AYV News, July 1, 2025
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Francess P. Alghali has called for a reform of the United Nations Security Council to enhance global equity.
Speaking at the 51st Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Sunday, June 22, 2025, the Deputy Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of reforming the UN Security Council to make it more representative, inclusive, and accountable.
She stressed that Africa has been overlooked and underrepresented in the UN Security Council, despite the continent’s significant contributions to maintaining international peace and security. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised the need for unity and solidarity among OIC member states in addressing emerging threats in the Middle East and the entire sub-region.
The Deputy Minister also condemned the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the loss of over 46,000 civilian lives, including approximately 18,000 children. She called for an immediate ceasefire and inclusive dialogue to achieve a two-state solution, ensuring peace, stability, and security for both Israel and Palestine.
The theme of the 51st Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye, held on June 21-22, 2025, was “The OIC in a Transforming World”. This theme reflects the growing regional and global challenges facing Muslim-majority nations, including geopolitical shifts, economic development, and humanitarian crises. The CFM Conference emphasisedunity and solidarity among member states.
In his opening statement, OIC Chairperson Hissein Brahim Taha described the Israeli-Iranian situation as a “dangerous turning point”. He emphasised the need to end Iran-Israel hostilities and demanded that all OIC resolutions on Israel be implemented without delay.
On the sidelines of the CFM session, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative to the OIC, Mohammed S. Barrie, brokered a meeting between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the OIC, His Excellency Dr. Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani, the Dean of Diplomatic Corps to Saudi Arabia, H.E Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama, and the Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shibani. The sideline meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations.
