Saudi ambassador and Gus Yahya discuss world peace and cooperation

Jakarta, NU Online

The Indonesia's Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Esam A Abid Althagafi visited the headquarters of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board (PBNU) on Jalan Kramat Raya 164, Central Jakarta, Monday (17/1/2022). During the visit, Ambassador Esam was directly and warmly greeted by the General Chairman of PBNU KH Yahya Cholil Staquf (Gus Yahya).

“Today I received a visit from the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia. We discussed various possibilities in order to strengthen cooperation between NU and Saudi Arabia," he said in a press conference after the meeting on the 3rd Floor, PBNU headquarters.

In terms of cooperation, Gus Yahya conveyed two important things that became the focus of discussion at the meeting, namely strengthening the cooperative relationship between NU and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia institutionally and working hand in hand to realize NU's vision of peace in the international arena.

"There are two things we discussed. First, a cooperation to strengthen NU institutionally. Second, to help each other preserve NU in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia globally," explained the figure born in Rembang, February 16, 1966.

The man who once served as the spokesperson for the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia viewed these two things as a natural collaboration considering Indonesia is a country with a majority Muslim population. Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the most influential country in the Islamic world.

"Well, in this very decisive position, this cooperation is important as an effort to solve various problems in the international arena together," explained Gus Yahya.

On that occasion, a number of Tanfidziyah board members were present to accompany Gus Yahya, including the Chairman of PBNU H Ishfah Abidal Aziz, and Deputy Secretary General, H Syarif Munawi.

Since the formation of the new PBNU management as a result of the NU 34th Congress in Lampung, several ambassadors from various countries have visited PBNU. Among them are the Ambassador of Bosnia Herzegovina Mehmed Halilović and the Egyptian Ambassador to Indonesia Ashraf Sulthan.

Reporter: Syifa Arrahmah

Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq