The 43^rd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was hosted by the Republic of Uzbekistan and held in Tashkent on 18-19 October 2016 under the theme “EDUCATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT - PATH TO PEACE AND CREATIVITY”. The meeting came at a time when various critical issues and conflicts are currently affecting the region of the OIC member countries and the Muslim world as a whole.

The Session was inaugurated by the First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, and the Chairman of the 42^nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The opening ceremony in the first day of the Session included a speech by the Interim President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who expressed the profound significance of the theme of the present Session “Education and Enlightenment: Path to Peace and Creativity”, and stressed upon the need to consider the spiritual aspects in education, and strengthen cooperation among the youth. The OIC Secretary General, H.E. Iyad Ameen Madani, delivered a statement addressing the Palestinian cause, the plight in Syria, and the situation in Iraq, Yemen, Mali, Afghanistan, Central Africa, Jammu and Kashmir, the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, the tragedy of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and the situation of Muslims in the Philippines and Thailand. Following that, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait and the Chair of the 42^nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, H.E Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, gave the statement of Kuwait.

Upon receipt of the chairmanship of the 43^rd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, H.E. Abdel-Aziz Kamilov, delivered a brief statement in which he emphasized the significant role of the OIC, as the platform of the Islamic world, in promoting solidarity. In the inaugural ceremony, the theme of the present Session was also introduced by the Minister of Education in Uzbekistan, H.E. Rostom Kassimov.

The second day of the CFM started with a special brain storming session titled "Widening Opportunities and Promoting Creative Potentials of Younger Generations". Also, during the two-day Session, the delegations of the Member States deliberated on a wide-range agenda items and adopt political, economic, social, cultural, information, humanitarian and science and technology resolutions. The following political issues which were high on the agenda: Palestine issue, the situation in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Mali and the Republic of Central Africa, in addition to the issues of the Muslim communities in non-OIC Member States, particularly in Myanmar, combating terrorism, radicalism, disarmament and countering Islamophobia.

At the closing session, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Heads of Delegations of the Member States adopted the draft resolutions covering political, humanitarian and economic affairs as well as the OIC program up to 2025, in addition to the legal and organic matters and issues of information, science and technology, information technology, cultural and social affairs, women affairs, dialogue and outreach. The closing session was then concluded by adopting the “Tashkent Declaration”.

The delegation of SESRIC to the 43^rd Session of the CFM was headed by H.E. Amb. Musa KULAKLIKAYA, Director General and comprised Mr. Fadi Farasin, Researcher at the Research Department.

Photos