JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Somalia has secured a quota of 11,500 pilgrims for the 2027 Hajj season under an annual agreement signed between the two countries in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
Somalia’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, signed the agreement with his Saudi counterpart, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, setting the country’s allocation for the 1448 Hijri Hajj season, corresponding to 2027.
The agreement allows 11,500 Somali Muslims to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam.
The Somali minister and his delegation have been in Saudi Arabia in recent days, attending the Hajj Forum and Hajj Services Exhibition, a major gathering that brought together delegations from Muslim countries around the world.
The forum provides a platform for discussions on improving services for pilgrims, strengthening coordination between participating countries and addressing logistical arrangements for the annual pilgrimage.
Several Somali officials attended the signing ceremony, including Somalia’s consul general in Jeddah, Abdowali, the director general of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Abdinafiic, and the chairman of the Somali Hajj Services Office, Dr. Khadar Dahir, alongside other officials.
The annual quota agreement is part of preparations for the next Hajj season, allowing Somali authorities to begin planning arrangements for pilgrims, including registration, transportation, accommodation and other services.
Saudi Arabia allocates Hajj quotas to countries based on arrangements with their respective governments, with millions of Muslims travelling to the kingdom each year to perform the pilgrimage in Mecca and other holy sites.
For Somalia, the agreement establishes the number of citizens eligible to participate in the 2027 pilgrimage and provides a basis for coordinating preparations with Saudi authorities.
