Saudi Arabia has announced a plan to issue passports to the millions of camels in the country aiming to improve the management of the Kingdom’s valuable camel herds.
According to media reports the Ministry of Environment Water and Agriculture said the initiative will boost productivity and efficiency in the sector and help create a reliable database related to camels.
The ministry shared a social media post that also included an image of the passport.
The passport is green in color and features the Saudi national emblem along with a golden image of a camel.
According to 2024 figures the camel population in the Kingdom is estimated at around 2.2 million.
Camels have been an important means of transportation in the Arab world for centuries and are also considered a symbol of prestige and social status for their owners.
This tradition has given rise to a lucrative breeding industry. Each year camel beauty contests are held during festivals in Saudi Arabia where enthusiasts spend millions of dollars on their camels.
However some dishonest individuals also attempt to gain an advantage through illegal means.
Saudi Arabia suspends 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah ended the contracts of 1800 foreign Umrah travel agencies due to bad performance of service and lack of standards.
According to Gulf media reports, these agencies represent a large figure within the number of agencies operating in the Umrah sector, which amount to around 5,800 agencies in the Umrah sector.
In a statement released by the ministry, it was said that the decision was taken as a result of a periodical evaluation, that showed serious limitations in the performance of the various agencies.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Ghassan Al-Nuaimi, said that the concerned agencies were issued with 10-day grace period to point out and correct the found deficiencies.
He explained that for the time being, the suspension will only be in place for the issuance of new Umrah visas.
Also read: Saudi Arabia suspends 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies
