Organization of the Islamic Cooperation

Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an Islamic organization established in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May 1971, following summits by Muslim heads of state and government in 1969 and by Muslim foreign ministers in 1970. The membership includes Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority (PA), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria (suspended), Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The conference aims at promoting Islamic solidarity by coordinating social, economic, scientific, and cultural activities. Under the banner of strengthening the struggle of Muslims, the conference pledges to eliminate racial segregation and discrimination, especially in regard to the Palestinians. Projects include the International Islamic News Agency, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Solidarity Fund, and the World Centre for Islamic Education. Egypt was suspended in 1979 after it signed the agreement known as the Camp David Accords with Israel; in 1984 it accepted an offer to rejoin the organization. Syria was suspended in 2012 as its crackdown on Arab Spring protesters evolved into civil war.