Azerbaijani leader meets SecGen of Muslim Council of Elders in Abu Dhabi

On February 3, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, in Abu Dhabi.

Abdelsalam recalled with satisfaction his previous visits to Azerbaijan and meetings with President Aliyev. He once again congratulated the president on being awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, Caliber.Az cites the Azerbaijani president’s website.

President Aliyev thanked him for the congratulations and praised the activities of the Zayed Foundation, as well as the significant role of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in promoting humanitarian legacy and human values.

The awarding of this prize to Ilham Aliyev was seen as a sign of high esteem on the part of Pope Leo XIV, Sheikh of Al-Azhar al-Sharif, and Supreme Imam Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Al-Tayeb for the Azerbaijani president's efforts to establish peace with Armenia.

In January 2026, President Ilham Aliyev received Mohamed Abdelsalam and members of the judging committee of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity – former President of the European Council Charles Michel and former Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat. The delegation informed the President that the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity will be presented to him in recognition of his efforts to achieve peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. They announced that the solemn award ceremony will take place on February 4, 2026, in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, and expressed their honour in personally handing the invitation letter to President Aliyev to attend the event as a guest of honour.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity was established on the basis of a document signed by Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis. 

After studying all peace models worldwide last year, the judging committee decided that the peace agreement model between Azerbaijan and Armenia constitutes an excellent example that can be applied in other regions affected by conflict and war.

By Khagan Isayev