รัฐบาลไทย-ข่าวทำเนียบรัฐบาล-OIC Secretary General invites Thailand to share agricultural and development experiences with African countries
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 10 สิงหาคม 2566
OIC Secretary General invites Thailand to share agricultural and development experiences with African countries
OIC Secretary General invites Thailand to share agricultural and development experiences with African countries
August 10, 2023, at 09.30 hrs, at the Ivory Room, Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, H.E. Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha on occasion of his official visit to Thailand upon an invitation made by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai. Deputy Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek disclosed gist of the meeting as follows:
The Prime Minister welcomed OIC Secretary General on his first official visit to Thailand, and underscored the country’s principle to promote freedom of religion and peaceful coexistence between people of different ethnicities and religions. The Thai Government respects the rights of Thai Muslims to freely express and perform their religious rites and practices. The Muslims have also played a pivotal role in Thailand’s development from past to present, with many having been ranked in high positions.
The OIC Secretary General expressed pleasure for this visit, and thanked the Thai Government and people for the warm welcome. He also praised Thailand for recognizing freedom of religion. In his visit to the country, the OIC Secretary General had a chance to inspect and observe the lives of the Buddhists, Christians and Muslims at Kudi Chin community in Thonburi district, which exemplifies peaceful coexistence in a culturally plural society. He also commended effort of the Prime Minister and the Thai Government in building peace and promoting development in the Southern border provinces. Thailand has been mentioned in a positive and constructive manner in several occasions of the OIC meetings.
Both parties also discussed other issues of mutual interest:
The Prime Minister and OIC Secretary General came to terms to expand cooperation between Thailand and OIC in the fields of the former’s expertise and the latter’s interest, i.e., agriculture, food security, multiculturalism, and Halal food. The country has recently appointed the Thai Ambassador to Saudi Arabia as Permanent Representative to OIC to advance relations and cooperation with OIC, while the Secretary General affirmed commitment to support the Thai Permanent Representative to OIC.
The Secretary General underscored OIC’s priority on addressing agricultural problems of OIC member countries in Africa, and extended his invitation for Thailand to share its agricultural and development experiences. The Prime Minister commended the OIC Secretary General for this initiative in tackling agricultural problems in Africa.
Both parties also agreed on the trilateral development cooperation between Thailand, OIC, and Africa, which would be an important mechanism in promoting interactions with the African countries. The Prime Minister would be pleased to promote cooperation in the areas of Thailand’s expertise, especially, public health, food security, climate change, and sustainable development, as well as to advance trilateral strategic partnership. The OIC Secretary General took the opportunity to invite Thailand to share knowledge on agriculture and Sufficiency Economy Philosophy with African friends to promote sustainable development on the basis of self-reliance without leaving anyone behind.