The Muslim World League has officially launched a strategic initiative across West Africa to dismantle extremist discourse, uniting Muslim and Christian leaders behind the Abuja Declaration. Convened under the patronage of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the international summit in Abuja addresses urgent regional security threats from militant groups like JNIM and ISGS through binding interfaith agreements.
For years, the Sahel and coastal West Africa have bled under the weight of extremist violence. Millions have been forced from their homes and thousands killed by radical factions including the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM). In Nigeria, Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have waged an insurgency since 2009. These factions rely heavily on sowing religious discord between Muslim and Christian communities to fuel their recruitment. The Muslim World League’s new intervention targets this exact vulnerability by engineering a unified, cross-faith approach to counter radicalization.
Building a Regional Framework for Social Peace
The conference, titled “Diversity and Social Peace: A Partnership for a Promising Future,” brought together government officials, civil society representatives, and prominent clerics from across the region. Delegates adopted the Abuja Declaration to institutionalize conflict prevention. According to conference documents, the framework expands educational, training, and media programs rooted in the Makkah Charter, which champions global religious cooperation.
To ensure these commitments survive beyond the conference hall, participants established the Coordinating Body for Religious and Civil Leaders and Institutions in West Africa. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, noted that the strategy aims to strike at the root causes of extremist ideologies through binding multi-party accords. President Tinubu met with Al-Issa at the presidential palace during the summit to confirm his full administrative backing, which includes mandatory periodic evaluations to track progress.
Forging Interfaith Partnerships on the Ground
During a dedicated follow-up session, leaders signed four specific memorandums of understanding designed to bridge historical divides. These agreements link Nigeria’s Interfaith Mediation Centre with the Muslim World League; the Council of Christian Religious Leaders in Northern Nigeria with Jamaat Izalat al-Bid’a wa Iqamat as-Sunna; the Christian Youth Initiative for Peace and Development with Jamaat Nasr al-Islam; and the Alliance of Progressive Pastors with the Union of Ahl al-Sunna Organisations.
The newly formed coordinating body holds direct responsibility for managing these four agreements across the region. International observers, including representatives from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, US evangelical networks, and delegations from the Vatican and Protestant churches, attended the proceedings to signal broad global support for the African-led coalition.
International Echoes and the Path Forward
The ripple effects of the Abuja Declaration extend well beyond African borders. As nations grapple with hybrid security threats and radicalization vectors, structured religious cooperation remains a vital pillar of defense.
Before concluding his visit, Sheikh Al-Issa delivered the Friday sermon at the National Grand Mosque in Abuja, praising Nigeria’s national and religious values. Share your thoughts on the role of interfaith diplomacy in the comments below.
