King Salman Inaugurates Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program

King Salman inaugurates the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program. (SPA)
King Salman inaugurates the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program. (SPA)
TT
20

King Salman Inaugurates Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program

King Salman inaugurates the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program. (SPA)
King Salman inaugurates the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program. (SPA)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz inaugurated in Riyadh on Wednesday the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The program covers eight promising sectors in the production, manufacturing and marketing of Arab coffee, beekeeping and production of honey, the development of cultivation of rose and aromatic plants, the production, manufacturing and marketing of fruits, the enhancement of the capacities of small fishers and fish farmers, the development of the small livestock sector and the cultivation of rain fed crops, as well as the enhancement of the revenues of small holdings and agricultural activities.

The program was unveiled during a ceremony at the al-Yamamah palace.

King Salman told the gatherers: “The existence of the means of education across all the kingdom of schools, universities and colleges makes the Kingdom sufficient by its citizens.”

Moreover, he said: “The greatest blessing is the security and stability in our country.”

Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli thanked King Salman for presiding over the launch of the program, saying it was among the products of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

He pointed out that the program, since its adoption with an amount of 8.750 billion riyals in addition to 3 billion riyals from the Agricultural Development Fund, was lauded by farmers and their families across the Kingdom due to its social and economic benefits which exceed the allocated financial investments.



Egypt Tightens Measures to Prevent Another Crisis of Illegal Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
TT
20

Egypt Tightens Measures to Prevent Another Crisis of Illegal Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

Egypt is intensifying its measures to prevent another crisis of illegal Hajj pilgrims, which had taken place in 2024 when thousands of people exploited visas to enter Saudi Arabia to illegally perform the Hajj.

Egyptian authorities had warned companies against flying travelers without the right visa. Coordination and communication are ongoing with Saudi authorities over the issue.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz received in Riyadh Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei for talks on the measures Cairo is taking ahead of the upcoming Hajj season to avoid another crisis.

Egypt has formed a committee, headed by the prime minister, to manage the Hajj crisis.

A statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said the ambassador stressed that firm measures will be taking against companies that commit violations related to the Hajj.

Last week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi formed a “crisis cell” that has referred 16 officials from a tourism company to the general prosecution for Hajj violations.

Egyptian authorities have hailed Saudi Arabia for providing all forms of support to legal pilgrims during the Hajj.

Member of the parliamentary tourism committee Ahmed Idriss said state agencies have taken measures to avert a new Hajj crisis in 2025.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said efforts have focused on combating fake entities that claim to be organizing Hajj trips, and on coordinating with Saudi authorities to crackdown on violators.