Saudi Arabian officials have commenced their arrival in Malé to finalise logistical operations under the Makkah Route Initiative, a programme designed to streamline the departure of Maldivian pilgrims for the 1447 Hajj pilgrimage, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments confirmed. Omar Abdul Majeed R. Al-Daej, the operations manager and a senior official of the delegation, arrived Saturday night, with 18 additional members scheduled to arrive Monday.
The Maldives was integrated into the initiative during the 1446 Hajj season, a service inaugurated last year by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Under the protocol, Saudi Arabian immigration procedures are completed before departure, and the initiative assumes responsibility for transporting luggage directly to hotel accommodations. This arrangement substantially curtails the time pilgrims spend navigating King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
Securing the specialised provision followed high-level diplomatic discussions, reflecting the bilateral bonds and goodwill harboured by King Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The Maldivian government and the islamic affairs ministry extended gratitude to the Saudi leadership and Ambassador Yahya Hassan Alhqahtani for their cooperation.
The initiative, a component of the Saudi Vision 2030 framework, aims to establish efficient travel for international pilgrims. To ensure seamless operations, advance teams from the Maldives Hajj Mission and Hajj Corporation are currently coordinating logistics in Saudi Arabia. Departures begin 15 May via four flights, with transportation divided equitably between Saudia and the national airline, Maldivian.