Saudi Launches Major Operational Plan to Serve Hajj Pilgrims

Pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year (AFP)
Pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year (AFP)
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Saudi Launches Major Operational Plan to Serve Hajj Pilgrims

Pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year (AFP)
Pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques on Sunday launched its operational plan for this year’s Hajj season, which mobilizes 10,000 male and female employees and workers to serve the worshippers.

Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, launched the plan in the presence of the minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, and the director of the General Directorate of Public Security, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Bassami.

Al-Sudais pointed to the plan being based on ten main axes related to strategic goals stemming from Saudi Arabia’s national transformation plan, Vision 2030.

Moreover, he said that the presidency has allocated King Abdulaziz Gate, King Fahd Gate, and Bab Al-Salam Gate for the entry of pilgrims and visitors, adding that the presidency has allocated a total of 144 gates for the entry of worshippers to the Grand Mosque.

Al-Sudais said that the presidency had launched smart applications and electronic platforms that would facilitate and enrich visitors’ experiences, revealing that the number of beneficiaries of this digital service had reached more than 160 million.

Al-Sudais said that all services and programs were being followed up minute by minute to ensure the highest quality, through a set of indicators supervised by the presidency around the clock.

In addition, the presidency is working on distributing 3 million Zamzam water bottles a day in the Grand Mosque.

Al-Sudais said that 2,000 electric vehicles had been provided to serve the elderly and people with disabilities, in addition to providing 500 engineering staff, and that the sermon of Arafah would be translated into 10 different languages.

He noted that this year’s Hajj season follows two exceptional seasons in which Saudi Arabia showed resounding success in crisis management under the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.



Saudi Crown Prince, King of Morocco Hold Telephone Talks

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)
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Saudi Crown Prince, King of Morocco Hold Telephone Talks

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, made a phone call on Sunday to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.

The Crown Prince was reassured about the health of King Mohammed VI and wished him continued good health.


Top Southern Yemen Officials Hold Expanded Meeting in Riyadh

Top southern Yemen officials meet in Riyadh. (Saba)
Top southern Yemen officials meet in Riyadh. (Saba)
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Top Southern Yemen Officials Hold Expanded Meeting in Riyadh

Top southern Yemen officials meet in Riyadh. (Saba)
Top southern Yemen officials meet in Riyadh. (Saba)

Top officials from southern Yemen held an expanded meeting in Riyadh on Saturday as part of efforts to build trust and unite southern ranks, paving the way for collective work based on national partnership and responsibility in confronting current challenges.

Prime Minister Shaea Mohsen al-Zandani, Shura Council Chairman Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr, Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman al-Mahrami and Hadramout Governor Salem al-Khanbashi, and several ministers, southern Yemen governors, members of the Shura Council and parliament, and military and political leaderships attended the meeting.

Discussions focused on developments in southern provinces and the political, security and services demands of the coming phase, reported state media.

The gatherers said that the unity of the South was essential for protecting the security and stability of southern provinces and maintaining the current relative calm there.

They stressed the need for partnership to address regional and internal challenges. They underlined the importance of dialogue in resolving disputes, away from escalation and policies that consolidate divisions.

Furthermore, the gatherers underscored their full support to the PLC and prime minister in his effort to form a new government that needs to address various mounting economic and services problems.

They stressed the need to back local authorities and security agencies in the South in performing their duties, saying they were the first line of defense of security and stability. Allowing them to play their role will restore the people’s trust in state institutions.

They expressed their full support for intra-southern dialogue that Saudi Arabia will sponsor, saying it was the best path forward in addressing the root problems of the southern issue.

They praised the pivotal role played by the Kingdom in supporting the South and Yemen on the political, economic, humanitarian and development levels.

They stressed the importance of strategic coordination with Riyadh and committing to the political paths it sponsors, seeing as it is a guarantor of stability and main backer of peace efforts.


MWL Welcomes Ceasefire Agreement between Syrian Government and SDF

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
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MWL Welcomes Ceasefire Agreement between Syrian Government and SDF

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

The Muslim World League (MWL) welcomed the Syrian government’s announcement of a ceasefire agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces, reached under a comprehensive deal that includes the integration of self-administration institutions into Syrian state institutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa expressed appreciation for the mediation efforts led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States, commending both sides for their positive engagement. He said the agreement supports the Syrian people’s aspirations for security and stability.

Al-Issa reaffirmed the League’s full support for the Syrian government’s ongoing efforts to protect its citizens while preserving the country’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.

On Friday, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they had reached a “comprehensive” agreement to halt fighting across the country and begin a phased integration of military, security, and administrative institutions.