Tripoli, 5 June 2004 – Libya has reaffirmed its unequivocal support for the Philippines’ observer bid in the Organization of the Islamic Conference and will propose a motion or resolution for the admission of the country as an observer state in the OIC during the forthcoming 31st Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers to be held in Istanbul in June.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert made this announcement today following her bilateral meeting with Secretary Abdurrahman Mohammed Shalgam of the General People’s Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation. The Secretary is currently on an official visit to Libya.

“Secretary Shalgam reiterated the message conveyed to the President by the Libyan Ambassador to the Philippines that Libya will actively endorse our bid for observer status in the Organization of the Islamic Conference,” said the Secretary.

“I welcome this positive development as it strengthens our sustained efforts for the admission of the Philippines as an observer state in the OIC,” she added.
 
Libya sits as a member of the influential Committee of the Eight, a body in the OIC which is tasked to monitor the status of Muslims in Southern Philippines. Its other members include Brunei, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, and Indonesia, which is the current Chairman of the Committee of the Eight.

Secretary Albert said that Libya’s strong support for the Philippines’ application for OIC observer status is part of a partnership that dates back to 1976, when Libya played a key role in brokering the Tripoli Agreement.
 
“I emphasized to Secretary Shalgam that our two countries have worked closely for the past 29 years to ensure a lasting peace in Muslim Mindanao. Our partnership with Libya is integral to our overall strategy of constructively engaging key countries in the Middle East and North Africa in order to protect the interests and welfare of some 1.8 million overseas Filipinos,” Secretary Albert said.
 
During the meeting, the two foreign ministers agreed to conduct market studies to determine areas for trade expansion and cooperation. The following sectors were identified as possible areas for bilateral cooperation between the two countries: services, energy and infrastructure development, and education.
 
Secretary Albert proposed the possibility of setting up an AMA IT school to train Libyans on information and communication technology. She also invited Libyan participation in the “Bangsamoro Successor Generation Program,” a multi-donor initiative which trains a core of Muslim youth leaders who will be prepared to assume responsible positions in government and civil society.

The Secretary invited Secretary Shalgam to visit the Philippines, which the latter accepted and said that he is planning his Asian tour between September and October this year.
 
According to Secretary Albert, the visit of Secretary Shalgam to the Philippines can coincide with the opening of the first meeting of the Philippines-Libya Foreign Office Consultations.

“The foreign office consultations can serve as a platform to move our bilateral relations forward,” said the Secretary. “Particularly now, when the Philippines has to position itself for opportunities in manpower and other commercial arrangements with the expected opening of Libya’s economy following the lifting of sanctions,” Secretary Albert said. END.