Project Islamic countries as homogenous force: Morocco

Islamic countries need to impose themselves as a homogeneous and influential force to address the problems besetting the Islamic world, Morocco's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Salaheddine Mezouar has said.

"We will not be able to take on challenges ahead of us and impose ourselves as a homogeneous and influential force until we succeed in unifying our ranks and address our problems with courage and insightfulness," Mezouar said Wednesday, the first day of the two-day 41st session of the foreign ministers council of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation being held here.

The Moroccan official, who was also speaking on behalf of the OIC's Arab group, also sought a pragmatic approach to implement decisions adopted by the pan-Islamic organisation, the Moroccan news agency Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) reported.

He also stressed that member countries needed to better manage cultural diversity which was a source of richness in the organisation and a factor of influence in international decision-making centres.

This year's meeting is being held in this Red Sea Saudi city with the theme of "Exploring Islamic cooperation fields".

The diplomatic heads of member-countries are discussing the situation in the Muslim world and latest developments in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the issue of Al Quds, the Islamic name of the holy city of Jerusalem.

The situation in Iraq and Syria is high on the session's agenda which also includes items related to the situation in Libya, the conditions of minorities in Myanmar and the Philippines, in addition to terrorism and extremism.

Formerly called the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the OIC was established in 1969 and has 57 countries spread across four continents as its members.