Jeddah: Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, a 66-year-old Mauritanian diplomat and former United Nations official, was elected Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday, August 27, succeeding Hissein Brahim Taha.
The election took place during the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers at the organisation’s headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The meeting brought together foreign ministers and representatives of OIC member states to elect a new Secretary-General and discuss developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza and Al-Quds.
The OIC said Ould Cheikh Ahmed was elected with unanimous support and would assume the leadership of joint Islamic action.
Ould Cheikh Ahmed brings decades of experience in diplomacy, humanitarian affairs and international development to the role. He previously served as the UN Special Envoy for Yemen and Mauritania’s foreign minister, and held several senior positions with the United Nations and UNICEF.
