Jeddah — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud have identified the improvement of Hajj facilities as a top strategic agenda item during their bilateral meeting at Al-Salam Palace on Wednesday (July 2).
Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, who accompanied the President throughout the discussions, explained that the topics of dedicated Hajj housing and the future utilization of Taibah Airport in Medina were among the priorities explored in detail with Saudi authorities.
“Regarding Hajj matters, further explanation will be provided by the Coordinating Minister. Together with Gus Irfan and the Coordinating Minister, I heard firsthand that all of the Indonesian President’s requests related to Hajj have been granted by the Saudi side. One of these concerns the Hajj quota—details will be discussed in subsequent meetings,” the Minister told reporters in Jeddah.
He also noted that the full optimization of Taibah Airport will proceed once construction of Hajj accommodation facilities is complete. “Additionally, there were discussions about using Taibah Airport facilities in the future, once the Hajj housing projects have been finalized,” he said.
Beyond housing, President Prabowo reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to continuously improve the comfort and experience of Indonesian pilgrims. “They also discussed how to further enhance the convenience and quality of Hajj pilgrimages going forward,” Nasaruddin added.
Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have also agreed to establish a Supreme Coordination Council that will serve as the principal platform for strategic cooperation across a range of sectors. “Therefore, the Supreme Coordination Council has been formed, to be chaired directly by the President and the Crown Prince. This council will have members and dedicated working teams,” he explained.
On the economic front, the Indonesian government expressed its hope that the Crown Prince would personally help expedite the finalization of the free trade agreement between Indonesia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
“This is why the President conveyed his hope that the Crown Prince will personally take the lead in accelerating this process—since he is a key figure within that structure,” Nasaruddin concluded.
