On November 2, 2020, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova held a video conference with Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen.

Emine Dzhaparova renewed Ukraine's request for the status of observer in the Organization, which will help broaden cooperation with the Islamic world. "We are interested in gaining observer status in the OIC in the near future, which will facilitate closer coordination with the aforementioned authoritative association in an institutional format and deepen relations with its member states at the bilateral level," said the First Deputy Minister.

She also informed Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen about the situation in the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea, paying attention to the ongoing repression and persecution of residents of the peninsula who disagree with the occupation authorities. It was emphasized that Crimean Tatars were the most persecuted part of the Crimean population in particular on religious grounds.

In this context, Emine Dzhaparova drew attention to the Crimean Platform initiative, the key task of which is to further consolidate and coordinate the efforts for non-recognition and de-occupation of Crimea, and expressed gratitude to the OIC for paying attention to the problems of Crimean Muslim Tatars and their rights, which was mentioned in the relevant final documents of the Summits and Meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization.

The parties expressed their readiness to continue maintaining regular contacts at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the OIC General Secretariat. Emine Dzhaparova invited the OIC Secretary General to pay a visit to Ukraine.

For reference: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation was founded in 1969 (headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) and unites 57 Muslim countries, making it the second largest organization after the United Nations.