New Umrah program to boost pilgrim experience

The program supports service providers, encouraging companies to adopt professional destination management and trip organization. (SPA)
The program supports service providers, encouraging companies to adopt professional destination management and trip organization. (SPA)
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Updated 20 August 2024
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New Umrah program to boost pilgrim experience

New Umrah program to boost pilgrim experience
  • Initiative ensures top-quality services without intermediaries

RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced the Direct Umrah Program, which allows companies to serve pilgrims directly, ensuring high-quality standards without intermediaries.

The aim is to enhance pilgrims’ experiences through visits to historical sites linked to the Prophet’s life and discovering the Kingdom’s attractions.

The program supports service providers, encouraging companies to adopt professional destination management and trip organization, after 13.5 million pilgrims were recorded in 2023.

HIGHLIGHT

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah held the second Umrah organizations’ gathering in Makkah to address challenges and propose solutions to ensure top-quality services and introduce companies to new tools and indicators for monitoring performance.

In collaboration with the Pilgrim Experience Program, part of Saudi Vision 2030, the ministry held the second Umrah organizations’ gathering in Makkah, led by Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.

This meeting aligned with the ministry’s strategy to enhance the Umrah experience and empower the private sector to provide services year-round, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

It also streamlines procedures and enforces commitment and compliance standards throughout the Umrah journey.

The meeting addressed challenges and proposed solutions to ensure top-quality services, introducing companies to new tools and indicators for monitoring performance. It also discussed strategic directions for the Umrah season and launched innovative services.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah continues to enhance Umrah services, with the intention each year to welcome more pilgrims and provide a rich, unique faith journey in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

 


Kingdom ‘doubling aid efforts’ in Sudan, KSrelief chief tells UN

Kingdom ‘doubling aid efforts’ in Sudan, KSrelief chief tells UN
Updated 27 September 2024
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Kingdom ‘doubling aid efforts’ in Sudan, KSrelief chief tells UN

Kingdom ‘doubling aid efforts’ in Sudan, KSrelief chief tells UN
  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said that the Sudanese people “are working to overcome enormous challenges, and deserve much from us”
  • “The Jeddah Declaration was the first step, aiming to ensure the protection of civilians and the delivery of urgent relief aid,” he said

NEW YORK: KSrelief has doubled its humanitarian efforts in Sudan over the past year, the head of the Saudi aid agency told a meeting held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser to the royal court and KSrelief supervisor general, said that the Sudanese people “are working to overcome enormous challenges, and deserve much from us.”
During the meeting, titled “The Cost of Inaction: Urgent and Collective Support to Scale Up the Humanitarian Response in Sudan and the Region,” Al-Rabeeah said that Saudi Arabia recognizes its duty toward Sudan, and intensive efforts have been made since the beginning of the humanitarian crisis to restore hope to its people.
“The Jeddah Declaration was the first step, aiming to ensure the protection of civilians and the delivery of urgent relief aid. The efforts of the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan group have also recently helped thousands of needy people in Darfur,” he said.
“However, the recent escalation of violence in some areas has worsened the situation, forcing millions to flee their homes, leaving behind everything they own, and sometimes even family members.
“The Kingdom has provided over $3 billion in support to Sudan, including $132 million in humanitarian aid distributed across various geographical areas and humanitarian sectors,” Al-Rabeeah said.
Before the crisis in April 2023, KSrelief focused on implementing sustainable interventions. However, the worsening humanitarian conditions have undermined these efforts, prompting a shift to providing immediate assistance.
“KSrelief has doubled its efforts in Sudan, implementing more than 70 humanitarian projects since April 2023 at a cost exceeding $73 million in collaboration with UN organizations and other humanitarian groups.”
He highlighted the series of Saudi humanitarian air and sea missions organized by KSrelief to address urgent challenges. The missions are funded through government and public support as part of the KSrelief national aid campaign for the people of Sudan.
Al-Rabeeah said that despite KSrelief’s efforts, challenges persist, and collective action is needed to provide unrestricted humanitarian aid, and ensure a sustainable, coordinated response with safe and unhindered access to conflict-affected areas.
Concluding his speech, the KSrelief chief said: “As a humanitarian community, we must deal with the humanitarian crisis in Sudan away from political considerations. It is a humanitarian tragedy that requires transcending divisions, and together, we can make a real change that ensures all Sudanese people enjoy equal opportunities to rebuild their lives.”
He said that the Kingdom continues to do everything possible to end the crisis, and achieve stability and security for Sudan and its people.


