Mogadishu (SD) – Somali Minister of Religious Affairs Sheikh Nur Mohamed Hassan and Somali religious scholars met today in Mogadishu to discuss the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The meeting comes as some religious clerks in the country criticized the governments move to close Mosques in the country.

The meeting was attended by ministry officials, officials from the prime minister’s office, doctors and security agencies.

After a lengthy discussion on how to slow down the spread of Covid-19, the parties agreed to:

1. Religious scholars should play a major role in community awareness of this deadly COVID-19 disease.
2. To establish a committee that will support the vulnerable in the community.
3. A Government led committee, religious clerks and medical experts will asses the spread of Covid-19 in Mosques and then will decide whether to close the Mosques or not.
4. The parties called on the Somali business community not to hike food prices during the pandemic.

The Covid-19 Pandemic forced the closures of Mosques around the world including the Hajj, the Somali clerks opposition to the closure isn’t clear yet.