The Minister of the Interior and Public Security, General Jean Baptiste Tine, chaired a decisive assessment meeting on Saturday of the preparations for the Grand Magal 2025. This high-level meeting, which brought together all the stakeholders involved in the organization of the major religious event, provided a particularly satisfactory assessment of the progress of the preparatory work.

A high-level meeting with encouraging results

The working session took place in the presence of an exceptional delegation testifying to the importance attached to this event by all the authorities. Alongside Minister Tine were the main figures of the Magal organization: Serigne Bassirou Mbacké Abdou Khadr, president of the organizing committee, Serigne Ousmane Mbacké Gaïndé Fatma, coordinator of the said committee, and Serigne Abdou Lahad Mbacké Gaïndé Fatma, president of the culture and communication commission.

The territorial administration was also strongly represented with the presence of Ibrahima Fall, governor of Diourbel, Khadim Hann, prefect of Mbacké, Abdoulaye Kharma, sub-prefect of Ndam, as well as all the heads of service involved in the organization of the event.

Gratitude of religious authorities

Speaking at the start of the meeting, Serigne Bassirou Mbacké Abdou Khadr expressed "his gratitude and satisfaction to the State, which has made enormous efforts to ensure the smooth running of the Magal." This public recognition demonstrates the quality of the collaboration between state and religious authorities in the preparation of this major event.

This satisfaction expressed by the president of the organizing committee constitutes a guarantee of success for the 2025 edition of the Grand Magal and confirms the effectiveness of the coordination mechanisms put in place.

Figures that speak for themselves: 95% satisfaction

Minister Jean Baptiste Tine revealed particularly encouraging statistics regarding the progress of preparations. "The objective of today's meeting was to assess the state of implementation of the commitments made by the departments and to provide solutions to the difficulties identified," he stated in his opening remarks.

The figures reveal a remarkable level of implementation: of the 127 commitments made by all government departments, 75% have already been fulfilled. In addition, 20% of commitments are currently being implemented or are being executed, "which brings the satisfaction level to around 95%," the Minister said.

The remaining 5%: between security and environmental constraints

The 5% of unfulfilled commitments are explained by legitimate technical and security considerations. The Minister specified that among these unfulfilled commitments, some will be fulfilled before the Magal, while others have been abandoned for compelling reasons.

Two concrete examples illustrate these constraints: the development of the service road which "could create traffic and road safety problems" and the use of a "toxic product for killing dogs" which "was not recommended for use this year due to the rainy season and the risk of infiltration into the water table."

These decisions demonstrate a responsible approach that prioritizes safety and environmental protection, even when this means abandoning certain initially planned developments.

The Minister did not fail to praise the exceptional work accomplished by all those involved. "I extend my warmest congratulations to the Governor of the Diourbel region, to all his colleagues, as well as to the President of the organizing committee and its coordinator, Ousmane Mbacké," he said.

Enhanced monitoring for the latest deadlines

Aware that the last percentages are often the most difficult to achieve, the Minister gave precise instructions for the final phase of preparations. He "asked the governor of the Diourbel region, in conjunction with the organizing committee, to follow up on the commitments currently being fulfilled so that, from the eve of the Magal, we are truly fully prepared for a successful Magal, even better than last year's Magal."

This proactive approach aims to ensure that the 20% of commitments currently being executed are finalized within the given timeframe, thus ensuring optimal preparation for the event.

The ambition of an exceptional Magal

The Minister's stated objective is clear: to organize "a successful Magal even better than last year's Magal." This ambition demonstrates the organizers' desire for continuous improvement and their determination to offer pilgrims ever-improving reception conditions.

The exchange of prayers and blessings

The meeting was also characterized by its spiritual dimension. The Minister took this opportunity to "request the prayers of the General Caliph of the Mourides for the Head of State, the Prime Minister, the entire government, and the entire Senegalese people."

In return, he expressed the prayers of the State: "We pray to the Almighty to give much more strength, vigor and longevity to the General Khalifa of the Mourides Serigne Mountakha Mbacké so that he remains ahead of us for a long time to guide us."