Addis Ababa, 5 December 2025 — The Secretary-General of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC), Manssour Bin Mussallam, has submitted his irrevocable resignation to OSC Member States. The resignation follows a one-year period of reflection regarding the direction OSC was taking since the last General Assembly in November 2024, when Member States had pledged to take more ownership of the OSC’s programmatic and operational activities. This, the Secretary-General stated, had not taken place despite the multiple reassurances of Member States since one year ago.
In his statement, the Secretary-General offered two possible paths for Member States to guide the future direction of the Organisation. The first course was for Member States to commit to supporting OSC’s budgetary and programmatic activities by immediately paying their membership dues as per their statutory obligation, or, two, consider wrapping up OSC, which, in any case would still require them to pay for the dignified process of closure.
The Secretary-General reflected on the progress of the Organisation to date and its unprecedented achievements over such a short period of time. He underlined that, “when I took office, the OSC was merely ink upon paper, supported by only a handful of full staff members. Since we built an institution with a Secretariat that is over 100 strong, we are an Organisation with active governing bodies and a growing interest in State and Associate membership.” He noted, however, that the persistent lack of financial compliance by Member States has created an unsustainable situation for the Organisation, its staff, partners and suppliers.
“For despite all obstacles”, he added, “we built something real. We breathed life into an institution that once existed only as inked signatures. We demonstrated that the countries of the South, when united by vision, are capable of designing their own models, their own programmes, their own instruments. And none of that was simple. None of it was assured. And yet we did it.”
While underlining the commitment of staff, the Secretary-General stressed that his decision aims to prevent the Organisation from continuing to operate under conditions that undermine its institutional integrity. He also confirmed that he will remain only for the time strictly necessary to facilitate the implementation of the decisions to be taken by Member States regarding the OSC’s future.
An Extraordinary General Assembly, convened for 15 December, will deliberate on the two paths presented by the Secretary-General – ensuring the Organisation’s full viability through the fulfilment of contributions and subsequent the election of new leadership, or proceeding with an orderly and dignified closure.
The Organisation of Southern Cooperation reaffirms its commitment to the principles of South–South cooperation, solidarity, and equity that underpin its mandate, and will continue to keep its international community informed of the next institutional steps.
