Afghanistan's Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia's Manasik Al-Mashaer Services Company to provide organised, standardised services to 30,000 Afghan pilgrims during the coming Hajj season.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said the deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Hajj Services Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah by Mawlavi Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi, the ministry's director general for Hajj, Umrah and Ziyarat, and Mohammad Adnan Hamza, the Saudi company's chief executive.
Under the agreement, the company will provide suitable accommodation, tents, three meals a day, transport between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, and other essential facilities for Afghan pilgrims in the two holy cities and at the sacred sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.
The ministry said the company has extensive Hajj experience and has been ranked among the distinguished service providers by the relevant Saudi authorities. It added that it will monitor and evaluate the company's performance to ensure the contract is honoured and that Afghan pilgrims are comfortable and well served throughout the rituals.