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Saudi Council of Ministers Discusses Regional Developments, Relief Efforts

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, chairing the Council of Ministers meeting in Neom (SPA)
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, chairing the Council of Ministers meeting in Neom (SPA)
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Saudi Council of Ministers Discusses Regional Developments, Relief Efforts

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, chairing the Council of Ministers meeting in Neom (SPA)
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, chairing the Council of Ministers meeting in Neom (SPA)

The Saudi Council of Ministers followed up on the developments in regional and international arenas and discussed the Kingdom's efforts to aid those affected by the recent floods in Libya, including providing food and shelter assistance.

The session, chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, also touched upon the Kingdom's 93rd National Day on Saturday.

King Salman began the meeting by reflecting on the significance of the National Day, emphasizing Saudi Arabia's pride in its historical achievements and distinguished status among nations.

He lauded the accomplishments of the Kingdom, saying he looked forward to a brighter and more prosperous future.

The Council reviewed the recent discussions between Saudi Arabia and several countries, including the letters Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi sent to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The messages discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them across various sectors.

Minister of Information Salman al-Dossary elaborated on the results of Saudi Arabia's participation in the G77+China summit held in Cuba.

Dossary highlighted the significance of the collaborative approach towards prosperity and stability.

The Council also touched upon Saudi Arabia's continued leadership in humanitarian affairs, its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and its proactive stance in addressing global challenges.

The Council discussed the UN announcement that Saudi Arabia will host the World Environment Day in 2024, underscoring the Kingdom's local and international pivotal role in environmental conservation and sustainability, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

Additionally, the Council commended establishing the Council of Arab Ministers of Cybersecurity with a general secretariat and an executive office in Riyadh, following a proposal submitted by the Kingdom.

The initiative aims to fortify cooperation, ensure security and stability, and serve the goals and aspirations towards a promising future for member states.

The Council also addressed the positive appraisals of international financial institutions and credit rating agencies of the Saudi economy, noting that they reflect the prominent role of the economic and structural reforms implemented under Vision 2030.

The reforms have significantly contributed to the growth of the non-oil sector, ensured the sustainability of public finance, and maintained a balanced level of public debt.

The Council approved several memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including one with Oman in the energy sector.

It also approved an agreement with Thailand on visa exemption to facilitate the travel of diplomatic, official, and unique passport holders from both countries to promote diplomatic ties and ease official visits between the two nations.

The Saudi Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage signed an agreement to foster collaboration in traditional arts.

Both institutions will share knowledge, expertise, and resources to promote and preserve the traditional arts of their respective countries.

Saudi Arabia also signed a cooperation agreement with Azerbaijan on combating counterterrorism and its financing.

The Council of Ministers made several decisions to foster international cooperation and strengthen domestic institutional frameworks in various fields, including energy, defense, economic collaboration, transport and logistics, and Artificial Intelligence.

The Chairman of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, or his representative, is authorized to converse on two separate MoUs with the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and the Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI) in Slovenia.

The Council reviewed several other general topics on its agenda and took necessary actions accordingly.

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Gulf

Saudi Arabia Unites Hajj Efforts to Serve Pilgrims

Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat, Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, said the next phase would see a shift from “developing Hajj services” to “developing the pilgrim experience” itself
Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat, Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, said the next phase would see a shift from “developing Hajj services” to “developing the pilgrim experience” itself
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Saudi Arabia Unites Hajj Efforts to Serve Pilgrims

Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat, Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, said the next phase would see a shift from “developing Hajj services” to “developing the pilgrim experience” itself
Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat, Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, said the next phase would see a shift from “developing Hajj services” to “developing the pilgrim experience” itself

As the Grand Hajj Symposium marked 50 years since its launch, its opening session highlighted the scale of change in Saudi Arabia’s Hajj system over the past few decades.

The success of the season is no longer measured only by the safe arrival of pilgrims and their protection, but by the system’s ability to manage the entire “pilgrim journey,” from the moment travel is planned until pilgrims return home.

