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Saudi Arabia Allocates Tents for Hajj Pilgrims Infected with COVID-19

Malaysian pilgrims are welcomed upon their arrival at Madinah Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Malaysian pilgrims are welcomed upon their arrival at Madinah Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Allocates Tents for Hajj Pilgrims Infected with COVID-19

Malaysian pilgrims are welcomed upon their arrival at Madinah Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Malaysian pilgrims are welcomed upon their arrival at Madinah Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Dr. Abdel-Fattah Mashat, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, said the Kingdom would provide tents to isolate pilgrims infected with the Covid-19 during the upcoming Hajj.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Mashat noted that the relevant service provider companies would allocate a specific percentage of tents for isolation procedures, stressing that immediate penalties would be imposed for any shortage, including direct compensation for the pilgrims who were not provided with the requested services.

He pointed to ongoing communication with Hajj affairs offices in more than 180 countries regarding agreements, as well as instructions and matters pertaining to the issuance of visas and other preparations.

He revealed that the ministry has developed a new technology to serve pilgrims in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe, which enables them to obtain approvals and services without intermediaries. This service helped reduce prices by more than 30%, he underlined.

The ministry is also developing strategic plans in coordination with the relevant public and private sector agencies to overcome challenges and improve the Hajj experience, according to Mashat.

“The Ministry of Hajj deals with all relevant sectors at home and abroad to make the Hajj successful and provide the best care for pilgrims,” he stressed.

Moreover, he added that another technical service was recently launched by the ministry, a dedicated electronic awareness platform, which has been sent to pilgrims, Hajj affairs offices and workers to inform them about the regulations and standards.

Regarding health protocols, Mashat underlined that Saudi Arabia has proven its success in dealing with all external circumstances, including the coronavirus pandemic.

“We fully trust the efforts of the Ministry of Health to avoid the outbreak of any epidemics during the current Hajj season… We should also not forget the importance of the proactive work undertaken by the concerned authorities to deal with the developments and avoid a new outbreak,” he stated.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays an important role in facilitating the issuance of Hajj visas, Mashat said, especially with the adoption of the electronic visa system.

The official also pointed to the role of service provider companies, which he said reflects development and progress in the sector.

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Gulf

Gulf Countries Approve Military Command Headquarters in Kuwait

Gulf officials are seen at the meeting Bahrain on Tuesday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)
Gulf officials are seen at the meeting Bahrain on Tuesday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)
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Gulf Countries Approve Military Command Headquarters in Kuwait

Gulf officials are seen at the meeting Bahrain on Tuesday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)
Gulf officials are seen at the meeting Bahrain on Tuesday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)

The Gulf Cooperation Council member states approved on Tuesday the establishment of an advanced headquarters for their Unified Military Command in Kuwait and the deployment of appropriate forces to it, the bloc's secretary-general said.

The announcement followed the 23rd meeting of the GCC's Joint Defense Council, attended by defense ministers from the bloc's member ⁠states, in Bahrain.

The meeting discussed ways to boost joint Gulf defense efforts in a manner that supports the security and stability of the member states and the region.

Representing the Saudi delegation, Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman praised the constructive outcomes of the meeting, which deepen Gulf defense integration and help in elevating coordination and readiness to confront various risks and challenges to ensure the security and stability of Gulf countries.

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said the decision to launch the advanced command falls within the framework of boosting joint Gulf military action.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the meeting Bahrain on Tuesday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)

It implements the directives issued by the leaders of the GCC states during their extraordinary meeting in Jeddah in April, aimed at unifying efforts, raising readiness to confront joint threats and challenges, and safeguarding the security, sovereignty, and stability of the Council's member states, he added.

He also praised the competence and sacrifices of the Gulf armed forces in countering Iranian attacks.

He strongly condemned the treacherous attacks by Iran and the Houthi militia targeting civilian installations and holy sites in Saudi Arabia, stressing that the GCC countries stand united in full solidarity with the Kingdom to protect its security and stability, based on the principle of a shared Gulf destiny.

The GCC established ‌its ‌Unified Military Command at a summit in Kuwait ‌in December 2013 to ‌plan and manage joint military operations and strengthen member states' defense capabilities against potential threats to their territory, airspace, ‌waters and interests.

