عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

Saudi Arabia Prepares to Receive Pilgrims Based on Pre-Covid 19 Quotas

Pilgrims, keeping a safe social distance, perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, October 4, 2020. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah/Handout via REUTERS
Pilgrims, keeping a safe social distance, perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, October 4, 2020. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah/Handout via REUTERS
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Prepares to Receive Pilgrims Based on Pre-Covid 19 Quotas

Pilgrims, keeping a safe social distance, perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, October 4, 2020. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah/Handout via REUTERS
Pilgrims, keeping a safe social distance, perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque after Saudi authorities ease the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, October 4, 2020. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah/Handout via REUTERS

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia announced its readiness to receive the approved quota for the number of pilgrims agreed upon for various Islamic countries before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ministry of Hajj is currently working to pair its affiliated applications to include all the services provided by the Ministry to the pilgrims and expand the scope of these services in the two applications.

In parallel, the smart card, which knew a major success during the Hajj season, is expected to be issued for pilgrims coming from abroad and would contain all identification and health information and other services.

Dr. Amr Almaddah, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the technologies launched by the Ministry aimed to facilitate procedures for pilgrims and raise the quality of services.

He added that the ministry was working on major projects to develop the technical services and to make electronic platforms the basis for obtaining services and raising their quality, including reducing the waiting period, verifying the identity of the pilgrims and providing e-tickets.

Almaddah stressed that the security of the applications was frequently updated to avoid any hacking or disruption of services.

The Saudi official added that the use of the Ministry’s applications for arriving pilgrims was available to those coming from the Arabian Gulf or on visit and tourism visas, based on the arrival routes and the type of visa, taking into consideration health requirements and necessary quarantine measures.

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Kuwaiti Emir Affirms Support for Saudi Efforts to Implement Two-State Solution

Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
TT
TT

Kuwaiti Emir Affirms Support for Saudi Efforts to Implement Two-State Solution

Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah stressed on Sunday the need to halt violence in the Gaza Strip, provide international protection for innocent civilians, and secure safe corridors for urgent humanitarian aid.
The Emir reaffirmed full support for the Saudi leadership in the efforts aimed at recognizing the State of Palestine within the framework of the international coalition to implement the two-state solution.
During the opening speech of the 45th Gulf Summit hosted by Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad reiterated his condemnation of the brutal Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian land and the successive genocides against the Palestinian people.
“We urge the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to fulfill its responsibilities by ensuring the implementation of relevant resolutions, halting the violence, providing international protection for innocent civilians, and securing safe corridors for urgent humanitarian aid,” he said.
The Emir then emphasized Kuwait's firm stance in support of the Palestinian people and their cause in establishing an independent state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international resolutions.
Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad also hit out at what he described as the “double standards in the application of relevant international laws, charters and resolutions,” which led to “the spread of the Israeli occupation and the destabilization of the region's security and stability.”
He then referred to Lebanon, Syria and Iran as being “repeatedly attacked by Israeli occupation forces.”
“We reaffirmed full support for all contributions of the GCC countries to the stability of the region, including the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the efforts aimed at recognizing the State of Palestine within the framework of the international coalition to implement the two-state solution, in addition to hosting the joint Arab-Islamic follow-up summit,” the Kuwaiti Emir said.
He also commended Qatar, Egypt, and the US for their mediation efforts in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon as a step toward deescalation.
The Emir then reaffirmed his call to Iraq to rectify the legal status of the agreement regulating maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah, resume the meetings of the technical teams associated with it, and return to work in accordance with the 2008 Security Exchange Protocol.
“Additionally, we urge the resumption of meetings of the joint legal technical teams to complete the demarcation of the Kuwaiti-Iraqi maritime borders beyond boundary point number 162 in accordance with international law and UN’s Convention on 1982 Law of the Sea,” the Emir said
At the Gulf level, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad stressed that the 45th Gulf Summit is being held in extremely complex circumstances that requires the member states to accelerate the achievement of economic integration.
“This necessitates accelerating our efforts to achieve GCC economic integration through unified policies, diversification of non-traditional income sources, facilitation of trade and investment, and support for local industries,” he said.
“It is also vital to expand innovation and entrepreneurship, especially in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), to enhance the competitiveness of our economies regionally and globally,” the Emir added.