(Image source from: www.oneindia.com)

The 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation will be held in Abu Dhabi on 1st and 2nd March, 2019.

In a statement, said “The friendly country of India has been named as the guest of honour in view of its great global political stature as well as its time-hounoured and deeply rooted cultural and historical legacy, and its important Islamic component.”

Accepting the Invitation Ministry of External Affairs releases a statement,

The Minister for External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has been invited by HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates as the "Guest of Honour” to address the Inaugural Plenary.

“We see this invitation as the desire of the enlightened leadership of the UAE to go beyond our rapidly growing close bilateral ties and forge a true multifaceted partnership at the multilateral and international level.We see this invitation as a milestone in our comprehensive strategic partnership with the UAE.”

The statement read, “We also see this invitation as a welcome recognition of the presence of 185 million Muslims in India and of their contribution to its pluralistic ethos, and of India’s contribution to the Islamic world.”

India is, therefore, happy to accept the invitation to attend the Inaugural Plenary of the OIC meeting and we thank the leadership of the UAE for their invitation.

-Sai Kumar