(Itar-Tass) - The 11th summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) opened here on Thursday under the motto "The Islamic World in the 21st Century". The OIC brings together 57 countries
with an aggregate Muslim population of 2,500 million.
President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal has been elected to chair this Pan-Islamic organisation in the next three years.
The summit agenda includes items concerning the implementation of a ten-year programme for the OIC activities, ways to resolve political, economic, cultural, social and humanitarian matters, as well as those in
the fields of information, science and newest technologies. Those present are also to consider documents prepared by the Foreign ministers, including a draft new Charter of the OIC and a draft Dakar Declaration.
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Senegal to attend the OIC summit. Russia was officially granted observer status at the OIC in 2005. Since then, Russian officials have been
regularly receiving invitations to participate in all OIC-arranged activities.