JEDDAH: Sheikh Aima Diakite, president of the Superior Council of Imams of Mosques and Islamic Affairs in Ivory Coast, praised the services and facilities provided by the Makkah Route Initiative.

Diakite said the program has enabled pilgrims to perform Hajj rituals easily and comfortably.

The Makkah Route Initiative has developed procedures for Ivorian and other pilgrims and worked on overcoming difficulties and obstacles to alleviate the hardship of Hajj, Diakite told the Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia launched the initiative in 2019 to help Hajj pilgrims from seven countries — Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye and Ivory Coast — with their visa, customs and passport requirements.
Pilgrims arriving from Jordan and Palestine also expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for organizing the Hajj process and caring for pilgrims.
Meanwhile, more than 20,000 pilgrims have arrived from Iraq through the Jadidat Arar border crossing in the Kingdom’s Northern Border Region, ahead of this year’s pilgrimage, and were provided with security, health and guidance services by 194 volunteers.
Over at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, 7,808,112 worshippers and visitors visited the daily prayers last week, according to SPA.