Mauritanian diplomat Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed has been elected the new secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC. Foreign ministers from the bloc’s 57 member states selected him on Thursday. He will assume office in November, when the term of incumbent Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha of Chad, who took office in November 2021, ends.

Ahmed said he would place the Palestinian issue at the top of the OIC’s priorities, covering its political, humanitarian and cultural dimensions. He also pledged to strengthen efforts against Islamophobia, including countering hate speech against Muslims, promoting dialogue and mutual respect, and building broader partnerships with the international community.

His candidacy received African support early in the process, and the African Union formally backed him in February for the 2027-2032 term. The 66-year-old has more than three decades of international diplomatic experience, including roles as Mauritania’s foreign minister from 2018 to 2022 and UN special envoy for Yemen from 2015 to 2018. Under the OIC charter, the secretary-general serves a five-year term that can be renewed once.