The Afro-Asian Co-operation and Development Conference, organized by the Afro-Asian Co-operation Council in Istanbul in cooperation with the Federation of NGOs in the Islamic World, concluded on Friday evening with more than 25 countries from Africa and Asia under the title “Cooperation on righteousness and piety”. In addition, several Muslim scholars, Sufis associations and as well as dozens of charitable and relief organizations.
The participants recommended in the final communique of the conference the need for strengthening relations and cooperation between the peoples of Africa and Asia, to achieve social communication, to promote dialogue and promote peace and tolerance among societies, as well as to adopt development programs and projects and to work on their development and partnership agreements between the municipalities of these cities and civil society institutions With the charitable and educational institutions and municipalities of Turkey.
The first day of the conference was devoted to holding several working sessions and specialized workshops on various topics on cooperation, development and media, in addition to several words to the organizer and several participants. The most prominent was the speech of Engineer Mounir Said, Chairman of the Afro-Asian Cooperation Council. He said during his speech that the forum groups different categories of the Muslim Ummah together. This is to gather the Islamic Ummah all over the world to cooperate in order to rise up and face the risks and challenges that afflict them, in addition to the words of the lawyer Ali Kurt, the chairman of the Union of NGOs in the Islamic world, in which he stressed the importance of holding such a gathering to collect Sufi state of all parts of the earth for cooperation to bring peace and Islam among Muslim Ummah.
While the second day was devoted to holding several seminars about Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, Islam and Sufism in addition to the presentation of the distinctive work experiences of the institutions participating in the forum.
The head of the political bureau of the former Hamas movement, Khaled Meshaal, criticized the “unprecedented boldness” of some Arab leaders in normalization with the Israeli occupation.
“Some people have no objection to sacrificing Palestine and offering it to the Americans, although the Arabs were sacrificing for Palestine before. Today, unfortunately, some sacrifice Palestine,” Meshaal said during his speech in the symposium on Jerusalem and al-Aqsa in the forum.
Meshaal pointed out that the occupation exploits the internal Palestinian situation by its division and the weakness of the options of some elements of the arena and the Palestinian leadership and consider it their golden opportunity to settle the issue. Hence the so-called “Deal of the Century” and announce its announcement after Ramadan, “They transferred the American Embassy and beat UNRWA, confirmed and ratified the Jewish state law, gave Israel sovereignty over the Golan, and pushed the Arabs to fall into the arms of Israel.”
In the second session, Dr. Sidi Umar walad Sheikh spoke about the role of Sufism in the resistance against colonialism, and reviewed a number of models of the Sufi resistance to the occupation in several African countries, pointing out that Sufism carried the banner of resistance and jihad through the Islamic eras.
Dr. Sidi Omar said that Salah al-Din al-ayubi is one of the sons of Sufism and educated by its sheikhs, in addition to Sheikh Omar al-Mukhtar, who fought the occupation in Libya, pointing out that Sufism is the first to fight the expansion of colonial trade since its starting days.
The forum was launched on Thursday with the aim of creating an area for cooperation on social development and cooperation among Islamic societies and achieving cooperation and acquaintance between civil society institutions.
The Afro-Asian Cooperation Council is a civil society organization working in the field of building relations and cooperation between the countries of Asia and Africa, as well as cooperation in serving the nation’s issues, especially the issue of Jerusalem and Palestine.
Afro-Asian Cooperation and Development Forum
Sha’ban 18/20- 1440H corresponding to 24/26 April 2019
Final Statement
Afro-Asian Cooperation and Development Forum
With the help and support of God, the “Afro-Asian Cooperation and Development Forum” was held in Istanbul, under the slogan: “Cooperate on righteousness and piety” during the period from 18 to 20 Sha’ban 1440H, corresponding to 24-26 April 2019. The conference was organized by the Afro-Asian Co-operation Council and the Union of NGOs in the Islamic World, with the participation of a number of the Ummah’s symbols including activists, sheikhs, scholars, media, politicians, businessmen and leaders of civil society from 30 countries and in the presence of over 200 participants representing 35 African, Asian and European institutions.
