Abidjan, September 19, 2026 – The Minister of Interior and Security, Vagondo Diomandé, chaired the review seminar for Hajj 2026 (the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the headquarters of the National Civil Protection Office (ONPC), which also marked the official launch of the 2027 edition.

The ceremony brought together key stakeholders involved in organizing the pilgrimage, including the Director General of Religious Affairs, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Côte d'Ivoire, the Consul General of Côte d'Ivoire in Jeddah, the representative of the COSIM President, the Hajj Commission, private operators, and the Oversight Committee.

On this occasion, the Director General of Religious Affairs presented the summary evaluation report for the 2026 edition. While the overall assessment highlighted satisfactory results, discussions helped identify several recommendations and perspectives aimed at further strengthening the organization of future editions and consolidating Côte d'Ivoire's achievements in managing the pilgrimage.

For his part, Minister Vagondo Diomandé expressed his gratitude to the President of the Republic for his steadfast commitment to improving the organizational conditions of the Hajj and ensuring the well-being of Ivorian pilgrims. In closing the session, the Minister of Interior and Security congratulated all stakeholders for their dedication and involvement in the success of Hajj 2026.

Regarding the 2027 edition, he announced that the cost of the Hajj for the state contingent remains set at 3,250,000 FCFA. Côte d'Ivoire's quota also remains set at 10,000 pilgrims, distributed as 7,000 pilgrims for the state contingent and 3,000 pilgrims for private operators. Concerning private operators, the groupings selected during the previous edition have been renewed for Hajj 2027