Minister: Considering allocating to private groups if additional Hajj quotas are received

Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed states the government is considering allocating opportunities to escort pilgrims for private groups if Maldives received additional Hajj quotas.

The current administration had earlier decided to allocate all Hajj quotas received by the Maldives to the state-owned Maldives Hajj Corporation without any allocations to private groups.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the Islamic Ministry on Thursday morning to kick off the first-ever ‘Hajj and Umrah Conference’ – Minister Shaheem said Saudi Arabia highly encourages the government to oversee matters related to Hajj based on the existing arrangements on Hajj.

Nevertheless, he noted that government is considering allocating a sum of Hajj quotas to private groups under circumstances the Maldives receives more quotas than at present despite the government’s earlier decision to allocate all Hajj quotas received to Maldives Hajj Corporation.

“Although we have decided to allocate all official quotas received to the Maldives to Hajj Corporation, we are considering allocating quotas to private groups in circumstances we receive additional quotas in the future,” he said.

Minister Shaheem underscored that Hajj arrangements by Saudi Arabia have not completely reverted back to normal since the COVID-19 pandemic and thus, quotas were not being awarded as done previously. While nations were awarded between 1,000 to 2,000 in additional quotas previously, the Minister said this has changed with infrastructural development projects underway at Mecca and Medina.

However, he revealed having received an indication from the Saudi government of a change to the number of quotas once the projects are completed.

Speaking further, Minister Shaheem announced plans to confer an award to the best five Hajj and Umrah companies starting next year in recognition of their services. As per the Minister, the award will be conferred under a specific policy for which opinion will be sought during the conference.

He noted that similar awards were conferred in Saudi, adding the receipt of the award would amount to huge encouragement to the receiving group.

The one-day Hajj and Umrah Conference is aimed at improving hajj and umrah services and seek the opinion of local groups that provide such services. The conference will take place over two sessions. A draw will be held among the participants of the conference from which two lucky winners will win an Umrah trip.