Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (left) speaks to Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on September 15, 2024. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenag RI)
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas visited Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday to discuss preparations for the 2025 Hajj season.
According to a statement received on Monday from the Indonesian ministry’s spokesperson, Sunanto, Qoumas met with Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah to discuss preliminary preparations for next year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
In addition to discussing plans to improve services for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, Al-Rabiah assured Qoumas that the Saudi authorities are continuing their efforts to improve and develop new facilities for the upcoming Hajj season.
Al-Rabiah also expressed gratitude for the cooperation with his Indonesian counterpart, which ensured the success of the 2024 Hajj.
“He considered Qoumas to be among the ministers with the best consolidation and coordination with the Saudi authorities,” Sunanto remarked.
The spokesperson also noted that Indonesia’s pilgrimage quota for 2025 will be set at 221,000, as announced during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Hajj organization hosted by the Saudi government in June.
The Indonesian government is in the preliminary stages of preparations for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, which include determining accommodation and meal packages, as well as selecting airline services for the pilgrims in September.
The plans will be finalized in October, and Hajj service contracts will be signed in January 2025. Indonesian pilgrims are expected to start arriving in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj in late April 2025.
Source: Antaranews