Senegal recorded three (3) deaths in Mecca. The general delegation to the pilgrimage informs that the first death was recorded at the stage of Medina, this June 25, 2023. Even before confirmation of the lady’s identity, that a second death was announced. He was fatally struck on a highway not far from the Kaba.
The third death was recorded during a visit to the various accommodation sites, reported the Consulate General in Jiddah, Sheikh Bara Falilou Mbacké.
As a reminder, the price of the package for the needs of the pilgrimage to Mecca was fixed this year at 3 million 950 thousand CFA francs.
This award was made public following an interdepartmental council held the same day under the presidency of Prime Minister Amadou Bâ, in the presence of private tour operators and the president of the General Delegation to the pilgrimage to Mecca.
The price of the package «was estimated at 4 million 200 thousand CFA francs, but on the will of the Head of State, he asked us to do what was necessary to reduce this amount to 3 million 950 thousand CFA francs [so that] the pilgrimage is better democratized», explained the patron saint of Senegalese diplomacy.
She recalled that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has granted this year a quota of 12,860 pilgrims to Senegal, of which 11,000 will be transported by private tour operators, with the General Delegation to the pilgrimage in Mecca being called upon to take charge of the rest, that is, 1860 pilgrims.
“With Arafat Day scheduled for 27 June 2023, registrations in Senegal are scheduled to start on 11 April and end on 15 May. It is on the basis of this distribution that the General Delegate went to the holy places of Islam to start negotiations with the Saudi authorities,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese from abroad.
The Arafat stage is the highlight of the pilgrimage. It is a day dedicated to prayers and invocations. It coincides with the second day of the pilgrimage, the next day corresponding to the first day of the feast of Eid al-Adha, commonly known as Tabaski.
These negotiations focused on three aspects, namely transport, the pilgrims’ stay and the cost of the various services that will be allocated. On transport, the Saudi authorities have decided that half of the quota allocated to Senegal will have to be conveyed by a Saudi company. Flynas was designated to carry 50% of the quota, or 6,430 pilgrims. The other 50% will be reserved for other conveyors,” said Aïssata Tall Sall.
These planes to put at the disposal of pilgrims are new and type A330 900. I think they are Airbus aircraft with accepted international standards for air transport,” added the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese from abroad.
She announced that a technical audit mission is planned to be conducted by ANACIM, “to ensure that everything that Flynas has described to us as an aircraft corresponds to what will be presented to us.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also specified that the stay of the Senegalese pilgrims will be 26 days. Last year it was 30 days. But the intention of the President of the Republic is to further compress this period so that pilgrims who wish to spend as little time as possible in Mecca and spend less money,” she continued.
