Saudi Arabia's Kattan Tours Africa to Bolster Ties, Sign Agreements

Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR
Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR
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Saudi Arabia's Kattan Tours Africa to Bolster Ties, Sign Agreements

Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR
Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR

Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmed Kattan will tour several African countries to sign the general cooperation agreement and the memorandum of understanding for political consultation.

He will first visit Uganda, followed by Senegal and Guinea Bissau, as part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to strengthen relations with these countries.

Kattan said this tour comes under the directives of the Saudi leadership to consolidate relations with African countries.

It also complements the tours he made to several African countries at the beginning of this year including Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire.

In December, Kattan visited Central Africa, Congo-Brazzaville, Angola, and Zambia. He also visited Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Madagascar.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Africa developed more extensively with the start of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz leadership.

Its impact was evident in the boom in relations and initiatives to enhance partnerships. Riyadh assigned a minister for African affairs to establish stronger political ties, new security connections, and institutional frameworks with many African countries.

Saudi-African relations are deepening within the scope of non-diplomatic relations, including all aspects of international economic, financial, scientific, educational, cultural, media, and social ties. They aim to address the imbalance of living conditions, environmental problems, food shortages, and the pandemic affecting African peoples.

Saudi Arabia also launched mediation efforts to resolve the conflicts facing African states.



MWL Secretary General Meets with Pope Francis, Unveils Islamic Studies, Arabic Language Award

MWL Secretary General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (SPA)
MWL Secretary General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (SPA)
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MWL Secretary General Meets with Pope Francis, Unveils Islamic Studies, Arabic Language Award

MWL Secretary General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (SPA)
MWL Secretary General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (SPA)

Secretary General of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa met with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss opportunities for collaboration and issues of mutual interest, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.

During his visit to Italy, Al-Issa received an Honorary Postdoctoral Fellowship in Law from the University of Bologna. The award ceremony, attended by university leaders, academics, and religious dignitaries, acknowledged his dedication to advancing the objectives of the United Nations Charter for global peace.

His initiatives to ease cultural tensions, foster interfaith dialogue, and promote cooperation across diverse communities were particularly highlighted.

Al-Issa also inaugurated the Islamic Studies and Arabic Language Award at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the university president, faculty members, students, and notable Italian Islamic leaders attended the event.

The award aims to deepen understanding of Islamic perspectives on scientific and cultural issues, while promoting the richness of the Arabic language. It covers multiple categories, encouraging scholarly contributions to Islamic studies and language education.