The Burkinabe Security Minister thanks the Grand Imam for al-Azhar’s Arabic Language Teaching Center project and affirms: We are proceeding with its establishment to benefit from al-Azhar’s efforts.
The Burkinabe Security Minister: We rely on al-Azhar in confronting extremist groups.
The Burkinabe Security Minister: Al-Azhar graduates play an important role in spreading moderate discourse and correcting misconceptions among our country’s youth.
The Burkinabe Security Minister expresses his country’s appreciation for the Grand Imam’s role in spreading global peace and al-Azhar’s efforts in supporting African peoples.
The Burkinabe Security Minister requests scholarships from al-Azhar’s Grand Imam for Burkina Faso students to study medicine, pharmacy, and engineering and the Grand Imam welcomes the request.
His Eminence the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad at-Tayyeb, received Mr. Mahamadou Sana, Burkina Faso’s Security Minister, at al-Azhar headquarters, to discuss ways to enhance al-Azhar’s support for the people of Burkina Faso.
The Grand Imam welcomed the Burkinabe Minister at al-Azhar, emphasizing the strong relations between al-Azhar and Burkina Faso, in which international students played an important role in its progress and development. He noted that al-Azhar currently has 805 students from Burkina Faso in various educational stages, including 235 on al-Azhar scholarships as al-Azhar allocates 25 annual scholarships for Burkinabe students to study at its institutes and prestigious University. Additionally, there are 27 Azhari scholars present in Burkina Faso teaching various sciences to Muslim students, along with an al-Azhar institute there. He added that al-Azhar cooperates with Burkinabe institutions to accredit certificates from several other institutes alongside the al-Azhar certificate.
For his part, the Burkinabe Security Minister expressed his happiness at meeting the Grand Imam and his country’s appreciation for His Eminence’s role in spreading global peace values as well as al-Azhar’s significant efforts in supporting African peoples, especially the people of Burkina Faso. He also confirmed that Burkina Faso relies on al-Azhar in confronting extremist groups that try to hide behind the veil of Islam, through refuting these groups’ ideas and demonstrating the invalidity of their arguments. Confronting extremist groups is also achieved through its graduates who play an important role in spreading moderate discourse and correcting misconceptions among youth who fall into the clutches of extremist rhetoric, helping them return to the right path.
In addition, he affirmed his country’s appreciation for al-Azhar’s substantial support for Burkina Faso’s people through student scholarships, al-Azhar scholars present in their country, and hosting Burkinabe imams for training at al-Azhar Academy. He also thanked His Eminence for the proposed al-Azhar Arabic Language Teaching Center project in Burkina Faso, which was reviewed during the Burkinabe Foreign Minister’s visit to His Eminence last year. He pointed out that they are proceeding with its establishment to benefit from al-Azhar’s efforts, curricula, and teachers, meeting the needs of the Burkinabe people and enhancing their capabilities in facing internal challenges.
Furthermore, he also requested the Grand Imam to allocate some scholarships for Burkina Faso students to study medicine, pharmacy, engineering, and other practical specializations at al-Azhar University. The Grand Imam welcomed this request, directing leaders of al-Azhar University to study and implement it as soon as possible. He also requested a list of names of Burkina Faso’s al-Azhar graduates so that the country can benefit from them in the advancement of their communities.
