RIYADH: The number of Umrah visas issued this year has reached 7,584,428, of which 7,201,851 pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom, according to data provided by the Hajj Ministry.
There are 1,056,618 pilgrims still in the Kingdom, with 732,559 in Makkah and 324,059 in Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Most pilgrims — 6,386,751 — came to the Kingdom by air, while 696,094 entered by land and 119,006 arrived by sea.
The largest number of pilgrims are from Pakistan (1,590,731) followed by Indonesia (946,962), India (643,563), Egypt (535,861), Algeria (364,707), Yemen (334,186), Turkey (306,987), Malaysia (274,066), Iraq (270,995) and Jordan (200,857).
The weekly data also included the number of Saudi staff within Umrah companies and institutions. They are 10,933 Saudis including 9,060 males and 1,873 females.
Developing Hajj and Umrah organizations and services in the Kingdom is among the top priorities of the Saudi government. The Vision 2030 reform plan aims to attract more than 30 million Umrah pilgrims, and provide them with excellent services and an outstanding experience.
Saudi Arabia issues more than 7.58 million Umrah visas
Saudi Arabia issues more than 7.58 million Umrah visas
- The Vision 2030 reform plan aims to attract more than 30 million Umrah pilgrims, and provide them with excellent services and an outstanding experience
Saudi innovation challenge launched to tackle dam sediment buildup
- Ministry said initiative designed to transform environmental challenges into development opportunities by leveraging advanced technologies
JEDDAH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced on Saturday the launch of the “Innovation Challenge in Dam Sediment Management,” a strategic initiative aimed at addressing environmental issues caused by sediment buildup in dams.
The challenge falls under the Saudi Innovation Grants Program for Private Sector Challenges and seeks to encourage innovators and technology firms to develop sustainable, long-term solutions to sediment accumulation.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the ministry said the initiative is designed to transform environmental challenges into development opportunities by leveraging advanced technologies to enhance water resource sustainability across the Kingdom. The move aligns with national water security objectives.
The ministry outlined several key goals for the challenge, including improving dam storage efficiency by tackling soil and material buildup that reduces water capacity, extending the operational lifespan of dams through innovative maintenance techniques, and cutting costs associated with traditional dredging and maintenance.
It also aims to promote environmental sustainability by encouraging the safe and beneficial reuse of extracted sediments, such as in construction materials, and to minimize system disruptions caused by heavy sedimentation to ensure uninterrupted water flow.
Participation has been opened to a broad range of local and international stakeholders, including startups and small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in environmental technologies, advanced engineering solution providers, as well as research centers and universities.
