The President of Muslims Australia (AFIC), congratulated  President Barack Obama, as the first African US President, to be awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr Patel said, ” This is  an expression of the expectation by many in the world  of the forward thinking and conciliatory  approach President Obama has initiated  with regards to the American foreign policy  to redress some of the ill conceived initiatives of the  recent American administration under President Bush.”

Mr Patel agreed with the comments  made by a previous recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize – Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa who said Mr Obama’s award shows great things are expected from him in the coming years.

The president  further stated that the Norwegian Nobel Committee members made no bones about  their motive when they said that this award should help President Obama achieve ambitious peacemaking goals in awarding the prize to an as-yet mostly unaccomplished United States President.

This is  recognition of hope for a safer and peaceful world. Diplomacy, hard-work and  action lay ahead for President Obama and his administration, Mr Patel concluded.