Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) concluded his first official visit to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, which started on 22 December 2019 and included meetings with senior Mauritanian officials, attending the award ceremony of Chinguetti Prize 2019, and visiting Chinguett Modern University.

After being received by H.H. Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, at the Presidential Palace in Nouakchott, Dr. AlMalik met the Prime Minister, Mr. Ismail Bedde Cheikh Sidiya, and together they stressed the importance of promoting coordination and consultation so as to implement ISESCO’s initiatives launched for the benefit of Mauritania, including ISESCO’s willingness to support Chinguetti Prize, schedule Nouakchott on the programme of the Capitals of Islamic Culture, contribute to the success of the celebration of the ancient towns in Mauritania, establish a training institute for imams, and launch Mahdara’s initiatives while reaffirming the importance and role of such initiatives in contributing to the development of Mauritania.

Besides, ISESCO Director General met the Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ismael Ould Cheikh Ahmed. This meeting explored ISESCO’s initiatives, agreed to look for strategic partnerships to support the development projects in Mauritania within ISESCO’s fields of action, and reaffirmed the importance of the cultural diplomacy and multilateral cooperation in achieving the joint objectives as part of ISESCO’s initiatives for the benefit of Mauritania.

Mr. Ismail Sidiya thanked Dr. AlMalik for these initiatives and expressed the willingness of the official and competent parties in Mauritania to support ISESCO in this regard.

ISESCO Director General also had meetings with Dr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Ghaber, the Minister of Culture, Handicrafts and Relations with the Parliament of Mauritania, and Mr. Dah Ould Sidi Ould Amar Taleb, Minister of Islamic Affairs and Traditional Education of Mauritania. The two meetings explored the development of cooperation between the Organization and Mauritania within ISESCO’s fields of action.

In addition, Dr. AlMalik made a visit to Chinguett Modern University, which receives ISESCO’s support and hosts one of its Academic Chairs. One of the University’s Amphitheatre will be named after ISESCO. Chinguett Modern University is a private university with four departments, namely Islamic Studies, Sharia and Law, Islamic Economics, and Arabic Language and Literature.