JEDDAH: The 15th Session of the Biennial General Cooperation Meeting between the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has kicked off at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The meeting is being co-chaired by Tarig Ali Bakhiet, OIC assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs and special envoy of the OIC secretary-general for Afghanistan, and Khaled Khiari, assistant secretary-general for political affairs at the UN. The meeting is being attended by senior officials from the relevant OIC institutions and UN agencies. In his statement delivered by Bakhiet during the opening session, OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha recognized the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation between the two organizations for improving peace, security, and economic prosperity in the world. The meeting, which will continue until July 20, will adopt a “Matrix of Joint Activities” that covers cooperation between the OIC and the UN in areas such as peace and security, combating Islamophobia, countering violent extremism, promoting human rights, the empowerment of women, education, humanitarian assistance and sustainable socioeconomic development. The two organizations will also discuss climate change, disaster risk reduction, and international issues of common concern.