OIC institutions have agreed to increase joint collaboration and formulate a plan to counter extreme violence, sectarianism and Islamophobia at a high level meeting held at the General Secretariat in Jeddah. The meeting included a discussion on the OIC's strategy, the root causes of terrorism and violent extremism, delegitimising terrorist ideology, inspiring young Muslims to become the driving force against the problem, countering the terrorist narrative using online and social media, and coordinating the work of OIC institutions in light of the OIC's Charter, Conventions and Resolutions. In a speech delivered at the opening of the meeting, OIC Secretary-General, Iyad Ameen Madani, spoke about terrorism and violent extremism in the Muslim world. "We have to deconstruct extremist rhetoric. Most of this rhetoric is done through the framework of Islam and everything is being done in the name of Islam. Therefore, we have to challenge this. For us to fight against this phenomenon we have to fight against this rhetoric," he said. Madani also spoke out against the concept of Takfir (declaring Muslims out of the fold of Islam) and inter-Muslim sectarian infighting, and said that the OIC intends to hold workshops to address these problems. He further expounded on the OIC's commitment to tackle the problem in resolutions adopted by OIC Summits and Council of Foreign Ministers meetings. He also said that the OIC is planning an expert meeting of jurists and legal experts and that work is underway to develop a strategy to deal with sectarianism. President of the IDB, Dr. Ahmad Mohammad Ali, said terrorism is not just threatening the Muslim world, but the entire international community. He also said that the IDB, as the OIC's development arm, is committed to combatting terrorism and radicalisation, which threaten economic achievement and development. The IDB president also said that there is a need for OIC Member States to ensure joint Islamic action and called on the international community to spare no effort in addressing root causes of terrorism and to be impartial when dealing with the Islamic world.
