Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz al-Saud

Position: Interior Minister

Biography: Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz al-Saud is one of six surviving members of the Sudairi Seven, the sons of the kingdom’s founder King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud and his favoured wife Hassa bint Ahmad al-Sudairi. Prince Naif was governor of Medina from 1954 to 1960. In 1970, he was appointed Deputy Interior Minister, and Interior Minister in 1975. The Interior Ministry oversees the provincial governorates, public security and law enforcement, civil defence, fire-prevention services, border police and domestic intelligence, and is responsible for liaising with the Mutawa (religious police) in the kingdom. Prince Naif is chairman of the Supreme Committee for Hajj, which meets to discuss the strategy for the implementation of programmes for the Hajj season, under the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

Contact Tel: (+966) 1401 1111

Prince Khalid al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud

Position: Governor of Mecca

Biography: Prince Khalid al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud is governor of the Mecca Province, which includes Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, as well as Saudi Arabia’s principle seaport and second city, Jeddah. As governor of Mecca, Prince Khalid chairs the inter-agency Central Hajj Committee, which co-ordinates services along with the Hajj Ministry. He recently toured the holy sites to inspect the preparations for this year’s Hajj. Prior to his appointment as governor in May 2007, Prince Khalid served as governor of the Asir province in southwest Saudi Arabia, from 1972. Prince Khalid is the director general of the King Faisal Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic and charitable foundations in the world. He has a degree in political economy from Oxford University in the UK and was also educated at Princeton University in the US.

Contact Tel: (+966) 2572 2727

Fouad bin Abdulsalau al-Farsy

Position: Hajj Minister

Biography: Fouad bin Abdulsalau al-Farsy has held several senior government positions, including Information Minister from 1995 to 2003 and Culture Minister from 2003 to 2005, before his appointment as Hajj Minister in February 2005. Caring for the needs of pilgrims is written into Saudi Arabia’s constitution and this responsibility falls primarily on the shoulders of Al-Farsy. His ministry acts as the co-ordinating body for dealing with other ministries and authorities on Hajj matters. In recent years, the ministry has introduced modern technology to help with Hajj organisation - more than 3 million visas have been granted for the Umrah pilgrimage in 2008. This year, the ministry strengthened domestic pilgrimage regulations, requiring pilgrims to carry permits. Born in 1946, Al-Farsy graduated with a law degree from Beirut Arab University. He has a PhD in political science from Duke University in the US.

Contact Tel: (+966) 1557 1714

Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz

Position: Assistant deputy commander, Saudi Arabian National Guard

Biography: Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz plays a key role in Hajj safety. The National Guard is responsible for regulating pilgrims’ entry to and exit from the kingdom, as well as ensuring their safe overland travel between Mecca and Medina. It is involved in directing traffic, preserving order and guiding lost pilgrims. The guard has helped reduce deaths during Hajj - 363 died in stampedes in 2006 compared with more than 1,400 in 1990. Catering for the health needs of the pilgrims are the guard’s Medical Services Department, which runs a 60-bed emergency hospital in Mina and another 45-bed hospital in Arafat. The prince’s department also runs emergency clinics at all of the Holy Sites. Prince Moteb is also deputy chair of the committee for the Janadriya national festival for heritage and culture each year.

Contact Tel: (+966) 1491 2222

Bakr bin Laden

Position: Chairman, Saudi Binladin Group

Biography: Bakr bin Laden was appointed chairman of the group in 1988. The construction giant’s most prestigious works have been in the two holy cities, where it is participating in five projects for which $7bn worth of contracts have been awarded. Bin Laden is a major powerbroker in the kingdom, with the group winning many major Mecca project bids. He is overseeing projects including the building of structures to replace the existing tents at Jeddah airport’s Hajj terminal. The group also expects to complete expansion works on the Holy Mosque in Mecca by the end of 2010. The areas surrounding both the Holy Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina are being developed. Saudi Binladin Group is the contractor for the building of six additional bridges at Jamarat Bridge in Mina. The project will increase the capacity of the bridge to about 800,000 pilgrims an hour from 500,000.

Contact Tel: (+966) 2664 3033

Abdullah al-Mughbil

Position: Chairman, Saudi Arabia Public Transport Company (Saptco)

Biography: Abdullah al-Mughbil is under-secretary of the Transport & Roads Ministry and chairs the board of directors at Saptco. The journey from Mecca to Medina following the completion of the Hajj rituals is an essential part of the pilgrimage. A significant proportion of the travellers travel by bus, provided by a combination of foreign and Saudi companies. Saptco is a government-managed company, established in 1979 to provide a scheduled and chartered bus services for the Hajj and Umrah. Saptco employs 4,500 people, operating 3,115 buses for the Mecca-Medina route, providing drivers, operators and technicians. The total number of
pilgrims transported by the company during the 2004 Hajj period reached 4.1 million. The company also helps with the design of transport sites within the sacred places and near Mecca.

Contact Tel: (+966) 1454 5000