Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed has been appointed as the Amir al-Hajj for Maldives this year and has departed to Makkah this morning via an Emirates flight.

The President of Maldives has always appointed the Amir al-Hajj, with Education Minister Ismail Shafeeu being appointed in 2025.

The last group of pilgrims totaling 253 left for Saudi Arabia this morning for Hajj.

As all of the pilgrims have been flown to Hajj by national airline Maldivian and Saudi Airlines, 500 pilgrims were flown to Hajj by a Maldivian flight as per the quota granted to Maldives.

The rest of the 500 pilgrims were taken by Saudi Airlines.

Pilgrims traveling from Maldives this year were flown out via arrangements made through the Makkah route, same as last year.

The Makkah route, which offers an ease of completing the airport and immigration procedures for pilgrims, offers at least 20,000 pilgrims the chance to go to Hajj in one go, with Saudi Arabia granting Maldives that opportunity as well. Maldives has a quota of 1,000 pilgrims per year.

The Hajj Corporation has said previously that Maldivian pilgrims will be spending 22 days at Hajj for the current pilgrimage. Once the pilgrimage concludes, the Maldivian pilgrims will begin their departure from Makkah and arrival to Maldives from 5th June onward.