The two-session summit will be held under the theme "Enhancing unity through dialogue to sustainable development".
According to a press release from the OIC, variety of issues will be addressed including the Palestinian question, youth, women, family, Islamophobia, climate change, Muslim minorities in non-member states, hate speech, food security, and legal matters.
Since the opening of the summit falls on a weekend -Saturday, people should be prepared to give rousing welcome to the delegates coming from different parts of the world.
Excellent that 4,000 security personnel have been prepared to deploy before, during and after the summit!
For its paramount necessity, we add that security should be vigilant to guard the airport, the ports and the borders, especially porous routes.
Mr President, it is essential to ensure that there is reliable electricity, water supply and internet.
A wayside issue though is that there are still affected people due to the construction of OIC roads. These people are still waiting for their compensation.
Mr President, since you will be chairman of the OIC, it is an opportunity for your government to make a difference by utilising cordial cooperation with member countries of OIC to realise more developments for the country.
Mr President, on the sidelines of the summit, it is wise to seize investment opportunities, with GIEPA officials trying to get more investors to The Gambia to create jobs in the country. Opportunities may also be there to send our youth to some Arab countries to get jobs and more training with good treatment. This can be done under the purview of the Attorney General’s Office and the Labour Department under the Ministry of Trade.
Stronger friendly countries can be sought or to help Gambia with good roads, transports, electricity and water supply, to name few. Also, bilateral trade can be generated or reinforced. And Gambian students can also be sent to such countries for further education.
Just to re-echo the holy sound, we are all reminded that the nation should offer special prayers at mosques, churches and homes for a successful and peaceful summit.
It would be noted that The Gambia joined the OIC in 1974 in Pakistan, which hosted the second summit, and in 1986 the late Sir Dawda Jawara was the chairman of the Islamic Peace Committee set up by OIC for the Iran-Iraq war, after the demise of former president Sekou Toure of Guinea Conakry, whom he replaced.
Mr President, another pertinent issue, especially connected with the victims of human rights in The Gambia, is that we would like to commend your government for introducing two new bills recently to ensure people who violated human rights during the 22-year rule of ex-president Yahya Jammeh (1994 to 2017) are accountable including the architect himself Jammeh to face justice.
The special accountability mechanism Truth Reconciliations and Reparation Commission (TRRC) would create a framework for prosecuting serious human rights violations.
It would also establish a special prosecutor’s office and a special tribunal and criminal division at the high courts.
Mr President, in the same vein, it will be ideal to pay reparation to the victims before the trials start.
The victims received 50 million Dalasis in July 2021, and a balance of 150 million Dalasis is yet to be paid. The victims are badly in need of the money to pay medical bills, education fees of their children and rent.
For Jammeh, it is advisable that he is tried in Nigeria where ECOWAS headquarters is. For security reasons, he should not be tried here in The Gambia.
Good day!