At a session bringing together leaders from the Hajj, security and services sectors, one phrase by Mohammed Abulkhair Ismail, chief executive of the Pilgrim Experience Program, stood out as the clearest summary of Saudi Arabia’s new operating philosophy: “The Hajj season now begins before it ends.”

The session was attended by Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat, Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah; Lt. Gen. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, director of Public Security; Makkah Mayor Musaed bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood; Saleh bin Ibrahim Al-Rasheed, chief executive of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, and the chief executive of the Pilgrim Experience Program.

From serving pilgrims to managing the experience

Mashat said the question in the past was, “Who will serve the pilgrim upon arrival?” Today, he said, the question has become: “Is everything ready before the pilgrim arrives?”

He said the Hajj system no longer operates by reacting to events, but through early preparedness and coordination among different entities. The pilgrim experience, he said, now begins before arrival in the Kingdom and continues until departure.

Mashat said the Grand Hajj Symposium had evolved over half a century from a platform for intellectual discussion into a space that produces operational solutions reflected in the development of Hajj services. Work among agencies, he said, is no longer separate, but part of an integrated system moving in harmony.

600 operational roles and 60 government entities

Al-Bassami said today’s Hajj system is built on integration among more than 60 government entities, managed through a unified operations center.

He said nearly 600 operational roles are coordinated through joint plans covering security, transport, housing, catering and crowd management.

Al-Bassami said Saudi Arabia had moved from the concept of “securing the route” to “engineering human movement,” using analysis and proactive risk forecasting.

True success, he said, is not only in confronting danger, but in preventing it before the pilgrim feels it.

He said the achievements of the last Hajj season formed “a baseline to build on this year,” especially in improving the flow of movement inside Makkah and the holy sites.

4.5 million people within weeks

Al-Dawood said Makkah faces an exceptional operational challenge during Hajj, as its population rises from about 2.5 million to nearly 4.5 million within a short period.

He said the city currently has 62 tunnels inside Makkah and the holy sites, describing the number as among the highest in the world for a single city.

Al-Dawood said the Makkah municipality is working to make the city “a civilized environment that is human-friendly,” focusing on pilgrim safety, food monitoring and environmental health. Its goals, he said, include reaching “zero food poisoning cases” and keeping the season free of epidemics.

18.5 million Umrah pilgrims and 91% satisfaction

Al-Rasheed said Makkah had transformed from a city that once faced access difficulties into the largest Arab city for visitors.

He said the number of Umrah pilgrims rose from 8.5 million in 2019 to more than 18.5 million last year.

The Royal Commission, he said, had established projects and specialized centers to improve the pilgrim experience, including Kidana and the transport center. Pilgrim satisfaction, he added, had reached 91%.

Al-Rasheed also reviewed Saudi Arabia’s Project for the Utilization of Hady and Adahi, saying its operational capacity exceeds 1.2 million heads of livestock, with meat distributed to beneficiaries in more than 25 Islamic countries.

4,700 operational milestones and 150 performance indicators

Ismail said the Pilgrim Experience Program aims to unify the definition of success across different entities in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

He said the system relies on more than 40 indicators to measure readiness, more than 150 operational indicators, and about 85 indicators to measure pilgrim satisfaction.

The Hajj Project Management Office, he added, reviews more than 600 operational plans each year and measures their integration through more than 4,700 operational milestones monitored in the field.

Mashat said the next phase would mark a shift from “developing Hajj services” to “developing the pilgrim experience” itself, while Al-Bassami said Saudi Arabia was developing an advanced global model for crowd management.

Al-Dawood said raising awareness among Hajj and Umrah pilgrims would remain the most important future challenge. Officials from the Hajj system said pilgrim security and safety would remain the foundation on which all other services are built.