Gulf

Saudi Defense Minister Leads Delegation at GCC Defense Meeting

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman
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Saudi Defense Minister Leads Delegation at GCC Defense Meeting

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman began an official visit to Bahrain on Tuesday leading the kingdom’s delegation to the 23rd GCC Joint Defense Council meeting.

The minister was accorded an official reception upon arrival at Bahrain International Airport, where he was received by Bahraini Defense Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Abdullah bin Hassan Al Nuaimi.

The two ministers discussed longstanding ties between their countries and ongoing defense coordination within the framework of joint GCC cooperation.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia: Number of Umrah Pilgrims Arriving from Abroad Rose to 18 Million

Officials are seen at the Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah on Monday. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)
Officials are seen at the Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah on Monday. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)
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Saudi Arabia: Number of Umrah Pilgrims Arriving from Abroad Rose to 18 Million

Officials are seen at the Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah on Monday. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)
Officials are seen at the Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah on Monday. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)

A ministerial session at the Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah on Monday underscored the scale of Saudi Arabia's preparations for the upcoming Hajj season from providing over one million beds for pilgrims to preemptively monitoring hundreds of potential risks.

The briefing comes as relevant authorities move to elevate service quality and expand capacity across airports and lodging facilities, coordinated under an operational framework involving more than 60 government entities.

During the session, "Serving the Guests of God: An Integrated National System," Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah stressed that the Pilgrim Experience Program, launched in 2019 under Saudi Vision 2030, has brought about a transformation in managing the journey of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, starting from facilitating access to the Two Holy Mosques, through the quality of services, and leading to enriching the religious and cultural experience.

Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah at the conference. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)

Al-Rabiah revealed that the number of Umrah pilgrims arriving from abroad rose from 8.4 million in 2022 to 18 million in 2025, while the number of visitors to the al-Rawdah Sharifa increased from 6 million to some 16 million during the same period.

He said the Hajj Project Management Office coordinates some 600 operational plans annually among participating entities, noting that pilgrim satisfaction rose from 74 to 93 percent over five years, surpassing the targeted 90 percent.

On housing, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb announced the completion of licensing for buildings designated to receive pilgrims for the upcoming season, providing more than 1.3 million beds across around 400,000 rooms distributed among 4,000 buildings in Makkah and Madinah.

He noted that the sheer volume of available accommodation in the two holy cities places them within the top 10 percent of countries globally for room capacity, underscoring the massive infrastructure dedicated to hosting Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb speaks at the conference. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)

Al-Khateeb revealed that some 560,000 beds were provided in temporary pilgrim accommodations, and 30,000 inspection tours were conducted last season, as well as the training of more than 45,000 employees to elevate service quality.

The ministry is working to reduce the number of beds per room and encourage the conversion of temporary pilgrim lodging into permanent facilities, while providing accommodation options that suit various budgets, he added.

In the aviation sector, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation Abdulaziz Al‑Dailej announced that King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah welcomed 52 million passengers in 2025, while Terminal 4 was operated with a capacity exceeding 15 million passengers, and the Hajj Terminal was upgraded to handle up to 16 million.

The expansion of Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah will raise its capacity from 8 million to 18 million passengers, with the project expected to be completed in October 2027, he went on to say.

Al-Dailej added that the "Luggage-Free Traveler" initiative has served around 4.5 million pilgrims and handled 6.7 million bags over the past four years, supported by 130 air carriers linking the Kingdom to over 200 destinations.

President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation Abdulaziz Al‑Dailej at the conference. (Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition)

Director of Public Security Lieutenant General Mohammad Al-Bassami stressed that Hajj security operations have shifted from basic coordination to full integration, with authorities identifying over 900 potential risks and establishing proactive response scenarios.

In the health sector, the Health Holding Company revealed that it provided more than 2.5 million services during the last season.

Dr. Hatim Al-Omari, CEO of the Makkah Health Cluster, explained that the cluster served more than 746,000 people, conducted 128,000 field inspections, performed over 415 surgeries and 382 kidney dialysis sessions, and administered 371,000 vaccination doses.

In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Omari said 5,309 pilgrims benefited from specialized treatment pathways, including 4,574 injury cases, 416 stroke cases, and 319 cardiac arrest cases.