Morocco launched a religious foundation on Wednesday to counter the growing waves of extremism in Africa and promote religious moderation and tolerance across the continent.

Moroccan King Mohammed VI gave the go-ahead for the foundation in a ceremony attended by scholars from 31 African countries. The Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema (scholars) seeks to unify and coordinate the efforts of Muslim scholars in Morocco as well as in other African states to disseminate and reinforce the values of tolerance in Islam.

Speaking at the ceremony, King Mohammed VI said the initiative is in line with the Kingdom’s integrated policy to promote constructive cooperation and respond to the requests from a number of African nations in the religious domain.

He also voiced his conviction that the foundation, through its branches in African countries, and together with other religious institutions, "will play its role in disseminating enlightened religious precepts and in combating extremism and terrorism.