Artificial intelligence and awareness, the next phase

Dr. Osama Al-Zamil, adviser to the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Hajj and Umrah system had expanded its use of artificial intelligence in religious and awareness services.

These include translating the Arafat sermon into more than five international languages and using robots to answer questions from worshippers inside the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.

Al-Zamil said these technologies help strengthen religious guidance in several languages, while also broadcasting awareness messages to pilgrims.

He said the most important advice to pilgrims is to follow the Hajj instructions and regulations, because doing so directly affects their safety and the smooth flow of the season.

At the end of the session, participants agreed that the main challenge in the coming years will be using artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to improve the pilgrim experience and crowd management.

Gulf

50th Grand Hajj Symposium Opens in Jeddah

The 50th edition of the Grand Hajj Symposium opened on Wednesday in Jeddah. (SPA)
The 50th edition of the Grand Hajj Symposium opened on Wednesday in Jeddah. (SPA)
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50th Grand Hajj Symposium Opens in Jeddah

The 50th edition of the Grand Hajj Symposium opened on Wednesday in Jeddah. (SPA)
The 50th edition of the Grand Hajj Symposium opened on Wednesday in Jeddah. (SPA)

The 50th edition of the Grand Hajj Symposium opened on Wednesday in Jeddah, marking a major milestone in the event’s long-standing role in advancing dialogue and scholarship related to Hajj and pilgrim services. Organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in cooperation with the Council of Senior Scholars, this year’s symposium is held under the theme: “The Symposium: An Effective Platform in Serving Pilgrims—Half a Century of Knowledge Enrichment.”

In his opening remarks, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfig Al-Rabiah said the Grand Hajj Symposium represents the continuation of an established academic journey spanning more than 50 years of scientific dialogue on developing the Hajj services system. He noted that it reflects the Saudi leadership’s ongoing commitment to Hajj and its dedication to strengthening the role of knowledge in enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.

Al-Rabiah added that the symposium’s themes reflect the major transformations witnessed in the Hajj system over recent decades, during which the Kingdom has developed an advanced global model for crowd management and pilgrim services through integrated planning, institutional development, and modern technologies.

A speech by Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan was delivered on his behalf by Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars Fahd Al-Majed, who emphasized that Saudi Arabia has been honored with serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors. He noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's leadership places great importance on serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, enabling pilgrims to perform their rituals in peace and tranquility.

The symposium program also included specialized workshops on supporting Hajj affairs offices and media delegations, international awareness communication, digital transformation in pilgrim grouping systems, and enhancing distribution efficiency and reducing random slaughter practices, as part of efforts to improve operational readiness for the 1447 AH Hajj season.

The 50th edition of the Grand Hajj Symposium reflects half a century of organized knowledge-based work in the service of Hajj and underscores the Kingdom’s approach to strengthening integration between knowledge and operations, while reinforcing the symposium’s status as a global scientific platform that keeps pace with the development of the Hajj system and anticipates the future of pilgrim services.

Gulf

Saudi FM: We Welcome Trump's Decision to Allow More Time for Diplomacy to End the War

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. (SPA)
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Saudi FM: We Welcome Trump's Decision to Allow More Time for Diplomacy to End the War

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah expressed on Wednesday the Kingdom's appreciation for US President Donald Trump’s granting negotiations more opportunity to reach an agreement that ends the war on Iran and restores security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Minister underlined the Kingdom's appreciation for diplomatic efforts aimed at containing the escalation.

He added that Saudi Arabia remained supportive of ongoing mediation efforts carried out by Pakistan and urged Iran to seize "the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation". 

Prince Faisal stressed the importance of leveraging this opportunity to avoid further tensions, saying Saudi Arabia is awaiting Iran’s response to the efforts that aim to reach an agreement that achieves lasting peace and boosts regional and international security and stability.

Trump announced on Monday that he had postponed an attack on Iran set for Tuesday in response to a request from Gulf leaders.