(MENAFN- Gulf Times) His Excellency Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem, and Minister of Haj and Umrah of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah, signed in Jeddah Sunday a pact to regulate the arrangements for Qatar's pilgrims for 1447 AH, as part of the joint coordination between both ministries and the early preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage season.
The agreement intends to reinforce collaboration and joint coordination for facilitating the entry and exit of Qatar's pilgrims through all ports, streamlining their procedures while they're inside the kingdom, in addition to backing the Qatari Haj Affairs Office's efforts in providing top-notch services in the areas of transportation, accommodation, and the pilgrims' move to the Holy Sites, ensuring an easy and tranquil performance of Haj rites.
The signing took place as part of the participation of HE al-Ghanem in the 5th Haj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition, themed "From Makkah to the World", patronised by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Organised by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah, in partnership with the Pilgrim Experience Programme, the two events are held from November 9 to 12, with the participation of over 270 local and global entities, alongside 225 speakers. The events convene nearly 80 panel discussions and 60 professional workshops.
During the meeting, both ministers discussed a raft of regulatory and service themes that constitute a priority in Awqaf's plans for the upcoming period, foremost of which is advancing services in the Holy Sites and connecting them with the projects of optimising logistics and infrastructure support for pilgrims.
His Excellency al-Ghanem hailed the monumental efforts taken by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, coupled with a steadfast follow-up on the part of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to have innovative facilitations and services in place, in terms of top-notch services that help pilgrims perform pilgrimage rites in a comfort and tranquil atmosphere.
He affirmed that the sage leadership in Qatar is committed to providing all kinds of amenities to the nation's pilgrims.
For his part, al-Rabiah lauded the level of the terrific organisation the Qatari Haj Mission had displayed during the last Haj season 1446 AH, along with the adherence of Qatar's pilgrims to the regulatory instructions, considering these as reflective of Awqaf's superb efforts in managing the Haj campaign.
In addition, the two ministers underscored that pilgrims' safety and health are among the top priorities, noting the importance of enforcing the health cards of pilgrims to ensure they are fit and free of chronic and life-threatening illnesses as part of the joint efforts to secure a wholesome and safe pilgrimage season.
The two aforementioned events are a global platform that convenes a top-rung of officials, experts, and representatives of states and organizations to review the state-of-the-art outstanding projects and initiatives, as well as cutting-edge technologies in the Haj and Umrah system.
The move manifests Saudi Arabia's efforts to have a sophisticated infrastructure provided to pilgrims, streamline their procedures, and improve their faith experience from the moment of their arrival until departure Haj Umrah pilgrims

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