RIYADH, 5 February — The Council of Ministers meeting here yesterday under Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, reviewed preparations made by the various government agencies for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage.
The crown prince urged government officials and private agencies to exert maximum efforts in the service of the guests of God. "We should mobilize all our human and material resources to make this year’s Haj a big success," he added.
Prince Abdullah noted that the government had implemented gigantic projects in the holy sites of Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa to ensure the welfare and security of pilgrims and help them perform the religious rites in a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.
More than two million pilgrims from different parts of the Islamic world are expected to perform Haj this year.
Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said the Cabinet meeting authorized the foreign minister to hold talks with his Brunei counterpart to sign an agreement for bilateral cooperation.
The meeting also endorsed the final accounts of the Industrial Development Fund for the past several years and passed new regulations related to the fund’s financial performance. It gave permission the Saudi Red Crescent Society to allow outsiders to invest in its land and buildings with the aim of using the returns to expand the society’s activities.
