Saudi Arabia, Indonesia Discuss Investment in Hajj, Umrah

Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters
Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters
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Saudi Arabia, Indonesia Discuss Investment in Hajj, Umrah

Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters
Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters

An Indonesian delegation met on Tuesday with a number of Saudi businessmen and investors to discuss available investment opportunities in the Hajj and Umrah sector in the Kingdom.

Joko Asmoro, chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Association for Hajj and Umrah, said that pilgrims from his country would arrive successively after the re-opening of holy sites for the Umrah, following a seven-month closure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vice Chairman of the Chamber Marwan Shaban said the Indonesian delegation was interested in exploring investment opportunities that would include hotels, the import of Saudi dates and trade exchange in various Indonesian products.

Mazen Darar, member of the Makkah Chamber, said that means of cooperation and available investment opportunities were discussed during the meeting. He added that the two sides agreed on an expanded agenda and the organization of future workshops that would include a large number of investors from both sides.

Dr. Houriya al-Islami, member of the Indonesian Hajj Fund Management Agency in Indonesia, said that around one million Indonesians perform the Umrah annually, while 230,000 pilgrims perform the Holy Hajj.

“This encourages us to launch investments in this field,” she said.



World Bank Redirects Funds Towards Lebanon Emergency Aid

Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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World Bank Redirects Funds Towards Lebanon Emergency Aid

Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

The World Bank announced on Thursday that it was redirecting funds originally earmarked for development programs in Lebanon towards emergency aid for people displaced by Israeli bombardment of the country.

"The World Bank is activating emergency response plans to be able to repurpose resources in the portfolio to respond to the urgent needs of people in Lebanon," said a statement from the US-based multilateral institution.

The multilateral institution currently has $1.5 billion in funding for programs in Lebanon. Part of this amount will be redirected.

Since September 23, more than 1,000 people have been killed in an Israeli air-and-ground campaign on Lebanon that has targeted armed group Hezbollah in the south and east of the country, with strikes expanding to include the capital Beirut.

Thousands have been displaced since the bombing began, and the funds would be used to provide aid to those populations, the World Bank said.

"This would include emergency support to displaced people that could be deployed through a digital platform the World Bank helped put in place during the Covid epidemic," the statement said.