Indonesia calls for OIC reform at Baghdad ministerial meeting

BAGHDAD — Indonesia has urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to reform itself and strengthen its ability to resolve disputes between member states, according to Antara, citing a written statement from Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Foreign Minister Muhammad Anis Matta made the remarks at the 52nd Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, held in Baghdad, Iraq, on 17 October 2026.

Anis Matta said the OIC needs a dedicated mechanism for settling disputes among its members. "Indonesia can become an oasis of peace for OIC member states," he said, according to the ministry statement. He added that reform should begin with a vision that brings together the political, social, cultural and economic potential of the Muslim world, backed by a joint development roadmap.

He also said Palestine remains the OIC's top priority. Indonesia wants member states' support to go beyond political statements, he said, and to be coordinated across political, diplomatic, legal and humanitarian channels. According to Antara, Indonesia again called for more humanitarian aid for Palestinians, an end to the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, and opposition to moving embassies to Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Anis Matta held a series of bilateral talks. According to Antara, he met Secretary-General of the Developing 8 (D8) Sohail Mahmood to discuss Indonesia's D8 chairmanship for 2026 to 2027. The talks covered economic and trade integration, think-tank networks, research and innovation, tourism, and preparations for the 12th D8 summit in Indonesia in 2027.

He also met Gambian Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie on bilateral ties and wider cooperation in multilateral forums. In a separate meeting, he discussed the peace process in southern Philippines with Abdulkarim Tan Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and stressed the need to keep the agreed peace commitments between the Philippine government and the MNLF.

On 18 October 2026, Anis Matta met Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba on the latest situation in Yemen and the wider Middle East. He also met Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom on bilateral ties and OIC cooperation, and Iraqi Deputy Minister of Oil Ezzat Saber Ismail on energy and investment.

Background

The OIC is a grouping of Muslim-majority states. The Baghdad meeting was its 52nd Council of Foreign Ministers, according to the Antara report. The report did not describe the outcome of the meeting or any formal decisions taken by the OIC. It also did not say how Indonesia's proposals would be received by other members. Antara's report was based on the ministry statement and was published on 19 October 2026.