Nouakchott, February 10, 2026 — Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, President of the African Conference for the Promotion of Peace, opened the sixth edition of the gathering in Nouakchott by expressing gratitude to the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, His Excellency Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, acknowledging the recognition of His Excellency Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad, as recipient of the Africa Peace Prize 2026, and recalling peace initiatives supported by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.
He also expressed appreciation to Mauritania’s leadership and people for hosting the conference and supporting efforts to promote peace, noting the importance of cooperation between African nations and international partners in strengthening stability.
Addressing participants from across Africa and beyond, Sheikh bin Bayyah described the continent as possessing immense promise while facing serious challenges.
“The African continent, regarded by many scholars as the future of the world due to its immense human and natural potential, today faces internal disturbances, international rivalries, and challenges related to security, development, and identity,” he said.
He warned that these pressures have strained societies and weakened confidence in the future.
“In some regions, these pressures have brought societies to a critical juncture that challenges the cohesion of nations, exhausts resources, and diminishes hope,” he said.
He emphasized that hope must be understood not as a passive emotion, but as a force capable of shaping societies and guiding them toward stability.
“What is meant by hope here is not mere consolation of the soul, but the establishment of an ethical energy that protects against nihilism and moves the human will toward justice and human flourishing,” he said.
He stressed that building hope requires leadership, knowledge, and cooperation.
“Hope is not passive expectation; it is a deliberate endeavor requiring the minds of scholars, the will of leaders, and the energy of youth,” he said.
Sheikh bin Bayyah warned that despair poses serious risks to societies, contributing to instability and violence.
“For the alternative is despair—a destructive condition that weakens souls, blinds insight, and creates fertile ground for extremism, violence, and corruption when horizons of hope diminish,” he said.
He called on participants to work together to strengthen peace and stability across the continent.
“Our task, therefore, is to create this space for hope—to transform hope into action, to open pathways for solutions, and to advance toward a better future for the peoples and societies of our continent,” he said.
He also highlighted Africa’s contributions to global peace efforts, pointing to initiatives such as the Marrakesh Declaration on the Rights of Religious Minorities in the Muslim World, which he said had received broad international recognition and contributed to promoting coexistence and protecting human dignity.
He recalled the royal message of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which commended efforts to promote peace and cooperation and recognized the importance of initiatives aimed at strengthening stability and coexistence.
Sheikh bin Bayyah emphasized that such efforts demonstrate the importance of cooperation between scholars, leaders, and institutions in promoting peace.
He said the conference aims to move beyond discussion and produce practical initiatives capable of addressing Africa’s challenges.
“Our highest objective is for this annual gathering to evolve from a forum for ideas into a platform for policy-making, producing practical initiatives in which the will of leaders, the wisdom of scholars, and the energy of youth converge,” he said.
He emphasized that Africa’s future depends on strengthening institutions and empowering its people, warning that instability and despair can undermine progress.
He concluded by calling on leaders and scholars to promote peace and reduce division.
“Let each person, from his or her position and responsibility, call for peace, give precedence to the voice of wisdom, and reduce the causes of discord and division; for peace is the key to hope, and through it the space of hope is made possible,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to Mauritania’s leadership and people for their hospitality and reaffirmed the shared responsibility of leaders and scholars in advancing peace and stability across Africa.
