Government | Saturday 22 April, 2017 4:49 pm |

Malian President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita and Youssef Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), discussed bilateral cooperation on Thursday in Jeddah.
Keita and his delegation arrived in Jeddah on Thursday to perform Umrah, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. He was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Saud bin Juluwe, undersecretary of Makkah governorate for security affairs, and other senior officials.
Upon his arrival at the Grand Mosque, Keita was received by Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Khuzaim, deputy director of Holy Mosque affairs, and other officials.
The two sides addressed social, economic and cultural development and security in the West African Sahel region, particularly in Mali, according to the OIC website. The discussion focused on the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali and efforts to implement it.
Keita briefed Al-Othaimeen on the outcome of the National Peace Conference held in Bamako from March 27 to April 2, saying implementing the agreement will continue for the benefit of Mali and its people.
Al-Othaimeen said the OIC, which contributed effectively to the return of peace in Mali since 2013, will continue its work as a guarantor of the agreement, as well as being actively engaged in the work of the agreement’s monitoring committee and of the OIC Ministerial Contact Group on Mali.
He expressed condolences to the families of the victims of a terrorist attack on a Malian military barracks on Tuesday that killed five soldiers and injured scores. He called on Malian authorities to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.