Foreign ministers from across the Islamic world gathered in Baghdad on Saturday for the 52nd session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers, opening two days of talks dominated by the war in Gaza, mounting regional tensions and deepening humanitarian crises in Sudan and Afghanistan. The OIC foreign ministers Baghdad session brings together delegations from nearly all 57 member states in Iraq’s capital.
FAKTA
- The 52nd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meets in Baghdad on October 17–18, 2026, under the theme “Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development.”
- 53 of the bloc’s 57 member states have confirmed attendance, according to the conference spokesperson.
- Iraq takes over the council’s rotating presidency from Turkey; Baghdad last hosted the session in 1981.
- Key agenda items: the Palestinian cause and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the crises in Afghanistan and Sudan, developments in Yemen, and the OIC’s annual report on Islamophobia.
- Pakistan is represented by its Permanent Representative to the OIC in Jeddah, Ambassador Fawad Sher, as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stayed in Islamabad, according to Pakistani media reports.
Gaza and regional crises dominate the agenda
The two-day meeting comes at a moment of acute strain across the Middle East. The OIC says participating delegations will take up the Palestinian cause, the humanitarian and political situation in Gaza, and recent escalations in the region, alongside efforts to coordinate the Islamic world’s diplomatic response. The 52nd OIC session also puts Afghanistan and Sudan firmly on the table, following a recent visit to Kabul by the OIC secretary-general’s special envoy to review humanitarian, health and education needs.
Food security, economic cooperation among member states and the coordination of relief efforts for conflict-affected populations are also listed among the topics for ministerial discussion.
Baghdad’s presidency moment
For Iraq, hosting the session carries symbolic weight: it marks Baghdad’s return to the council’s presidency for the first time since 1981. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein described the gathering as a significant event for Iraq and for the organisation’s member states, saying preparations — including a draft “Baghdad Declaration” — had been finalised to welcome the delegations. OIC Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed arrived in the Iraqi capital on Friday leading a high-level delegation from the General Secretariat.
Pakistan sends ambassador-level delegation
Pakistan, a prominent OIC member, is participating through its Permanent Representative to the OIC in Jeddah, Ambassador Fawad Sher. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will not travel to Baghdad because of domestic commitments and other engagements, an official told Pakistan’s Dunya News. Islamabad has nevertheless emphasised its active engagement with fellow OIC members: in the days before the session, Dar held separate calls with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Turkey to coordinate positions on Gaza and the wider regional agenda.
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