27 February 2008
First U.S. Envoy to Organization of the Islamic Conference Named
Pakistani-born businessman to represent America to 57-nation Muslim group
Washington -- President Bush has appointed high-tech executive Sada Cumber as America’s first special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
“The core of his mission is to explain to the Islamic world that America is a friend -- a friend of freedom, a friend of peace,” Bush said after a February 27 Oval Office meeting with Cumber.
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1951, Cumber immigrated to the United States in 1978 and has been a U.S. citizen since 1986. A successful and well-known entrepreneur based in Austin, Texas, Cumber has founded six companies in the past 25 years, and most recently served as chief executive officer of SozoTek, a firm that specializes in wireless imaging.
“This is an important job,” Bush said. “There’s a lot of misperceptions about America and Sada’s going to be a part of our effort to explain the truth.”
Cumber will be the first U.S. representative to the OIC, an intergovernmental organization that strengthens political, economic, social, cultural and scientific cooperation among its 57 member states, says White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
"The president is signaling our desire to have a greater ... dialogue with the organization as well as Muslims around the world," she said.
Bush’s remarks, as well as a related fact sheet, are available on America.gov.
