The 11th summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) opened here Thursday with delegations from the organisation’s 57 member states in attendance. The two-day summit is expected to examine the first report of the OIC “observatory on islamophobia” established in 2005. Sources close to the organisation told panapress that the report, if approved, seeks to set up a rights watchdog to curb smear campaigns against Islam across the world. The summit will also approve a new Charter for the organisation although this has been in force since 1972. The new charter is aimed at strengthening the role of the institution on the international scene as well as its relations with the civil society. Resolutions are also expected to be made to promote economic solidarity among Muslim countries. At the opening session, Malaysia officially handed over the OIC chairmanship to Senegal.
