WAM Abu Dhabi, Aug 08th, 2012 (WAM) - The Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Humanitarian and Charitable Foundation will bear this year the expenses of performing Haj for a thousand pilgrims at a total cost of AED 20 million.

Of the 1,000 pilgrims, 600 are Emiratis, while 400 are from outside the country and are chosen in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country's embassies abroad.

Ahmed Shabib Al Dhahiri, Director-General of the foundation, said in a statement that an annual budget of AED 20million has been allocated for the funding.

The humanitarian gesture follows the footsteps of the founding father of UAE the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Al Dhahiri thanked the UAE leadership for its keenness in helping Muslims to perform Haj and providing them all the necessary comforts for fulfilling this religious duty.

Al Daheri said the generous gesture comes in implementation of the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the follow-up of HH Shaikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and HH Omar Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Foundation WAM/AB