His Excellency the Prime Minister of Guinea Mr Mohamed Beavogui received in his office in Conakry, the Republic of Guinea, His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, the Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), on Friday 13 Jumada al-Ula 1443H correspondent to 17 December 2021G.

The Prime Minister thanked His Excellency the Secretary General for the visit noting the laudable efforts of the Academy and the great role it is playing on the global stage to promote moderation and values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence between different faiths and religious groups. His Excellency the Prime Minister also lauded the important role the Academy is playing in combating extremism and terrorism. In this light, the Prime Minister emphasised the fact that the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Guinea has been at the forefront of promoting moderation and combating extremism for decades. He invited the Academy to coordinate and collaborate closely with the Ministry of Religious Affairs in promoting these values. He concluded his speech by expressing his pride and gratitude for the confidence that member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have in appointing one of the sons of the Republic of Guinea at the helm of the General Secretariat of the Academy. In this way, His Excellency has become the first African and non-native speaker of Arabic to assume such a privileged position. He called upon His Excellency the Secretary General to redouble efforts in promoting the Academy, while expressing the willingness of his Government in rendering the necessary support for the Academy and to host the different programmes and activities of the Academy in Guinea.

On his part, His Excellency the Secretary General expressed his thanks and appreciation to his Excellency the Prime Minister for the hospitality and warm welcome accorded to him, despite his busy schedule. He conveyed the warm greetings of the President of the Academy, as well as its members and experts to his Excellency and the authorities of the Republic of Guinea. He also expressed the gratitude of the Academy to the authorities of Guinea for their continuous and generous support. His Excellency the Secretary General of the Academy also noted the particular attention the religious institutions of Guinea pay to the resolutions and recommendations of the Academy. He expressed the readiness and willingness of the Academy to work collaboratively with the religious and scientific institutions in Guinea in order to coordinate efforts and organise programmes that aim at combating extremist ideologies and all forms of violence, terrorism, and aggression. Notwithstanding, these collaborative efforts can nurture values of tolerance and peaceful existence between followers of different religions in the Guinean society. Finally, the Secretary General presented to His Excellency the Prime Minister the Strategic Plan of the Academy and a set of newsletters of the Academy in French.