Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari
Remarks to the General Cooperation Meeting between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Geneva, 22 July 2026
Your Excellencies,
It is a pleasure to welcome you once again to Geneva for this 17th General Cooperation Meeting between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
For decades, our Organizations have developed cooperation in a wide variety of areas, including conflict prevention and diplomacy; preventing, combating and countering radicalization and violent extremism; promoting the rights of women; ensuring `food security; addressing climate change; ensuring the provision of ever-needed humanitarian aid; and combatting Islamophobia and intolerance of all kinds – to name just a few highlights of our common agenda.
In far too many parts of the world, responding to crises, defending human rights, promoting sustainable development and providing humanitarian aid to those in need have become increasingly challenging. Funding is becoming scarce, and conflicts are proliferating, leaving untold suffering in their wake.
The United Nations places great value on the support it receives from the OIC to strengthen messages of peace and dialogue in the world.
The current conflict in the Middle East has heightened tensions, shattered lives and disrupted critical maritime and energy routes, increasing the risk of wider instability across the region and beyond. Sustained de-escalation, restraint and dialogue remain essential to safeguard regional and global security, including economic stability.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had severe economic and humanitarian repercussions for Gulf Arab States, which depend on the waterway for the large majority of their food imports and virtually all their energy exports. Oil and liquefied natural gas production across the Gulf countries fell sharply in the weeks following the closure, while disruptions to food and desalination supply chains raised serious humanitarian concerns, particularly in countries that rely on the Strait for potable water production. The effects have also extended far beyond the Gulf, with repercussions across Asia, Africa and beyond.
At the same time, OIC Member States, including Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have been carrying out essential mediation that has been instrumental in preserving open channels of communication between the parties. The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the Middle East Conflict and its Consequences, Mr. Jean Arnault, has sought to complement these efforts through direct consultations in support of a comprehensive, durable political resolution.
In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, consolidating the Gaza ceasefire and implementing Security Council resolution 2803 (2025) remain essential to stabilizing the situation and enabling Palestinian-led recovery while preserving the unity of Gaza and the West Bank.
However, escalating violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank continue to entrench the unlawful occupation and undermine Palestinian self-determination.
These parallel challenges highlight the need to safeguard the territorial, political and institutional integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and ensure that progress in Gaza is not pursued in isolation.
Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and in the broader region, UNRWA remains a pillar of stability that must be fully supported by the international community. As the Agency faces serious political and financial challenges, we continue to trust that the OIC Member States and the wider international community will continue to lend support, including through generous and much-needed financial contributions.
The strong partnership between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation remains vital to this end. OIC support has been crucial in mobilizing political attention and resources for humanitarian response and early recovery while reinforcing a unified regional approach to a sustainable political horizon.
Turning to Lebanon, the 26 June Trilateral Framework between Lebanon, Israel and the United States could provide an opportunity to break recurring cycles of violence and advance greater stability along the Blue Line.
Realizing this opportunity will require sustained political commitment from all parties, respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and continued efforts to extend the authority of the Lebanese State throughout its territory, including through the implementation of relevant security commitments.
The United Nations remains committed to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 and welcomes the role of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in supporting Lebanon’s stability, resilience and efforts to consolidate state authority and preserve social cohesion.
We also place great value on the engagement of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in support of the people of Afghanistan and to advance accountability for serious crimes against Rohingya Muslims.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The founders of the United Nations, more than 80 years ago, clearly recognized the valuable role that regional organizations could play in Chapter VIII of the Charter, which underpins our cooperation. The importance of regional organizations has only grown since then, as was recognized in the Pact for the Future in 2024.
Our cooperation and joint action are a force multiplier, enabling each of our Organizations to do more together than either could do alone. This General Cooperation Meeting offers us a platform to review our joint results, to look for unexpected synergies and explore new ways to expand our cooperation strategically, to ensure our efforts are as impactful as possible and truly improve the lives of the people whom we serve.
I encourage each of you to seize the opportunities presented by this meeting, and I wish you fruitful discussions.
Thank you.
