The Secretary-General General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has met the President of the Gambia Adama Barrow as part of the latter’s participation at the UN General Assembly taking place in New York City. 

During the meeting, the Gambian President expressed his appreciation of the Muslim Council of Elders and its Chairman, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb. He particularly pointed to the Council’s efforts in promoting dialogue between different religious groups and cultures. President Barrow pointed to the internal respect and tolerance enjoyed in his home country, while expressing a willingness to cooperate with the Council on matters related to maintaining peace and dialogue in Africa. 

The President of the West African nation also noted Egypt and Al-Azhar’s role in supporting the Gambia and other African nations on all fronts. He described Egypt as a source of support and inspiration to all African nations, particularly in the fields of religious studies and peaceful coexistence. 

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders praised the Gambia for being a model of peaceful tolerance and coexistence in the African continent. He declared the Muslim Council of Elders' readiness to support the Gambia’s efforts in promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue in the face of extremism and hate. Judge Abdelsalam added that the Council has a great interest in developing strong relations with African nations, having already established a number of initiatives that promote dialogue and coexistence in the continent. The majority of these initiatives, he revealed, targeted young people in order to protect them from the influences of extremist groups while also encouraging and supporting women's rights.