Ekmeleddin ihsanoglu biography of michael

In this interview, Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), discusses the violence in Syria and his organization’s role in high-level meetings, one of which resulted in drafting Kofi Annan as a special envoy for the Arab League.

Other topics he discusses at length are OIC’s new human rights commission; the expanding role of women; and Western fears of Sharia law in Muslim countries.

Mr. İhsanoğlu also discusses the OIC’s recent name change to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

In 2008, the OIC changed its charter “to be a reflection of core universal values,” he says, and listed human rights, good governance, supremacy of law, empowerment of women, and fighting corruption among them.

The interview was conducted by Warren Hoge, Senior Adviser for External Relations at the International Peace Institute.

Listen to interview (or download mp3):

Interview Transcript

Warren Hoge (WH): I a