Prabowo And El-Sisi Agree To Promote Moderate Islam Against Extremism

President Prabowo Subianto shook hands with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the RI-Egypt bilateral meeting at the Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace, Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday (18/12/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi agreed to promote moderate Islamic values as a joint effort to fight extremism and Islamophobia.

This commitment was conveyed by President Prabowo in a bilateral meeting between the two countries at the Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace, Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, December 18, which highlighted various strategic fields, such as trade, industry, technology, education, tourism, and defense.

"We also want to jointly maintain and promote moderate Islam, a tolerant Islam, an Islam that protects all people on this earth, not any other Islam or Islam that is full of suspicion or hatred," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

President Prabowo emphasized that Islam is basically a religion of peace that must continue to strive for his image in the midst of the global community.

"We must eliminate suspicion or a phobia of Islam, Islam is basically Islam who wants peace," he said.

In addition to discussing topics about religion, the President also expressed his appreciation for the good treatment of the Egyptian Government for Indonesian students who are studying in the country.

Prabowo hopes that educational cooperation can be further expanded, including through an increase in the number of Indonesian student admissions in Egypt.

"We are very grateful, there are more than 15,000 Indonesian students who study in Egypt, mostly in Al-Azhar," he said.