A United Nations representative addressing the Security Council said cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is “indispensable” for advancing peace, recovery and human rights in several conflict-affected regions.

"At the time of growing geopolitical complexity, cooperation with regional and sub regional organizations such as the OIC remain indispensable," the speaker said, noting the partnership is guided by Chapter VIII of the U.N. Charter and forms a core part of implementing the Pact for the Future.

The statement outlined several areas where the United Nations and the OIC have worked together or plan to coordinate. The OIC, which brings together 57 member states, has participated in or backed initiatives on Palestine and Gaza, Lebanon, Afghanistan, the Rohingya crisis, Sudan, and counterterrorism efforts.

On Palestine and Gaza, the U.N. and the OIC organized a joint conference on the question of Jerusalem in Dakar on July 9, the speaker said. The representative also noted that the OIC and the League of Arab States endorsed a recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza through a joint ministerial committee, and highlighted an upcoming ministerial meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia to support a two-state solution.

The speaker described the OIC as having “consistent political backing” for Lebanon amid recent regional tensions and cited the organization’s support for international mediation efforts in Sudan, including cooperation with the personal envoy Ramtane Lamamra. The representative also said the OIC plays a role in structured engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities in the framework of the inclusive Doha process and has supported dialogues addressing the human rights of Afghan women and girls.

On Myanmar, the United Nations welcomed continued coordination between the U.N. special envoy on Myanmar and the OIC in pursuit of durable solutions for the Rohingya, including restoring citizenship and conditions for safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar. The speaker said the OIC’s position is a “vital leading voice in support of the Rohingya.”

The statement listed other cooperative efforts, including capacity-building on electoral matters (such as trainings on election observation and programs to promote women’s participation), staff exchanges, and expanded work on countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism. The representative said that following a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2024, the U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism and the OIC have advanced rights-based approaches through technical assistance, parliamentary engagement and strategic dialogue.

The speaker also noted the U.N. stance against religious hatred and welcomed the secretary-general’s appointment of Miguel Ángel Moratinos as a special envoy to combat Islamophobia, describing the appointment as part of intensified cooperation with the OIC and other partners.

The representative said the partnership between the U.N. and the OIC is intended to "reinvigorate multilateralism and restore trust in our institutions" and to help diffuse tensions, advance sustainable peace and promote equitable development as implementation of the Pact for the Future proceeds.

No formal vote or council decision was recorded in the provided remarks; the statement was made as part of a U.N. representative’s address to the Security Council.