Turkish-German scientist Ugur Sahin named Muslim world's ‘Man of the Year’

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish-German scientist Ugur Sahin has been declared “Man of the Year” in the Muslim world in an annual publication by the Jordan-based Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center (RISSC).

Sahin was awarded the title in the 2022 edition of The Muslim 500 for his pioneering role in developing a vaccine against COVID-19.

The vaccine made by Sahin and his wife Ozlem Tureci, who are founders of pharma company BioNTech, “reported 95% efficacy against the coronavirus and became the first mRNA drug approved for human use,” the publication said.

The vaccine utilized the cutting-edge mRNA technology that Sahin and Tureci have championed.

BioNTech then partnered with US firm Pfizer and their COVID-19 vaccine has been among the ones most widely used throughout the world.

The publication named Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan as its “Woman of the Year.”

Hassan became the first woman president of the East African nation this March after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli.

The RISSC said Hassan was taking steps to undo “some of the late President Magufuli’s authoritarian policies” and “is seen as restoring Tanzania’s democracy.”

- ‘Qatar a regional peace broker’

Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani heads the list of top Muslim leaders, followed by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Jordan’s King Abdullah.

Under Al Thani’s leadership, Qatar has “positioned itself into the role of regional peace broker” and “adopted a strong position of proactive engagement through dialogue with regional neighbors,” the RISSC said.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was the “Man of the Year” in 2020, is eighth on the list, with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo at number nine.​​​​​​​