Within the framework of strengthening cooperation and partnership relations between the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and the African group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, His Excellency Prof. Dr. Koutoub Moustapha SANO, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, on Tuesday morning, Rajab 18 1442 AH corresponding to March 2 2021 AD, paid a friendly visit to the headquarters of The General Consulate of the Republic of Gabon in Jeddah.

His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were received by His Excellency Mr. Abdul Aziz Branli Opolo, the Consul General of the Republic of Gabon and Dean of the African Consular Corps in Jeddah, members of the Gabonese general Consulate and His Excellency Mohamed Savani, Consul General of the Republic of Guinea.

At the beginning of the meeting, His Excellency Abdul Aziz welcomed His Excellency Professor SANO and thanked him for this visit to the Consulate general of Gabon as well as to the African group headquarters. Also he expressed his great pleasure and great pride on the occasion of the appointment of an African non Arab to the position of Secretary General of the international Islamic Fiqh Academy for the first time since the establishment of the Academy. To him this is a great honor for the African continent in general. Yet it is also considered a clear recognition of the academic qualifications and administrative and political experiences of His Excellency Professor SANO who had assumed many important ministerial portfolios in the Republic of Guinea.

His Excellency then expressed his intention to take an initiative, in his capacity as Dean of the diplomatic and consular corps of African countries in Jeddah, to organize an extended meeting between representatives of African consulates in Jeddah and His Excellency the Secretary-General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, in order to discuss ways and means to strengthen ties and cooperation relations between those countries and the Islamic Fiqh Academy With the aim of discussing possible aspects of support that the Academy could provide to the African group, especially with regard to providing appropriate legal solutions to jurisprudential issues and developments within African countries. He concluded his speech by expressing the Republic of Gabon’s desire to host one of the Academy’s sessions after the end of the pandemic, God willing.

For his part, His Excellency Professor SANO thanked His Excellency, the Consul general, for the warm reception and the wonderful welcome of him and his accompanying delegation. He also expressed his sincere thanks and great appreciation for the wisdom and the important role that His Excellency plays in order to preserve unity, cooperation and solidarity among the representatives of African countries. Then His Excellency presented additional information about the Academy’s mission, activities and programs, noting in this regard the series of meetings that he had held since assuming his position as Secretary General of the Society. His Excellency also confirmed to His host the Academy’s complete readiness to organize specialized scientific seminars and to hold workshops in Gabon on some issues that concern the society. Many of its citizens, on top of which is the issue of marriage between Muslim women and Christian men, knowing that Muslims are considered a minority in terms of population. Yet this issue is raised again and again on all occasions, as it is, in fact, one of the thorny issues that require clarification by the Academy in light of the reality that Muslims live there. His Excellency promised His host to present the issue within the topics of the upcoming sessions, God willing, in order to issue an appropriate decision.

Before the end of the meeting, His Excellency, the Consul General, presented a documentary film about the Republic of Gabon and the development that it is witnessing at all levels.

His Excellency Professor SANO was accompanied by Mr. Muhammad al-Mundhir, Dr Ayman Abdul Karim, Mr. Murad al-Tili, Mr. Amjad al-Mansi, and Mrs. Sarah Amjad Hussain.