For the first time in the history of the United States. And for good reason, on July 30 Rashad Hussein, appointed by US President Joe Biden, was approved by the US Senate as ambassador for religious freedom in the United States, electronic newspaper la-croix.com reported.

His appointment was widely approved in the Senate by “85 votes to 5, the successor to the Catholic Sam Brownback appointed by former President Donald Trump”.

Rashad Hussein is the sixth holder of the ceremony, of Indo-American descent, he is particularly known for being “a member of former President Barack Obama’s spiritual cabinet and special envoy to the United States of America”. Islamic Cooperation”

It should be noted that he is fluent in Arabic and Urdu, which has enabled him to work for the protection of religious minorities living in Muslim countries.

+ “An administration that reflects American society”

“Today’s announcement underscores the president’s commitment to building an administration similar to America and reflective of people of all faiths,” the White House said on July 30.

For Mokhtar Ben Barka, Professor of American Civilization at the University of Valenciennes, the president remains faithful to “his position as a left Catholic” thus “fitting perfectly into the lineage of Pope Francis”. It is also, according to this expert, “a characteristic nomination of the sovereignty requested by Joe Biden.”

Er said that: “By appointing a Muslim to the post of Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Joe Biden wants to send a message to China accused of human rights violations in Xinjiang province, where Uighur Muslims are a minority”, according to Mokhtar Ben Barka. .

+ An essential objective of US foreign policy

As a reminder, in 1998 Bill Clinton began building the Office for International Religious Freedom, headed by an ambassador for religious freedom abroad.

Integrated directly within the Department of State, this organization publishes an annual report on the state of religious freedom in the world, recommending policies to promote it.

According to the office’s official website, one of the ambassador’s goals is to promote “respect for freedom of religion and belief for all as an essential objective of US foreign policy”.

On the other hand, this is not the first time that a non-Christian has become an ambassador for religious freedom in the United States, according to the same source.

Barack Obama appointed Rabbi David Saperstein in 2014 to succeed Suzanne Cook, a Protestant African-American whom he himself appointed in 2011.

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