The 12th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation opened in Cairo on Wednesday, with Syria's civil war and the battle against Islamist militants in Mali topping the agenda.

The meeting gathers the leaders of 26 of the OIC's 57 states, including the presidents of Iran and Turkey.

Senegalese President Macky Sall gave the opening remarks, making his last address before handing the OIC's rotating presidency to Egypt's first Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi.

He urged the summit to support the sovereignty of Mali, threatened by "terrorist groups" who are committing "crimes" against the Malian people.