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The Organization of the Is/Tainic Con/ereiicc

ce[ebriit' its

24r_)4 liii 1' 'cis'

When it was set up there America, all dealing with I'm a career diplomat. I
were a lot of discussions the same questions as the graduated from the Ecole
about the name of the United Nations. That is the Nationale dAdministration
organization. Some wanted reason why we have close et de Diplomacie de
it to be called the collaboration with the UN. Senegal. I was in charge of
Organization of Muslim Every two years there is an the Africa-Asia Department
our in the Ministry of Foreign
of
States, others wanted it to be evaluation
called the Organisation for collaboration. Affairs. And Director of the
Islamic States, but neither cabinet of the Foreign
name was satisfactory to all. We have a mission accredi- Minister Before that I had
Some countries have 30% of ted to the United Nations in been posted in Gambia, in
Muslims, others more, some New York, as well as here in Addis Ababa (1994-
less, so they are not really Geneva. I, for instance, am 2000),as Deputy Permanent
Islamic countries. In fact, accredited in Geneva and Representative to OAU,
each country has a different also in Vienna. We will also ECA, and Ethiopia covering
constitution, so they do not open an office in Brussels in also about 10 other countries
all belong to the Islamic order to reinforce our in East Africa and Southern
religion to the same degree. collaboration with the EU. Africa, and then I became
We had to find something The agreement is about to be the head of the European
else. Therefore, they called finalized with the Belgian Department in the Ministry
it the Organization of the government. It is important of Foreign Affairs. When the
Islamic Conference, an to reinforce collaboration OIC was looking for some-
inter-governmental organi- between the West and the body to be in charge of their
zation. Each year there is a Muslim world in order to mission here in Geneva, the
meeting for all the Ministers combat extremism and President of Senegal asked
of Foreign Affairs of the denial, and leave room for me to take up this function.
among In short, I am a career diplo-
Member States of the OIC dialogue
civilizations. We should not mat belonging to the
diplomatic
It is the most important and leave a space for the extre- Senegalese
biggest organization after mists. corps, and I'm married with
the United Nations and the 4 children.
Mr
organization of French- Finally,
speaking countries. We have Ambassador, what is
Member States from Asia, your background?
Africa , Middle East,

42009 Diva 13

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