The Minister of Religious Affairs, Ahmed Bouhali, carried out a working visit to Saudi Arabia from November 8 to 11 this year, accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Services and Residences Company, Issam Hammami, as well as an official delegation. This visit is part of the preparations for the Hajj season 1448 AH (2027).
According to a ministry statement, the minister took part in the sixth edition of the Hajj Congress and Exhibition, organized at the Jeddah Superdome by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in collaboration with the “Guests of God” service program, under the high patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The minister and the head of the Tunisian Pilgrim Affairs Office met, on Tuesday, November 10, with the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq ben Fawzan Al-Rabiah. On this occasion, the two officials expressed their commitment to the privileged fraternal relations between the two countries, praising the particular attention accorded by the President of the Tunisian Republic, Kaïs Saïed, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman.
They also highlighted the efforts made to mobilize the human, technical and organizational resources necessary to ensure pilgrims the best security, comfort and serenity in carrying out the rites of Hajj.
For his part, the Tunisian Minister of Religious Affairs praised Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to modernize the pilgrimage system. He congratulated his counterpart on the success of the fair, which brought together Hajj offices and service providers from different countries, as well as on the technological advances achieved, notably through the integration of artificial intelligence in the organization of the pilgrimage.
He also praised the results of the recent visit to Tunisia by the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah on October 6-7, 2026, which allowed several measures to overcome difficulties and facilitate the missions of the Tunisian Pilgrim Affairs Office.
For his part, the Saudi minister warmly welcomed the Tunisian delegation, praising the Tunisian Pilgrim Affairs Office’s efforts to guarantee the best services to pilgrims, respect sanitary and organizational recommendations and ensure effective coordination with Saudi authorities. These efforts notably enabled the Tunisian Pilgrim Affairs Office to win the “Labbaïtoum” prize, reward for excellence in the services provided to pilgrims.
At the conclusion of this meeting, the two ministers signed the agreement relating to the organization of the Hajj season 1448 AH (2027).
In addition, the minister and the delegation accompanying him met Ali Bandakji, General Manager of the company “Bouchra Al Diyafa”, responsible for providing services to Tunisian pilgrims during the upcoming season. On this occasion, the minister stressed the need to guarantee all services related to accommodation, meals and transport, while improving their quality to ensure maximum comfort for future pilgrims and to facilitate the performance of the rites.
The Minister of Religious Affairs also held talks with the Regional Vice-President for Africa and the Middle East of the Saudi Arabian Airlines, Mosaad Al-Mosaad, in the presence of the airline’s general manager offices in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. He called for arranging flights in the best possible comfort for Tunisian pilgrims, praising the success of the initiative “A pilgrim without baggage.” He also urged addressing shortcomings observed during previous seasons and continuing cooperation to improve service quality.
Earlier, the minister had participated, on the evening of November 8, in the opening ceremony of the Hajj Congress and Exhibition, held under the theme “From Mecca to the World,” in the presence of officials from Pilgrim Affairs offices and representatives from more than 150 countries, as well as government bodies and specialized companies.
He also visited the Tunisian pavilion and met several of his counterparts from Islamic countries to exchange experiences and expertise in organizing the fifth pillar of Islam.
Finally, the minister participated in an expanded meeting chaired by his Saudi counterpart and bringing together the heads of Pilgrim Affairs offices. This gathering was devoted to reviewing preparations for the upcoming Hajj season and announcing the launch of several initiatives, notably “The Integrated Package,” “The Integrated Journey” and “Group Leaders.”
