Jakarta ( WNAM MONITORING ): The Hajj Management Agency (BP Haji) has said that President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Saudi Arabia is an important opportunity to strengthen strategic synergy between the two countries, especially in organizing the Hajj pilgrimage.
“We, BP Haji, are present to accompany the President in this bilateral visiting as part of the transition process for organizing the Hajj,” the head of BP Haji, Mochammad Irfan Yusuf, said in a statement released in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He will accompany President Prabowo to a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, on Wednesday.
Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, will also join the meeting.
Yusuf said that BP Haji’s participation in these agendas would strengthen its strategic position in Hajj diplomacy between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
One of the main agendas, he informed, is a discussion on strengthening cooperation in the organizing of the Hajj pilgrimage, including following up on Indonesia’s plan to set up a Hajj village in Saudi Arabia.
The idea of the Indonesian Hajj village was previously conveyed by President Prabowo during several diplomatic meetings with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The initiative is expected to serve as a symbol of the close ties between the two countries, as well as provide a long-term solution to improve services for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in the Holy Land.
“Starting in 2026, BP Haji will become an institution that is fully responsible for the operation of the Indonesian Hajj, according to the President’s mandate,” he said.
