Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, received Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the league’s office in Riyadh.
During the meeting, Ibrahim and Al-Issa dis-cussed several topics of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The Malaysian prime minister praised the MWL’s global presence and influence, describing the league, headquartered in Makkah, as Saudi Arabia’s good deed toward the Islamic world.
He also expressed his appreciation for its efforts in support of Palestine in light of the current crisis. During the meeting, the two officials set the dates for the first session of the Council of Southeast Asian Scholars and the World Summit of Religious Leaders in Kuala Lumpur.
The summit will see a number of initiatives launched, and discussions will focus on promoting “the values of coexistence” and religious awareness among youth.
Al-Issa, on behalf of MWL, hosted a banquet in honor of Ibrahim and his accompanying delegation, which was attended by Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zambry Abdul Kadir and several Malaysian ministers and parliamentarians.
Indonesia hopes to start talks on a free trade pact with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, a minister has said after the Indonesian president’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
Trade between the Southeast Asian nation and the Kingdom has been on the rise, increasing on aver-age about 5 percent annually between 2018 and 2022. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s trade with GCC countries was valued at $16 billion last year, showcasing a 25 percent rise compared to 2021.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo was in Riyadh to attend the first summit of the GCC and Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday. Ahead of the event, he was received by the crown prince and witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral agreements. —APP
