WEB DESK: Indonesia and Egypt have agreed to promote the values of moderate Islam as a joint endeavor to counter extremism and Islamophobia across the world.
President Prabowo Subianto expressed the commitment during a bilateral meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, at the presidential palace in Cairo on Wednesday (December 18).
“We are keen to preserve and promote a moderate version of Islam: Islam full of tolerance, Islam that protects all people in the world and is not the ‘other’ Islam that is full of suspicion or hatred,” the Indonesian president stated.
Prabowo emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace, and its peaceful images and values must be advocated among members of the global community.
“We should dispel any suspicion or phobia against Islam. In principle, Islam is full of peace,” he stressed.
Apart from discussing religious cooperation, the two leaders also deliberated on strengthening collaboration in other strategic fields, such as trade and industry, technology, education, tourism, and defense.
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The president also expressed gratitude to El-Sisi for the good treatment given to Indonesian students in the country.
He expected further expansion of bilateral cooperation in the education sector, including increasing the intake of Indonesian students to study in Egyptian universities.
“As of today, we have more than 15 thousand Indonesian students studying in Egypt, most of them enrolled at Al-Azhar,” Prabowo told Al-Sisi.
President Prabowo arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday (December 17). Prabowo is expected to meet President Al-Sisi and attend the Developing-8 (D-8) Summit during his time in the country.
Apart from meeting President Al-Sisi, Prabowo met the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, and Indonesian students at Al-Azhar University on Wednesday.
