Morocco Calls on OIC Member States to Set Asides Differences, Resolve Disputes

Morocco Calls on OIC Member States to Set Asides Differences, Resolve Disputes
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Morocco Calls on OIC Member States to Set Asides Differences, Resolve Disputes

Morocco Calls on OIC Member States to Set Asides Differences, Resolve Disputes

Moroccan Speaker Habib El Malki called Monday on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states to set aside their differences and work on resolving them through dialogue.

“We must leave the controversial issues aside and resolve differences with dialogue and conviction,” Malki said at the opening of the 41st meeting of the PUIC Executive Committee, which is being held as part of the 14th session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC).

The meeting will be held until March 14 and aims to discuss a number of topics, including the activities of the political affairs and foreign relations committee and economic and environment affairs committee.

Malki said Islamic countries are facing unprecedented challenges that are complicated by regional and international crises, while “our people aspire to enjoy social and economic rights, stability and dignity.”

He said the OIC must adopt internal dialogue to work out and overcome differences, adding that solutions cannot be found in one pack but should be built on accumulations and be based on a vision, which is the closest to reality.

The speaker said having different views is the essence of democracy, which should bring benefits to people despite their differences.

PUIC Secretary-General, Senegalese Mohamed Khouraichi Niass said Muslims are facing the challenges of the unjust world order.

“No one ignores that the voice of Muslims is now heard at international forums and also, everyone is aware of the maltreatment of Muslims, which requires our unity to defend our just causes,” he said.

The PUIC was established in June 1999. It includes 54 parliaments and 22 regional and international organizations and parliaments with an observer status.



Ex-Tunisian Minister Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Ex-Tunisian Minister Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Criminal Chamber specialized in financial corruption cases at the Court of First Instance of Tunis, sentenced on Friday former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher to three years in prison, the Tunisian official news agency, TAP, reported.
The ruling is part of a corruption case related to breaches in a transaction carried out by the former minister for the purchase of several vehicles.
Investigation showed that the tender conditions were allegedly manipulated in favor of one particulate supplier.
In addition to Mouakher, the Chamber condemned a civil protection executive, seconded to the Environment Ministry, to two years in prison.
The two defendants are found guilty of abusing their functions to obtain an undue advantage, and therefore causing harm to the administration and contravening the regulations in force.
On Thursday, the Criminal Chamber specialized in corruption cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced a security officer to three years in prison and four others to four years in prison on charges of abusing their functions to obtain an undue advantage and harm others.
The five security officers had formed a group for the purpose of attacking property and exploiting a public employee.
According to documents related to the case, surveillance activities revealed that the five defendants, who work at a central department, were involved in seizing private funds, giving night jobs to some department agents, and transferring the profits to their personal accounts.
Their case was first examined by the Financial Chamber, which decided to sentence the five security guards to prison.
The case was later referred to the Criminal Chamber that examines financial corruption cases. The chamber had earlier kept the five defendants at liberty, before issuing late on Thursday the prison sentences.