MWL Chief: The Makkah Document Filled an Important Void Regarding Pressing Issues

Part of the international symposium held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Part of the international symposium held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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MWL Chief: The Makkah Document Filled an Important Void Regarding Pressing Issues

Part of the international symposium held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Part of the international symposium held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held on Saturday a symposium in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, in collaboration with the Muslim World League (MWL).

During the symposium, dubbed “The Makkah al-Mukarramah Document: Achievements and Prospects,” Islamic and international scholars and religious and intellectual leaders unanimously agreed on the document’s contribution to bringing together the nation’s scholars and getting them to agree on pressing modern issues.

MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim al-Issa, who is also the chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, highlighted the most prominent features of the document, stressing that it demonstrated where Islam stands as opposed to civilizational and human coexistence.

He stressed that the Makkah Document filled an important void in the consensus of the scholars of the Islamic nation regarding pressing modern issues and that it demonstrated the distinction of those scholars by their ability to unify their word despite their great sectarian diversity.

Al-Issa also pointed to the document's keenness to develop Islamic societies, confront corruption, rationalize consumption and preserve the environment, and rationalize religious sentiment, especially among Muslim youth.

More than 1,200 prominent Muslim scholars and 4,500 Islamic intellectuals from 139 countries signed the document.

Issa said families and relevant official governmental and civil institutions responsible for raising awareness among the Muslim youth.

Director-General of ICESCO Dr. Salem al-Malik also delivered a speech, in which he praised MWL’s efforts in addressing concerns of the Islamic nation, highlighting the close bilateral partnership.

Assistant Secretary-General of the Muhammadan Association of Scholars in Morocco Dr. Ahmed al-Senouni, for his part, said the document’s guidelines and principles represent a source of inspiration at the individual and collective levels.

Dr. Khaled al-Samadi, the head of the Moroccan Center for Educational Studies and Research, noted that the document corrected many misconceptions, established many values and developed the skills of tackling the differences.

Meanwhile, the rapporteur of the Kingdom of Morocco Academy, Dr. Mustafa Zabakh, described the document as a junction that the Islamic world and all humankind need in light of the turmoil and intellectual conflicts the world is currently facing.



Egypt and Oman Discuss Red Sea Security, Bilateral Cooperation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)
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Egypt and Oman Discuss Red Sea Security, Bilateral Cooperation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed escalating security tensions in the Red Sea during a visit to Oman on Monday, stressing the importance of maritime safety, freedom of international trade, and the direct link to the security of Red Sea littoral states.

Abdelatty highlighted the economic impact of the tensions on Egypt, particularly the decline in Suez Canal revenues, which fell from $9.4 billion in 2022–2023 to $7.2 billion in 2023–2024 due to the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The attacks, carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, have forced global shipping companies to reroute vessels through the Cape of Good Hope.

During his meeting with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s appreciation for the sultanate’s leadership and its stabilizing regional role.

According to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, he emphasized the need for Arab cooperation to address the region’s unprecedented instability, underscoring Egypt’s commitment to working closely with Oman to promote security and stability.

Abdelatty also met with his Omani counterpart Badr Al-Busaidi to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues. They reviewed existing cooperation frameworks and explored ways to boost relations, especially in trade, investments, and logistics.

The Egyptian official highlighted his country’s economic reform program and its efforts to attract foreign investment by improving the business climate and offering incentives.

The ministers discussed bolstering cooperation between the Suez Canal Economic Zone and Oman’s Special Economic Zone at Duqm, as well as strengthening maritime links between key ports, such as Duqm, Salalah, Alexandria, and Ain Sokhna. Such initiatives aim to boost trade and deepen collaboration in logistics and maritime transport, leveraging both nations’ strategic geographic locations.

Regional topics, including developments in Syria, Gaza, Yemen, Libya, Lebanon, and the Horn of Africa, were also addressed. The ministers expressed concern over the impact of Red Sea tensions on littoral states and shared a commitment to finding comprehensive political solutions for these crises.