SAR modernizes the Hajj metro with Hitachi Rail, and IsDB pledges USD 400 mn to education

Hajj metro gets a makeover

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) and Japan’s Hitachi Rail have signed a contract to modernize the Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro, the line that moves pilgrims between the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat during Hajj, according to a press release. The 18-km, nine-station system can carry around 72k passengers per hour in each direction. The revamp targets reliability, operational performance, and sustainability.

IsDB commits USD 400 mn to education investments

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Arab Coordination Group are putting up USD 800 mn for a second phase of their SmartEd education initiative, according to a statement. Announced at the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) replenishment conference, the concessional financing pairs with USD 200 mn in GPE grants for a USD 1 bn package, double the scale of the first phase. IsDB and the Opec Fund are each contributing USD 400 mn, with other ACG members reaffirming support. Phase One, launched in 2021, has channeled about USD 522.5 mn into education programs in Chad, Cameroon, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan.