The Makkah Route Initiative, a streamlined immigration and travel service for Hajj pilgrims, has been officially inaugurated for the Maldives by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed.

A special ceremony marking the Maldives’ inclusion in the initiative was held at Velana International Airport, attended by high-ranking Saudi and Maldivian officials. Lieutenant General Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Yahya, Chairman of the Makkah Route Initiative Committee and Advisor to the Saudi Minister of Interior, led the Saudi delegation, which included senior officials from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Immigration.

As part of the inauguration, passports were symbolically handed over to four Maldivian pilgrims. President Dr Muizzu presented the first passport, followed by First Lady Madam Sajidha, who handed over the second. 

Lieutenant General Al-Yahya and Fahad Al-Dosari, Chargé d’Affaires at the Saudi Embassy in Malé, presented the third and fourth passports, respectively.

Following the ceremony, President Dr Muizzu met with the first group of 234 pilgrims departing this year under the Maldives Hajj Corporation and bid them farewell.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia officially included the Maldives in the Makkah Route Initiative on May 10, under the special directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The Maldives has been granted an exemption from the usual eligibility criteria for the programme, in recognition of the close ties between the two nations.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs described the Maldives’ participation as a milestone in the Government’s efforts to enhance Hajj services for Maldivians, in line with President Dr Muizzu’s vision.

Pilgrims will benefit from a host of conveniences under the initiative:

The Makkah Route Initiative is part of Saudi Vision 2030, launched in 2018 and jointly overseen by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Ministry of Interior. It aims to improve the pilgrimage experience through enhanced logistics and hospitality, under the direct supervision of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.