Valentina Matvienko noted that regional officials make a major contribution to building cooperation with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko met with Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha.
“We value our cooperation with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,” Valentina Matvienko said, noting that this cooperation consistently progresses across all areas and opens new opportunities for interparliamentary work.
The Speaker drew attention to the important contribution of Russian regional officials to boosting interaction with the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
“The course for developing links with the Muslim world has earned wide public support in our country, especially in the regions with large Muslim communities,” the Speaker said. “Our country has made a big contribution to eliminating colonialism and to the development of independent states, including many Muslim countries. So it is quite natural that Russia and Islamic countries work closely and fruitfully together in different formats.”
According to Valentina Matvienko, the Islamic world is, without questions, one of the pillars of the emerging multipolar world.
She expressed confidence that Russia-OIC relations can evolve consistently, including in new areas of interaction.
The head of the upper chamber of the Russian parliament particularly highlighted the strengthening of relations within the OIC Parliamentary Union and the OIC Women Development Organisation.
“In similar approaches, we see a solid foundation for further expansion of links, including region-to-region ties,” the Speaker said.
Valentina Matvienko noted the significant contribution of the Russia – Islamic World strategic vision group to the expansion of links between Russia and the Islamic world.
“It is an excellent platform for promoting numerous initiatives that deepen our relations. Russian senators are largely involved in the group’s work. We count on cooperation in organising a meeting of the Russia – Islamic World strategic vision group in Malaysia in 2023,” the Speaker said.
She added that the decision to declare Kazan the youth capital of the OIC in 2022 indicates the friendly nature of the relations.
“We support initiatives to launch and support the interfaith dialogue within the framework of Russia-OIC relations,” Valentina Matvienko noted.
She mentioned that Russia and the OIC are seeking ways to cooperate in the economy, science, technology and culture. “We are ready to continue cooperation with the OIC bodies and affiliated organisations.”
Hissein Brahim Taha believes Russia-OIC relations remain at a high level.
The OIC Secretary-General particularly noted the interparliamentary component of the cooperation because, according to him, this aspect strengthens ties between the countries and peoples.
Valentina Matvienko and Hissein Brahim Taha specifically discussed food security.
“The destructive activity of the West against our country is undermining the global economy, threatening the poorest countries first and foremost, including countries in the OIC. The Western sanctions against Russia have directly hit food consumers, especially buyers of grain and mineral fertilisers. It is a crisis artificially created by the West. Russia is ready to fulfil its obligations,” Valentina Matvienko stressed.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin, First Deputy Chair of the Committee on Science, Education and Culture and member of the Russia − Islamic World strategic vision group Iliyas Umakhanov, Deputy Chair of the Committee on International Affairs and Deputy Chair of the Russia − Islamic World strategic vision group Farit Mukhametshin, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management Belan Khamchiev and Russia’s permanent representative to the OIC Ramazan Abdulatipov.