H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, received H.E. Mr. Thomas Niklasson, the European Union Special Envoy for Afghanistan, on Monday 20 Rabi’ al-Akhir 1445, corresponding to 6 November 2023, at the Academy in Jeddah.

His Excellency welcomed his honorable guest and thanked him for the visit, and expressed his happiness with the participation of the European Union Special Envoy for Afghanistan in the international conference hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Women in Islam: Status and Empowerment, which will be held in the city of Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during November 6-7, 2023. His Excellency praised the European Union’s historic role in resolving conflicts around the world, and expressed his hope that it would play an important role in ending the humanitarian catastrophe to which the Palestinian people are exposed, especially the residents of Gaza and the West Bank, by putting pressure on the Israeli occupation forces to immediately stop the brutal genocide that violates international values and norms. He also expressed his aspiration to strengthen cooperation relations with the European Union in order to spread the values of moderation, tolerance, coexistence, and reject violence, hatred, and extremism.

For his part, H.E. Mr. Niklasson expressed his happiness at meeting Professor Sano, stressing the pivotal role played by the Academy at the intellectual and scientific level in clarifying concepts related to Islam and spreading the values of moderation and tolerance. He also expressed his readiness to enhance cooperation with the Academy in dealing with the existing authority in Afghanistan, especially in the field of girls’ education and women’s participation in development.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Mohamed Mondher Chouk, Director of Protocols and Legal Affairs, Ms. Sarah Amjad Badawi, Director of Family and Women’s Affairs, and Dr. Hajj Manta Drami, Head of International Cooperation and Foreign Relations.