By IINA
Dakar : As many as 1400 Senegalese will perform Umrah at the expense of President Abdoulaye Wade. “This was in a gesture of thanksgiving for the people of Senegal for their contributions to make the 11th Dakar Islamic Summit a resounding success,” according to Wade’s spokesman. The pilgrims will leave for Makkah, in two batches of 700 each, during this month. The cost of the operation is estimated at between “900 million and one billion FCFA (between 1.3 and 1.5 million euros), Elhadji Amadou Sall, the spokesman said.
”All the religious families, and professionals had played a commendable role in making the Summit held on March 13 and 14 a great event. Therefore, the President decided, in an exceptional way, to organize a pilgrimage to the Holy Places of Islam for all the socio-professional categories, the Islamic religious families which made prayers all over the country for the success of the summit”, said the spokesman. Sall told a press conference that the pilgrims would include many Senegalese women also.
”Dakar Summit was held in the most perfect way – on the organisational, diplomatic and political levels. It’s the best summit ever organized by the OIC. This judgement is not mine, it is that of the Secretary-general of OCI Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who said it is an example in the organisation of a summit”, Wade’s spokesman said. President Wade is currently holding the presidency of OIC, which groups 57 Muslim countries.