MFA Press Statement: Visit of Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli to Cairo, Egypt, 15 March 2015

Call by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli on Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayyeb on 15 March 2015. [Photo: MFA]
 

            Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, who was in Egypt to attend the Egypt Economic Development Conference at Sharm El-Sheikh, visited Cairo on 15 March 2015, during which he called separately on the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayyeb and the Grand Mufti of Egypt Dr Shawky Allam.  SMS Masagos thanked Sheikh Al-Tayyeb for the longstanding support shown to Singapore students at Al-Azhar University over the years, including the provision of scholarships to our students to pursue their studies at Al-Azhar.  SMS Masagos and Sheikh Al-Tayyeb also discussed the important role played by Al-Azhar in promoting religious tolerance and countering extremist ideologies.  They also agreed that Singapore and Egypt should continue to find ways to deepen religious exchanges, including in the field of training for religious scholars from Singapore.  SMS Masagos and Dr Allam, who visited Singapore in January this year under the MUIS Distinguished Visitor Programme, exchanged views on the importance of harnessing modern technology to promote religious moderation among youths. 

            SMS Masagos also met Singapore students studying in Al-Azhar University and updated them on the latest developments in Singapore.    

.    .    .    .    .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

16 MARCH 2015