The Moroccan Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Ethiopia signed two cooperation agreements in the religious field on Thursday in Addis Ababa, as part of efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.
According to an official press release, the first agreement aims to train 200 Ethiopian imams at the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines, and Morchidates in Rabat over a five-year period. The programme will follow a rigorous scientific and pedagogical approach focused on promoting moderation and balance, strengthening spiritual security, and spreading the values upheld by Islam.
The second agreement is a memorandum of understanding providing for the exchange of experiences and expertise in the management of religious affairs and continuing education. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation between the ulema of both countries through the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Ethiopia, in service of Islam, the unification of scholars’ efforts, and the dissemination of values of tolerance and coexistence.
The signing of the two agreements, as the press release said, reflects the depth of the religious and scientific ties linking the Kingdom of Morocco and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, as well as Morocco’s African outreach.
In this context, Sheikh Haji Ibrahim Tufa, President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Ethiopia, highlighted the leading role played by the Kingdom of Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of King Mohammed VI, in serving Islam and strengthening African cooperation based on knowledge, wisdom, unity, and shared values.
He also noted that the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema has become a genuine scientific and spiritual reference across the African continent.
For his part, Mohamed Rifki, Secretary General of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema, said the two agreements form part of efforts to reinforce religious and scientific cooperation between Morocco and Ethiopia, in line with the vision of King Mohammed VI.
Regarding the memorandum of understanding, Rifki explained that it will enable 60 Ethiopian executives to benefit from comprehensive training in Morocco in two phases, allowing them to learn from the experience accumulated by the Kingdom of Morocco over more than 13 centuries in the religious field.