Saudi tourism minister highlights challenges facing sector

Saudi tourism minister highlights challenges facing sector
Updated 27 September 2024
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Saudi tourism minister highlights challenges facing sector

Saudi tourism minister highlights challenges facing sector
  • One of the main issues facing tourism, Al-Khateeb said, is sustainability, which is vital for the country’s economy, job creation and inclusion
  • “We look at sustainability in Saudi Arabia from three angles: from social, economic and environmental perspectives”

TBILISI: Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb emphasized on Friday the importance of connectivity, sustainability manpower and the challenges of “overtourism.”
He was speaking during the World Tourism Day celebrations in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Friday.
One of the main issues facing tourism, Al-Khateeb said, is sustainability, which is vital for the country’s economy, job creation and inclusion.
“We look at sustainability in Saudi Arabia from three angles: from social, economic and environmental perspectives,” he said.
“We were hit hard by COVID-19, especially small and medium enterprises, and we learned the hard way.”
Al-Khateeb hopes that the 80 percent of small and medium enterprises contributing to the Kingdom’s industry and the 45 percent of women working in the sector will not suffer due to any future crisis.
The minister stressed the importance of creating policies that would help smaller countries in the sector and at the same time protect their nature and heritage.
The minister also highlighted the importance of environmental sustainability and how Saudi Arabia has established the well-funded Global Tourism Sustainability Center.
He said: “Eighty percent of people in the workforce in our industry are youth. We need to hire the youth.”
According to Al-Khateeb, the international tourism industry accounts for about 10 percent of the global economy and is expected to increase to about 20 percent by 2032.
“In 2019, tourism used to represent only 3 percent of Saudi economy. Today, it has reached 5 percent. And our target is to make it reach 10 percent by 2030,” he said.
“Last year, we received 27 million international arrivals to Saudi Arabia. In 2019, they were only 12 million.”


KSrelief official meets International Medical Corps chief and WHO director-general

KSrelief official meets International Medical Corps chief and WHO director-general
Updated 27 September 2024
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KSrelief official meets International Medical Corps chief and WHO director-general

KSrelief official meets International Medical Corps chief and WHO director-general

NEW YORK: The supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the chief executive of the International Medical Corps met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabiah and Nancy Aossey discussed issues of mutual interest related to humanitarian affairs, along with ways to increase cooperation in providing relief and medical assistance worldwide.

Aossey commended KSrelief’s medical programs, which are helping improve health conditions in various countries.

Al-Rabiah also met with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss humanitarian projects in the healthcare sector.

Ghebreyesus commended medical initiatives carried out by KSrelief, highlighting the strategic partnership between their respective organizations.


Saudi Arabia, allies seek to push forward two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Saudi Arabia, allies seek to push forward two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Updated 27 September 2024
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Saudi Arabia, allies seek to push forward two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Saudi Arabia, allies seek to push forward two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and its partners had convened a global alliance to push forward a two-state solution agenda to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Thursday.

The agenda is based on the conviction that a permanent settlement can only come via the establishment of a Palestinian state, the top Saudi diplomat said.

“What we are trying to do is build a coalition aimed at implementing the two-state solution and that needs certain building blocks, including capacity building within the Palestinian authority,” Prince Farhan said.

He said the Kingdom and allies would organize meetings at the senior working level in Riyadh, Brussels, Cairo, Oslo, Amman, and Ankara as part of the plan.

“I fail to understand how the continuation of war can be the only option,” he said. “There must be other options, and therefore I will reiterate our call for a ceasefire and for diplomacy to prevail.”

The decades-long conflict has come to a boiling point after Hamas militants stormed across the Gaza border and attacked Israeli settlements on Oct. 7, killing nearly 1,200 people.

Israeli retaliatory action has laid waste to much of Gaza and killed over 41,000 in the enclave.

The conflict now has spread more widely to Lebanon. Israel has been attacking the southern part of the country where the Iran-backed Hezbollah group is strongest.

World powers fear that the conflict could escalate further, especially if Iran gets involved.

A call to halt hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah by the US and France and their allies has been rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.

Asked about the Israeli premier's response, the Saudi diplomat said: “I wish I could tell you. I was surprised.”

Prince Faisal said the ceasefire proposal had been worded carefully to take into account the interests of both Lebanon and Israel.

There has been ongoing efforts to bring about an end to hostilities in the region, but all have failed except a brief pause in November when a number of hostages were exchanged between the Israelis and Palestinians.

“We have seen since the start of the war a pattern, every time we are told we are close to a ceasefire in Gaza, it does not happen,” Prince Faisal said.

“Similarly, when we were with our partners working together on a very concrete call for a ceasefire in regard to Lebanon, our impression was that was acceptable, only to learn now that, no, it is not acceptable.”

He said that the group was attempting to set the groundwork for the solution. As for Saudi Arabia, the focus was on establishing the Palestinian state.

 

 


Saudi economy minister meets Nigerian official in New York

Saudi economy minister meets Nigerian official in New York
Updated 26 September 2024
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Saudi economy minister meets Nigerian official in New York

Saudi economy minister meets Nigerian official in New York

NEW YORK: Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim, the Saudi minister of economy and planning, met with Hannatu Musa Musawa, Nigeria’s minister of arts, culture and creative economy, on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future in New York.

The meeting focused on exploring areas of cooperation and addressing topics of shared interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.