The Gambian government has postponed the hosting of the 2019 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in The Gambia to 2022, the office of President Adama Barrow announced here on Tuesday.
According to a statement made available to The Voice yesterday, decision followed a series of high-level consultations held with other African countries on the limited time available to have the needed infrastructure for the successful hosting of the 2019 OIC Summit.
Meanwhile, the Government, in preparation for the summit, established the national OIC Secretariat in February 2018 to oversee the successful organization and hosting of the Summit.
The secretariat has also been given the mandate to mobilize resources required to enable The Gambia to host the summit successfully.
The statement further disclosed that the secretariat has secured funding for construction of a dual carriageway from the Airport in Yundum Banjul, construction of a 400-room, 5-Star Hotel and 60 Luxury Suites and construction of VVIP Lounge at the Banjul International Airport.
Also, the secretariat enhanced water production, transmission and distribution and enhanced power transmission and distribution network
“Given these huge tasks against the limited time factor, it became apparent that the country’s ability to host the summit this year cannot take place.
The Government thus, opted to seek the deferment of its hosting of the Summit to the year 2022, when the next OIC Summit is scheduled to take place.
Deferment of the hosting of OIC Summit has happened in the past to allow host countries to adequately prepare for it. Countries that have deferred the hosting of the OIC Summit in the past include Morocco, Pakistan, Senegal, Egypt and Saudi Arabia,” statement said.
It could be recalled that it was at its 13th Summit held in Turkey in April 2016 that the Organization awarded Gambia hosting right for the 2019 Summit, which was initially scheduled for November this year.
The Government of The Gambia wishes to reassure the general public, members of the entire Ummah and all its development partners of its commitment to host the Summit in 2022.
The OIC is the second largest intergovernmental organization with a membership of 57 States.
Once every three (3) years, the OIC organizes and holds a Summit bringing together Rulers and the Heads of State and Government of its member states in a single forum, often the largest gathering of leaders from the Islamic Ummah.
At the summits, key policy decisions are taken and guidance provided on all issues pertaining to the realization of the objectives of the organization as provided for in the OIC Charter.
The Summit also considers other issues of specific concern to any Member State or a group of Member States with the view to addressing them.
