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Egypt revokes licences of travel agencies following recent Hajj disaster

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A crisis team entrusted with handling the situation stated on Saturday that Egypt had revoked the operational licenses of sixteen tourism companies and reported them to the public prosecutor, accusing them of being accountable for the deaths of Egyptian pilgrims in Mecca.

At least 530 Egyptians are said to have died during this year’s haj pilgrimage to Mecca, according to medical and security sources. A statement from the unit, led by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and established on Thursday, stated that 31 deaths were proven to be related to chronic sickness.

The statement added without naming the travel agencies that helped the deceased get around did not offer them any services at all, including medical assistance.

The agencies are held accountable for bringing pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on visas intended for personal visits rather than those necessary for haj, which grants entry to Mecca, the site of the haj.

Personal visa holders are not eligible for the medical treatments provided by Saudi authorities to ease the challenges of the pilgrimage. The statement further stated that to escape being arrested or deported, the pilgrims who perished had to go over the desert into Mecca.

Additionally, according to Egyptian authorities, those tour companies failed to provide the pilgrims with “appropriate accommodation,” which contributed to their “exhaustion due to the high temperatures.”

Authorities in Egypt have also recorded 31 deaths among Egyptian pilgrims who have registered, with “chronic diseases” listed as the reason for death. The statement stated that the majority of the deceased were not registered.

Egypt’s Northern Africa neighbour, Tunisia fired Minister of Religious Affairs, Brahim Chaibi after reports that forty-nine pilgrims died the the same disaster.

The Hajj, which takes place in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is the holiest pilgrimage in Islam. Terrorist attacks and stampedes are only two of the many deadly events that have occurred there recently.

Due to the Saudi kingdom’s mandated dramatic reduction in participation, only a few thousand people could take part in 2020—a far cry from the 2.5 million believers who did so in 2019.

Over 1.8 million pilgrims completed the hajj last year, according to government statistics, following the lifting of restrictions during the plague. Recently, hundreds of individuals from many nations have perished in the harsh conditions of the Saudi city during the Haj, when temperatures have occasionally risen above 51 degrees Celsius (124 Fahrenheit).

Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

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In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

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Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

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According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.

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