Ankara: The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its approval following the election of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed as the new Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The former Mauritanian Foreign Minister was elected during a meeting chaired by Turkey, which held the presidency of the 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry extended its congratulations to Ould Cheikh Ahmed, wishing him success in his new role. Turkey voiced confidence that the OIC will continue to tackle the common challenges facing the Islamic world while fostering cooperation and solidarity among its member states.

Ankara emphasized the significance of the OIC’s active role in defending shared causes, with a particular focus on the Palestinian issue. It highlighted the importance of enhancing collaboration among member states to effectively address challenges facing the Islamic community.

Earlier on Thursday, Ould Cheikh Ahmed was elected as the OIC Secretary General during an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers at the OIC General Secretariat headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

With a robust political and executive background, Ould Cheikh Ahmed served as Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad from 2018 to 2022. He was later appointed as Minister-Director of the Office of the President of the Republic from 2022 to 2024.

The newly elected Secretary-General brings three decades of experience within the United Nations system, having served notably as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Yemen from 2015 to 2018, and as Head of the United Nations Mission for the Ebola Response. His extensive experience also includes roles as United Nations Resident Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Syria and Yemen, Deputy Special Representative in Libya, and several leadership positions within UNICEF.