OIC ministerial conference opens in Mogadishu

Mogadishu is today hosting the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Ministerial contact group meeting, the first in Somalia since the group was founded in 2007.

Representatives from the 57 member bloc are currently meeting and will be expected to deliberate on key issues affecting Somalia.

According to a draft communique seen by Goobjoog News, the Contact Group will reiterate its earlier calls to the UN Security Council to lift the arms embargo on Somalia.

“It (Contact Group) paid tribute to those who lost their lives and appealed to the UNSC to consider lifting fully the arms embargo imposed on Somalia in order to accelerate the building of Somalia’s capacity in the security sector,” the communique reads in part.

The Group will also be expected to urge member states to open or re-open their diplomatic missions in Mogadishu. Other issues to be deliberated include calls to the international community to honour their commitments in line with pledges during the June conference in Brussels.