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2024 Hajj pilgrimage fee for Somalis set at $4,434; cost remains high compared to neighbours
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    Friday February 9, 2024

     

    Mogadishu (HOL) - The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs of Somalia has set the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage fee for Somali citizens at $4,434.648 following a two-month analysis by a Somali-Saudi expert committee.

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    This year's fee is a slight reduction from the previous year's cost of $4,484, according to the Ministry's announcement on Friday. The committee's analysis took into account various service charges associated with the Hajj pilgrimage in both Saudi Arabia and Somalia, leading to the establishment of the current rate.

    Despite the minor decrease, the cost for Somali pilgrims remains significantly higher than those from other Horn of Africa nations, such as Djibouti, Kenya, and Ethiopia. 

    The Ministry of Religion and Endowments has previously warned that action will be taken against any company that overcharges Somali pilgrims.

    In Somalia, the high costs of the Hajj pilgrimage have sparked tensions. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre highlighted that excessive charges by certain agencies had inflated the expenses for Somalis, contrasting with neighbouring countries where the pilgrimage could cost as little as $1,600 in 2023. In 2022, Somali pilgrims paid, on average, between $5,500 to $6,000 for Hajj pilgrimage.

    Last year,  Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (ASWJ) announced that they would not cooperate with the Ministry, accusing it of mismanaging the bidding process for Hajj vendors by playing favourites. 


     

     





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