Madinah: The first flight of pilgrims benefiting from the Makkah Route Initiative from the Republic of C´te d'Ivoire arrived today at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. The pilgrims departed from the initiative's dedicated terminal at F©lix Houphou«t-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan. They were received upon arrival by the C´te d'Ivoire ambassador to the Kingdom, Drissa Coulibaly, and the consul-general, Bamba Soumaila.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the Makkah Route Initiative aims to provide high-quality services for pilgrims from participating countries, facilitating their journey from departure to arrival in the Kingdom. Now in its seventh year, the initiative is carried out in coordination with several government entities, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Hajj and Umrah, and Media; the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA); the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority; the General Authority for Awqaf; the Pilgrim Experience Program; and the General Directorate of Passports.