As part of enhancing cooperative relations with international agencies concerned with humanitarian work and cultural and intellectual engagements, His Excellency Professor Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary-General of the Academy, received a high-level delegation from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the Academy’s headquarters in Jeddah on Monday, the 10th of Safar 1447 AH, corresponding to the 4th of August 2025, headed by Ms. Nahed Hussein, the UNDP Resident Representative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

His Excellency welcomed the Honourable guest and her accompanying delegation, highlighting the prominent role that the United Nations Development Programme in combating poverty and supporting vulnerable communities around the world. He also provided the delegation with an introduction to the Academy, considering it one of the most important subsidiary bodies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, representing the primary reference for member states of the organization and Muslim communities regarding fatwa on calamities and issues concerning Muslims worldwide. He emphasized that the Academy is concerned with presenting the true image of Islam based on values of moderation and peaceful coexistence. He also pointed out that the Academy has previously issued resolutions supporting the use of legal tools, such as zakat and endowments, in combating poverty in communities.

For her part, Ms. Nahed Hussein thanked Professor Sano for the warm reception and hospitality, expressing her delight at visiting the Academy. She explained that the purpose of the visit was to meet with officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Academy to exchange ideas and build a sustainable partnership in the field of humanitarian and developmental work at the regional and global levels. She emphasized the United Nations Development Programme’s commitment to establishing bridges of cooperation with leading Islamic institutions to achieve a sustainable impact for shared humanitarian and developmental initiatives, especially with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to create a successful model of multilateral cooperation that combines legal perspectives and practical capabilities on the ground.

The delegation discussed with His Excellency a number of areas of cooperation that can be worked on jointly in the upcoming phase, including organizing joint conferences and seminars on the governance of endowments, with the aim of exchanging experiences and best practices in managing endowments, in order to maximize their developmental benefit. Additionally, there was a discussion about directing zakat funds to support United Nations development projects, as well as the possibility of allocating part of the zakat funds to UN agencies – such as the UNDP – that work on rehabilitating communities affected in areas torn apart by wars and conflicts.

At the end of the meeting, His Excellency confirmed the readiness of the Academy to offer its legal and intellectual expertise in service of joint initiatives with the United Nations Development Programme, whether through preparing supportive jurisprudential studies to direct zakat and waqf funds to relief and development projects, or by participating in international events that enhance awareness of the importance of partnership between Islamic institutions and UN agencies in achieving sustainable development.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the United Nations Development Programme: Ms. Zeina Ali Ahmed, the programme’s resident representative in Yemen, Ms. Karima Nihama, the strategic advisor for the programme in Yemen, Ms. Farah, the head of the partnerships department, and Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Ghamdi from the UNDP office in Riyadh. From the Academy: Mr. Mohamed Walid Al-Idrisi, Director of the media and public relations department, and Dr. Alhagi Manta Drammeh, Head of the International Cooperation and External Relations.