A new umbrella body designed to coordinate humanitarian aid organizations across Islamic countries will be headquartered in Türkiye and granted formal legal standing, according to Ibrahim Altan, secretary of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Humanitarian Aid Forum.
Altan said the push for coordination grew out of the 2004 Indonesian earthquake and tsunami, after which organizers noticed that relief groups were duplicating efforts in some disaster zones while leaving other affected areas without adequate assistance.
A framework proposal was submitted to OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who endorsed the idea and supported placing the body under the OIC's umbrella. The forum will hold association-level legal status in Türkiye for purposes of international engagement and will carry OIC accreditation.
Altan said the goal is to pool resources and coordinate responses immediately after natural disasters. The secretariat is currently operated by the Turkish relief organization Light House Association.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in February 2007, in its own words.