OIC NEWS Australia’s newly-appointed Special Envoy to the OIC makes first visit to Jeddah Australia respects the OIC as a powerful voice for the Umma Discussions on OICAustralia framework of cooperation underway Amb. Ocak speaking with Australian envoy Fahour
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The newly-appointed Australian $558.1 million in 2011- 12. Australia is the third-largest Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation donor to Libya and one of the largest bi-lateral donors (OIC), prominent Muslim Australian businessman Ahmed responding to the crisis in the Horn of Africa. Australia has Fahour, visited Jeddah on 29- 30 October for discussions also increased its aid to the Palestinian territories and will with senior OIC officials, including the Secretary General’s provide more than $300 million over the next five years. Director General of Cabinet and Senior Advisor, Amb. Australia has doubled its development assistance programs Vefahan Ocak, and Special Advisor Cenk Uraz. to Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Australian Government appointed Fahour – the Fahour said he was delighted to be in Jeddah after country’s first ever Special Envoy to the OIC – in June 2010. attending the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Astana last June. This was his first visit to the OIC. Speaking to the OIC He said that Australia respected the OIC as a powerful voice Journal during his visit, Fahour said that the appointment for the Umma and encouraged the OIC to remember Muslims of a Special Envoy is part of Australia’s commitment to living in non-OIC Member States. Fahour told OIC officials strengthen relations with the OIC by exploring ways to that Australia’s nearly 400,000 strong Muslim community, increase cooperation in areas such as interfaith dialogue, food drawn from all parts of the world, was vibrant and proud of security, economic and trade opportunities, humanitarian its roots. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has said assistance and development cooperation. of Fahour: “He is a man with a passion for advancing social Australia’s development assistance to OIC members is cohesion and the place of Muslims in Australian society”. large and growing. In 2011- 12 alone, Australia will provide Fahour, who came to Australia from Lebanon with approximately $ 1 billion in development assistance to OIC his family at age three, praised Australia as the home members across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, according to Fahour. This assistance will be provided through bilateral, to people from nearly 200 different countries, living regional, multilateral and humanitarian initiatives. Australia together in harmony. The Australian Government’s policy works closely with Islamic organizations in these countries. of multiculturalism respects and encourages ethnic and Furthermore, Fahor said that Australia’s trade in religious diversity and Australia is playing an important goods and services with OIC Members States amounts to role in global efforts to encourage interfaith dialogue and approximately $39 billion annually. Tens of thousands of understanding. Australia and the OIC are currently discussing a young people from OIC Member States study at Australia’s Framework for Cooperation as the concrete basis for world-class universities. Closer engagement with the OIC increased engagement and Fahour is also working on plans and its Member States will bring opportunities to expand – supported by the Australian Government – for Australia’s economic ties that will benefit both parties, he added. first ever Islamic Museum. The OIC Secretary General has On the aid issues, Australia’s closest neighbour, Indonesia, is the world’s most populous Muslim nation and been invited to visit Australia early in 2012 to see first-hand it is Australia’s largest bilateral aid partner, with Australia the success of a tolerant, multi-cultural society that has providing bilateral ODA to Indonesia of approximately strong and growing links to the Islamic world. 36
the OIC Journal www.oic-oci.org Sept - Dec 2011