BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Iraq officially 
assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on Saturday as the group’s 52nd session opened in Baghdad, with regional crises, Palestine, and economic cooperation dominating the agenda.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi opened the meeting, stating that the Islamic world faces growing challenges requiring greater joint action. 
He reaffirmed Iraq’s position that the Palestinian issue remains at the core of regional conflict and said ensuring justice for Palestinians is essential to regional security and stability. 
Al-Zaidi announced an Iraqi initiative aimed at integrating energy grids, railway networks, transportation, and digital communications among OIC member states, alongside developing digital payment systems and trade platforms to strengthen integration between industrial zones. 
Iraq took over the chairmanship from Türkiye during the session, which is being held under the theme “Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development” and is expected to address Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and developments in other crisis zones across the Islamic world. 
Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassanain Kamel said all member state delegations had arrived in Baghdad, with representatives of the UN Secretary-General and 40 international organizations also attending the two-day meeting.
In a separate development on Saturday, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Iraq has requested a new program and the fund intends to support it firmly. 
“We will get to Iraq both money and policy support,” Georgieva said at the conclusion of the IMF’s annual meetings in Bangkok. 
The pledge comes as Iraq faces severe economic pressure, with oil export revenues sharply reduced since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in February and estimated losses reaching $60 billion.
Also on Saturday, Iraq’s newly appointed Interior Minister Yasser al-Maliki assumed his duties and ordered a review of “suspicious contracts” and fees collected from citizens, emphasizing anti-corruption and integrity as priorities for the ministry. 
The directives come as Iraq prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11, with the Independent High Electoral Commission having disqualified hundreds of candidates on grounds including accountability and justice procedures, criminal records, and document deficiencies.