01-Contents Page.indd - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre
01-Contents Page.indd - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre
01-Contents Page.indd - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre
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110<br />
Political<br />
million people. Deby holds great domestic authority through his ability to consolidate power in<br />
Chad. Chad was previously affected by a high frequency of coup d’états. He participated in the<br />
negotiated peace agreement in February 2<strong>01</strong>0 between the rebel groups of the Justice and Equality<br />
Movement and the Sudanese government.<br />
East Africa<br />
SOMALIA<br />
ahmed, his excellency president sheikh sharif sheikh<br />
Ahmed is the ninth president of Somalia and former commander in chief of the <strong>Islamic</strong> Courts<br />
Union—a previously militaristic organization that had significant control over the country, which<br />
has now reformed into a Somalian political party. Ahmed was educated in shari‘a in Sudan and<br />
Libya and is a Hafiz of the Qur’an (one who has memorized the entire Qur’an) and the spiritual<br />
leader of the Idriseeyah order of Sufi Islam in Somalia.<br />
aweys, sheikh hassan dahir<br />
Aweys is an influential Somali leader. He is a Salafi and the former head of the Shura Council of the<br />
<strong>Islamic</strong> Courts Union of Somalia. In April 2009 Aweys returned to Somalia and declared war on<br />
the African Peace Keeping Forces (AMISOM). Although marginalized from mainstream Somali<br />
politics, he continues to enjoy significant support from the Al Shabbab resistance movement in<br />
Somalia.<br />
West Africa<br />
MALI<br />
touré, his excellency president amadou toumani<br />
Touré is the president of Mali which has a 95 percent majority of Muslims. He overthrew the<br />
military ruler, Moussa Traoré in 1991, then handed power to civilian authorities the next year.<br />
Touré won the presidential elections in 2002, with a broad coalition of support and was easily reelected<br />
in 2007.<br />
Asia<br />
AFGHANISTAN<br />
karzai, his excellency president hamid<br />
Hamid Karzai was elected as president of Afghanistan for a full five-year term in September 2004,<br />
becoming the first directly-elected president in the country’s history. He was then reelected to a<br />
subsequent five-year term in a controversial election in 2009. Karzai has been able to build up<br />
considerable support from the Afghans. Under his presidency Afghanistan’s economy has been<br />
growing rapidly for the first time in many years. His administration does, however, suffer from<br />
widespread allegations of corruption.<br />
AZERBAIJAN<br />
aliyev, his excellency president ilham<br />
Aliyev is the current president of Azerbaijan and the chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party.<br />
Although not outwardly religious, he is a Muslim and his advocacy of a moderate cultural Islam<br />
is representative of the demands of the population of the country. Azerbaijan, with a population<br />
of approximately 7.5 million Muslims is an active member of the Organization of the <strong>Islamic</strong><br />
Conference.<br />
BANGLADESH<br />
wazed, her excellency sheikha hasina<br />
Sheikha Hasina Wazed is the current prime minister of Bangladesh and the president of one of
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