Hajj Preparations to Proceed Smoothly Despite Middle East Conflict, Says Minister

The annual Hajj pilgrimage is expected to proceed without disruption despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said.

The minister confirmed that preparations for this year’s Hajj are progressing smoothly while speaking at a press conference held by the Special Committee of Ministers established by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to coordinate the national response to the regional crisis.

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Shaheem said all logistical and administrative arrangements related to the pilgrimage are being carried out without difficulty. Maldives is among the countries that has moved quickly to complete the necessary preparations, with visas already secured for 1,000 Maldivian pilgrims.

Accommodation in Mina and Arafat, along with transportation and other logistical arrangements, has also been fully organised.

The minister also noted that more than 2,000 Maldivians travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah during the last 15 days of Ramadan. According to the minister, those pilgrims are currently in good health in Mecca.

Addressing concerns about possible travel disruptions linked to the regional conflict, Shaheem said the government arranged a special charter flight to ensure that pilgrims affected by airline cancellations were still able to travel to Saudi Arabia.

Efforts are now under way to bring back 50 pilgrims who were stranded after their return flight was cancelled, with the government working to resolve the situation soon.