His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Al-Munzir Al-Shawk, Acting Secretary-General of the Academy and Director of the Cabinet and Legal Affairs Department, received at the Academy’s headquarters on Thursday, 16 Ramadan 1447 AH, corresponding to 5 February 2026, His Excellency Ambassador Gilles Bertrand, the European Union Special Envoy for Afghanistan, accompanied by Ms Olivia De Garay, Political Adviser at the European Union.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Acting Secretary-General welcomed His Excellency the Ambassador and conveyed to him the greetings of His Excellency Professor Dr Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary-General of the Academy, along with his best wishes for success in his mission. He then provided an overview of the Academy, including its vision, objectives, mission, and role in addressing contemporary issues and emerging challenges in the Muslim world.

The meeting discussed developments in Afghanistan since 2021. The Academy reviewed the efforts it has undertaken in the implementation of the resolutions of the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of Islamic Countries, held on 19 December 2021, which entrusted the Academy with tasks related to Afghan affairs, particularly matters concerning the values of moderation, women’s rights, and girls’ education. The meeting also touched on the outcomes of the Banjul Summit, particularly the call to convene a meeting between Muslim scholars and Afghan scholars in Makkah Al-Mukarramah to enhance dialogue and consultation on issues of mutual concern. His Excellency further reviewed the Academy’s activities related to Afghanistan, foremost among them the two visits made by delegations of Academy members to Afghanistan, the first in June 2022 and the second in September 2023, which included meetings with several officials in Kabul, in addition to the scholarly and intellectual efforts undertaken by the Academy in this regard.

For his part, Ambassador Gilles Bertrand expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the warm welcome and generous hospitality, affirming the Academy’s pivotal intellectual and scholarly role in clarifying concepts related to Islam and promoting the values of moderation and tolerance. He also expressed his readiness to strengthen cooperation with the Academy in engaging with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, particularly in the fields of girls’ education and women’s participation in development.

The meeting was attended by Ms Sarah Amjad Badiwi, Director of Family and Women’s Affairs, and Dr Alhagi Manta Drammeh, Head of the International Cooperation and External Relations Division.