Both of the Chairman of the Afro-Asian Co-operation Council Mr. Munir Said, President of the Federation of NGOs in the Islamic World, Professor Ali Kurt, and Advisor to the President of Turkey Adnan Tanri Verdi made their speech during the opening of the forum expressing their gladness for achieving this hope which contributes to the achievement of development and renaissance.
And they emphasized that the launching this blessed project and in the presence of a number of symbols from the Islamic world in a step on the way to work to achieve objection (and cooperate on righteousness and piety).
The cooperation desired by all is aimed at working towards the comprehensive development of the nation and striving for integration in the building of its hoped-for renaissance. In this context, they emphasized that the problems and the challenges facing the Ummah can only be overcome through such cooperation.
As Professor Yahya Al-Saud, Chairman of the Committee of Palestine in the Jordanian Parliament addressed to the forum also and pointed out, in his speech, to the need to support the Almoravids in Al-Aqsa and support the Jordanian position and adherence and the Hashemite care of the holy sites.
The forum was also addressed by Mr. Jawdat Yilmaz, Head of External Relations of the Turkish Justice and Development Party, expressing the support of the Turkish state and the Justice and Development Party for this blessed project.
As the participants also spoke at the opening session of the forum where they expressed their appreciation for this blessed project, which provides mechanisms and offers projects and programs to deepen and achieve cooperation for the Ummah. They emphasized their readiness to do whatever it takes to make it a success.
The forum devoted a special session to introduce the distinguished work experiences of the participants in their countries in the social, educational and humanitarian fields, in the framework of exchanging experiences that the forum aims to achieve.
A number of participants in the forum and specialists from the Turkish authorities also presented a number of ideas and work projects within the framework of cooperation and partnership.
In the field of health and relief, responsible from the Turkish organization (Afad), the Turkish Red Crescent and the Turkish Scholarship Organization participated and they presented their contribution, prospects, and cooperation.
During the forum, Dr. Omar Ould Cheikhna, from Mauritania, gave a distinguished lecture on the role of Sufism in the resisting against colonialism. As Mr. Khalid Mushil also gave a lecture on Jerusalem and Al Aqsa, speaking the challenges it faces and the role that the Ummah can play towards it.
On the occasion of the forum, the charitable and development institutions participated in an exhibition to introduce their work and achievements; the number exceeded thirty (30) institutions, both inside Turkey and abroad.
Based on the interest of the participants in the Forum and their deep understanding of the Ummah’s urgent need for cooperation and solidarity in order to achieve development and renaissance, the participants agreed to establish a “Forum for Cooperation and Development” to achieve the following objectives and tasks:
1) Strengthening relations and cooperation between peoples.
2) Achieving cultural and social communication.
3) Promote dialogue and promote peace and tolerance between societies.
4) interesting in development, trade, and economic cooperation.
5) Establish programs and events that achieve the objectives of the Forum.
6) Adopting development programs and projects.
7) Achieving cooperation and acquaintance between civil society institutions.
8) Exchange experiences and potentials in the social, relief, humanitarian, health and media fields.
9) Working to create a space for cooperation in achieving the social and social development of Islamic societies.
The forum made the following recommendations:
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Holding a meeting (cooperation and development) annually and expanding the circle of participants.
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Recognizing the values of righteousness, charity, and charity in the Ummah, the Forum recommends that this will be the title of the next forum.
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The Forum shall be considered by all participants as members of the Forum which has been launched and the way of communication between them will be arranged.
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The Forum applauds the experience of Jerusalem Day, held by the Ibrahim city in Kaolack, and urges participants to adopt in such similar seasons.
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The General Secretariat of the Forum shall be entrusted with the follow-up of the implementation of these recommendations and shall prepare the necessary regulations to be submitted at the next Founding Conference.
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The Presidency of the Forum shall be designated to represent the Nation with its geographical diversity.
The meeting was valued by the wide and active participation of Turkish Leaders, Sufis sects, and institutions from all parts of the Islamic world, especially from the municipality of the blessed city of Tuba.
