JEDDAH: Sheikh Aima Diakite, President of the Superior Council of Imams of Mosques and Islamic Affairs in Ivory Coast, has praised the services and facilities provided by the Makkah Route Initiative. Diakite said the program has enabled pilgrims to perform Hajj rituals easily and comfortably. The Makkah Route Initiative has facilitated procedures for Ivorian pilgrims and worked on overcoming all difficulties and obstacles in order to alleviate the hardship of Hajj, Diakite told state news agency SPA. Saudi Arabia in 2019 launched the Makkah Route Initiative to help Hajj pilgrims from seven countries — Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye and Ivory Coast — with their visa, customs and passport requirements. Pilgrims arriving from Jordan and Palestine have also expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for organizing the Hajj process and caring for pilgrims.  Meanwhile, more than 20,000 pilgrims have arrived from Iraq through the Jadidat Arar border crossing of the Kingdom’s Northern Border Region, ahead of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, and were provided with security, health and guidance services by 194 volunteers. Over at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, 7,808,112 worshippers and visitors have visited the daily prayers last week, according to SPA.