The construction of Al Azhar library will act as the kick-off project for $3 billion commitment signed last year

Cairo, Egypt, July 5, 2012

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Egypt's Al-Azhar to provide $42 million in funds to support the University's educational and cultural projects. This initiative comes as part of the $3 billion commitment signed last year.

The MoU which comes as part of the long term cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries, was signed at Al-Azhar's headquarters in Cairo by Saeed Al-Meqbali, the Undersecretary of Local Sectors at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Committee on Aid to Egypt and Sheikh Abdul Tawwab Abdul Hakim Qutob, the Undersecretary of Al-Azhar in presence of senior Egyptian and Emirati officials.

According to the MoU, the funds will be used to construct a new building for the Al-Azhar's library,to house more than 50000  manuscripts as well as publications, to secure the current assets by state-of-the-art electronic control and security systems and to construct new accommodation units for the university's students.

The MoU expresses the appreciation of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the role Al-Azhar plays in servicing the Islamic nation and the Arab nation as a whole and as a continuation of strengthening the ties between the two countries.
The initiative is supervised by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, according to Al-Meqbali.

"The UAE under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan takes pride in this great seat of Islamic learning which has become a prominent center for Islamic studies across the Arab nantion and the world.," the UAE official said.
For his part, Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb expressed appreciation of the initiative by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and valued the role taken up by the UAE in service of the causes of the Islamic nation and the Arab nation.

Sheikh Abdul Tawwab Abdul Hakim Qutob, the Undersecretary of Al-Azhar said the UAE never spares any effort to help Egypt. We have been in close ties with the Emirati government for a long time and we value this partnership and for their endless support."

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© Press Release 2012