CCCPA conducts training in Mali on enhancing role of religious leaders in preventing extremism, terrorism

The Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), in partnership with the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Mali and the African Union (AU) mission in Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL), conducted a four-day training on Enhancing the Role of Religious Leaders in Preventing Radicalization and Extremism Leading to Terrorism (PRELT).
Mahamadou Oumar Kone, Minister of Religious Affairs, Tarek Abdel Hamid, Ambassador of Egypt to Mali, Zeneth Fulgence, Head of MISAHEL, and members of the diplomatic community in Bamako, attended the opening ceremony.

In his keynote address,  Kone emphasized the historical ties between Egypt and Mali, while thanking the Egyptian government for its support and assistance in addressing Mali’s multidimensional crisis. “CCCPA’s capacity-building training is a robust manifestation of the Egyptian will to support Mali in its fight against the scourge of violent extremism and terrorism,” he stated. He also noted that the Malian Government always welcomes and supports CCCPA’s initiatives.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Abdel Hamid emphasized that the training program is a testament to Egypt and Mali’s strong ties. He also highlighted Egypt’s longstanding position as a beacon of moderate religious education and elaborated on its leading role and expertise in countering terrorism and combating extremism. Additionally, he thanked Minister Kone for his support in bringing this training to fruition as well as CCCPA for “the significant initiative in organizing this timely and important training program.”

In a recorded message, Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Latif, Director General of CCCPA and Chair of the African Union Network of Think Tanks for Peace (AU NeTT4Peace), stated that “this training comes in the context of CCCPA’s ongoing efforts to build African capacities in the field of preventing radicalization and extremism conducive to terrorism in the Sahel,”.He highlighted the role of CCCPA’s PRELT program in leveraging the pillars of community resilience and the social influence exercised by religious leaders in their communities. He also underlined the importance of advancing preventative measures and strategies that respond to local realities on the ground, as well as investing in resilience-building. Finally, Ambassador Abdel-Latif extended his appreciation to the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Mali for their productive cooperation and to CCCPA’s partners for their support, stressing on the centrality of partnerships in carrying out such activities.