Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Professor Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb has assured that he would offer the Maldives more short-term training, scholarship opportunities, and teachers. He made the pledge during a meeting with Vice President Faisal Naseem who is currently in Egypt to attend the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh.
The Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar Mosque and University is Sunni Islam’s highest authority in jurisprudence. At the meeting held in Cairo, Vice President Naseem stated that the Maldives highly values its long-standing bonds of friendship with Egypt and shed light on the historic bonds of friendship and close cooperation between the two countries based on our shared Islamic and cultural values and historical links.
Ar the meeting, Vice President Naseem and the Grand Imam el-Tayeb discussed various topics of mutual interest, including higher education and human resource development, the training of imams, and the fight against violent extremism and radicalisation. They also deliberated on establishing an Arab language training centre in the Maldives with the assistance of Egypt.
Furthermore, Vice President Naseem also extended gratitude to the government of Egypt for its support in the areas of socioeconomic and human resource development. He noted that Al-Azhar University has played a pioneering role in the education sector of the Maldives and has provided long-term scholarships to Maldivian students annually since the early 1980s.
At the meeting, Vice President Naseem stated the Maldives looked forward to working closely with Egypt, both bilaterally and internationally, to address radicalisation. The Grand Imam also accepted an invitation to undertake a visit to the Maldives.
In addition, Vice President Naseem met with the Maldivian student population at Al-Azhar University and inquired about the student's well-being and education. The students shared their concerns and highlighted challenges related to student loans. Vice President Naseem spoke to the students about the importance of utilising the opportunity to pursue higher education abroad. He also assured the students of the administration's commitment to seeking solutions to their concerns.