Foreign Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel has arrived in Saudi Arabia to attend the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The meeting is scheduled to take place on 25 August in Jeddah.

The Council of Foreign Ministers convenes annually, bringing together foreign ministers from OIC member states to deliberate on issues affecting the Islamic ummah. This year’s gathering will centre on condemning Israel’s continued actions against the Palestinian people, including the restriction of humanitarian aid and the imposition of full occupation over Gaza. At the invitation of the governments of Turkey and Iran, all OIC member states will be represented at ministerial level.

Foreign Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel is expected to deliver a keynote address during the session. In his remarks, he will describe Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza in its entirety as a violation of international law and will call for the policy to be reversed. He will also urge Israel to comply with international law and international human rights law, stressing the need for accountability.

The Minister will further highlight that using the suffering of the people of Gaza as a weapon of war constitutes a violation of both international law and human rights law. He is expected to call for the delivery of safe, sustainable and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to every part of Gaza.

His address will also express concern about the lack of effective international measures to halt Israel’s actions against Gaza and the Palestinian people. He will emphasise the importance of combining strong words with decisive action in order to address the Palestinian issue.

The speech will reaffirm the Maldives’ long-standing position on Palestine. The Minister will stress that the Maldives will continue to advocate internationally for the recognition of Palestine as an independent and sovereign state.

The OIC, which has 57 member states, has consistently supported the Palestinian cause. The Maldives has been a member of the organisation since 1976, and alongside participation in OIC meetings, it has consistently condemned Israel’s actions on Palestinian land.

The Maldives has also maintained that the only lasting solution to the conflict is the recognition of East Quds as the capital of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, along with the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine. This position has been upheld by the Maldives for the past 48 years.