Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award

Special Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award
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The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has taken first place in the excellent corporate performance category at the Madinah Award Foundation honors ceremony. (Supplied)
Special Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award
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The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has taken first place in the excellent corporate performance category at the Madinah Award Foundation honors ceremony. (Supplied)
Special Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award
3 / 4
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has taken first place in the excellent corporate performance category at the Madinah Award Foundation honors ceremony. (Supplied)
Special Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award
4 / 4
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has taken first place in the excellent corporate performance category at the Madinah Award Foundation honors ceremony. (Supplied)
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Updated 30 March 2023

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah wins performance excellence award
  • The ministry said that the award was the result of its efforts in supporting innovation in institutional performance and preparing guides for Hajj and Umrah operations
  • It also stressed its digital transformation, an awareness of responsibility, integrity, justice and transparency, and its encouragement of employees to participate in community activities

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has taken first place in the excellent corporate performance category at the Madinah Award Foundation’s ceremony.

The event, which was held at Taibah University’s Conference Hall on Wednesday, was attended by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, who is also chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees, and Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.

The ministry said in a press statement that the award was the result of its efforts in supporting innovation in institutional performance and preparing guides for Hajj and Umrah operations, which included follow-up procedures to achieve performance indicators.

It also stressed its digital transformation, the spreading awareness of responsibility, integrity, justice and transparency, and its encouragement of employees to participate in community activities and volunteer work.

Some 26 entities had applied for the award for the best government-performing organization.

Al-Rabiah expressed his appreciation to Prince Faisal for organizing the award, which he said aimed to encourage departments to achieve excellence.

He added that the ministry would not have achieved the distinction had it not been for the directives of its leadership which sought to help worshippers on their journeys to the holy places.


Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative

Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative
Updated 20 sec ago

Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative

Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative

RIYADH: Malaysian Interior Minister Saifuddin Nasution praised Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative, facilitating the travel procedures of Hajj pilgrims from Malaysia.

The statement was made during Nasution’s visit on Wednesday to a hall dedicated to the initiative at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was briefed on its readiness to facilitate pilgrims’ journey.

The Makkah Route initiative enables Hajj pilgrims from six countries to complete immigration, cargo and travel procedures before departing for the Kingdom.
 


Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win

Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win
Updated 01 June 2023

Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win

Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Thursday.

The Crown Prince congratulated Erdogan after he was declared the victor in a historic runoff Turkish election.

Prince Mohammed wished the president success and the Turkish people further progress and prosperity.


Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia

Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia
Updated 31 May 2023

Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia

Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia
  • The decision ended an embargo that began in 2019

ROME: The Italian government on Wednesday lifted restrictions on the export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia, ending an embargo which began in 2019.

The move was announced in a communique at the end of a Council of Ministers presided over by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The decision was made “in accordance with the foreign and defense policy of Italy,” the official communique said.

Restrictions on the export of weapons from Italy to Saudi Arabia were imposed by the Italian government to prevent their use in the conflict in Yemen.

The Italian government added: “Today there is no more reason to keep those restrictions standing any longer.

“The regional context in Yemen has changed, and since April 2022, partly thanks to the truce, military activities have been sensibly circumscribed.”

Italy now believes that the reduction in military operations “significantly also mitigates the risk of misuse of bombs and missiles, particularly against civilian targets.”

Rome also acknowledged that the Kingdom “has pursued intensive diplomatic activity in support of UN mediation and was also active in a decisive manner on the economic and humanitarian assistance front.”

The press release added that in the light of the “changed situation of the conflict, the Council of Ministers states that the export of bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia does not fall under the prohibitions of exports established by Italian laws, and is in accordance with the foreign and defense policy of Italy.”
 


Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica

Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica
Updated 31 May 2023

Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica

Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica
  • Al-Jubeir wished Ratney success in his new role and in fulfilling his duties

RIYADH: Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, minister of state for foreign affairs, on Wednesday met newly appointed US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney, in Riyadh.

Al-Jubeir wished Ratney success in his new role and in fulfilling his duties.

Al-Jubeir also met non-resident Francisco Chacon Hernandez, Costa Rica’s ambassador to the Kingdom. The parties discussed bilateral relations as well as issues of mutual interest.
 


Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief

Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief
Updated 31 May 2023

Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief

Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief

RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi met Kenyan Defense Minister Aden Bare Duale in Nairobi on Wednesday to discuss counterterrorism and violent extremism-related issues.

During his meeting with Al-Moghedi, the Kenyan minister praised the coalition’s framework – for military, counterterrorism, anti-terrorism financing, as well as intellectual and media matters – as a strategic pillar in fighting terrorism and violent extremism.

He added that terrorism has its roots in intellectual and ideological orientations, which constitute the basis of the extremist approach.

“Working on preparing the mindset and integrating it within the proper framework constitutes one of the proactive action pillars aimed to repress and contain extremist thinking,” Duale said.

Al-Moghedi said that strategic initiatives by the coalition in its counterterrorism efforts have taken into consideration the hierarchy of terrorist tendencies.

The secretary-general also spoke about social media and communication platforms, and their role in influencing users. He also discussed countering illegal terror financing through military support and assistance services.