Makkah Route Initiative Chairman arrives in Maldives

Makkah Route Initiative Committee's Chairman and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister's Advisor Lieutenant General Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Yahya has arrived in the Maldives to inaugurate the Makkah Route Initiative for Maldivian pilgrims.

Al-Yahya was welcomed at the airport by Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed.

The Makkah Route Initiative aims to streamline immigration procedures for Hajj pilgrims at their departure point. Islamic Affairs Minister Dr Shaheem said the Maldives had been granted inclusion under the direction of King Salman, who waived the standard preconditions typically imposed on participating countries.

A special ceremony is to be held to inaugurate Maldives' inclusion in the initiative, with the Ministry earlier stating that a high level delegation from Saudi Arabia will be attending the event.

An advance team of Saudi officials arrived in Maldives on May 16 to coordinate preparations. The main delegation landed Friday ahead of Monday’s ceremony.

Maldives is the eighth country included in this initiative. Islamic Ministry described this as a historic ease for Maldivian pilgrims.