President of Umm Al Qura University (UQU), who is the Supervisor General of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research, Dr. Bakry bin Maatouq Assas and President of the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) Dr. Fahad Bin Sulaiman Al Tekhaifi signed a memorandum of understanding Monday, Ramadan 9, 1437. The memo was signed in a meeting held at the UQU's office in Al-Abdiyah Campus and attended by Dean of the institute Dr. Atef Hussein Asghar and a number of vice-deans along with a number of the GaStat's officials.

Under the memo, the parties agreed on developing data base for statistical studies made on Hajj, Umrah and visits. The data base is expected to provide updated, comprehensive and reliable statistical information. Also, it gives a chance for analyzing schemes of Hajj and Umrah statistics. The studies cover the regions of Makkah, Medina and the cities that receive pilgrims and visitors every year.

Addressing the attendees, Dr. Assas said the institute and the authority would provide studies and statistics needed for Hajj and Umrah researches under the MoU to meet the aspiration of the kingdom's leaders according to the Saudi Vision 2030. He asserted the institute, which is part of the UQU, spares no efforts to serve the homeland and achieve its mission.

For his part, Al Tekhaifi said the memorandum is a step on way to bolster strategic partnership established by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research and the General Authority for Statistics. According to the agreement, the two sides would support collection and analysis of data to be regularly published on annual basis for Hajj and Umrah researches, Al Tekhaifi said, extending thanks to Dr. Assas and Dr. Asghar. He described the two-way cooperation as integrative that serves the public interest to meet aspiration of the Kingdom's leaders.

On the same subject, Dr. Asghar said the institute is working under an integrated mechanism that was developed by the UQU to fulfill its scientific, knowledge and consultancy role in serving the pilgrims. He added the agreement paves the way to having precise information on Hajj and Umrah and their related services. Concluding his speech, the dean said the new mechanism serve the system that control services provided for pilgrims. At last, He asked Allah for success.