Kazakh minister Askar Mussinov addresses the conference in Riyadh on Monday.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has reiterated its backing for Kazakhstan’s bid for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2017-2018.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have expressed full support to Kazakhstan’s bid for the seat, Askar Mussinov, deputy foreign minister for Asia and African affairs of Kazakhstan, said on Monday.

The Kazakhstan mission here, led by its ambassador Bakyt Batyrshayev, organized a special event in the capital for the country’s candidacy, citing its track record as a responsible member of the UN in supporting the cause of international peace and progress

Mohammad Naeem Khan, assistant secretary-general at the OIC, said the 56-member OIC passed a resolutions on Kazakhstan’s nomination during its Kuwait session held this year, requesting the OIC member states to support the candidacy of Kazakhstan.

Khan said Kazakhstan is a very important partner for its outstanding initiatives. The country hosted a ministerial summit in 2011, during which two important resolutions were passed — OIC food security commission and setting up of OIC Human Rights Commission. The high profile meeting was attended by Khan on behalf of the OIC head, high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic corps.

The event, dubbed “Kazakhstan’s priorities in the UNSC for 2017-2018, was in line with the country’s priority goals of its foreign policy for the next three years.

Justifying Kazakhstan’s right to get the seat, Askar Mussinov said Central Asian Republic has been contributing to international peace and security, human rights, the rule of law, and sustainable development. It is a first-time candidate, running a campaign in accordance with the principles of fair and equitable geographical rotation and adequate representation in the council of all member states. He said Kazakhstan has provided financial and humanitarian aid to Somalia, Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon and the OIC Special Program for the development of Africa. Spelling out Kazakhstan’s role at the international level, he said that in two decades of its independence, his country has proven its diplomatic capabilities in solving some of the most difficult issues on the global security agenda.

It successfully chaired a number of key multilateral bodies: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2010 with hosting the Astana Summit in December 2010, the first in 11 years; Ministerial Conference of the OIC in 2011, resulting in creation of the OIC Organization for Food Security of OIC and the OIC Commission on Human Rights; and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building in Asia, which was initiated by the Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev during the 47th session of GA; the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2010-2011.