
support of OIC institutions.

President Buhari also used the occasion to express confidence
that the ongoing political transition in Sudan and Algeria would be
concluded smoothly and peacefully.

He thanked King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud for hosting and
chairing the OIC Summit.

The President also commended the Turkish President, Recep
Erdogan, whose tenure just ended, “for his commitment to the ideals
of our organisation and his efforts in ensuring that the OIC
achieves its set goals and objectives, throughout his tenure as
Chairman.”

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