Hajj 2026: the first Senegalese pilgrims left Dakar for Medina

The pilgrimage to Mecca kicked off this Friday, May 8 at Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) in Diass. The first two inaugural flights of Hajj 2026 took off for Medina, Saudi Arabia, with a total of 717 Senegalese pilgrims on board.

According to authorities, the first plane carried 410 passengers, while the second had 307 pilgrims. These departures mark the start of the airlift set up to transport the Senegalese faithful to the holy places of Islam.

The official launching ceremony brought together several administrative and diplomatic authorities. It was chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Dr Khare Diouf.

Also present were the Secretary General of the Ministry of Land and Air Transport, Abdoulaye Gueye, the general delegate for pilgrimage to the holy places of Islam, General Mamadou Gaye, as well as the charge d’affaires of the embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Dakar.

The Saudi delegation also included the Director General of Passports and Civil Registration of the Saudi Ministry of the Interior, General Saleh bin Saad El Morbei.

On this occasion, the Secretary General of the Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad sent his encouragement to the pilgrims and reaffirmed the State’s commitment to ensuring the optimal progress of the 2026 Hajj.

As every year, the Senegalese and Saudi authorities are working closely together to facilitate administrative formalities, transport and reception of Senegalese pilgrims during their stay in the holy land.

YEAR