“President Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is further confirmation of Azerbaijan’s growing political influence in the Islamic world, its international initiatives and its important role in strengthening Islamic solidarity.”
Political analyst Zuriya Garayeva told Globalinfo.az this.
The political analyst said Azerbaijan has built its relations with the Islamic world not only on religious and cultural ties, but also on political solidarity, mutual trust and shared interests:
“It is no coincidence that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was among the first international organisations Azerbaijan joined after restoring its independence, and this year marks 35 years of that membership. The Secretary-General’s special emphasis on National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s role in shaping ties with the organisation also shows that these relations rest on solid historical and political foundations. At the same time, the assessment of Azerbaijan’s full restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity as a historic event, and support for President Ilham Aliyev’s efforts to ensure lasting peace in the South Caucasus, send an important political message. For many years, the OIC defended Azerbaijan’s rightful position against Armenia’s policy of occupation and adopted relevant resolutions. Today, the organisation’s support for Azerbaijan’s peace agenda shows that relations have entered a new stage. Azerbaijan is now one of the leading states that not only defends its national interests on international platforms, but also contributes to regional stability and stronger political solidarity in the Islamic world.
Zuriya Garayeva
According to the political analyst, the main advantage of Azerbaijan’s Islamic solidarity policy is that it is accompanied by concrete initiatives and practical action:
“The declaration of 2017 as the ‘Year of Islamic Solidarity’ in our country, the holding of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, and the organisation in 2013, at Azerbaijan’s initiative, of a high-level meeting at the UN Security Council on UN-OIC cooperation are important examples of this. At the same time, the restoration of mosques destroyed in the territories liberated from occupation and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s contributions to preserving Islamic cultural heritage abroad are practical expressions of Azerbaijan’s attitude to these values. The holding of international conferences to combat Islamophobia, the selection of Shusha as the OIC’s tourism capital for 2026, and Azerbaijan’s hosting of the Islamic Summit Conference in 2027 demonstrate our country’s growing role within the organisation.
Against the backdrop of disinformation campaigns targeting the Islamic world and Azerbaijan, coordinated action by member states is becoming increasingly important. Azerbaijan has become an important platform promoting both political dialogue and intercultural cooperation in this area. One of the most important points is that, while preserving its secular statehood model, Azerbaijan demonstrates its commitment to Islam’s spiritual and cultural heritage. This approach enables our country to act as a reliable partner in developing dialogue between the Islamic world and the West and to further strengthen its international standing”.
Turan Rzayev
Globalinfo.az
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