Proceeding from the objectives of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) represented in strengthening relations of cooperation, coordination and partnership with scientific institutions and centers that are active in the field of disseminating the approach of moderation, tolerance and openness, His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, and His Excellency Mr. Ali Ahmed Al Saifi, Vice President of the Islamic Da’wah Center for Latin America and the Caribbean, signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation between the two parties, on Wednesday 10 Rajab 1444H corresponding to 01 February 2023G, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Academy in Jeddah.

This agreement aims to build a strategic partnership based on strengthening cooperation in many fields, including the field of issuing Shariah specifications and standards for the Halal industry in slaughter, food and beverages, and dealing with ways to integrate Muslims living in Latin America and the Caribbean into their societies while preserving their Islamic identity and strictly adhering to the requirements of citizenship and residency in their countries, through research and scientific cooperation, joint organization of conferences and seminars, holding workshops and training, exchanging publications and periodicals, and representing the two sides in the conferences and seminars held by each of them in the field of common interest between them.

After signing the agreement, His Excellency the Secretary General expressed his great pleasure at completing this strategic partnership with one of the most important Islamic institutions that have been serving Muslims in Muslim communities in Latin America for decades and seek with all its human and material capabilities to spread the true religion away from all extremism and intolerance, instilling the spirit of citizenship and adherence to its requirements among Muslim citizens and residents of Latin American and Caribbean countries. His Excellency affirmed the Academy’s commitment to providing the necessary intellectual and scientific support to the Center in the field of personal status issues, training imams and preachers, and issuing Shariah standards for the Halal industry in slaughtered animals, which is considered one of the most important economic sectors in which the Muslim community operates in Brazil and Argentina in particular. His Excellency concluded by looking forward to holding specialized scientific symposia, in partnership with the Center, targeting issues and concerns of the Muslims in those countries. 

For his part, His Excellency the Vice President of the Center expressed his thanks and gratitude to His Excellency for the warm welcome, and his great pleasure in concluding this important agreement with the most important Fiqh academy in the Muslim world. He added that the center has sought for some time to establish a strategi relationship with the Academy in the hope to secure the support of the Academy in the center’s drive to confront the various issues and causes facing the Muslims of Latin America, in view of the scientific and Fiqh capabilities that the Academy possesses through prominent scholars and experts in all religious and scientific disciplines, and also in view of the sound scientific and intellectual resolutions and recommendations issued by the Academy, which cover all aspects of contemporary life and meet the aspirations and hopes of Muslims of Muslim communities, not only in the American continent, but also in the whole world. His Excellency concluded by expressing his aspiration to attend the 25th Session of the Academy along with the delegation of his institution, and his optimism for a prosperous future of continuous cooperation and coordination between the two sides in all fields of common interest.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Abdel-Fattah Abnauf, Director of the Planning and International Cooperation Department at the Academy, and Mr. Mourad TLiLi, Advisor to the Secretary General of the Academy for Media and Public Relations Affairs.