H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, received Mr. Oliver Wilcox, Head of the Peace and Security Strategy Division at the US Department of State, on Monday 25 Rabi Al-Akhir 1446, corresponding to 28 October 2024, at the Academy’s headquarters in Jeddah.

Mr. Wilcox thanked the Secretary General of the Academy for the warm welcome and stressed his keenness to make this visit to the Academy as part of his efforts to strengthen cooperation with the OIC and its organs, especially the IIFA, which is considered the leading religious authority for OIC member states and Muslim communities outside the Muslim world. The guest of the Academy also noted the outstanding intellectual and scientific efforts of the Academy to spread the culture of moderation, tolerance and coexistence in all regions of the world.

The Secretary General of the Academy thanked his guest for this visit which shows the respect he has for the Academy and confirms the sincere desire to strengthen cooperation and communication between the OIC and the U.S. He welcomed cooperation and partnership initiatives with American institutions and centers concerned with defending the fundamental values of religious freedom, promoting moderation and tolerance, rejecting extremism and combating terrorism, and supporting constructive dialogue among followers of religions in order to achieve security, safety and coexistence in the world.

The meeting was attended by Ms. Sarah Amjad Bedewi, Director of the Department of Family, Women, Children and Youth Affairs, and Dr. Alhagi Manta Drammeh, Head of International Cooperation and External Relations Division.