The Founding Conference of the PUIC held in Tehran, decided to establish on 17 June 1999, the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) with the Permanent Headquarters in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. On 24 April, 2001 Honorable Sheikh Mahdi Karroubi, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran in his capacity as President of the Conference of the PUIC, in the presence of a large number of Member Speakers, Parliamentarians and Heads of Diplomatic Missions accredited in Tehran, officially inaugurated the Headquarters of the Union.
The Union is composed of parliaments of the OIC Members States. Membership in the Union does not inhibit membership in any other regional or international parliamentary group. Regional or international organizations may attend conferences of the Union as observers upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee and the approval of the Conference. Parliaments of the OIC observers may also attend conferences of the Union as observers. Observers shall have the right to express their views but not to vote. At present there are
54 Member Parliaments.
Observer Status in the Union is open, upon request, to Parliaments of OIC, regional or international organizations which expresses their readiness to make practical and valuable contribution to the work of the Union. Observer Status may be granted, suspended or terminated by the Conference in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. At present there are
24 Observers.
H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Auf an Egyptian diplomat was elected by an Extra-ordinary Session of the PUIC Council held in Tehran as the first Secretary General of the PUIC. He served the Union for two terms of office from 1st March, 2000 to 30th April, 2008.
H.E. Mr. Mohammad Peyrovi was the first PUIC Assistant Secretary General. He served two terms from March, 2001 to 31st March 2008.
The 2nd Extraordinary Session of the PUIC Council held on 24th March, 2008, elected H.E. Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol KILIC from Turkey as the Secretary General of the PUIC. His Excellency took office from 1st May, 2008. He has been reelected for a second term of 4 years starting from 1st May 2012, in the 14th session of the PUIC General Committee, held in Palembang, Republic of Indonesia, on 28 – 29 January 2012.
The 2nd Extraordinary Session of the PUIC Council held on 24th March, 2008, also elected
H.E. Ambassador Ali Asghar Mohammadi Sijani as the PUIC Assistant Secretary General. He took office from 1st April, 2008. He has been reelected for a second term of 4 years starting from 1st April 2012, in the 14th session of the PUIC General Committee, held in Palembang, Republic of Indonesia, on 28 – 29 January 2012.
The 13th PUIC Conference held on 16 January 2018, elected
H.E. Cheikh Mouhamed Khouraichi Niass, from Senegal as the Secretary General of the PUIC. His Excellency took office from 1st August, 2018.